Cerebellar dysfunction in chronic toluene abuse: beneficial response to amantadine hydrochloride.
A 21-year-old man who had sniffed toluene since the age of 13 presented with a 4-year history of progressive cerebellar dysfunction and visual deterioration. The patient's condition did not improve despite 5 months of abstinence. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed cerebral atrophy and hypointensity signals in the white matter and bilaterally in the globus pallidus, thalamus, red nucleus, and substantia nigra. Amantadine hydrochloride therapy (100 mg/d, then 200 mg/d) resulted in dramatic improvement of his cerebellar and visual symptoms.
Deleu
D
D
Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khod, Sultanate of Oman. deleu@omantel.net.om
Hanssens
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000547:Amantadine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D014050:Toluene / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy
D015259:Dopamine Agents; D014050:Toluene; D000547:Amantadine