MAO-B inhibitors
- Reduce dopamine breakdown in Parkinson disease
- Selegiline/rasagiline/safinamide
- Modest symptomatic benefit; reduce OFF time
- Selectivity is dose-dependent
- Low-dose MAO-B ≠ classic nonselective MAOI
- Interaction risk rises as MAO-A inhibition appears
- Safinamide also modulates glutamate release
Class at a glance
- Reduce dopamine breakdown in Parkinson disease
Members / distinctions
- Selegiline/rasagiline/safinamide
- Modest symptomatic benefit; reduce OFF time
Other member distinctions
- Selectivity is dose-dependent
- Low-dose MAO-B ≠ classic nonselective MAOI
- Safinamide also modulates glutamate release
Safety / monitoring
- Interaction risk rises as MAO-A inhibition appears
Pearls
- Nausea and orthostatic hypotension can occur
Self-check
- What do MAO-B inhibitors primarily reduce?
Dopamine breakdown in Parkinson disease. - Which MAO-B inhibitor also modulates glutamate release?
Safinamide.
Drugs in this class (3)
MAO-B inhibitors prescription history
Animated chart of estimated U.S. prescriptions per year, Parkinson medicines (1948–2026). MAO-B inhibitors highlighted from 1989.
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