Abstract: The use of compounds belonging to the class of substituted pentanedioic acids to control aggressive behavior provides new means of treatment for this syndrome.

Abstract: Compounds of the general class of substituted pentanedioic acids, where the substituted moiety might be (subclass 1) a sulfanyl alkyl group; (subclass 2) an halogenated benzyl and a phosphinyl group; (subclass 3) a phosphonomethyl group, may be used for prevention, management and/or treatment of hyperaggressive behavior arising from environmental or social conditions, injury or disease, as may [2-(pentafluorophenylmethyl) hydroxyphosphinyl]methyl-pentanedioic acid, and/or other related substituted pentanedioic acids that inhibit NAALADase or mimic NAAG, and/or 2-(phosphonomethyl)-pentanedioic acid (2-PMPA) and/or beta-N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAAG) and/or alpha N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate.

Abstract: A method of treating depression and depression disorders which includes administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of one or more NAALADase inhibitors to a patient. NAALADase is an enzyme that hydrolyzes the peptide NAAG, a good peptide neurotransmitter in the brain. NAAG competes with the excitatory amino acid Glu. The excitatory amino acid Glu is released in the brain upon stress and can lead to depression. Hence, the inhibition of NAALADase directly decreases levels of Glu while increasing NAAG levels, contributes to and decreases depression.