benztropine and Huntington-Disease

Deanol acetamidobenzoate was administered in double-blind, crossover fashion with placebo to five patients with tardive dyskinesia, three patients with Huntington's chorea, and one patient with posthemiplegic chorea. No significant effect on dyskinesia was observed. Preliminary administration of physostigmine salicylate to patients with tardive dyskinesia had a variable effect, while benztropine mesylate produced no change. Since the status of deanol as an effective precursor of acetylcholine is uncertain, further trials with putative cholinergic agents remain warranted in choreiform syndromes.

Topics: Benztropine; Clinical Trials as Topic; Deanol; Double-Blind Method; Drug Evaluation; Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced; Ethanolamines; Humans; Huntington Disease; Male; Middle Aged; Physostigmine

Topics: Adult; Benztropine; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; Humans; Huntington Disease; Male; Random Allocation; Scopolamine

The effects of centrally and peripherally active anti-cholinergic agents were investigated in four patients with Huntington's disease. Scopolamine reduced chorea, increased incoordination, induced sedation, and produced confusion. Benztropine produced similar but milder effects. A peripheral anticholinergic, glycopyrrolate, had no effect. These results, combined with previous studies, indicate that cholinergic agonists and antagonists that produce sedation may reduce chorea without improving coordination, and suggest that this antichoreic action is independent of their cholinergic actions.

Topics: Arecoline; Benztropine; Humans; Huntington Disease; Parasympatholytics; Parasympathomimetics; Physostigmine; Tropanes