Intervention: Rasagiline
Trial phase: Phase 2
ATC code: N04BD02
SMILES: C#CCN[C@@H]1CCc2ccccc21
Sex: All
Age groups: Adult | Older Adult
Healthy volunteers: No
Participants at risk: 45
Group description: This group will receive a 1 mg rasagiline tablet to be taken once daily for one year. In addition, the following test will be performed: a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Stroop, Digit Span, Hopkins Verbal Learning Test, Brief Test of Attention, Beck Depression Index, Hamilton Anxiety and Depression Rating Scales, Physical Function Performance Test, and Epworth Sleepiness Scale.

Rasagiline: Rasagiline will be taken for one year at the dose of 1mg a day. and subjects will undergo functional and structural brain imaging to determine if rasagiline is slowing the progression of Parkinson's Disease in the brain.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging: This test will be performed at baseline and one year.

functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging: This test will be performed at baseline and one year.

Physical Function Performance Test: This test will be performed at baseline and one year.
Eligibility criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

96 patients with clinically diagnosed PD. For the PD diagnosis, we will use the University of Kentucky PD brain bank diagnostic criteria implemented by a movement disorders trained neurologist. Only early stage PD within 5 years of diagnosis who have never taken rasagiline will be included. 5 years since diagnosis was chosen to focus on early stages of PD, where MAO-B inhibitors have shown the most promise. PD are eligible to participate if they are age 40-77, Hoehn and Yahr stage < or equal to 2 when on medication, and able and willing to sign informed consent to be randomized to the placebo or active drug arm.

Exclusion Criteria:

As necessitated by the risks of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, patients who have any type of implanted electrical device (such as a cardiac pacemaker or a neurostimulator), or a certain type of metallic clip in their body (i.e., an aneurysm clip in the brain), are not eligible for participation in the MRI portion of the study.
Individuals who are claustrophobic will also be excluded from participation.
Women who are or might be pregnant and nursing mothers are not eligible. Pregnancy tests will be carried out for each female subject prior to the MRI scan.
Individuals with psychiatric disorders or dementia will be excluded, along with other neurologic and orthopedic problems that impair hand movements and walking.
Individuals who have a history metalworking involving cutting processes such as grinding, filing, shaving, and threading, will need radiological clearance to participate in this study. Specifically, individuals who report a history of metalworking will be referred to Radiology at Shands University of Florida(UF) for an orbitofrontal x-ray. In addition, individuals who have sustained an eye injury involving metal will also be referred to Radiology at Shands UF for an orbitofrontal x-ray. Shands at UF will provide a written report stating whether the individual is safe for imaging at 3 Tesla. All expenses related to this procedure will be covered by the PI.
Patients with a prior stroke or brain tumor are excluded. Patients will be excluded if they are unwilling to comply with the study procedures.