Treatment of heredo-degenerative ataxias with amantadine hydrochloride.

Abstract

Amantadine hydrochloride (AH) was administered (200 mg/day) for more than three months to 17 patients with Friedreich's ataxia (FA) and to 12 patients with olivopontocerebellar atrophies (OPCA) in an open clinical trial. Reaction time (RT) and movement time (MT) with the right and left hand were measured before and after treatment. A striking improvement on both RT and MT was observed in the OPCA group (on seven out of eight measures), whereas in the FA patients improvement was seen only in two out of four MT measures with no improvement in RT. Both groups had low levels of homovanillic acid (HVA) in their cerebrospinal fluid before treatment, relative to their controls. However, improvement with AH was not related to HVA levels.

• Authors: M I Botez, S N Young, T Botez, O L Pedraza
• Journal: The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques (Can J Neurol Sci) Vol. 18 Issue 3 Pg. 307-11 (Aug 1991) ISSN: 0317-1671 [Print] England
• PMID: 1913365 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Amantadine
• Homovanillic Acid

Topics

• Adult
• Amantadine (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Friedreich Ataxia (cerebrospinal fluid, drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Homovanillic Acid (cerebrospinal fluid)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Muscles (physiopathology)
• Olivopontocerebellar Atrophies (cerebrospinal fluid, drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Reaction Time