Methods of treating tardive dyskinesia using NMDA receptor antagonists

Abstract

A method for treating symptoms of patients diagnosed with tardive dyskinesia (TD) using NMDA receptor antagonists is disclosed. This invention illustrates that certain NMDA-receptor antagonists are effective pharmacologic agents in the treatment of hyperkinesia and cognitive disorders that present in patients diagnosed with TD. The disclosed agents reduce the severity and duration of involuntary movements associated with tardive dyskinesia. Certain of the disclosed agents are also effective in increasing the attention span, concentration span, memory and everyday functional performance as measured both subjectively as well as objectively as demonstrated using standard neuropsychological tests such as those assessing reaction time and short-term memory. The invention also discloses a method of treating tardive dyskinesia that acts in a neuroprotective manner to reduce or prevent glutamate-related excitotoxic damage to the basal ganglia.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.