Patents by Inventor Richard J. Wurtman

Richard J. Wurtman has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4430330
    Abstract: Choline or a natural or synthetic compound that dissociates to form choline is administered to a patient concomitantly with a drug in order to potentiate the effect of the drug by increasing acetylcholine levels in the brain or other tissues, and/or to suppress, or block the development of, unwanted side effects of the drug, by increasing acetylcholine levels in the brain or other tissues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1984
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: John H. Growdon, Richard J. Wurtman
  • Patent number: 4405629
    Abstract: The level of glycine in the brain and in the spinal cord is regulated by administering a neutral amino acid composition to a human wherein increased or decreased brain and spinal cord levels of glycine is effected when the composition contains increased or decreased amounts of threonine or a precursor of L-threonine. The neutral amino acid composition can be administered alone or concomitantly with a drug which either has the undesirable side effect of suppressing glycine-mediated neurotransmission or whose therapeutic efficacy is enhanced by increasing glycinergic neurotransmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1983
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Richard J. Wurtman
  • Patent number: 4397866
    Abstract: The level of glycine in the brain and in the spinal cord is regulated by administering a neutral amino acid composition to a human wherein increased or decreased brain and spinal cord levels of glycine is effected when the composition contains increased or decreased amounts of threonine or a precursor of L-threonine. The neutral amino acid composition can be administered alone or concomitantly with a drug which either has the undesirable side effect of suppressing glycine-mediated neurotransmission or whose therapeutic efficacy is enhanced by increasing glycinergic neurotransmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1983
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Richard J. Wurtman
  • Patent number: 4377595
    Abstract: The level of norepinephrine in neuronal synapses is regulated in order to treat depression by administering a neutral amino acid composition to a human wherein an increased brain level of norepinephrine is effected when the composition contains increased amounts of tyrosine and/or phenylalanine. Increased or decreased brain levels of serotonin are obtained when the amino acid composition contains increased or decreased amounts of tryptophan.The neutral amino acid composition can be administered alone or concomitantly with a drug which increases or decreases noradrenergic neurotransmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1983
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Richard J. Wurtman
  • Patent number: 4355027
    Abstract: Choline or a natural or synthetic compound that dissociates to form choline is administered to a patient concomitantly with piracetam [(oxo-2-pyrrolidinyl-) 2 acetamine] in order to potentiate the effect of the drug by increasing acetylcholine levels in the brain or other tissues, and/or to suppress, or block the development of, unwanted side effects of the drug, by increasing acetylcholine levels in the brain or other tissues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1982
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: John H. Growdon, Richard J. Wurtman
  • Patent number: 4351831
    Abstract: Choline or a natural or synthetic compound that dissociates to form choline is administered to a patient concomitantly with a drug in order to potentiate the effect of the drug by increasing acetylcholine levels in the brain or other tissues, and/or to suppress, or block the development of, unwanted side effects of the drug, by increasing acetylcholine levels in the brain or other tissues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1982
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: John H. Growdon, Richard J. Wurtman
  • Patent number: 4346085
    Abstract: Choline or a natural or synthetic compound that dissociates to form choline is administered to a patient concomitantly with a drug in order to potentiate the effect of the drug by increasing acetylcholine levels in the brain or other tissues, and/or to suppress, or block the development of, unwanted side effects of the drug, by increasing acetylcholine levels in the brain or other tissues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1982
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: John H. Growdon, Richard J. Wurtman
  • Patent number: 4346084
    Abstract: Choline or a natural or synthetic compound that dissociates to form choline is administered to a patient concomitantly with a drug in order to potentiate the effect of the drug by increasing acetylcholine levels in the brain or other tissues, and/or to suppress, or block the development of, unwanted side effects of the drug, by increasing acetylcholine levels in the brain or other tissues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1982
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: John H. Growdon, Richard J. Wurtman
  • Patent number: 4327112
    Abstract: Blood pressure is increased in a patient having a condition which effects rapid firing of neurons in the sympathetic nervous system and low blood pressure by administering tyrosine to the patient. The tyrosine composition can be administered alone or concomitantly with a drug which increases noradrenergic neurotransmission in the sympathetic nervous system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1982
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Richard J. Wurtman
  • Patent number: 4309445
    Abstract: Compositions containing controlled amounts of d-fenfluramine are administered to block the intermittent carbohydrate cravings without necessarily suppressing other food intakes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1980
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1982
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Richard J. Wurtman, Judith J. Wurtman
  • Patent number: 4296119
    Abstract: Blood pressure in animals is reduced by administering tyrosine, a tyrosine precursor, tryptophan or mixtures thereof, either alone or in combination with a substance which is known to reduce blood pressure. A novel composition is provided comprising a unit dosage form of tyrosine, a precursor for tyrosine, tryptophan or mixtures thereof and a substance which is known to reduce blood pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1981
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Richard J. Wurtman
  • Patent number: 4271192
    Abstract: The risk of ventricular fibrillation in animals is reduced by administering tyrosine, a tyrosine precursor, threonine or mixtures thereof, either alone or in combination with a substance which is known to reduce the risk of ventricular fibrillation. A novel composition is provided comprising a unit dosage form of tyrosine, a precursor for tyrosine, threonine or mixtures thereof and a substance which is known to reduce the risk of ventricular fibrillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1981
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Richard J. Wurtman, Bernard Lown
  • Patent number: 4224343
    Abstract: The level of prolactin in blood serum is reduced by administering tyrosine to a human. The tyrosine can be administered alone, or concomitantly with a drug which tends to increase blood serum prolactin levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1980
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Richard J. Wurtman
  • Patent number: 4221784
    Abstract: Lecithin without a drug is administered to a patient in order to increase acetylcholine levels in the brain or other tissues, thereby to alleviate the effects of tardive dykinesia, manic-depressive disease, memory impairment or familial ataxias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1980
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: John H. Growdon, Richard J. Wurtman
  • Patent number: 4210637
    Abstract: A composition, comprising tryptophan and an insulin-releasing carbohydrate, is administered to an animal prior to consuming food; this suppresses total caloric intake while having only a small effect on protein intake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1980
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Richard J. Wurtman, Judith J. Wurtman, John D. Fernstrom