Adults 18 to 65, any sex, with Schizo-affective Disorder or Bipolar Disorder. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.
Results — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov
Per-arm endpoint measurements with 95% confidence intervals where reported. Source: trial results section.
Positive and Negative Symptom Scores at Baseline and at 2 Weeks, 4 Weeks, and 6 Weeks During Intervention 1 (Glycine or Placebo), Intervention 2 (Glycine or Placebo), and During Open-label GlycinePrimary· baseline and at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks within each treatment period and after each treatment period
Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) measures positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. The sum of ratings for seven positive symptoms are measured on a scale from 7-49 with 7 meaning no symptoms and 49 meaning severe symptoms.
Positive symptoms at baseline
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
13
Placebo, Then Glycine
19
Positive symptoms at 2 weeks intervention 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
12
Placebo, Then Glycine
20
Positive symptoms at 4 weeks intervention 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
9
Placebo, Then Glycine
19
Positive symptoms at 6 weeks intervention 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
8
Placebo, Then Glycine
13
Positive symptoms, end of washout1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
7
Placebo, Then Glycine
13
Positive symptoms at 2 weeks intervention 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
12
Placebo, Then Glycine
12
Positive symptoms at 4 weeks intervention 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
11
Placebo, Then Glycine
10
Positive symptoms at 6 weeks intervention 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
14
Placebo, Then Glycine
11
Neurocognitive Function at Baseline, During Glycine Treatment, During Placebo Treatment and During Open-label GlycinePrimary· At baseline, during glycine treatment, during placebo treatment and during open-label glycine
Scores on each of 8 domains of cognitive function (speed of processing, attention/vigilance, working memory, verbal learning, visual learning, reasoning/problem solving, social cognition, overall composite). Scores are T scores ranging from 0-100, with 50 representing the mean for a population based on a normal distribution; standard deviation of 10. Only overall composite score is entered.
Participant 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Baseline
45
Composite Score on Glycine, Double-blind
52
Composite Score on Placebo
52
Composite Score on Glycine, Open-label
49
Participant 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Baseline
48
Composite Score on Glycine, Double-blind
52
Composite Score on Placebo
55
Composite Score on Glycine, Open-label
46
Glycine Plasma Amino Acid Levels at Baseline, During Glycine Treatment, During Placebo Treatment and During Open-label GlycinePrimary· At baseline, during glycine treatment, during placebo treatment and during open-label glycine
Plasma glycine levels; normal range is 122-467 nM/mL
Baseline
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine Then Placebo
216
Placebo Then Glycine
271
Glycine double-blind
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine Then Placebo
410
Placebo Then Glycine
761
Placebo
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine Then Placebo
194
Placebo Then Glycine
347
Glycine open-label
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine Then Placebo
516
Placebo Then Glycine
634
Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) Scores at Baseline and at 2 Weeks, 4 Weeks, and 6 Weeks Positive and Negative Symptom Scores at Baseline and at 2, 4, and 6 Weeks During Intervention 1, Intervention 2, and During Open-label GlycinePrimary· baseline and at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks within and after each treatment period
Total BPRS score measures severity of 18 psychiatric symptoms. Each symptom is scored 1-7 with the total score ranging from 18-126. 18 means no symptoms and 126 means very severe symptoms.
BPRS at baseline
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
39
Placebo, Then Glycine
46
BPRS at 2 weeks intervention 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
38
Placebo, Then Glycine
38
BPRS at 4 weeks intervention 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
32
Placebo, Then Glycine
39
BPRS at 6 weeks intervention 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
21
Placebo, Then Glycine
28
BPRS, end of washout1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
22
Placebo, Then Glycine
34
BPRS at 2 weeks intervention 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
37
Placebo, Then Glycine
32
BPRS at 4 weeks intervention 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
31
Placebo, Then Glycine
20
BPRS at 6 weeks intervention 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
37
Placebo, Then Glycine
23
Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Severity Scores at Baseline and at 2 Weeks, 4 Weeks, and 6 Weeks Within Each Treatment PeriodPrimary· CGI at baseline and at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks per treatment period
Clinical Global Impression (CGI) severity scores measure severity of mental illness on a scale of 1-7 where 1 means normal, not at all ill, 2 means borderline mentally ill, 3 means mildly ill, 4 means moderately ill, 5 means markedly ill, 6 means severely ill and 7 means among the most extremely ill patients.
