title: Neurobehavioral effects of amantadine after pediatric traumatic brain injury: a preliminary report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the safety and efficacy of a dopamine agonist, amantadine hydrochloride (AMH), in the treatment of neurobehavioral sequelae of pediatric TBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Age- and severity-matched traumatic brain injury groups, randomized to AMH (n = 17) or usual care (n = 10), completed behavior scales and neuropsychological tests. Effect sizes measured the treatment effect within subjects and between groups. Side effects were tracked over the 12-week study course.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Behavior improved in the AMH group, but only those 2 years or fewer postinjury showed a treatment effect on cognitive tests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After traumatic brain injury, a 12-week course of AMH was safe and, according to parent report, improved behavior. AMH may have the potential to improve cognition in more recently injured children.
authors.affiliation: Traumatic Brain Injury Program, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. beerssr@upmc.edu
authors.forename: Sue R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Beers
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skold
authors.forename: Clifton Edward
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.forename: Philip David
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Adelson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000547:Amantadine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000547:Amantadine