L-Deprenil, a selective monoamine oxidase type B inhibitor, in the treatment of depression: a double blind evaluation.

In a double blind controlled study, 14 affectively ill patients (2 bipolars, 12 unipolars) were randomly allocated to L-Deprenil treatment (an irreversible selective MAO-B inhibitor without "cheese effect") and 13 patients (3 bipolars, 10 unipolars) to placebo only. Patients on L-Deprenil showed a significantly greater clinical improvement than placebo patients. A positive relationship was found between clinical improvement and degree of platelet MAO inhibition in patients treated with L-Deprenil.