Neuropediatrics 2000; 31(6): 307-309
DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-12945
Short Communication

Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Successful Trial of Amantadine Hydrochloride for Two Patients with Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood

K. Sone, H. Oguni, H. Katsumori, M. Funatsuka, T. Tanaka, M. Osawa
  • Department of Pediatrics, Tokyo Woman's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
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Publikationsverlauf

Publikationsdatum:
31. Dezember 2000 (online)

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We report here the efficacy of amantadine hydrochloride for two patients with alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC) that did not respond to flunarizine. Amantadine was administered to one patient at age one year and seven months and to the other at age 25 years. The frequencies and duration of the hemiplegic attacks significantly improved in both patients. However, the attacks gradually returned to the previous level after a significant reduction in seizures for three years in the younger patient with ongoing AHC. Our therapeutic results further support the hypothesis that glutamate and NMDA receptors are involved in inducing alternating hemiplegic attacks, because amantadine as well as its derivative, memantine, are clinically available non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, with neuroprotective effects. Amantadine is worth trying when treating patients with AHC as a first trial or a substitute for flunarizine once the latter agent looses effect.

References

M. D. Hirokazu Oguni

Department of Pediatrics
Tokyo Women's Medical University

8-1 Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku

Tokyo 162

Japan

eMail: hoguni@ped.twmu.ac.jp