title: Crossover trial of gabapentin and memantine as treatment for acquired nystagmus.
abstract: We conducted a masked, crossover, therapeutic trial of gabapentin (1,200mg/day) versus memantine (40 mg/day) for acquired nystagmus in 10 patients (aged 28-61 years; 7 female; 3 multiple sclerosis [MS]; 6 post-stroke; 1 post-traumatic). Nystagmus was pendular in 6 patients (4 oculopalatal tremor; 2 MS) and jerk upbeat, hemi-seesaw, torsional, or upbeat-diagonal in each of the others. For the group, both drugs reduced median eye speed (p < 0.001), gabapentin by 32.8% and memantine by 27.8%, and improved visual acuity (p < 0.05). Each patient improved with 1 or both drugs. Side effects included unsteadiness with gabapentin and lethargy with memantine. Both drugs should be considered as treatment for acquired forms of nystagmus.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland OH, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Thurtell
authors.forename: Anand C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: Alice C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Tomsak
authors.forename: Gregory S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Kosmorsky
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Stahl
authors.forename: R John
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Leigh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000588:Amines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D000077206:Gabapentin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008559:Memantine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009759:Nystagmus, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000588:Amines; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin; D008559:Memantine