The Pharmacological Potential of Adenosine A 2A Receptor Antagonists for Treating Parkinson's Disease.

The adenosine A 2A receptor subtype is recognized as a non-dopaminergic pharmacological target for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, notably Parkinson's disease (PD). The selective A 2A receptor antagonist istradefylline is approved in the US and Japan as an adjunctive treatment to levodopa/decarboxylase inhibitors in adults with PD experiencing OFF episodes or a wearing-off phenomenon; however, the full potential of this drug class remains to be explored. In this article, we review the pharmacology of adenosine A 2A receptor antagonists from the perspective of the treatment of both motor and non-motor symptoms of PD and their potential for disease modification.