CGI severity score at baseline
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
4
Placebo, Then Glycine
4
CGI severity score at 2 weeks intervention 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
4
Placebo, Then Glycine
4
CGI severity score at 4 weeks intervention 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
3
Placebo, Then Glycine
4
CGI severity score at 6 weeks intervention 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
2
Placebo, Then Glycine
4
CGI severity score, end of washout1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
2
Placebo, Then Glycine
4
CGI severity score at 2 weeks intervention 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
4
Placebo, Then Glycine
4
CGI severity score at 4 weeks intervention 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
4
Placebo, Then Glycine
4
CGI severity score at 6 weeks intervention 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
4
Placebo, Then Glycine
3
Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Therapeutic Effect Scores at 2 Weeks, 4 Weeks, and 6 Weeks Within Each Treatment PeriodPrimary· at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks within each treatment period
Clinical Global Impression (CGI) therapeutic effect scores measure degree of improvement as marked (1), moderate (5), minimal (9) or unchanged/worse (13).
CGI therapeutic effect at 2 weeks intervention 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
13
Placebo, Then Glycine
5
CGI therapeutic effect at 4 weeks intervention 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
5
Placebo, Then Glycine
5
CGI therapeutic effect at 6 weeks intervention 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
5
Placebo, Then Glycine
5
CGI therapeutic effect, end of washout1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
5
Placebo, Then Glycine
5
CGI therapeutic effect at 2 weeks intervention 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
13
Placebo, Then Glycine
13
CGI therapeutic effect at 4 weeks intervention 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
13
Placebo, Then Glycine
5
CGI therapeutic effect at 6 weeks intervention 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
13
Placebo, Then Glycine
5
CGI therapeutic effect, end of washout2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
13
Placebo, Then Glycine
5
Mania Symptom Scores at Baseline and at 2 Weeks, 4 Weeks, and 6 Weeks Within Each Treatment PeriodPrimary· baseline and at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks within each treatment period
Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) measures severity of manic symptoms. The sum of ratings for 7 symptoms of mania is measured on a scale from 0-4 and the sum of 4 symptoms of mania is measured on a scale from 0-8 to yield a total score ranging from 0-60, with 0 meaning no manic symptoms and 60 meaning severe manic symptoms.
Manic symptoms at baseline
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
4
Placebo, Then Glycine
7
Manic symptoms at 2 weeks intervention 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
1
Placebo, Then Glycine
7
Manic symptoms at 4 weeks intervention 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
0
Placebo, Then Glycine
6
Manic symptoms at 6 weeks intervention 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
0
Placebo, Then Glycine
0
Manic symptoms, end of washout1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
0
Placebo, Then Glycine
0
Manic symptoms at 2 weeks intervention 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
17
Placebo, Then Glycine
0
Manic symptoms at 4 weeks intervention 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
0
Placebo, Then Glycine
0
Manic symptoms at 6 weeks intervention 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
2
Placebo, Then Glycine
0
Depression Symptom Scores at Baseline and at 2 Weeks, 4 Weeks, and 6 Weeks Within Each Treatment PeriodPrimary· baseline and at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks within each treatment period
Hamilton Depression Scale measures severity of depression symptoms. The sum of ratings for 9 depression symptoms are measured on a scale from 0-2 with 0 meaning no symptoms and 2 meaning some level of severity of that specific symptom. The rating for 1 depression symptom is measured on a scale from 0-3 with 0 meaning no symptoms and 3 meaning a severe level of that specific symptom. The sum of ratings for 11 depression symptoms are measured on a scale from 0-4 with 0 meaning no symptoms and 4 meaning a severe level of that specific symptom. The three sums are added to produce an overall depres
Depression symptoms at baseline
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
18
Placebo, Then Glycine
12
Depression symptoms at 2 weeks intervention 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
17
Placebo, Then Glycine
5
Depression symptoms at 4 weeks intervention 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
