Amantadine for Executive Dysfunction Syndrome in Patients with Dementia

This article reports the results of an open uncontrolled chart review study of amantadine treatment for executive dysfunction syndrome in patients with dementia. All patients admitted to the neuropsychiatry or geriatric psychiatry inpatient units of Johns Hopkins Hospital in 2000 and 2001 who were treated empirically with amantadine for executive dysfunction syndrome were included in the review. Of the 30 patients whose cases were reviewed, 17 (57%) were at least "much improved," and most patients were discharged taking amantadine, suggesting that their physicians believed that they may have benefited from it. The medication was well tolerated in this frail group of patients. Most patients were taking one or more concurrent psychotropic medications, which may have contributed to the positive outcomes, Despite its limitations, this study offers preliminary data to support a controlled trial of amantadine in patients with executive dysfunction syndrome.