Antiglucocorticoids for the treatment of catatonia
View Patent ↗The invention provides a method of ameliorating the symptoms of catatonia in a patient who is in need of treatment for catatonia. The method comprises administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist to the patient.
1. A method of ameliorating the symptoms of catatonia in a patient in need thereof, comprising administering an amount of a specific glucocorticoid receptor antagonist effective to ameliorate the symptoms of the catatonia, wherein
the catatonia is associated with a mental disorder selected from the group consisting of: Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, a Personality Disorder and a Dissociative Disorder, and
with the proviso that the patient is not otherwise in need of treatment with a specific glucocorticoid receptor antagonist.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catatonia is characterized by motoric immobility.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catatonia is characterized by excessive motor activity.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist comprises a steroidal skeleton with at least one phenyl-containing moiety in the 11-beta position of the steroidal skeleton.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the phenyl-containing moiety in the 11-beta position of the steroidal skeleton is a dimethylaminophenyl moiety.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist is mifepristone.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the administration is once per day.
8. The method of 1 , wherein the mode of administration is oral.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mode of administration is by a transdermal application, by a nebulized suspension, or by an aerosol spray.