Treatment of Parkinson's disease and enhancement of dopamine signal using PDE 10 inhibitor
The present invention relates to a therapeutic or prophylactic method for treating Parkinson's disease by administering an effective amount of a compound having a phosphodiesterase 10 inhibitory activity; and also relates to a pharmaceutical composition for treatment or prophylaxis of Parkinson's disease comprising as an active ingredient a compound having a phosphodiesterase 10 inhibitory activity. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method for enhancing dopamine signal in the brain, which comprises administering an effective amount of a compound having a phosphodiesterase 10 inhibitory activity; and also relates to pharmaceutical composition for enhancing dopamine signal in brain comprising as an active ingredient a compound having a phosphodiesterase 10 inhibitory activity.
1. A method for enhancing dopamine signals in the brain, which comprises administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of a compound having a phosphodiesterase 10 inhibitory activity together with inducing dopamine signals by L-dopa administration or by administration of a dopamine receptor agonist, and thereby enhancing dopamine signals in the brain of said patient; wherein the compound having phosphodiesterase 10 inhibitory activity is
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said patient is a patient afflicted with Parkinson's disease.
3. The method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the dopamine signals are enhanced in a part of the brain, selected from the group consisting of corpus striatum, nucleus accumbens, olfactory tubercle and frontal lobe.
4. The method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the dopamine signals are enhanced in the corpus striatum.
5. The method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the dopamine signals are those induced by L-dopa administration.
6. The method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the dopamine signals are those induced by administration of a dopamine receptor agonist.
7. The method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the dopamine signals are those induced by administration of a dopamine type 2 receptor agonist.
8. The method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the dopamine signals are those induced by administration of a dopamine type 2 receptor selective agonist.
9. The method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the dopamine signals are those induced by administration of bromocriptine.