Dopamine agonists have been shown to possess neuroprotective properties in
different in vitro and in vivo experimental Parkinson’s disease models, because their
capability to counteract- neuronal cell death. Here we update the molecular evidence
underlying the wide pharmacological spectrum of dopamine agonists currently used for
treating Parkinson’s disease patients. In particular, the mechanism of action of different
dopamine agonists does not always appear to be restricted to the stimulation of selective
dopamine receptor subtypes since at least some of these drugs are endowed with
antioxidant, antiapoptotic or neurotrophic properties. These activities are moleculespecific
and may contribute to the clinical efficacy of these drugs for the treatment of
chronic and progressive neurodegenerative diseases in which oxidative injury and/or
protein misfolding and aggregation exert a primary role. However, despite increasing
number of experimental results confirm their neuroprotective effects, further studies are
needed to definitively confirm dopamine agonists as disease-modifying agents.
Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, amyolid fibril, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,
apomorphine, bromocryptine, disease-modifying therapy, dopamine, dopamine
receptor agonists, Free radicals, neurodegeneration, neurogenesis, neuroimaginig,
neuroprotection, oxidative stress, Parkinson’s disease, pergolide, pramipexole,
protein aggregation, ropinirole, rotigotine, α-synuclein.
