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Pilot Study of Threonine Supplementation in Human Spasticity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2015

A. Barbeau ,
M. Roy  and
C. Chouza
A. Barbeau*
Affiliation:
Department of Neurobiology Clinical Research Institute of Montreal
M. Roy
Affiliation:
Department of Neurobiology Clinical Research Institute of Montreal
C. Chouza
Affiliation:
Department of Neurobiology Clinical Research Institute of Montreal
*
Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, 110 Pine Avenue West, Montréal, Quebec, Canada H2W 1R7
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Abstract:

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Threonine supplementation (500 mg/day) was given to 6 patients with genetic spasticity syndromes for a period of 12 months, followed by a 4-month observation period without medication. All 6 patients showed partial improvement of spasticity, intensity of knee jerks and muscle spasms without changes in true pyramidal tract signs. The improvement in motor performance, objectively measured, averaged 29% (19% in upper limbs and 42% in lower limbs). The range of overall improvement was 19–35% (7–30% for upper limbs; 25–67% for lower limbs). No toxic clinical or biochemical side effects were encountered. Thus threonine, a precursor of glycine, produced the same effect on spasticity than that previously observed with glycine. It is concluded that threonine supplementation is feasible and safe and that it deserves a controlled trial in well defined (preferably genetic) cases of spasticity.

Type
Research Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , May 1982 , pp. 141 - 145
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation 1982

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