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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
A new trial suggests citicoline could give Parkinson's patients a motor boost. The CITIPARK trial found that patients who added citicoline to their standard dopaminergic therapy were twice as likely to achieve a clinically meaningful improvement in motor function compared to placebo — and the treatment was well tolerated with no serious adverse events.
A new add-on therapy may help Parkinson's patients move better. The CITIPARK trial — a randomized, double-blind, multicenter study conducted across 44 Italian clinics — tested whether adding intramuscular citicoline (1000 mg/day) to standard dopaminergic treatment could improve outcomes in 474 patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). Participants received citicoline or placebo over two 6-week treatment cycles across a 24-week period.
The results are encouraging, especially for adherent patients. While citicoline didn't hit statistical significance on the primary endpoint (MDS-UPDRS total score) in the full study population, a modified intention-to-treat subgroup — those who fully completed the regimen — told a different story. In that group, citicoline nearly doubled the odds of achieving a clinically meaningful motor improvement and significantly improved motor function scores compared to placebo.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: Parkinson's disease management has long relied on dopaminergic therapies, but motor decline remains a persistent challenge. Citicoline — a well-known neuroprotective agent — could offer a safe, meaningful add-on option for patients on stable regimens, though larger and longer trials are needed to confirm these findings.
