Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 14, 2026
A Chronic Sleep Fragmentation Model using Vibrating Orbital Rotor to Induce Cognitive Deficit and Anxiety-Like Behavior in Young Wild-Type Mice
Published on: September 22, 2020
Amantadine Reshapes Brain Oscillatory Dynamics in Pediatric Disorders of Consciousness
Mengqing Luo1, Rui Sun1, Xuanhui Ren1
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China, hust.edu.cn.
Insights
Amantadine treatment improved brain activity in children with disorders of consciousness (DoC). This neurophysiological recovery, measured by EEG, occurred before noticeable behavioral improvements, suggesting early neural changes in pediatric DoC.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Neurology
- Clinical Electrophysiology
Background:
- Disorders of consciousness (DoC) in children post-brain injury present significant clinical challenges.
- Pharmacological interventions for pediatric DoC lack robust neurophysiological evidence.
- Amantadine's effects on neural activity in pediatric DoC are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of amantadine on resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) oscillatory dynamics in children with DoC.
- To explore EEG spectral measures as potential biomarkers for neural recovery in pediatric DoC.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state EEG was recorded in 15 children with DoC and 15 typically developing controls before and after 1 month of amantadine treatment.
- Relative EEG amplitude (RelAmp) and spectral ratios (alpha-theta ratio [ATR], slow-fast frequency ratio [SFR]) were calculated.
- Behavioral responsiveness was assessed using the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R).
Main Results:
- Children with DoC exhibited slower cortical activity (lower ATR, SFR, alpha, and gamma amplitude) compared to controls at baseline.
- Amantadine treatment increased ATR, alpha, and gamma amplitude in the DoC group, indicating a shift towards faster oscillatory activity.
- EEG changes preceded significant behavioral improvements, with CRS-R scores improving at 3-month follow-up.
Conclusions:
- Amantadine selectively modulates cortical oscillatory dynamics in pediatric DoC.
- EEG spectral measures show promise as objective biomarkers for early neural recovery in pediatric DoC.
- Neurophysiological changes may precede overt behavioral recovery in children with DoC.
Background:
Disorders of consciousness (DoC) in children following severe brain injury remain a major clinical challenge, and pharmacological interventions with objective neurophysiological evidence are limited. Amantadine has shown potential benefits in adult DoC, but its neural effects in pediatric populations remain poorly understood. This study investigated whether amantadine treatment is associated with changes in resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) oscillatory dynamics in children with DoC.
Methods:
Thirty participants were enrolled, including 15 children with DoC and 15 age- and sex-matched typically developing (TD) controls. The DoC group received oral amantadine for 1 month at weight-adjusted doses. Resting-state EEG was recorded at baseline and after treatment. Relative EEG amplitude (RelAmp) was calculated for five frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma), and two spectral ratios-the alpha-theta ratio (ATR) and the slow-fast frequency ratio (SFR)-were derived to characterize the balance between slow and fast oscillatory activity. Behavioral responsiveness was assessed using the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R).
Results:
At baseline, children with DoC showed significantly lower ATR, SFR, alpha amplitude, and gamma amplitude than TD controls, indicating a shift toward slower cortical oscillatory activity. ATR, SFR, and alpha amplitude were positively correlated with CRS-R scores, suggesting that faster oscillatory dynamics were associated with better behavioral responsiveness. Following amantadine treatment, ATR, alpha amplitude, and gamma amplitude increased significantly within the DoC group, reflecting a shift toward faster cortical oscillatory activity. Notably, these EEG changes preceded overt behavioral improvement: CRS-R scores did not change significantly immediately after treatment but improved significantly at the 3-month follow-up. This temporal dissociation suggests that neurophysiological recovery may emerge earlier than overt behavioral responsiveness and may be relevant to covert recovery processes in pediatric DoC.
Conclusion:
Amantadine treatment was associated with selective modulation of cortical oscillatory dynamics in children with DoC. EEG spectral measures may provide objective biomarkers for detecting early neural recovery and monitoring longitudinal brain changes in pediatric DoC.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Mania and Antimanic Drugs: Overview
01:15REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
RBD is significantly associated with...
01:20Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...