Avanir Releases AVP-923 for Pseudobulbar Effect

[Væ§ølis]

New pill may control uncontrolled laughter, tears

In 1872, naturalist Charles Darwin described a strange disorder that causes people to laugh or cry uncontrollably.

Now there may be a drug to treat the baffling condition, variably known as pseudobulbar affect, emotional liability and emotional incontinence.

Pseudobulbar affect can be mild in some patients, debilitating in others. Doctors tell of a minister who broke into tears every time she talked to a church member. Another patient would laugh every time he talked, so he began communicating with a pad and pencil. Another patient laughed so hard he threw up.

Susie Chesler of north suburban Deerfield said the silliest joke would cause her to laugh hysterically for 10 minutes. Worse, she would cry three or four times a day.

But she has gotten her emotions under control with the experimental drug, AVP-923. "I used to panic and go crazy with emotions," she said. "Now if I get sad, I don't cry or get hysterical."

Northbrook-based Consultants in Neurology and other centers are conducting clinical trials on the drug, made by Avanir Pharmaceuticals. Although the studies haven't been completed and the drug hasn't been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, early results are promising, researchers say.

The condition can affect people with strokes, brain injuries and neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis and Lou Gehrig's, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Chesler, for example, has MS.

The cause appears to be related to injuries to pathways of the brain that allow people to control their emotions. Some people quit work and stop going out in public. Antidepressants can help, but many patients don't like the side effects.

The twice-a-day pill consists of dextromethorphan, the active ingredient of over-the-counter cough medicines, and quinidine, a prescription drug that slows the body's absorption of dextromethorphan. Side effects include fatigue, dizziness, nausea and headache.

"It makes the brain work more normally," said Chesler's doctor, Dr. Daniel Wynn.

But not all patients need drugs, said University of Chicago neurologist Dr. Raymond Roos. Sometimes, simply explaining the nature of the condition to the patient, family and friends helps to ease the embarrassment, Roos said.

BY JIM RITTER Health Reporter
The Chicago Sun Times

[SkimmerX]

so this was in the chicago news paper?

[Væ§ølis]

so this was in the chicago news paper?

it was in the online version, so I assume it was in the print version.

Very interesting. Dextromethorphan is increasingly looking like a wonder drug. It does have its side-effects, I admit, but it is definitely very useful. It works very well in the treatment of pain alongisde opiate compounds. I didn't find out until recently that it was a semi-synthetic opiate derivative.

Or as the book says,

"Description: Dextromethorphan is an oral, nonprescription drug used as an antitussive. Although it is related to the opiate agonists (dextromethorphan is the methyl ether of the d-isomer of the codeine analog levorphanol), dextromethorphan does not exhibit typical opiate agonist characteristics. The only morphine-like characteristic dextromethorphan retains is its antitussive property. Dextromethorphan is useful in treating chronic, nonproductive cough, but it has no expectorant activity. Dextromethorphan has been identified as an antagonist to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Dextromethorphan has been studied in the treatment of pain including cancer pain, postoperative pain, and neuropathic pain with mixed results and, in some cases, intolerable side effects. A combination of dextromethorphan with morphine is thought to represent a synergistic analgesic combination and this product (Morphidex™, see Investigational monograph) is under review by the FDA as a treatment of moderate-to-severe cancer pain. Dextromethorphan is a commonly used ingredient in many cough and cold preparations. The FDA originally approved dextromethorphan in 1954."

I just put up a post about opiates and NSAIDs and the toxicity of the two. You might be surprised. No wonder codeine is more readily available in Canada after reaidng what Dr. Hochman wrote.

[Væ§ølis]

Very interesting. Dextromethorphan is increasingly looking like a wonder drug.

indeed it is, among other things it looks like dxm may prove useful in treatment of schizophrenia. see my post Reversal of Phencyclidine-Induced Dopaminergic Dysregulation by N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor/Glycine-site Agonists

[Paralysis]

I was wondering what happened to this.

[Bry-Master-3k]

This new research is quite interesting indeed. DXM is such an interesting substance to study up on since we definately do not know everything. I haven't looked at this news forum in depth yet (since most of it is articles about dumbass users giving dex bad publicity.) However, I'm gonna start coming here and checking out the inforative links you guys keep posting when I get home later. Gonna do a lot of reading tonight..
Well I'm off.. gotta learn VB.NET...
-Bry

"It makes the brain work more normally," said Chesler's doctor, Dr. Daniel Wynn. hahahaha So, that's why we like it so much.

extreme bipolar?