Source: DGNews  |  Posted 9 years ago

By Thomas S. May
Special to DG News

NEW YORK, NY -- October 16, 2002 -- Pergolide, a mixed C1/D2/D3 dopamine agonist, appears to be safe and effective in the treatment of children and adolescents with Tourette's syndrome, new research suggests.

Dr. Donald Gilbert, director of the Tourette's Syndrome and Movement Disorders Clinics in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, presented the findings here October 15 at the 127th annual meeting of the American Neurological Association (ANA).

Neuroleptics, which block dopamine transmission, are currently used for the treatment of children with severe tics, but major side effects and limited efficacy reduce their clinical utility. Results of prior open-label and crossover studies of pergolide have indicated that it may suppress tics.

In an attempt to investigate this possibility, Dr. Gilbert and colleagues enrolled 56 children, aged 7 to 17 years, who had been diagnosed with Tourette