University of Southern California

The Population Council, Inc.

Roberta Diaz Brinton

Regine Sitruk-Ware

Jun Ming Wang

Abdelmouman Ghoumari

Michael Maria Helmut Schumacher

Martine El-Etr

Rachida Guennoun

Liqin Zhao

Kathleen Rodgers

Yu Jin Kim

Heidi Mansour

Neuro-enhancing agents, compositions and methods are disclosed herein. Preferred neuro-enhancing agents of the present invention include progesterone and metabolites of progesterone, such as 3&#x3b1;-hydroxy-5&#x3b1;-pregnan-20-one (THP). These agents yield neuro-enhancing effects on neural cells that include neural progenitor and/or stem cells, whereby the agents stimulate mitosis of neural progenitor cells, stimulate neurite growth and organization, protect against neural loss, or one or more of these neural processes. Thus, the neuro-enhancing agents, compositions and methods disclosed herein are useful to reverse or prevent neurological disease or defects associated with neural loss or degeneration, such as Alzheimer's disease, neurological injuries, including injuries resulting from radiation therapy, and age-related neurological decline, including impairments in memory and learning.

Agents, compositions and methods for enhancing neurological function

Methods for treating neurodegeneration and/or myelination in patients are disclosed comprising treating the patient with a progestin compound which exerts binding to progesterone receptors and elicits progesterone-receptor-induced biological responses without interacting with the androgen receptor and without inducing androgen or glucocorticoid biological responses at a dosage sufficient to prevent or reduce neurodegeneration. The progestin compound preferably comprises 16-methylene-17&#x3b1;-acetoxy-19-norpregn-4-ene-3,20-dione, and the methods include combining the progestin compound with an estrogen compound to provide both contraception and treatment for myelin repair and neurodegeneration.

Neuroprotection and myelin repair using Nestorone&#xae;

Methods for treating neurodegeneration and/or myelination in patients are disclosed comprising treating the patient with a progestin compound which exerts binding to progesterone receptors and elicits progesterone-receptor-induced biological responses without interacting with the androgen receptor and without inducing androgen or glucocorticoid biological responses at a dosage sufficient to prevent or reduce neurodegeneration. The progestin compound preferably comprises 16-methylene-17&#x3b1;-acetoxy-19-norpregn-4-ene-3,20-dione, and the methods include combining the progestin compound with an estrogen compound to provide both contraception and treatment for myelin repair and neurodegeneration, and include effects on stroke and TBI.

Neuroprotection and myelin repair using nestorone&#xae;

Allopregnanolone in a method for enhancing neurological function

Select phytoestrogen pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use for preventing or reducing one or more symptoms associated with pre menopause, menopause, and/or post menopause are described herein. These select phytoestrogen formulations are composed only of two or more plant-derived estrogenic molecules and/or their structural analogues and exhibit binding preference to ER&#x3b2; over ER&#x3b1; and agonist activity in the brain. These ER&#x3b2;-selective phytoestrogen formulations cross the blood-brain-barrier and promote estrogen-associated neurotrophism and neuroprotection mechanisms in the brain, without activating proliferative mechanisms in the reproductive tissues and are therefore devoid of other estrogen-associated problematic aspects. The formulations can be administered enterally, transdermally, transmucosally, intranasally or parenterally. The formulations preferably contain combinations of compounds, and can be formulated for daily, sustained, delayed or weekly/monthly administration. In a preferred embodiment, these are administered to women who are in menopause or post menopausal, most preferably early in menopausal.

Phytoestrogenic formulations for alleviation or prevention of menopausal symptoms

Select phytoestrogen pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use for promoting neurological heath and prevention of age-related neurodegeneration, such as AD, have been developed. These select phytoestrogen formulations are composed of a number of plant-derived estrogenic molecules and/or their structural analogues and exhibit binding preference to ER&#x3b2; over ER&#x3b1; and agonist activity in the brain. These ER&#x3b2;-selective phytoestrogen formulations cross the blood-brain-barrier and promote estrogen-associated neurotrophism and neuroprotections mechanisms in the brain, without activating proliferative mechanisms in the reproductive tissues and are therefore devoid of other estrogen-associated problematic aspects. These are administered enterally, transdermally, transmucosally, intranasally or parenterally, in a dosage effective to prevent or alleviate neuronal damage, effect neuronal regeneration or sustain viability, increase expression of anti-apoptotic proteins, and/or decrease indicators of Alzheimer's Disease.

Growing community of inventors

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, United States of America

Roberta Diaz Brinton