Effect of Amantadine on Movement Disorder in A-T
Investigator:
Andreea Nissenkorn, MD
Location:
Sheba Medical Center, Israel
Purpose:
This open label (non-placebo controlled) trial was performed to determine if amantadine sulphate improves ataxia and some of the other movement disorders (example: bradykinesia, dystonia, chorea) in patients with A-T.
Conclusions
Participants were treated with amantadine for 8 weeks (mean dosage at the end of the study was 6.3+0.87 mg/kg/day). Ataxia was assessed using the International Cooperative Ataxia Scale (ICARS), parkinsonism was assessed by the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), and involuntary movements by the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). The majority of patients in this trial (~76%) demonstrated significant improvements with regards to parkinsonism, ataxia and involuntary movements. Observed side effects of amantadine were mild and transient and did not lead to discontinuation of treatment. Amantadine is a well tolerated and effective treatment for the motor symptoms associated with A-T. A double blind, placebo-controlled trial is warranted to assess long term treatment with this drug.
Reference:
Nissenkorn, A., Hassin-Baer, S., Lerman, S.F., Levi, Y.B., Tzadok, M., and Ben-Zeev, B. (2013). Movement disorder in ataxia-telangiectasia: treatment with amantadine sulfate. J Child Neurol 28, 155-160.