# US 4,397,866 A · Process for increasing glycine levels in the brain and spinal cord

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- Number: US 4,397,866 A
- Document ID: US4397866A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/036,925
- Filed: 1979-05-07
- Granted: 1983-08-09
- Earliest claimed: 1979-05-07
- Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Inventors: Richard J. Wurtman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4397866A

## CPC

- A61K 31/405: Indole-alkanecarboxylic acids; Derivatives thereof, e.g. tryptophan, indomethacin
- A61K 31/195: having an amino group
- A61P 25/00: Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
- 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
- A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D)
- A61P: SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS

## Abstract

The level of glycine in the brain and in the spinal cord is regulated by administering a neutral amino acid composition to a human wherein increased or decreased brain and spinal cord levels of glycine is effected when the composition contains increased or decreased amounts of threonine or a precursor of L-threonine. The neutral amino acid composition can be administered alone or concomitantly with a drug which either has the undesirable side effect of suppressing glycine-mediated neurotransmission or whose therapeutic efficacy is enhanced by increasing glycinergic neurotransmission.

## Claims

### Claim 1

The process for increasing the amount of glycine in the brain and spinal cord of a patient suffering from a natural or induced deficiency of glycine in the brain or spinal cord which comprises administering to a patient a neutral amino acid composition comprising L-threonine, a precursor of L-threonine or mixtures thereof.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein said neutral amino acid composition includes between about 2.5 and 100 mg/kg body weight of tyrosine or phenylalanine and is administered to a patient having a disease that causes dopamine-releasing neurons to be active to increase dopamine released into neuronal synapses of said patient.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the neutral amino acid composition includes between about 2.5 and 100 mg/kg body weight of tryptophan, to increase brain serotonin levels in the patient.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein said neutral amino acid composition includes between about 2.5 and 100 mg/kg body weight of tyrosine or phenylalanine, the amount of phenylalanine being less than that which competes with tyrosine for uptake into the brain and said composition is administered to a patient in order to increase norepinephrine released into neuronal synapses of said patient.