BIOCHEMICAL ASPECTS OF GLUTAMIC ACID THERAPY FOR EPILEPSY

Abstract

Recently, the use ofdl-glutamic acid hydrochloride in the treatment of epileptic patients suffering from seizures of the petit mal and the psychomotor type was described.¹Administration of the racemic amino acid hydrochloride to patients who were resistant to the usual anticonvulsant therapy resulted in a decrease in the frequency of seizures and in an increase in mental and physical alertness. The anticonvulsant therapy, though ineffective previously, was continued through the period of administration of the amino acid hydrochloride. Seizures of the grand mal type were unaffected, or were increased, by this treatment. It is of primary interest to discover the mechanism through whichdl-glutamic acid hydrochloride exercises its effect, and the experiments described in this paper were directed toward this objective. As was pointed out previously,¹the use of thedl-glutamic acid hydrochloride was suggested (a) by the close relation of the natural,l