Therapeutic effects of flunitrazepan in dystonias and torticollis preliminary communication

Marino Jr., Raul; Benabou, Reina; Benabou, Salomon

doi:10.1590/S0004-282X1993000200025

Abstracts

A new form of clinical treatment is proposed for dystonias and torticollis using flunitrazepan (FN), a powerful agonist of all benzodiazepine receptors of GABA neurons. FN has a specific effect in dystonic patients, specially those in which the hypnotic effect of this drug is absent or diminished, thus suggesting the existence of two different neurochemical categories of dystonias.

dystonia; torticollis; flunitrazepan; benzodiazepine receptors

Nova forma de tratamento clínico é proposta para distonias e torcicolo usando flunitrazepan (FN), poderoso agonista de todos os receptores benzodiazepínicos de neurônios GABA. FN tem efeito específico em pacientes diatónicos, especialmente naqueles em que o efeito hipnótico dessa droga está ausente ou diminuído, sugerindo assim a existência de duas diferentes categorias neuroquímicas de distonias.

distonia; torcicolo; flunitrazepan; receptores benzodiazepínicos

Therapeutic effects of flunitrazepan in dystonias and torticollis preliminary communication

Efeitos terapêuticos do flunitrazepan em distonias e torcicolo: comunicação preliminar

Raul Marino Jr.^I; Reina Benabou^II; Salomon Benabou^III

^IM.D., Professor and Chairman, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Neurology, Hospital dias Clínicas (HC), University of São Paulo Medical School (FMUSP)

^IIM.D., Assistant Physician, Division of Functional Neurosurgery (DFN), HC, FMUSP

^IIIM.D., Director, D FN, HC, FMUSP

SUMMARY

A new form of clinical treatment is proposed for dystonias and torticollis using flunitrazepan (FN), a powerful agonist of all benzodiazepine receptors of GABA neurons. FN has a specific effect in dystonic patients, specially those in which the hypnotic effect of this drug is absent or diminished, thus suggesting the existence of two different neurochemical categories of dystonias.

Key words: dystonia, torticollis, flunitrazepan, benzodiazepine receptors.

RESUMO

Nova forma de tratamento clínico é proposta para distonias e torcicolo usando flunitrazepan (FN), poderoso agonista de todos os receptores benzodiazepínicos de neurônios GABA. FN tem efeito específico em pacientes diatónicos, especialmente naqueles em que o efeito hipnótico dessa droga está ausente ou diminuído, sugerindo assim a existência de duas diferentes categorias neuroquímicas de distonias.

Palavras-chave: distonia, torcicolo, flunitrazepan, receptores benzodiazepínicos.

Full text available only in PDF format.

Texto completo disponível apenas em PDF.

Aceite: 4-março-1903.

Dr. Raul Marino Jr. Rua Dr. Ovidio Pires de Campos s/n - 05403-010 São Paulo SP - Brasil.

1. Burke RE, Fahn S, Marsden CD et al. Validity and reliability of a rating scale for the primary torsion dystonias. Neurology 1985, 35:73-77.
2. Mereu G, Biggio G. Differential action of various allosteric modulators of GABA-A receptors upon the spontaneous discharge rate of nigral neurons "in vivo". In Biggio G, Costa E ,eds): Gaba and benzodiazepine receptor subtypes. New York: Raven Press, 1990, p 109-125.
3. Olsen RW, Bureau M, Khrestchatisky M et al. Isolation of pharmacologically distinct Gaba-benzodiazepine receptor by protein chemistry and molecular cloning. In Biggio C, Costa E (eds): Gaba and benzodiazepine receptor subtypes. New York: Raven Press, 1990, 35-49.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
19 Jan 2011
Date of issue
June 1993

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

[1] 1. Burke RE, Fahn S, Marsden CD et al. Validity and reliability of a rating scale for the primary torsion dystonias. Neurology 1985, 35:73-77.

[2] 2. Mereu G, Biggio G. Differential action of various allosteric modulators of GABA-A receptors upon the spontaneous discharge rate of nigral neurons "in vivo". In Biggio G, Costa E ,eds): Gaba and benzodiazepine receptor subtypes. New York: Raven Press, 1990, p 109-125.

[3] 3. Olsen RW, Bureau M, Khrestchatisky M et al. Isolation of pharmacologically distinct Gaba-benzodiazepine receptor by protein chemistry and molecular cloning. In Biggio C, Costa E (eds): Gaba and benzodiazepine receptor subtypes. New York: Raven Press, 1990, 35-49.