Project Summary

Pesach Lichtenberg, M.D. (Young Investigator 2005) of Sarah Herzog Memorial Hospital and Hebrew University, proposes studying whether solely administering the drug D-serine, which enhances the glutamate receptor system in the brain, can help patients with schizophrenia. Evidence is growing that glutamate receptor stimulants constitute a novel treatment for schizophrenia, but prior research only has evaluated its effectiveness as an adjunct to other treatments. In this project, Dr. Lichtenberg proposes to investigate the therapeutic value of D-serine when administered alone in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia who have proven resistant to other medications. Forty consenting patients will be randomized, under double-blind conditions, into a treatment group receiving D-serine (2,100 mg/day), or a control group remaining on a previously determined dose of risperidone .Treatment will be continued for 14 weeks. Severity of symptoms will be assessed regularly before, during, and after treatment. Blood tests and EKG’s will be performed. Blood levels of amino acids, such as D-serine, which are relevant to glutamine receptor functioning, will also be evaluated. Findings should enhance the understanding of the role of glutamine receptors in schizophrenia, and may towards an innovative treatment strategy for this debilitating disorder.

Program Area: SCHIZOPHRENIA/PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS\Schizophrenia\Molecular

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