Methods of treating neuropsychiatric disorders

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a method of treating a neuropsychiatric disorder. This method involves selecting a subject having the neuropsychiatric disorder and administering to the selected subject a preparation of glial progenitor cells at a dosage effective to treat the neuropsychiatric disorder in the subject. Another aspect of the disclosure is directed to a method of treating a neuropsychiatric disorder that includes selecting a subject having the neuropsychiatric disorder and administering, to the selected subject, a potassium (K + ) channel activator at a dosage effective to restore normal brain interstitial glial K + levels in the selected subject and treat the neuropsychiatric disorder is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A method of treating a neuropsychiatric disorder, said method comprising:
 selecting a subject having the neuropsychiatric disorder and   administering, to the selected subject, a potassium (K + ) channel activator at a dosage effective to restore normal brain interstitial glial K +  levels in the selected subject and treat the neuropsychiatric disorder, with the proviso that the K +  channel activator is not a KCNQ channel activator.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the selected subject has dysregulated glial K +  channel function characterized by defective glial K +  conductance, defective glial K +  uptake, and/or defective glial K +  channel expression. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the K +  channel activator increases the activity of glial G protein-activated inward rectifier K +  channels. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the K +  channel activator is selected from the group consisting of flupirtine, nitrous oxide, halothane, 17β-estradiol, dithiothreitol, and naringin. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the K +  channel activator increase the activity of glial K +  voltage-gated channels. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the K +  channel activator increases the activity of a glial A-type voltage-gated K +  channels. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the K +  channel activator is N-[3,5-Bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-N′-[2,4-dibromo-6-(2H-tetrazol-5-yl)phenyl]urea (NS5806). 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the K +  channel activator increases the activity of glial delayed rectifier K +  channels. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the K +  channel activator increase the activity of glial tandem pore domain K +  channels, including the potassium leak channels encoded by KCNK1 through KCNK18 inclusive. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the K +  channel activator is selected from the group consisting of halothane, isoflurane, 2-haolgenated ethanols, halogenated methanes, sevoflurane, and desflurane. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said administering is carried out by inhalation, subcutaneous, intramuscular or intravenous administration. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the neuropsychiatric disorder is selected from the group consisting of schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, and bipolar disorder. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the neuropsychiatric disorder is schizophrenia. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the subject is human.