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March 30, 2004
Paxil Neuroprotective In Mice
Paxil, or paroxetine, has been shown to slow down Huntington's Disease in Mice.
Paxil is a SSRI (serotonin-reuptake inhibitor), which is a type of anti-depressant. This is another good reason for those at-risk and symptomatic with HHD to take Paxil.
It is entirely possible, if not probably, that other anti-depressants in the SSRI category will also have a similar benefit. But since not any one anti-depressant works for everybody, follow your doctor's advice and be sure to tell your health care professionals if you are having any problems. Here's the abstract:
Paroxetine retards disease onset and progression in Huntingtin mutant mice.
Duan W, Guo Z, Jiang H, Ladenheim B, Xu X, Cadet JL, Mattson MP.
Laboratory of Neurosciences, National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program.
We report that administration of paroxetine, a widely prescribed antidepressant drug that acts by inhibiting reuptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin, suppresses the neurodegenerative process and increases the survival of huntingtin mutant mice, an animal model of Huntington's disease (HD). Paroxetine attenuated motor dysfunction and body weight loss and improved glucose metabolism in the HD mice. Paroxetine was beneficial when treatment was initiated before or after the onset of motor dysfunction, suggesting a potential for such antidepressant drugs in the treatment of presymptomatic and symptomatic HD patients.
PMID: 15048901
Posted by Dave at March 30, 2004 04:59 PM
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