A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled comparison study of sarcosine ( N-methylglycine) and d-serine add-on treatment for schizophrenia
Open Access
- 4 November 2009
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
- Vol. 13 (04), 451-460
- https://doi.org/10.1017/s1461145709990939
Abstract
Recent evidence indicates that enhancing N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) neurotransmission with the treatment of NMDA/glycine site agonists, such as d-serine, or a glycine transporter-1 (GlyT-1) antagonist, N-methylglycine (sarcosine), can improve symptoms of schizophrenia. To compare these two novel approaches, 60 patients with chronic schizophrenia were enrolled into a 6-wk double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of add-on treatments at the reported effective dosages (2 g/d). Clinical assessments were conducted every other week. Treatment group×treatment duration interaction analysis by multiple linear regression showed that sarcosine was superior to placebo at all four outcome measures of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total (p=0.005), Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) (p=0.021), Quality of Life (QOL) (p=0.025), and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) (p=0.042). However, d-serine did not differ significantly from placebo in any measure. Sarcosine treatment was better than d-serine in effect sizes for all outcome measures. Sarcosine also surpassed placebo in most of the measures of five PANSS factors and five SANS subscales. All treatments were well tolerated. These findings suggest that the GlyT-1 inhibitor is more efficacious than the NMDA/glycine site agonist in treatment for schizophrenia, including life quality and global function, at the dosages tested.Keywords
This publication has 51 references indexed in Scilit:
- Metabolomic profiles delineate potential role for sarcosine in prostate cancer progressionNature, 2009
- d-Serine and a glycine transporter inhibitor improve MK-801-induced cognitive deficits in a novel object recognition test in ratsBehavioural Brain Research, 2008
- Loss of the glycine N-methyltransferase gene leads to steatosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in miceHepatology, 2007
- d-Serine-induced nephrotoxicity: possible interaction with tyrosine metabolismToxicology, 2004
- Reversal of Phencyclidine-Induced Dopaminergic Dysregulation by N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor/Glycine-site AgonistsNeuropsychopharmacology, 2003
- Glutamatergic Mechanisms in SchizophreniaAnnual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 2002
- Risperidone in Acutely Exacerbated SchizophreniaPublished by Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc ,2000
- Computing contrasts, effect sizes, and counternulls on other people's published data: General procedures for research consumers.Psychological Methods, 1996
- Assessing Normality in Random Effects ModelsThe Annals of Statistics, 1989
- A RATING SCALE FOR EXTRAPYRAMIDAL SIDE EFFECTSActa Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 1970