CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets (Formerly Current Drug Targets - CNS & Neurological Disorders) - Volume 12, Issue 7, 2013

The aetiology of suicide is complex and still not completely understood. The present communication, which consists of two parts, aims to shed some light on the role of amino acidergic neurotransmission in suicide. In the first part we provide an overview of the literature showing that with the exception of certain gamma-aminobutyric acid transporters, virtually all components of the glutamate-glutamine- gamma-aminobut Read More

In recent years, the hypothalamus, amygdala and hippocampus have attracted increased interest with regard to the effects of stress on neurobiological systems in individuals with depression and suicidal behaviour. A large body of evidence indicates that these subcortical regions are involved in the pathogenetic mechanisms of mood disorders and suicide. The current neuroimaging techniques inadequately resolve the Read More

This paper provides a review of the literature on neuroimaging studies of suicidal behaviour, and discusses the relevance of these studies for our understanding of suicidal behaviour. Main findings from molecular imaging studies include a reduced prefrontal perfusion or metabolism and a blunted increase in activation when challenged in association with a history of suicide attempts. Moreover, impairment of the prefrontal Read More

We report recent postmortem findings from the Magdeburg Brain Bank related to the evaluation of impaired activity of neuronal networks relevant for depression. Chronic changes in ribosomal DNA transcriptional activity have been revealed by the quantitative evaluation of silver-stained nucleolar organising regions (AgNORs). Abnormalities in AgNOR parameters have been found in neurons of the prefrontal limbic regions Read More

During the past years suicide statistics in Germany showed a dramatic decrease of suicide rates. Such a reduction in a comparatively short time period is not explainable by an altered frequency of major psychiatric disorders or certain neurobiological conditions that may underlie suicide; other factors causing or leading to suicide and their modification have to be considered. This overview illustrates various risk factors for Read More

Suicide is a major public health concern and each year about one million people die by suicide worldwide. Recent studies suggest that suicide may be associated with specific neurobiological abnormalities. Earlier studies of neurobiology of suicide focused on abnormalities of the serotonergic mechanism. These studies suggested that some serotonin receptor subtypes may be abnormal in the postmortem brain of suicide victi Read More

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis hyperactivity measured with the dexamethasone suppression test and the dexamethesone/CRH test may have some predictive power for suicidal behavior in patients with mood disorders. Increased prolactin (PRL) levels may be related both to physiological and pathological conditions. HPA-axis abnormalities and increased levels of PRL may coexist, and common neuroendocrine Read More

Immune dysfunction, including monocytosis, increased blood levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL- 6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), as well as an increased microglial density in certain brain areas, have been described in schizophrenia and depression. Interestingly, similar immune alterations have been observed in suicide patients regardless of their underlying psychiatric diagnosis. This review summarizes Read More

Suicide is a significant worldwide public health problem. Understanding the neurobiology is important as it can help us to better elucidate underlying etiological factors and provide opportunities for intervention. In recent years, many lines of research have suggested that the polyamine system may be dysregulated in suicidal behaviors. Initial research in animals provided evidence of a dysfunctional polyamine stress response sy Read More

The antidepressant effect of a compound formed by co-ultramicronized palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and luteolin (PEA+luteolin) was investigated in a mouse model of anxiety/depressive-like behavior. 129Sv/Ev mice were subjected to 6 weeks of corticosterone administration, and then behavior, neurogenesis, neuroplasticity, neurotrophic and apoptotic proteins expression were evaluated. The effect of PEA+luteolin compound tre Read More

Inflammation in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a continuous process and might be implicated in the progression of neuronal degeneration. Taking this into account, we proposed a new protocol with multiple and consecutive intranigral lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration in order to analyze its effects on cognitive behavior. Additionally, striatal concentrations of the neurotransmitters dopamine (DA) and serotonin and their respe Read More

Ischemia reperfusion injuries can be threatening to end organ viability and can progress, with mortal and morbid outcomes. In particular, neural tissues are highly sensitive to hypoxia and reperfusion stress. This study aimed to determine the neuroprotective effects of rosuvastatin on spinal cord ischemia reperfusion injury. Forty male Sprague– Dawley rats were divided into four equal groups: group I (control), group II (sham Read More

Motor complications (dyskinesias and motor fluctuations) are a common and disabling problem of dopaminergic therapy in Parkinson’s disease, which are often difficult to treat with the current therapeutic strategies. It has been proposed that continuous dopaminergic delivery could reduce the emergence of motor complications, which has been tried with levodopa intestinal infusion or subcutaneous apomorphine infusion. In Read More

Probenecid (PROB) has been widely used for long time for different clinical purposes, from gout treatment to designs as a coadjutant for antibiotic agents. Among its many properties, the ability of PROB to preserve high concentrations of several metabolites and other agents in the CNS, together with its relative lack of side-effects, have made this drug a valuable pharmacological tool for clinical and basic research. Nowa Read More

The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its high affinity receptor tropomyosin-receptor-kinase B (TrkB) play a critical role in neuronal differentiation and survival, synapse plasticity, and memory. Indeed, both have been implicated in the pathophysiology of numerous diseases. Although the remarkable therapeutic potential of BDNF has generated much research over the past decade, the poor pharmacokinetics Read More