11
Placebo, Then Glycine
5
Depression symptoms at 6 weeks intervention 1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
3
Placebo, Then Glycine
0
Depression symptoms, end of washout1
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
1
Placebo, Then Glycine
3
Depression symptoms at 2 weeks intervention 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
19
Placebo, Then Glycine
3
Depression symptoms at 4 weeks intervention 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
5
Placebo, Then Glycine
2
Depression symptoms at 6 weeks intervention 2
Group
Value
95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo
7
Placebo, Then Glycine
1
Brain Glycine/CR RatioSecondary· baseline (pre-challenge, 60, 80, 100, 120 minutes post-challenge), and week 6 of glycine (pre-dose and 60, 80, 100, 120 minutes post-dose
magnetic resonance spectroscopy: glycine/creatine ratio. Participants were assessed at 1) BASELINE PRE-GLYCINE TREATMENT: pre-glycine challenge drink, 60 minutes post challenge drink, 80 minutes post challenge drink, 100 minutes post challenge drink, and 120 minutes post challenge drink (0.4 g/kg up to max of 30 g); and 2) IN WEEK 6 OF OPEN-LABEL GLYCINE TREATMENT: pre-glycine dose, and 60 minutes, 80 minutes, 100 minutes and 120 minutes post daily dose of glycine. Measured in posterior occipital cortex
Baseline - pre-challenge drink
Group
Value
95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.2558
Subject 2:Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.5691
Baseline 60 minutes post challenge drink
Group
Value
95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.6157
Subject 2:Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.3918
Baseline 80 minutes post challenge drink
Group
Value
95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.6631
Subject 2:Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.6428
Baseline 100 minutes post challenge drink
Group
Value
95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.5938
Subject 2:Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.6363
Baseline 120 minutes post challenge drink
Group
Value
95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.6953
Subject 2:Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.9559
Week 6 of glycine - pre-glycine dose
Group
Value
95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.6573
Subject 2:Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.3235
Week 6 of glycine - 60 minutes post glycine dose
Group
Value
95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.2983
Subject 2:Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.3807
Week 6 of glycine - 80 minutes post glycine dose
Group
Value
95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.4577
Subject 2:Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.5591
Brain Glutamate Metabolite Levels (Glutamate/Creatine Ratio: Glu/Cr) at 1) BASELINE - Pre-glycine Treatment and 2) IN WEEK 6 OF GLYCINE TREATMENTSecondary· baseline and week 6 of glycine
magnetic resonance spectroscopy - glutamate metabolite level. Participants were assessed 1) pre-glycine treatment and in week 6 of open-label glycine treatment. Measured in posterior occipital cortex.
Baseline brain glutamate/Cr ratio
Group
Value
95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glutamate/CR Ratio- Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.98
Subject2: Brain Glutamate/CR Ratio- Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
2.053
Week 6 brain glutamate/Cr ratio
Group
Value
95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glutamate/CR Ratio- Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.84
Subject2: Brain Glutamate/CR Ratio- Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
1.13
Brain GABA Metabolite Levels (GABA/Creatine Ratio: GABA/Cr) at 1) BASELINE - Pre-glycine Treatment and 2) IN WEEK 6 OF GLYCINE TREATMENTSecondary· Baseline and week 6 of glycine
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy GABA/Cr. Participants were assessed 1) pre-glycine treatment (baseline) and 2) in week 6 of open-label glycine treatment measured in posterior occipital cortex.
Baseline GABA/Cr
Group
Value
95% CI
Subject1: Brain GABA/CR Ratio- Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.16
Subject2: Brain GABA/CR Ratio- Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.27
Week 6 of glycine tx GABA/Cr
Group
Value
95% CI
Subject1: Brain GABA/CR Ratio- Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.22
Subject2: Brain GABA/CR Ratio- Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine
0.24
Auditory Evoked Potentials in Latency (Msec) at BASELINE - Pre-glycine Treatment and 2) IN WEEK 6 OF TREATMENT WITH GLYCINESecondary· Recordings at baseline and week 6 of glycine
Auditory evoked potentials latency: P300 at fz, cz, and pz); N100 at fz and cz); P200 at fz and cz. Participants were assessed at baseline and in week of open-label glycine treatment.
