Amantadine reduces levodopa‐induced dyskinesias in parkinsonian monkeys

PJ Blanchet, S Konitsiotis… - … disorders: official journal …, 1998 - Wiley Online Library
PJ Blanchet, S Konitsiotis, TN Chase
Movement disorders: official journal of the Movement Disorder Society, 1998Wiley Online Library
The antidyskinetic potential of the glutamate NMDA receptor channel blocker amantadine
was evaluated in four levodopa‐primed parkinsonian monkeys using two different regimens
(1.25 or 2.5 mg/kg administered subcutaneously twice daily for 3–6 days). When
administered with a relatively low dose of levodopa, amantadine produced a near‐total
suppression of choreiform dyskinesias and a substantial reduction in dystonic dyskinesias at
the expense of a significant reduction in antiparkinsonian response. With a high dose of …
Abstract
The antidyskinetic potential of the glutamate NMDA receptor channel blocker amantadine was evaluated in four levodopa‐primed parkinsonian monkeys using two different regimens (1.25 or 2.5 mg/kg administered subcutaneously twice daily for 3–6 days). When administered with a relatively low dose of levodopa, amantadine produced a near‐total suppression of choreiform dyskinesias and a substantial reduction in dystonic dyskinesias at the expense of a significant reduction in antiparkinsonian response. With a high dose of levodopa, amantadine had a smaller but still significant effect on dyskinesias without altering the antiparkinsonian response. These results lend support to the view that glutamate receptormediated mechanisms contribute to levodopa‐induced dyskinesias. They also suggest that amantadine could alleviate such complications in parkinsonian patients, especially with careful dose optimization.
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