Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Microdialysis of Excitatory Amino Acids During EEG Recordings in Freely Moving Rats
Published on: November 8, 2018
Marked amelioration of alcohol-responsive posthypoxic myoclonus by gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (Xyrem)
Steven J Frucht1, Yvette Bordelon, William H Houghton
1Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, 710 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA. sf216@columbia.edu
Abstract:
We conducted an open-label, dose-finding, blinded-rating trial of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (Xyrem) in a single patient with severe alcohol-responsive posthypoxic myoclonus refractory to treatment with standard antimyoclonic agents. Xyrem was given in divided doses during the day and was well tolerated. Intensity of myoclonus was measured using the Unified Myoclonus Rating Scale, and blinded videotape review demonstrated complete resolution of myoclonus at rest and stimulus-sensitive myoclonus. Action myoclonus and functional performance also improved in ways that were practically meaningful, allowing her to feed herself, to accomplish daily hygiene tasks, and to walk with assistance. The possible mechanisms of action and potential uses of this agent in other alcohol-responsive movement disorders are discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators
The key GABA pathway potentiators used in epilepsy management are as follows.
Benzodiazepines are a well-known class of drugs used for their...
Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Adverse Effects
Unlike...
Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Therapeutic Uses
Anxiolytic Drugs: Overview
Primary Types of Anxiolytic Drugs
1. Benzodiazepines:
Benzodiazepines bind to the GABA-A receptor in the brain, enhancing GABA's interaction. This action reduces neurotransmission, effectively blocking anxiety-associated limbic circuitry.

