Gabapentin for Kleine-Levin syndrome.
We describe a 17-year-old girl with Kleine-Levin syndrome (KLS), in which gabapentin was effective for the prevention of attacks. (99)mTc-ECD SPECT revealed hyperperfusion of the thalamus and nucleus accumbens presenting in the symptomatic period, suggesting epilepsy-like neuronal discharge from these structures. Treatment for KLS has not been established, although lithium has been used in limited cases with insignificant efficacy. Here, we report a case of recurrent hypersomnia in which gabapentin was effective for the prevention of attacks. We speculate that the recurrent hypersomnia and behaviour disturbance are related to epilepsy-like neuronal discharge from the thalamus due to dysfunction in GABAnergic receptors.
Itokawa
Kaori
K
Department of Neurology, Saitama Medical University. kitokawa@saitama-med.ac.jp
Fukui
Miki
M
Ninomiya
Mikiko
M
Yamamoto
Toshimasa
T
Imabayashi
Etsuko
E
Tamura
Naotoshi
N
Matsuda
Hiroshi
H
Araki
Nobuo
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000588:Amines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D000077206:Gabapentin; D006801:Humans; D017593:Kleine-Levin Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000502:physiology; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000588:Amines; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin