A double-blind cross-over trial of amantadine hydrochloride in Friedreich's ataxia.
We performed a double-blind cross-over study with amantadine hydrochloride in 12 patients with Friedreich's disease and 2 with autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia. Patients were randomly assigned to a placebo-amantadine or amantadine-placebo sequence. The interval between the treatments was two weeks. Patients were graded according to a functional ataxia scoring scale and videotaped in basal conditions and 90 min after a single oral dose of 100 mg amantadine or placebo. Three evaluators independently scored the videotapes. Statistical analysis showed no significant effect of amantadine in Friedreich's disease.
Filla
A
A
Department of Neurology, Second School of Medicine, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
De Michele
G
G
Orefice
G
G
Santorelli
F
F
Trombetta
L
L
Banfi
S
S
Squitieri
F
F
Napolitano
G
G
Puma
D
D
Campanella
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000547:Amantadine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005621:Friedreich Ataxia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology
D000547:Amantadine