Compounds useful for increasing neurogenesis in neural tissue

Abstract

The invention described herein is directed to the use of acetyl L-carnitine, or propionyl L-carnitine, or a salt thereof, for preparing a medicament for increasing neurogenesis in neural tissue; in which said increased neurogenesis is useful for preventing central nervous system disorders due to ageing or genetic predisposition.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for preventing central nervous system disorders, by administering to a patient in need thereof an amount of acetyl L-carnitine, or propionyl L-carnitine or a salt thereof, suitable for increasing neurogenesis. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , in which the central nervous system disorders are selected from the group consisting of Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, delirium, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, non-Alzheimer's dementias, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ShyDrager syndrome, Lewy body disease, spinal ischemia, ischemic stroke, cerebral infarction, geriatric dementia, Korsakoffs disease, and age-associated memory impairment (AAMI). 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , in which the AAMI is due to aging or genetic predisposition. 
     
     
         19 . A method for increasing neurogenesis, by administering to a patient in need thereof a suitable amount of acetyl L-carnitine, or propionyl L-carnitine, or a salt thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method for increasing neurogenesis of  claim 19 , in which said increased neurogenesis is useful for preventing central nervous system disorders selected from the group consisting of Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, delirium, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, non-Alzheimer's dementias, and AAMI, by chronically administering to a patient in need thereof a suitable amount of acetyl L-carnitine, or propionyl L-carnitine, or a salt thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the salt of acetyl L-carnitine, or propionyl L-carnitine, is selected from the group consisting of: chloride, bromide, orotate, aspartate, acid aspartate, acid citrate, magnesium citrate, phosphate, acid phosphate, fumarate and acid fumarate, magnesium fumarate, lactate, maleate and acid maleate, oxalate, acid oxalate, pamoate, acid pamoate, sulphate, acid sulphate, glucose phosphate, tartrate and acid tartrate, glycerophosphate, mucate, magnesium tartrate, 2-amino-ethanesulphonate, magnesium 2-amino-ethanesulphonate, methanesulphonate, choline tartrate, trichloroacetate, and trifluoroacetate. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the acetyl L-carnitine, or propionyl L-carnitine, are administered in a dose of 0.1 to 4.00 g/day in a single or multiple doses. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the acetyl L-carnitine, or propionyl L-carnitine, are administered in a dose of 1 to 2.00 g/day, in a single or multiple doses. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the acetyl L-carnitine, or propionyl L-carnitine, are administered in a dose of 1.5 g/day, in a single or multiple doses. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the acetyl L-carnitine, or propionyl L-carnitine, are administered by an enteral or parenteral route selected from: oral, subcutaneous, transdermal, intraperitoneal, intramuscular, in vein, intracerebroventricular, intraparenchymal, intrathecal, intracranial, buccal, mucosal, nasal, pulmonary, rectal or liposomal administration.