Treatment of stereotypic, self-injurious and compulsive behaviors in man and animals using antagonists of NMDA receptors

Abstract

NMDA receptor antagonists can be used in methods of treatment, for reducing the frequency of stereotypic behaviors in animals and for reducing the frequency of analogous compulsive behaviors in humans, for example, those that have been said to be a manifestation of, or related to, obsessive-compulsive disorder. Of particular interest are the (+) enantiomers of opioid receptor binding compounds, which can reduce the frequency of the behaviors, while having no effects from binding at the opioid receptor.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for treating the obsessive-compulsive components of Tourette syndrome in a human, comprising administering to the human an effective amount of a composition comprising one or more NMDA receptor antagonists, wherein the composition does not comprise haloperidol and does not comprise (−) naloxone.  
     
     
         2 . A method for treating the obsessive-compulsive components of Tourette syndrome in a human, comprising administering to the human an effective amount of a composition comprising one or more NMDA receptor antagonists, wherein the composition does not comprise haloperidol and does not comprise primarily (−) enantiomer of an opioid receptor agonist or antagonist.  
     
     
         3 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of: dextromethorphan, dextrorphan, naltrexone, naloxone, methadone, pentazocine, nalmefene, diprenorphine, nalorphine, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, oxycodone, buprenorphine, butorphanol, nalbuphine, fentanyl, metazocine, cyclazocine, etazocine, and a combination of any of the preceding, wherein the compounds are predominantly (+) enantiomer.  
     
     
         4 . A method for treating the obsessive-compulsive components of trichotillomania in a human, comprising administering to the human an effective amount of a composition comprising one or more NMDA receptor antagonists, wherein the composition does not comprise haloperidol.  
     
     
         5 . A method of  claim 4 , wherein the composition comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of: dextromethorphan, dextrorphan, naltrexone, naloxone, methadone, pentazocine, nalmefene, diprenorphine, nalorphine, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, oxycodone, buprenorphine, butorphanol, nalbuphine, fentanyl, metazocine, cyclazocine, etazocine, and a combination of any of the preceding, wherein the compounds are predominantly (+) enantiomer.  
     
     
         6 . A method for treating the obsessive-compulsive components of stereotypic movement disorder in a human, comprising administering to the human an effective amount of a composition comprising one or more NMDA receptor antagonists.  
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 6 , wherein the composition does not comprise haloperidol.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the composition does not comprise primarily (−) enantiomer of an opioid receptor agonist or antagonist.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the composition comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of: dextromethorphan, dextrorphan, naltrexone, naloxone, methadone, pentazocine, nalmefene, diprenorphine, nalorphine, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, oxycodone, buprenorphine, butorphanol, nalbuphine, fentanyl, metazocine, cyclazocine, etazocine, and a combination of any of the preceding, wherein the compounds are predominantly (+) enantiomer.  
     
     
         10 . A method for treating the obsessive-compulsive components of smoking in a human, comprising administering to the human an effective amount of a composition comprising one or more NMDA receptor antagonists.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the NMDA receptor antagonist is not an opioid receptor agonist or antagonist.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the composition comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of: dextromethorphan, dextrorphan, naltrexone, naloxone, methadone, pentazocine, nalmefene, diprenorphine, nalorphine, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, oxycodone, buprenorphine, butorphanol, nalbuphine, fentanyl, metazocine, cyclazocine, etazocine, and a combination of any of the preceding, wherein the compounds are predominantly (+) enantiomer.  
     
     
         13 . A method for treating the obsessive-compulsive components of excoriation in a human, comprising administering to the human an effective amount of a composition comprising one or more NMDA receptor antagonists, wherein the composition does not comprise (−) naltrexone.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the composition comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of: dextromethorphan, dextrorphan, naltrexone, naloxone, methadone, pentazocine, nalmefene, diprenorphine, nalorphine, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, oxycodone, buprenorphine, butorphanol, nalbuphine, fentanyl, metazocine, cyclazocine, etazocine, and a combination of any of the preceding, wherein the compounds are predominantly (+) enantiomer.  
     
     
         15 . A method for treating the obsessive-compulsive components of alcoholism in a human, comprising administering to the human an effective amount of a composition comprising one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of: dextromethorphan, dextrorphan, naltrexone, naloxone, methadone, pentazocine, nalmefene, diprenorphine, nalorphine, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, oxycodone, buprenorphine, butorphanol, nalbuphine, fentanyl, metazocine, cyclazocine, etazocine, and a combination of any of the preceding, wherein the compounds are predominantly (+) enantiomer.  
     
     
         16 . A method for treating the obsessive-compulsive components of opioid addiction in a human, comprising administering to the human an effective amount of a composition comprising one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of: dextromethorphan, dextrorphan, naltrexone, naloxone, methadone, pentazocine, nalmefene, diprenorphine, nalorphine, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, oxycodone, buprenorphine, butorphanol, nalbuphine, fentanyl, metazocine, cyclazocine, etazocine, and a combination of any of the preceding, wherein the compounds are predominantly (+) enantiomer.  
     
     
         17 . A method for treating the obsessive-compulsive components of scratching in a human, comprising administering to the human an effective amount of a composition comprising one or more NMDA receptor antagonists.  
     
     
         18 . A method of  claim 17 , wherein the composition does not comprise (−) naloxone.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the composition comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of: dextromethorphan, dextrorphan, naltrexone, naloxone, methadone, pentazocine, nalmefene, diprenorphine, nalorphine, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, oxycodone, buprenorphine, butorphanol, nalbuphine, fentanyl, metazocine, cyclazocine, etazocine, and a combination of any of the preceding, wherein the compounds are predominantly (+) enantiomer.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the NMDA receptor antagonist is (+) methadone.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the methadone is (+) methadone.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the NMDA receptor antagonist is (+) methadone.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the NMDA receptor antagonist is (+) methadone.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the methadone is (+) methadone.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the NMDA receptor is (+) methadone.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the methadone is (+) methadone.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the NMDA receptor is (+) methadone.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the methadone is (+) methadone.  
     
     
         29 . A method for treating the obsessive-compulsive components of pruritis in a human, comprising administering to the human an effective amount of a composition comprising one or more NMDA receptor antagonists.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the composition does not comprise (−) naloxone.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the composition comprises a compound selected from a group consisting of: dextromethorphan, dextrorphan, naltrexone, naloxone, methadone, pentazocine, nalmefene, diprenorphine, nalorphine, hydromorphone, nalbuphine, fentanyl, metazocine, cyclazocine, etazocine, and a combination of any of the preceding, wherein the compounds are predominantly (+) enantiomer.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the NMDA receptor antagonist is methadone.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the methadone is (+) methadone.