Methods and compositions for modifying the course and severity of neuropsychiatric disorders. The method includes administering a composition to a subject suffering from a neuropsychiatric disorder, wherein the composition includes a substance selected from dextromethadone, dextromethadone metabolites, d-methadol, d-alpha-acetylmethadol, d-alpha-normethadol, l-alpha-normethadol, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

The present invention discloses an application of a β3 adrenergic receptor (ADRB3) as a marker for detecting a plurality of diseases, and an application of anti-human ADRB3 monoclonal antibody in diagnosing a disease and preparing a drug for treating the disease. The present invention finds through research that the ADRB3 is a key receptor in nerve-endocrine-immunoregulatory network, and an ADRB3-mediated signaling pathway regulates proliferation and differentiation of neutrophils, lymphocytes and tumor cells. Under normal circumstances, the ADRB3 maintains the non-specific immunocompetence and specific immunocompetence of an organism, and eliminates pathogenic microorganisms and aged organism tissues to play a role in protecting the organism and anti-aging. Under pathological conditions, excessive activation of the signaling pathway will cause systemic chronic inflammation, and destroy immune homeostasis. Therefore, the ADRB3 can be used as a diagnostic marker and a therapeutic target for a plurality of diseases. Anti-human ADRB3 antibody can specifically bond with the ADRB3, regulate the activity of the ADRB3, has the functions of resisting cancer, inflammation, poisoning, shock, allergy, viral infection, autoimmune disease, disease caused by regenerative dysfunction, autoimmune disease, cachexia, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease and aging, regulating autophagy, treating aging disease, etc., and has important medical value and research and application prospects.

The serotonin receptor 5HT2A (5HT2aR) and membrane NADPH oxidases (NOX enzymes) are found to be a target of autoantibodies present in Multiple Sclerosis patients. The present invention refers to peptides comprised in the extracellular regions of the human 5HT2aR and/or NOXs for diagnosis and therapy of Multiple Sclerosis.

A method for treating a subject with depression characterized by having an increased burst firing in neurons of a lateral habenula in the subject is provided. The method includes a step of administering to the subject a pharmaceutical composition capable of inhibiting the burst firing in the lateral habenula of the subject. The pharmaceutical composition includes one or more active pharmaceutical agents, which can suppress the burst firing in the lateral habenula of the subject and can include at least one of an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) inhibitor or a T-type calcium channel inhibitor. The pharmaceutical composition can be in a formulation allowing for local administration to the lateral habenula of the subject, or can be in a formulation configured for systemic administration to the subject. A method for testing a test substance for an antidepressive effect is also provided.

A method of inhibiting phosphorylation of the tau protein and/or a TLR4-mediated immune response is disclosed. The method contemplates administering to cells in recognized need thereof such as cells of the central nervous system an effective amount of a of a compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof that binds to a pentapeptide of filamin A (FLNA) of SEQ ID NO: 1, and contains at least four of the six pharmacophores of FIGS. 35-40.

The invention relates to cyclic peptide agonists that bind to the mu (morphine) opioid receptor and their use in the treatment of acute and/or chronic pain. Embodiments of the invention are directed to cyclic pentapeptide and hexapeptide analogs of endomorphin that have (i) a carboxy-terminal extension with an amidated hydrophilic amino acid and (ii) a substitution in amino acid position 2, and in some embodiments, a 2′,6′-dimethyltyrosine (Dmt) residue in place of the N-terminal tyrosine residue a position 1. These peptide analogs exhibit increased solubility compared to similar tetrapeptide analogs while maintaining favorable or improved therapeutic ratios of analgesia to side effects.

The invention relates to cyclic peptide agonists that bind to the mu (morphine) opioid receptor and their use in the treatment of acute and/or chronic pain. Embodiments of the invention are directed to cyclic analogs of endomorphin. These peptide analogs exhibit decreased tolerance relative to morphine, increased solubility compared to similar tetrapeptide analogs, while maintaining favorable or improved therapeutic ratios of analgesia to side effects.

An isolated antibody, comprising: a heavy chain variable domain (V.sub.H) that is at least 75% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; and a light chain variable domain (V.sub.L) that is at least 75% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; wherein the antibody binds specifically to human neurotensin receptor 1 (hNTSR1).

The present invention discloses novel non-natural and modified peptides acting as cannabinoid (CB) receptors ligands, especially CB1 and/or CB2, useful as modulators of its activity; they are also described as a kit and a process in vitro for evaluating the binding to CB receptors, uses and pharmaceutical composition for modulating the CB receptors activity. The invention covers the non-natural peptide of SeqID:1 and those having at least 70% similarity related to the same, including as achievements specialty useful of the invention the non-natural peptides of SeqID:2, SeqID:3, SeqID:4, SeqID:5, SeqID:6.

An assay for Alzheimer's disease pathology (AD) in a living patient is disclosed wherein an amount of α7nAChR or TLR4 in a FLNA-captured protein complex or α7nAChR in an Aβ-captured protein complex or α7nAChR-FLNA, TLR4-FLNA and/or α7nAChR-Aβ.sub.42 complex present as a protein-protein complex in a sample is determined and compared to the amount in a standard sample from a person free of AD pathology. An amount greater than in the standard sample indicates AD pathology. Also disclosed is an assay predictive of prognosis for treatment with a medicament in which the amount of an above protein or protein complex is determined and compared to an amount determined in the presence of a medicament that binds to a FLNA pentapeptide and contains at least four of the six pharmacophores of FIGS. 7-12. An amount of protein or protein complex determined in the presence of the medicament less than the first determined amount indicates a favorable treatment prognosis.