P300 latency at fz
Group
Value
95% CI
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) Baseline: Subject 2
279.3
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) 6 Weeks of Glycine: Subject 2
300.78
P300 latency at cz
Group
Value
95% CI
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) Baseline: Subject 2
279.3
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) 6 Weeks of Glycine: Subject 2
293
P300 latency at pz
Group
Value
95% CI
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) Baseline: Subject 2
279.3
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) 6 Weeks of Glycine: Subject 2
294.92
N100 latency at fz
Group
Value
95% CI
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) Baseline: Subject 2
97.66
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) 6 Weeks of Glycine: Subject 2
94
N100 latency at cz
Group
Value
95% CI
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) Baseline: Subject 2
91.8
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) 6 Weeks of Glycine: Subject 2
94
P200 latency at fz
Group
Value
95% CI
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) Baseline: Subject 2
197.27
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) 6 Weeks of Glycine: Subject 2
205
P200 latency at cz
Group
Value
95% CI
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) Baseline: Subject 2
193.4
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) 6 Weeks of Glycine: Subject 2
203
Adverse events — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov
Time frame: 26 weeks.
Reporting threshold: 0%.
Adverse-event reports describe events observed during the trial — not all are caused by the drug.
The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of oral glycine as an augmentation strategy in two psychotic patients with a triplication (4 copies) of the gene glycine decarboxylase (GLDC). Subjects will first undergo a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial in which one 6-week arm will involve glycine (maximum daily dose of 0.8 g/kg, administered on a TID dosing schedule) and one 6-week arm will involve placebo. A 2-week period of no treatment will occur between treatment arms. A 6-week period of open-label glycine (maximum daily dose of 0.8 g/kg, administered on a TID dosing schedule) will follow the double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Prior to the double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial and at the end of the open-label glycine trial, the following procedures will be carried out: structural MRI (3T), Proton 1H MRS (4T), fMRI (3T), steady-state visual evoked potentials, and EEG. Positive, negative, and affective symptoms and neurocognitive function as well as plasma levels of large neutral and large and small neutral and excitatory amino acids and psychotropic drug levels will be assessed periodically. In addition, 1H MRS (4T) for 2 hours after a single oral dose of a glycine-containing drink will be assessed at baseline. Pharmaceutical grade glycine powder (Ajinomoto) or placebo will be dissolved in 20% solution and prepared by the McLean Hospital Pharmacy.
Because the results of the double-blind placebo-controlled and open-label glycine treatment arms showed substantial clinical benefit to the participants, the study has been extended to include six months of chronic open-label glycine in order to determine 1) whether the clinical benefits achieved within 6 weeks previously recur, 2) the clinical benefits are lasting, and 3) additional clinical benefits occur with longer exposure. The glycine for this extension will be provided by Letco Medical.
The investigators hypothesize that mutation carriers will have reduced endogenous brain glycine and GABA levels and increased brain glutamate and glutamine levels. Glycine administration will increase brain glycine in the two carriers, but to a lesser extent than in non-carrier family members and controls.
The investigators hypothesize reduced activation of magnocellular pathways and abnormal ERPs modulated by NMDA in mutation carriers compared with non-carrier family members and controls.
The investigators hypothesize that glycine, but not placebo, will improve positive, negative and affective symptoms as well as neurocognitive function.
The investigators also hypothesize that open-label glycine will improve clinical and cognitive functioning, will partially normalize decreased baseline glycine and GABA and increased glutamate and glutamine, and will partially normalize magnocellular pathway activation and abnormal evoked potentials.
Publications & conference data
No peer-reviewed publications indexed yet for this trial. Completed trials usually publish results within 12-18 months.
Drug + disease cross-links: matched in real time against Drug Landscape's normalised drug + company + condition tables
Sponsor: as reported to ClinicalTrials.gov by Mclean Hospital
Last refreshed: 19 September 2017
Drug Landscape aggregates and links these public records for informational use only. Always verify against the primary source before clinical or regulatory decisions. Canonical URL: https://druglandscape.com/trial/NCT01720316.