CNS Research News: Emotionality

Emotional control is often affected by diseases which injure the brain. Characteristically, patients have difficulty controlling their tearfulness or laughter which may occur explosively, often with very minimal provocation. Although depression may also occur in patients with chronic disease, loss of emotional control is an independent phenomenon which does not correlate with the mood of the patient. It is particularly difficult for patients and caretakers alike to deal with this problem.

While testing the effectiveness of Neurodex on ALS, CNS researchers made a serendipitous discovery which may have broad therapeutic implications. Patients who were unable to control their emotions became completely normal within a short time of being treated. Initially studies were undertaken in the patients who knew that they were being treated. To test the effect in a more rigorous fashion a double blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted. Patients were given either drug or placebo for one month after which they took nothing for a week. The process was repeated over again for an additional month. An emotionality score was compared for each "limb" of the trial (see figure). This was determined from a self administered questionnaire developed by Dr. Stan Moore and recently published in the Journal of Neurology / Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

Emotionality Study

Intials	P1	P2	T1	(P1+P2+T1)/3	Treatment (T2)
GJ	187	180	166	177.7	82
BW	125	164	149	146.0	94
PA	191	201	186	192.7	111
NJ	152	114	122	129.3	68
FO	189	173	162	174.7	91
CA	195	193	191	193.0	53
DD	177	184	176	179.0	100
JO	84	78	88	83.3	70

A nationwide study conducted at seventeen universities (Columbia, Harvard, UCSF, UCLA, University of Miami, University of Wisconsin etc.) confirmed the above results which are being written up for publication and will be presented at the International Symposium on ALS/MND on November 17, 2002 in Melbourne, Australia.

A U.S. patent has been issued for this discovery. The commerical rights have been licensed by CNS to Avanir Pharmaceuticals which has completed phase 1 studies.