[An experimental study of the psychostimulant action of amantadine]

According to previous experimental and clinical data, we have tested the hypothetic psycho-stimulating activity of amantadine on experimental sensitized models. We obtained a strong action on the spontaneous sleep of rats at a dose of 10 mg/kg and a less striking action in diminishing the effects of barbitol on the righting reflex of mice and in reducing the narcosis of rats induced by mebubarbital. This action does not seem to be due to a release of catecholamine because the lesions produced by electrocoagulation in the ascending aminergic pathways or pretreatment by alpha-methylparatyrosine (AMPT) do not block it. It is suggested that there may be a non-aminergic receptor of amantadine which is different from the amphetamine receptor.