Internal Medicine
Online ISSN : 1349-7235
Print ISSN : 0918-2918
ISSN-L : 0918-2918
CASE REPORTS
Gabapentin for Kleine-Levin Syndrome
Kaori ItokawaMiki FukuiMikiko NinomiyaToshimasa YamamotoEtsuko ImabayashiNaotoshi TamuraHiroshi MatsudaNobuo Araki
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JOURNAL OPEN ACCESS

2009 Volume 48 Issue 13 Pages 1183-1185

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Abstract

We describe a 17-year-old girl with Kleine-Levin syndrome (KLS), in which gabapentin was effective for the prevention of attacks. 99mTc-ECD SPECT revealed hyperperfusion of the thalamus and nucleus accumbens presenting in the symptomatic period, suggesting epilepsy-like neuronal discharge from these structures. Treatment for KLS has not been established, although lithium has been used in limited cases with insignificant efficacy. Here, we report a case of recurrent hypersomnia in which gabapentin was effective for the prevention of attacks. We speculate that the recurrent hypersomnia and behaviour disturbance are related to epilepsy-like neuronal discharge from the thalamus due to dysfunction in GABAnergic receptors.

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© 2009 by The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine
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