Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease treated with amantidine. A report of two cases.
The treatment of two cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease with amantidine is described. The first case made a remarkable initial improvement which was sustained for two months, but then deteriorated and died. Histological examination of the brain showed changes consistent with early Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The second case which was clinically one of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease has now been followed for 30 months since the start of treatment and appears to be cured. It is considered that amantidine has a definite effect in this disease and it is suggested that its mode of action, though unknown, is more likely to be metabolic than antiviral.
D000368:Aged; D000547:Amantadine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000473:pathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000473:pathology; D007562:Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004027:Diencephalon / Q000473:pathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009132:Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology
D000547:Amantadine