Methods of providing symptomatic and prophylactic neuroprotection

Abstract

Methods are disclosed for prophylactically and chronically preventing symptomatic depression, neuronal cell injury and cell death in systemic and neurological conditions, populations with cerebrovascular risk factors, and invasive vascular procedures, employing a glycine-site antagonist at the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) complex e.g., 2-phenyl-1,3-propanediol dicarbamate (felbamate).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of protecting neuronal cells from the consequences of obesity in a mammal, the method comprising administering to the mammal a neuronal cell protecting amount of an antagonist at the glycine site of the NMDA receptor.  
     
     
         2 . A method of treating the symptoms and complications of spasticity in a mammal by administering to the mammal a neuronal cell protecting amount of an antagonist at the glycine site of the NMDA receptor.  
     
     
         3 . A method of treating symptomatic depression in systemic or neurological diseases by administering to a mammal, a neuronal cell protecting amount of an antagonist at the glycine site of the NMDA receptor.  
     
     
         4 . A method of reducing or preventing neuronal cell injury or death due to ischemia or embolism in post-myocardial infarction patients by administering a neuronal cell protecting amount of an antagonist at the glycine site of the NMDA receptor, to a mammal.  
     
     
         5 . A method of reducing or preventing neuronal cell injury or death due to ischemia or embolism in invasive vascular procedures patients by administering a neuronal cell protecting amount of an antagonist at the glycine site of the NMDA receptor, both pre-procedure and post-procedure for chronic periods, to a mammal.  
     
     
         6 . A method of reducing or preventing neuronal cell injury or death due to excessive NMDA stimulation in patients with cerebrovascular risk factors by prophylactically administering a neuronal cell protecting amount of an antagonist at the glycine site of the NMDA receptor, to a mammal.  
     
     
         7 . A method of treating the chronic neurological condition of spasticity by administering a therapeutic amount of antagonist at the glycine site of the NMDA receptor, to a mammal.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antagonist is felbamate.