Dopamine Agonists
Dopamine is a type of hormone and neurotransmitter that helps regulate movement, motivation, learning, attention and the brain’s reward system. It plays a key role in controlling physical movement as well as reinforcing behaviours by signalling reward, anticipation and the drive to repeat actions associated with pleasure or perceived benefit.
Dopamine agonists are a family of drugs that stimulate dopamine receptors and mimic some of the effects of dopamine in the brain. They come in a variety of forms and are prescribed for a range of conditions - most commonly, Parkinson’s Disease, Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) and related sleep movement disorders, and pituitary endocrine disorders such as hyperprolactinaemia and prolactinoma.
Below are the most common types:
Pramipexole
Brand names: Mirapexin, Sifrol, (or generic)
Licenced for: Parkinson’s disease, restless legs syndrome
Off label use: Treatment-resistant depression (TRD), bipolar depression, and some other psychiatric and neurological conditions
Form: Tablets, extended-release tablets
See our page on ‘off label use for depression’
Ropinirole
Brand names: Requip, Adartrel, (or generic)
Licenced for: Parkinson’s disease, restless legs syndrome
Off-label use: Occasionally studied for depression and apathy, although much less commonly than pramipexole
Form: Tablets, extended-release tablets
Rotigotine
Brand names: Neupro
Licenced for: Parkinson’s disease, restless legs syndrome
Form: Transdermal skin patches
Apomorphine
Brand names: APO-go, Dacepton, (or generic)
Licenced for: Advanced Parkinson’s disease
Form: Injection, infusion pump
Cabergoline
Brand names: Cabaser, Dostinex, (or generic)
Licenced for: Prolactinoma, hyperprolactinaemia, Parkinson’s disease (less commonly)
Off-label use: Antipsychotic-induced hyperprolactinaemia and related endocrine disorders
Form: Tablets
Bromocriptine
Brand names: Parlodel, (or generic)
Licenced for: Parkinson’s disease, prolactinoma, hyperprolactinaemia
Form: Tablets
Partial Dopamine Agonists
Partial dopamine agonists are a related class of medications most commonly used within psychiatry (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression) and Tourette syndrome. Unlike “full” dopamine agonists, they do not fully stimulate dopamine receptors, but can both dampen and enhance dopamine signalling depending on the brain region and underlying dopamine activity. There are three commonly used examples:
Aripiprazole
Brand names: Abilify, (or generic)
Licenced for: Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression augmentation, Tourette syndrome
Form: Tablets, oral solution, injection
Brexpiprazole
Brand names: Rexulti
Licenced for: Depression augmentation, schizophrenia
Form: Tablets
Cariprazine
Brand names: Reagila, Vraylar
Licenced for: Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia
Form: Capsules
‘Off label’ / unlicensed medicines
Sometimes a healthcare professional may recommend that you take an off-label or unlicensed medicine.
Off-label use means that the medicine isn't licensed for treatment of your condition. But the medicine will have a licence to treat another condition and will have undergone clinical trials for this.
See our page on ‘off label use for depression’