Pharmacopsychiatry 2008; 41(5): 202-203
DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1078748
Letter

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Amantadine Reduces Mania in Borna Disease Virus-Infected Non-Psychotic Bipolar Patients

M. D. Ohlmeier 1 , Y. Zhang 1 , L. Bode 2 , [*] , S. Sieg 1 , S. Feutl 1 , H. Ludwig 3 , H. M. Emrich 1 , D. E. Dietrich 1
  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Socialpsychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hanover Medical School (MHH), Hanover, Germany
  • 2Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
  • 3Institute of Virology, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

received 24.09.2007 revised 14.03.2008

accepted 04.04.2008

Publication Date:
01 September 2008 (online)

This study investigated the clinical use and safety of amantadine in acute mania in an on-off-on design. Amantadine was augmented (200 mg/day) to pre-treatment strategies for 6 days, stopped for 6 days, and administered for another 6 days (on-off-on) in 10 manic inpatients. Manic symptoms were reduced in the first study period (on) by 45.8% [Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS)]. Eight patients also finished the second period (off) which was not paralleled by any further reduction of mania. The third study period (on) was finished by seven patients with a further decrease of about 61.5%. The overall reduction from baseline after 18 days was 79.2% in this group. Amantadine augmentation reduced severe hypomania and moderate mania in BDV-infected bipolar I or II patients and was very well tolerated, especially no psychotic symptoms were observed.

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1 The author's opinion does not reflect the opinion of the Robert Koch Institute

Correspondence

Dr. M. D. Ohlmeier

Department of Psychiatry, Socialpsychiatry and Psychotherapy

Hannover Medical School (MHH)

Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1

30625 Hannover

Germany

Phone: +49/511/532/65 59

Fax: +49/511/532/24 15

Email: dietrich.detlef@mh-hannover.de

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