Treatment of negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia with glycine and its precursors

• US 5,854,286 A
• Filed: 12/06/1996
• Issued: 12/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GlyTech, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Daniel C. Javitt, Stephen R. Zukin
• Inventors: Zukin, Stephen R., Javitt, Daniel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): MacMillan, Keith D.
• Application Number:
  US08/759,714
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 514/578, 514/561
• US Class Current: 514/561
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/16 Amides, e.g. hydroxamic acids
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/198 Alpha-amino acids, e.g. alanine or edetic acid [EDTA] betaine A61K31/205; proline A61K31/401; tryptophan A61K31/405; histidine A61K31/4172; peptides not degraded to individual amino acids A61K38/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 45/06 Mixtures of active ingredients without chemical characterisation, e.g. antiphlogistics and cardiaca
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/18 Antipsychotics, i.e. neuroleptics; Drugs for mania or schizophrenia
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/22 Anxiolytics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/24 Antidepressants
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/28 for treating neurodegenerative disorders of the central nervous system, e.g. nootropic agents, cognition enhancers, drugs for treating Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 39/02 Antidotes
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00

Abstract

The amino acid glycine in an administered amount of above 0.4 g/Kg/day is used for treating symptoms of psychosis and of schizophrenia.

Claims

1. A process for augmenting NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmition in a human which comprises orally administering to said human at least more than 0.4 g/Kg body wt/day of glycine.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein at least 35 grams per day of glycine is administered.

2. A process for treating a human patient having a psychosis which comprises orally administering to said human at least 0.4 g/Kg body wt/day of glycine.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein the psychosis is associated with an illness.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein the illness is major depression, manic-depressive (bipolar) disorder, or post-traumatic stress syndrome.

5. The process of claim 2 wherein the psychosis is associated with drug intoxication.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein the drug is a dissociative anesthetic or a psychostimulant.

11. The process of claim 2 wherein at least 35 grams per day of glycine is administered.

7. A process for treating schizophrenia in a human patient which comprises orally administering to said patient at least more than 0.4 g/Kg body wt/day of glycine.

8. The process of claim 7 in which an antipsychotic drug is also administered to the patient.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein the anti-psychotic drug is a neuroleptic drug.

12. The process of claim 7 wherein at least 35 grams per day of glycine is administered.