Pramipexole for Mood Disorders: A Meta-Analysis of 8 Placebo-Controlled RCTs
Summary: This random-effects meta-analysis examines pramipexole efficacy for depressive symptoms across mood disorders, including 8 studies with 479 total participants.
Key Findings
- Mood Disorders (k=8, N=479): Hedges g = 0.64 (HK 95% CI: 0.41–0.86, p < 0.001)
- MDD/TRD (k=5, N=397): Hedges g = 0.61 (HK 95% CI: 0.32–0.90, p = 0.004)
- Bipolar Depression (k=3, N=82): Hedges g = 0.76 (HK 95% CI: −0.23–1.75, p = 0.080)
- Dose-Response: Significant positive slope (+0.15 g/mg, p = 0.027) suggests higher doses may yield larger effects.
- Heterogeneity: I² = 0% across mood disorders, indicating homogeneous effects.
Included Studies
- Corrigan 2000 (MDD, MADRS, 0.69mg, n=106)
- Cusin 2013 (TRD augmentation, MADRS, 1.35mg, n=60)
- Browning 2025 PAX-D (TRD augmentation, QIDS-C, 2.3mg, n=150)
- Lindqvist 2025 (MDD, HAM-D6, 3.53mg, n=49)
- Chase/CTC-501 2023 (MDD, MADRS, 4.1mg, n=32)
- Zarate 2004 (Bipolar II, MADRS, 1.7mg, n=21)
- Goldberg 2004 (Bipolar TRD, HAM-D, 1.7mg, n=22)
- McAllister-Williams 2025 (Bipolar, MADRS, 2.18mg, n=39)
Methods
Random-effects model using REML τ² estimation with Hartung-Knapp adjustment for the primary inference. Effect sizes computed as Hedges g with Borenstein (2009) exact standard errors. Positive values indicate pramipexole superiority over placebo.
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