Huntington's disease: treatment with dipropylacetic acid and gamma-aminobutyric acid

Abstract

Dipropylacetic acid (DPA), and anticonvulsant known to raise brain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), was administered orally to eight patients with Huntington's disease. Both alone and in combination with high oral doses of GAGA, DPA failed to ameliorate and motor signs of this disorder. At maximum dose levels, combined DPA and GABA treatment led to an apparent increase in the central turnover of both dopamine and serotonin, as estimated by the oral probenecid-loading test. These latter observations may indicate a close functional interrelation between monoaminergic and GABAnergic neural pathways in the central nervous system of man.