CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets (Formerly Current Drug Targets - CNS & Neurological Disorders) - Volume 14, Issue 7, 2015

The aim of the present study was to analyze if the genetic polymorphisms might predict suicide attempts in mental disorder patients. The literature review and meta-analysis were conducted using the PubMed/Medline, Web of science and Scopus database using the terms: “5-HTT or SLC6A4 or 5-SERT and suicide, suicidal ideation or suicidal behavior or suicidal attempt”. Thirty articles were analyzed. We found 17 articles that sh Read More

Aβ-induced astrogliosis can worsen the eziopathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD) by the release of proinflammatory and pro-oxidant mediators. Activated glial cells may release also pro-angiogenic molecules. The role of angiogenesis in AD is still controversial: although angiogenesis brings oxygen and nutrients to injured tissue, it may also exacerbate reactive gliosis. Moreover, by altering blood-brain barrier permeability pro Read More

In this review we discuss that peripheral and central activation of the Toll-like receptor 2/4 (TLR2/4) Radical Cycle may underpin the pathophysiology of immune-related chronic fatigue secondary to other medical diseases and conditions. The TLR Radical Cycle plays a role in illnesses and conditions that are disproportionately commonly comorbid with secondary chronic fatigue, including a) neuroinflammatory disorders, e. Read More

The aim of the study was to determine anticonvulsant activity of lamotrigine (LTG) after acute and chronic treatment in four different protocols against maximal electroshock-induced seizures in mice. Such a knowledge seems to be valuable in view of the fact that all interactions between LTG and other drugs are evaluated in acute, not chronic, experiments. Electroconvulsions were produced by means of alternating curre Read More

Researchers have been using the electroencephalogram to better understand the cognitive and neurobiological bases of panic disorder (PD) through the P300 component; this is an electric potential of the cerebral cortex that is generated in response to external sensorial stimuli and which involves more complex neurophysiological processes related to stimulus interpretation; it is then used to investigate possible alterations Read More

Astrocytes, the star shaped glial cells, are known to possess supportive and homeostatic role for the neurons. Recently, reactive gliosis, which involves alterations in functioning and phenotype of different glial cells, has been implicated in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Studies have revealed that astrocyte response to gross tissue damaging injury leads to anisomorphic astrogliosis reinforcing a cascade of events, eventually increa Read More

Crocus sativus L. (Iridaceae) is an important member of the genus Crocus having high medicinal value. Its dried stigmas, known as “saffron” are being widely used form past many centuries as a food additive, coloring agent, flavoring agent and a potential source of traditional medicine. The stigmas along with other botanical parts of Crocus sativus are being extensively used in ethnomedical treatment of varied central nervo Read More

Perturbations in immune processes play an important role in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME), a multifactorial disorder mainly characterized by severe and prolonged fatigue and tipically affecting a variety of bodily systems including the immune system. Recent reports have shown that CFS/ME is an inflammatory disorder may be associated with autoimmune responses, mainly characteriz Read More

The primary pathology of the human central nervous system disease multiple sclerosis (MS) and the animal counterpart experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) includes immunological and inflammatory events. Immune system involvement in MS has been widely debated but the role of inflammation has received less attention. Classic acute inflammation features vasculitis, resident tissue macrophage and mast cell pa Read More

Telomeric repeat containing RNAs (TERRA) are small RNA molecules synthesized from telomeric regions which were previously considered as silent genomic domains. In normal cells, these RNAs are transcribed in a direction from subtelomeric region towards the chromosome ends, but in case of cancer cells, their expression remains limited or absent. Telomerase is a rate limiting enzyme for cellular senescence, cancer and agi Read More

Lewy bodies (LBs) are characteristic hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, their role in the pathology of PD is not established yet. Are they primary events in the neurodegenerative process or only secondary phenomena? Are they signs of protecting neurons from toxicity or are they toxic per se? How are they are formed? Are LBs targets for therapeutic strategies? Addressing these questions may be of pivotal i Read More