Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry
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Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry · Feb 2010
Genetic polymorphisms in the dopamine-2 receptor (DRD2), dopamine-3 receptor (DRD3), and dopamine transporter (SLC6A3) genes in schizophrenia: Data from an association study.
To investigate the association between dopaminergic polymorphisms [DRD2 -141C Ins/Del, DRD3 Ser9Gly, and SLC6A3 VNTR] and schizophrenia. ⋯ This study provides evidence that a genetic variant in the DRD2 gene and possible interaction between DRD3 and SLC6A3 genes are associated with schizophrenia. These findings warrant examination in replication studies.
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Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry · Feb 2010
Clinical TrialResponsiveness of motor and nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson disease to dopaminergic therapy.
The duration of clinical control of motor symptoms of Parkinson disease (PD) treated with levodopa/carbidopa preparations eventually starts to shorten, a phenomenon known as end-of-dose "wearing off." The involvement of core nonmotor symptoms of "wearing off" (depressed mood, pain/aching, anxiety, and cloudy/slowed thinking) is not well understood. ⋯ Nonmotor symptoms of PD appear sensitive to dopaminergic treatment. These symptoms resemble those seen with depressive, anxiety, and somatoform disorders suggesting potential shared mechanisms as well as possible treatment implications.
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Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry · Feb 2010
Curcumin produces neuroprotective effects via activating brain-derived neurotrophic factor/TrkB-dependent MAPK and PI-3K cascades in rodent cortical neurons.
Curcumin is a major constituent of curcuma longa, a traditional medicine used to manage mental disorders effectively in China. The neuroprotective effects of curcumin have been demonstrated in our previous studies. In the present research, we confirmed this effect by showing that curcumin application promoted the viability of cultured rodent cortical neurons. ⋯ The administration of curcumin led to increased levels of phosphor-ERK and AKT, which were each blocked by MAPK and PI-3K inhibitors. Furthermore, the curcumin-induced increase in phosphorylated cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB), which has been implicated as a possible mediator of antidepressant actions, was prevented by MAPK and PI-3K inhibitors. Therefore, we hypothesize the neuroprotection of curcumin might be mediated via BDNF/TrkB-MAPK/PI-3K-CREB signaling pathway.