A novel treatment of global cerebral ischaemia with a glycine partial agonist.

Chronic treatment of gerbils with 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid (a high affinity, partial agonist at strychnine-insensitive glycine receptors) resulted in a 3-fold increase in survival, a significant improvement in neurological status, and an extensive protection of vulnerable brain regions following severe forebrain ischaemia. A bolus of 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid 30 min prior to ischaemia did not further improve outcome compared to gerbils receiving their last injection 24 h prior to ischaemia. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that chronic treatment with a glycine partial agonist desensitizes the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor complex. Pharmacological intervention at the strychnine-insensitive glycine receptor may be an effective means of ameliorating the consequences of neuronal degeneration caused by excitotoxic phenomena.