RespireRx Pharmaceuticals Inc (RSPI)

[enemem]

Everything Varney wrote is reasonable, but he ignores the issue of ampakines promoting wakefulness. If they can balance the respiration-rescuing effect of ampakines with another compound which compensates for ampakines' arousal effects, it could work.

Alternatively, if the effective dosage for SA is lower than the effective dosage for the arousal effects, then there's no problem either. Looking at the sleep deprivation study, ampakines impacted sleepiness at doses as low as 100 mg.

I don't think ampakines will be useful for ALS. My understanding is that motoneurons die from excitotoxic effects secondary to Ca2+ entry -- that's why the only disease-slowing drug currently used (riluzole) is effective, since it reduces Ca2+ entry and persistent Na+ current (both of which increase cell excitability). Ampakines (low-impacts at least) increase excitability. The high-impacts, which upregulate BDNF would be a different story.

If ampakines do anything for ALS, they may maintain good function longer, but accelerate the overall decline.