Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative condition due to the degeneration of nigral dopaminergic cells. Both motor and non-motor symptoms (NMS) of PD produce a marked impairment in PD patients' quality of life (QoL), but contrary to motor features, NMS do not improve with
dopamine replacement. Novel therapeutic interventions for PD have successfully controlled most motor manifestations of PD, but the management of NMS is still challenging. Since NMS have a negative impact on the QoL of PD patients, researchers are currently looking for drugs that can modulate the activity of
neurotransmitter systems other than
dopamine in the hope that can alleviate NMS in PD. Among the recently approved drugs for patients experiencing fluctuations in motor symptoms,
safinamide stands out as an effective add-on
therapy to
levodopa.
Safinamide is a
monoamine oxidase type-B inhibitor (MAOB-I), with proven efficacy in reducing motor fluctuations. Its distinctive mechanism of action impacts dopaminergic pathways via MAOB inhibition and glutamatergic pathways by blocking
sodium and
calcium channels. Findings from Phase III clinical trials, meta-analysis, post-hoc analysis, and real-life experiences indicate that
safinamide benefits motor symptoms such as
tremor,
bradykinesia, rigidity, and gait. Additionally, it shows promise for improving NMS like
fatigue,
pain, mood, and sleep disturbances in patients with PD.
Areas Covered: In this article, the authors explore the impact of
safinamide on patient-reported outcomes in PD. A thorough search was conducted on PubMed focusing on studies published between 2018 and 2023 in English. The inclusion criteria encompassed clinical trials, randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and reviews. The search strategy revolved around the implementation of MeSH terms related to
safinamide and its impact on the quality of life in PD.
Conclusion: Our data strongly support the improving effect on QoL, reducing the disabling NMS reported in patients with PD.