non limiting examples in all the examples all specifications of parts and percentages in formulations refer to parts and percentages by weight and the dosage specified may be adjusted to the exact needs of an individual patient and accurately dispensed by conventional techniques known in the medical arts a suitable mixture for treatment according to this invention consists of 3 parts of l deprenyl mixed with 97 parts of an ointment base the composition of the ointment base is as follows ______________________________________polyethylene glycol 6000 distearate 5 15 polyethylene glycol 1540 15 25 butylated hydroxytoluene preservative 0 1 0 5 polyethylene glycol 300 balance______________________________________ an amount of 0 5 to 2 0 grams of this medicated ointment is applied to the forearm of a patient suffering from depression and rubbed into the skin to provide a therapeutically effective amount of ldeprenyl for at least one day this is the same as example 1 and is used in the same way except that the base is a cream rather than an ointment the composition of the cream base is ______________________________________glyceryl monostearate nf vii 10 20 cetyl alcohol 5 10 cetyl ester wax 5 10 polysorbate 60 5 10 propylene glycol 5 10 dimethicone 350 0 5 3 paraban preservative 0 2 water balance______________________________________ this is an example of a transdermal patch incorporating ldy five to fifty milligrams of this drug is dissolved in a mixture of mineral oil and poly isobutylene to provide a liquid center reservoir of active drug this reservoir is enclosed in a sealed flat disc shaped pouch one to six centimeters in diameter the top of the pouch consists of a thin aluminized polyester.