Idazoxan treatment in progressive supranuclear palsy.

To confirm the preliminary report that increases in norepinephrine neurotransmission improve motor performance, we administered the investigational drug idazoxan (IDA) to nine patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) according to a double-blind crossover protocol. There were seven women and two men, whose mean age was 70 years and mean duration of illness 4 years. All had an advanced parkinsonian syndrome, supranuclear ocular motor palsies, and poor responses to dopaminergic drugs. During administration of 40 mg tid of IDA, the total score and the motor subscale score of the United Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale significantly decreased. Features that improved most included mobility, balance, gait, and measures of digital dexterity. There were no significant changes in any measure during placebo administration. Corticobulbar manifestations and eye movements were not significantly improved during treatment. Side effects of IDA included transient hypertension, tachycardia, action tremor, flushing, and sweating, but none was so severe that any patient withdrew from the study. Among the few attempted treatments of PSP, IDA is the first medication shown in a double-blind study to improve aspects of motor function.