The United States of America As Represented by the Department of Health

Other

The Johns Hopkins University

The United States of America, Represented by the Secretary, Department

Edythe D London

Alane S Kimes

Robert Francis Dannals

Andrew Horti

Michael Kassiou

Solomon H Snyder

Ted M Dawson

Valina L Dawson

David S Bredt

The present invention is directed to radiolabeled epibatidine analogues, specifically FPH labeled with radioisotopes of fluorine and/or carbon. These radiolabeled epibatidine compounds are used to noninvasively image and quantify nicotinic cholinergic receptors in the living brain for both research studies and the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases.

Radiolabeled pyridyl-7-azabicyclo[2,2,1]heptanes

Method for imaging nicotinic acetylcholinergic receptors in the brain

Inhibitors of nitric acid synthase can be used to prevent neurotoxicity mediated through glutamate receptors. Nitric oxide synthase inhibitors can be used therapeutically in the treatment of vascular stroke and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease.

Inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase and use thereof to prevent glutamate

A method of attenuating the symptoms of opioid withdrawal in a human or animal subject comprises administering to the subject an effective opioid withdrawal symptom attenuating amount of an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) for a period of time effective to attenuate such symptoms upon opioid withdrawal. NOS inhibitors useful in the present method include, for example, L-N.sup.G -nitroarginine, esters of L-N.sup.G -nitroarginine, L-N.sup.G -monomethylarginine, L-N.sup.G -benzylarginine, L-N.sup.G -aminoarginine, iminoethylornithine, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. These compounds can be used alone or in combination, in conjunction with conventional drugs, such as .alpha..sub.2 -adrenoceptor agonists, mixed agonist-antagonist opioids, and NMDA antagonists, to attenuate the symptoms of opioid withdrawal. Effective doses of NOS inhibitors range from about 1 .mu.g/kg/day to about 30 mg/kg/day, administered over the course of about 1 hour to about six days, followed by opioid withdrawal.

Attenuation of the opioid withdrawal syndrome by inhibitors of nitric

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Baltimore, MD, United States of America

Edythe D London