Neuroprotection by propargylamines in Parkinson's disease: suppression of apoptosis and induction of prosurvival genes.

In Parkinson's disease (PD), therapies to delay or suppress the progression of cell death in nigrostriatal dopamine neurons have been proposed by use of various agents. An inhibitor of type B monoamine oxidase (MAO-B), (-)deprenyl (selegiline), was reported to have neuroprotective activity, but clinical trials failed to confirm it. However, the animal and cellular models of PD proved that selegiline protects neurons from cell death.