Short term heart rate variability is preserved in Parkinson’s disease under atomoxetine

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ID: 327830
2026
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Abstract
Abstract Repurposed noradrenergic drugs have been proposed to treat neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson’s disease and related conditions. While there is evidence that these drugs can be beneficial for cognition in selected patients, questions remain about their cardiovascular effects. Here we tested whether heart rate variability (HRV) is altered in people with Parkinson’s disease, following a single-dose challenge with the noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine (40 mg, oral). Consistent with previous work, our cohort of people with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (n=15) had lower HRV than healthy controls (n=22). Decreased HRV in people with Parkinson’s disease was associated with reduced integrity of the caudal locus coeruleus, measured using neuromelanin-sensitive ultra-high field 7T magnetic resonance imaging. Following a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled crossover challenge in the Parkinson’s disease group, short-term resting HRV was not significantly altered following atomoxetine. Using Bayesian statistical inference, we demonstrated confidence in the preservation of HRV across measures in the time, frequency, and non-linear domains. Our findings are in favour of a safe cardiovascular profile for atomoxetine in Parkinson’s disease, further supporting noradrenergic modulation as a viable treatment strategy for neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson’s disease and related disorders.
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openalex_W7138323934 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Isabella F Orlando, Frank H. Hezemans, Kamen A. Tsvetanov, Rong Ye, Catarina Rua, Ralf Regenthal, Roger A. Barker, Caroline Williams-Gray, Luca Passamonti, Trevor Robbins, James Rowe, Claire O’Callaghan
Journal Brain communications
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/braincomms/fcag338
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