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Fourteen parkinsonian patients, 10 of them showing severe and long-standing ‘on-off effects and 4 ‘end-of-dose impairment’, received Madopar HBS instead of standard Madopar. At the end of the dosage adaptation phase (9 weeks) most patients improved; in patients with ‘on-off phenomenon, parkinsonism became less severe, on periods were longer, and fluctuations decreased; end-of-dose impairment resolved in 4 patients. However, a longer delay in the onset of the therapeutic effect was observed after the first daily drug intake in those patients still showing severe early-morning parkinsonism. With Madopar HBS, L-dopa dosage was increased by 116 %. In spite of a greater dopaminergic effect, dyskinesias were reduced, and dystonias became less marked or even disappeared.

Thirteen parkinsonians with a long duration of the disease and longterm dopa therapy, seven of them showing severe on-off oscillations and 6 an "endof-dose impairment", were treated with a controlled release (HBS) preparation of L DOPA/benserazide for more than 3 years.Thereafter, selegiline was added in a progressively increasing dosage up to a maximum of 10 mg/day during 4 months, with the aim of a) further improving the longterm results and b) reducing the doses of the new formula of LDOPA.A significant decrease of early morning parkinsonism and reduction of motor disability throughout the day were observed; "wearing-off" cases showed better results compared with those presenting "on-off" oscillations. A mean reduction of 20 ' 70 in the doses of levodopa was achieved. Likewise, a mild reduction of dyskinesias and a mild-moderate enhancement of dystonias were recorded. Only one patient did not tolerate selegiline and two others received lower doses due to side-effects.Selegiline was capable of enhancing the antiparkinsonian effect of the new formula of LDOPA, while allowing a reduction of the doses administered. It must also be emphasized that such improvement was achieved in complicated patients, most of whom showed some deterioration of response in the late stages of long-term sustained-release levodopa treatment.

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