title: Levo(-) amphetamine and dextro(+) amphetamine in the treatment of narcolepsy.
abstract: The narcoleptic syndrome is a life-long and sometimes familial disorder in which there is a disturbance of the rapid eye movement phase of sleep. Patients with periodic sleep in the daytime but no other symptoms seldom develop the narcoleptic syndrome and have a separate unrelated disorder. Twelve patients with the narcoleptic syndrome were treated separately with l(-) amphetamine and d(+) amphetamine. Both drugs abolished narcolepsy, d(+) amphetamine being slightly more potent than l(-) amphetamine. In equipotent doses, unwanted effects of nervousness and insomnia were equal in frequency. No tolerance to either preparation developed during a six month period. Cataplexy was not affected by amphetamine treatment, but was abolished in two patients when clomipramine was given together with either amphetamine.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000661:Amphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000652:urine; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002385:Cataplexy / Q000188:drug therapy; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000652:urine; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007536:Isomerism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009290:Narcolepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010919:Placebos; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced; D012894:Sleep Stages; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000187:drug effects; D013546:Sweating; D014202:Tremor / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D010919:Placebos; D000661:Amphetamine; D003913:Dextroamphetamine