The role of selegiline in the treatment of negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of selegiline in the treatment of negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE (1966-January 2007) and PsychINFO (1967-January 2007) were searched, using the terms schizophrenia, negative symptoms, and selegiline. A bibliographic search was conducted, as well. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: All English-language articles identified from the search were evaluated. All primary literature was included in the review. DATA SYNTHESIS: Based on its dopamine-enhancing property, selegiline has been studied as augmentation to antipsychotic therapy for the treatment of negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia. The efficacy of low-dose oral selegiline for the treatment of negative symptoms has been evaluated in 1 case report, 2 open-label trials, and 2 controlled trials. The case report and both open-label trials report improvement of negative symptoms associated with low-dose oral selegiline. In 1 of the controlled trials, selegiline showed no difference in effect from that of placebo. These data are limited by small sample sizes. The largest controlled trial demonstrated a statistically significant difference between selegiline and placebo; however, the clinical significance is questionable, given that patients treated with selegiline were still experiencing marked negative symptoms at study completion. No comparative studies evaluating low-dose oral selegiline versus other augmentative treatment options for negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia exist at this time. CONCLUSIONS: Given the limitations of current literature, low-dose oral selegiline cannot be recommended for treatment of negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia. Additional controlled trials are needed to better delineate whether there is a role for selegiline in decreasing the burden of negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia.