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Yamamoto Y, Takahata K, Kubota M, Takano H, Takeuchi H, Kimura Y, Sano Y, Kurose S, Ito H, Mimura M, Higuchi M. Differential associations of dopamine synthesis capacity with the dopamine transporter and D2 receptor availability as assessed by PET in the living human brain. Neuroimage 2020; 226:117543. [PMID: 33186713 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The dopamine (DA) neurotransmission has been implicated in fundamental brain functions, exemplified by movement controls, reward-seeking, motivation, and cognition. Although dysregulation of DA neurotransmission in the striatum is known to be involved in diverse neuropsychiatric disorders, it is yet to be clarified whether components of the DA transmission, such as synthesis, receptors, and reuptake are coupled with each other to homeostatically maintain the DA neurotransmission. The purpose of this study was to investigate associations of the DA synthesis capacity with the availabilities of DA transporters and D2 receptors in the striatum of healthy subjects. METHODS First, we examined correlations between the DA synthesis capacity and DA transporter availability in the caudate and putamen using PET data with L-[β-11C]DOPA and [18F]FE-PE2I, respectively, acquired from our past dual-tracer studies. Next, we investigated relationships between the DA synthesis capacity and D2 receptor availability employing PET data with L-[β-11C]DOPA and [11C]raclopride, respectively, obtained from other previous dual-tracer assays. RESULTS We found a significant positive correlation between the DA synthesis capacity and DA transporter availability in the putamen, while no significant correlations between the DA synthesis capacity and D2 receptor availability in the striatum. CONCLUSION The intimate association of the DA synthesis rate with the presynaptic reuptake of DA indicates homeostatic maintenance of the baseline synaptic DA concentration. In contrast, the total abundance of D2 receptors, which consist of presynaptic autoreceptors and postsynaptic modulatory receptors, may not have an immediate relationship to this regulatory mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuharu Yamamoto
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keisuke Takahata
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan.
| | - Manabu Kubota
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan; Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Harumasa Takano
- Department of Clinical Neuroimaging, Integrative Brain Imaging Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroyoshi Takeuchi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Kimura
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Neuroimaging, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan
| | - Yasunori Sano
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Shin Kurose
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Ito
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Masaru Mimura
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Makoto Higuchi
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
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Alizadeh F, Davoodian N, Kazemi H, Ghasemi-Kasman M, Shaerzadeh F. Prenatal zinc supplementation attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced behavioral impairments in maternal immune activation model. Behav Brain Res 2019; 377:112247. [PMID: 31545978 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2019] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Maternal infection during pregnancy is considered a key risk factor for developing schizophrenia in offspring. There is evidence that maternal exposure to infectious agents is associated with fetal zinc deficiency. Due to the essential role of zinc in brain function and development, in the present study, we activated maternal immune system using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as a model of schizophrenia to examine whether zinc supplementation throughout pregnancy can reverse LPS-induced deleterious effects. To test the hypothesis, pregnant rats were treated with intraperitoneal injection of either saline or LPS (0.5 mg/kg) at gestational day 15 and 16, and zinc supplementation (30 mg/kg) was administered throughout pregnancy by gavage. At postnatal day 60, Y-maze was used to evaluate working memory of offspring. Moreover, the expression levels of catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) and glutamate decarboxylase 67 (GAD67) were measured in the frontal cortex of the brain samples. Only male offspring prenatally exposed to LPS showed a significant impairment in working memory. In addition, prenatal LPS exposure causes a moderate decrease in GAD67 expression level in the male pups, while COMT expression was found unchanged. Interestingly, zinc supplementation restored the alterations in working memory as well as GAD67 mRNA level in the male rats. No alteration was detected for neither working memory nor COMT/GAD67 genes expression in female offspring. This study demonstrates that zinc supplementation during pregnancy can attenuate LPS-induced impairments in male pups. These results support the idea to consume zinc supplementation during pregnancy to limit neurodevelopmental deficits induced by infections in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faezeh Alizadeh
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Nahid Davoodian
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran; Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
| | - Haniyeh Kazemi
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Maryam Ghasemi-Kasman
- Infertility and Reproductive Health Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Science, Babol, Iran; Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Shaerzadeh
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine and McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
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Hsu KC, Wang FS. Model-based optimization approaches for precision medicine: A case study in presynaptic dopamine overactivity. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0179575. [PMID: 28614410 PMCID: PMC5470743 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0179575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Precision medicine considers an individual’s unique physiological characteristics as strongly influential in disease vulnerability and in response to specific therapies. Predicting an individual’s susceptibility to developing an illness, making an accurate diagnosis, maximizing therapeutic effects, and minimizing adverse effects for treatment are essential in precision medicine. We introduced model-based precision medicine optimization approaches, including pathogenesis, biomarker detection, and drug target discovery, for treating presynaptic dopamine overactivity. Three classes of one-hit and two-hit enzyme defects were detected as the causes of disease states by the optimization approach of pathogenesis. The cluster analysis and support vector machine was used to detect optimal biomarkers in order to discriminate the accurate etiology from three classes of disease states. Finally, the fuzzy decision-making method was employed to discover common and specific drug targets for each classified disease state. We observed that more accurate diagnoses achieved higher satisfaction grades and dosed fewer enzyme targets to treat the disease. Furthermore, satisfaction grades for common drugs were lower than for specific ones, but common drugs could simultaneously treat several disease states that had different etiologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai-Cheng Hsu
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital Yunlin Branch, Yunlin, Taiwan
| | - Feng-Sheng Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
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Han J, Li Y, Wang X. Potential link between genetic polymorphisms of catechol-O-methyltransferase and dopamine receptors and treatment efficacy of risperidone on schizophrenia. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2017; 13:2935-2943. [PMID: 29255361 PMCID: PMC5722007 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s148824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The current study aimed to explore the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and dopamine receptors with schizophrenia and genetic association with risperidone treatment response. METHODS A total of 690 schizophrenic patients (case group) were selected and 430 healthy people were included as the controls. All patients received risperidone treatment continuously for 8 weeks. Next, peripheral venous blood samples were collected and were subjected to polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism to amplify and genotype the SNPs within COMT and dopamine receptors. Then, correlation analysis was conducted between Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale improvement rates and SNPs within COMT and the dopamine receptor gene. RESULTS The allele of DRD1 rs11749676 (A) emerged as a key element in reducing schizophrenia risk with statistical significance (P<0.001). Remarkably, alleles of COMT rs165774 (G), DRD2 rs6277 (T), and DRD3 rs6280 (C) were associated with raised predisposition to schizophrenia (all P<0.001). Regarding DRD1 rs11746641, DRD1 rs11749676, DRD2 rs6277, and DRD3 rs6280, the case group exhibited a lesser frequency of heterozygotes in comparison with wild homozygotes genotype (all P<0.001). SNPs (COMT rs4680, DRD2 rs6275, DRD2 rs1801028, and DRD2 rs6277) were remarkably associated with improvement rates of PANSS total scores (P<0.05). SNPs (COMT rs165599 and DRD2 rs1801028) were significantly associated with risperidone efficacy on negative symptoms (P<0.05). CONCLUSION COMT SNPs and dopamine receptor SNPs were correlated with prevalence of schizophrenia and risperidone treatment efficacy of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiyang Han
- Department of Psychiatry, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Xumei Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
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Andrade JMDM, Dos Santos Passos C, Kieling Rubio MA, Mendonça JN, Lopes NP, Henriques AT. Combining in vitro and in silico approaches to evaluate the multifunctional profile of rosmarinic acid from Blechnum brasiliense on targets related to neurodegeneration. Chem Biol Interact 2016; 254:135-45. [PMID: 27270453 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2016.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Revised: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Natural products are important sources of chemical diversity leading to unique scaffolds that can be exploited in the discovery of new drug candidates or chemical probes. In this context, chemical and biological investigation of ferns and lycophytes occurring in Brazil is an approach adopted by our research group aiming at discovering bioactive molecules acting on neurodegeneration targets. In the present study, rosmarinic acid (RA) isolated from Blechnum brasiliense showed an in vitro multifunctional profile characterized by antioxidant effects, and monoamine oxidases (MAO-A and MAO-B) and catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) inhibition. RA showed antioxidant effects against hydroxyl (HO(•)) and nitric oxide (NO) radicals (IC50 of 29.4 and 140 μM, respectively), and inhibition of lipid peroxidation (IC50 of 19.6 μM). In addition, RA inhibited MAO-A, MAO-B and COMT enzymes with IC50 values of 50.1, 184.6 and 26.7 μM, respectively. The MAO-A modulation showed a non-time-dependent profile, suggesting a reversible mechanism of inhibition. Structural insights on RA interactions with MAO-A and COMT were investigated by molecular docking. Finally, RA (up to 5 mM) demonstrated no cytotoxicity on polymorphonuclear rat cells. Taken together, our results suggest that RA may be exploited as a template for the development of new antioxidant molecules possessing additional MAO and COMT inhibition effects to be further investigated on in vitro and in vivo models of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Maria de Mello Andrade
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, 90.610-000, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Carolina Dos Santos Passos
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, University of Lausanne, Quai Ernest-Ansermet 30, CH-1211, Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | | | - Jacqueline Nakau Mendonça
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Av. do Café s/no, 14.040-903, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Norberto Peporine Lopes
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Av. do Café s/no, 14.040-903, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Amélia Teresinha Henriques
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, 90.610-000, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Bowers H, Smith D, de la Salle S, Choueiry J, Impey D, Philippe T, Dort H, Millar A, Daigle M, Albert PR, Beaudoin A, Knott V. COMT polymorphism modulates the resting-state EEG alpha oscillatory response to acute nicotine in male non-smokers. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2015; 14:466-76. [PMID: 26096691 PMCID: PMC4514526 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Revised: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Performance improvements in cognitive tasks requiring executive functions are evident with nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonists, and activation of the underlying neural circuitry supporting these cognitive effects is thought to involve dopamine neurotransmission. As individual difference in response to nicotine may be related to a functional polymorphism in the gene encoding catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), an enzyme that strongly influences cortical dopamine metabolism, this study examined the modulatory effects of the COMT Val158Met polymorphism on the neural response to acute nicotine as measured with resting-state electroencephalographic (EEG) oscillations. In a sample of 62 healthy non-smoking adult males, a single dose (6 mg) of nicotine gum administered in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design was shown to affect α oscillatory activity, increasing power of upper α oscillations in frontocentral regions of Met/Met homozygotes and in parietal/occipital regions of Val/Met heterozygotes. Peak α frequency was also found to be faster with nicotine (vs. placebo) treatment in Val/Met heterozygotes, who exhibited a slower α frequency compared to Val/Val homozygotes. The data tentatively suggest that interindividual differences in brain α oscillations and their response to nicotinic agonist treatment are influenced by genetic mechanisms involving COMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. Bowers
- Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - D. Smith
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - S. de la Salle
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - J. Choueiry
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - D. Impey
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - T. Philippe
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Royal Ottawa Mental Health Care Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - H. Dort
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Royal Ottawa Mental Health Care Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - A. Millar
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - M. Daigle
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - P. R. Albert
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - A. Beaudoin
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Royal Ottawa Mental Health Care Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - V. Knott
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Royal Ottawa Mental Health Care Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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7
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Knickmeyer RC, Wang J, Zhu H, Geng X, Woolson S, Hamer RM, Konneker T, Lin W, Styner M, Gilmore JH. Common variants in psychiatric risk genes predict brain structure at birth. Cereb Cortex 2014; 24:1230-46. [PMID: 23283688 PMCID: PMC3977618 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhs401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies in adolescents and adults have demonstrated that polymorphisms in putative psychiatric risk genes are associated with differences in brain structure, but cannot address when in development these relationships arise. To determine if common genetic variants in disrupted-in-schizophrenia-1 (DISC1; rs821616 and rs6675281), catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT; rs4680), neuregulin 1 (NRG1; rs35753505 and rs6994992), apolipoprotein E (APOE; ε3ε4 vs. ε3ε3), estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1; rs9340799 and rs2234693), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF; rs6265), and glutamate decarboxylase 1 (GAD1; rs2270335) are associated with individual differences in brain tissue volumes in neonates, we applied both automated region-of-interest volumetry and tensor-based morphometry to a sample of 272 neonates who had received high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging scans. ESR1 (rs9340799) predicted intracranial volume. Local variation in gray matter (GM) volume was significantly associated with polymorphisms in DISC1 (rs821616), COMT, NRG1, APOE, ESR1 (rs9340799), and BDNF. No associations were identified for DISC1 (rs6675281), ESR1 (rs2234693), or GAD1. Of note, neonates homozygous for the DISC1 (rs821616) serine allele exhibited numerous large clusters of reduced GM in the frontal lobes, and neonates homozygous for the COMT valine allele exhibited reduced GM in the temporal cortex and hippocampus, mirroring findings in adults. The results highlight the importance of prenatal brain development in mediating psychiatric risk.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Thomas Konneker
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | | | - Martin Styner
- Department of Psychiatry
- Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA and
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Ho PWL, Tse ZHM, Liu HF, Lu S, Ho JWM, Kung MHW, Ramsden DB, Ho SL. Assessment of cellular estrogenic activity based on estrogen receptor-mediated reduction of soluble-form catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) expression in an ELISA-based system. PLoS One 2013; 8:e74065. [PMID: 24040167 PMCID: PMC3765251 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0074065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2013] [Accepted: 07/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Xenoestrogens are either natural or synthetic compounds that mimic the effects of endogenous estrogen. These compounds, such as bisphenol-A (BPA), and phthalates, are commonly found in plastic wares. Exposure to these compounds poses major risk to human health because of the potential to cause endocrine disruption. There is huge demand for a wide range of chemicals to be assessed for such potential for the sake of public health. Classical in vivo assays for endocrine disruption are comprehensive but time-consuming and require sacrifice of experimental animals. Simple preliminary in vitro screening assays can reduce the time and expense involved. We previously demonstrated that catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is transcriptionally regulated by estrogen via estrogen receptor (ER). Therefore, detecting corresponding changes of COMT expression in estrogen-responsive cells may be a useful method to estimate estrogenic effects of various compounds. We developed a novel cell-based ELISA to evaluate cellular response to estrogenicity by reduction of soluble-COMT expression in ER-positive MCF-7 cells exposed to estrogenic compounds. In contrast to various existing methods that only detect bioactivity, this method elucidates direct physiological effect in a living cell in response to a compound. We validated our assay using three well-characterized estrogenic plasticizers - BPA, benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), and di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP). Cells were exposed to either these plasticizers or 17β-estradiol (E2) in estrogen-depleted medium with or without an ER-antagonist, ICI 182,780, and COMT expression assayed. Exposure to each of these plasticizers (10-9-10-7M) dose-dependently reduced COMT expression (p<0.05), which was blocked by ICI 182,780. Reduction of COMT expression was readily detectable in cells exposed to picomolar level of E2, comparable to other in vitro assays of similar sensitivity. To satisfy the demand for in vitro assays targeting different cellular components, a cell-based COMT assay provides useful initial screening to supplement the current assessments of xenoestrogens for potential estrogenic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Wing-Lok Ho
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Research Centre of Heart, Brain, Hormone and Healthy Aging, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Zero Ho-Man Tse
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hui-Fang Liu
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Song Lu
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Research Centre of Heart, Brain, Hormone and Healthy Aging, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jessica Wing-Man Ho
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Michelle Hiu-Wai Kung
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - David Boyer Ramsden
- School of Medicine and School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Shu-Leong Ho
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Research Centre of Heart, Brain, Hormone and Healthy Aging, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- * E-mail:
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Rao TSS, Andrade C. Screening for disease, psychological testing, and psychotherapy Looking behind the mirror. Indian J Psychiatry 2013; 55:103-5. [PMID: 23825840 PMCID: PMC3696229 DOI: 10.4103/0019-5545.111446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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Jatana N, Sharma A, Latha N. Pharmacophore modeling and virtual screening studies to design potential COMT inhibitors as new leads. J Mol Graph Model 2012; 39:145-64. [PMID: 23280413 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2012.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2012] [Revised: 09/15/2012] [Accepted: 10/08/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) catalyzes the methylation of catecholamines, including neurotransmitters like dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine, leading to their degradation. COMT has been a subject of study for its implications in numerous neurological disorders like Parkinson's disease (PD), schizophrenia, and depression. The COMT gene is associated with many allelic variants, the Val108Met polymorphism being the most clinically significant. Availability of crystal structure of both 108V and 108M forms of human soluble-COMT (S-COMT) facilitated us to use structure-based virtual screening approach to obtain new hits by screening a library of CNS permeable compounds from ZINC database. In this study, E-pharmacophore was also used to generate pharmacophore models based on a series of known COMT inhibitors. A five-point pharmacophore model consisting of one hydrogen-bond acceptor (A), two hydrogen bond donors (D), and two aromatic rings (R) was generated for both the polymorphic forms of COMT. These models were then used for filtering ZINC-CNS permeable library to obtain new hits. Physicochemical properties were also calculated for all the hits obtained from both the approaches for favorable ADME properties. These identified hits maybe of interest for further structural optimization and biological evaluation assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi Jatana
- Bioinformatics Infrastructure Facility, Sri Venkateswara College (University of Delhi), Benito Juarez Road, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi, India
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Soares DC, Carlyle BC, Bradshaw NJ, Porteous DJ. DISC1: Structure, Function, and Therapeutic Potential for Major Mental Illness. ACS Chem Neurosci 2011; 2:609-632. [PMID: 22116789 PMCID: PMC3222219 DOI: 10.1021/cn200062k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2011] [Accepted: 08/05/2011] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
![]()
Disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) is well established
as a genetic risk factor across a spectrum of psychiatric disorders,
a role supported by a growing body of biological studies, making the
DISC1 protein interaction network an attractive therapeutic target.
By contrast, there is a relative deficit of structural information
to relate to the myriad biological functions of DISC1. Here, we critically
appraise the available bioinformatics and biochemical analyses on
DISC1 and key interacting proteins, and integrate this with the genetic
and biological data. We review, analyze, and make predictions regarding
the secondary structure and propensity for disordered regions within
DISC1, its protein-interaction domains, subcellular localization motifs,
and the structural and functional implications of common and ultrarare DISC1 variants associated with major mental illness. We
discuss signaling pathways of high pharmacological potential wherein
DISC1 participates, including those involving phosphodiesterase 4
(PDE4) and glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3). These predictions and
priority areas can inform future research in the translational and
potentially guide the therapeutic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh C. Soares
- Medical Genetics Section, Molecular
Medicine Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital,
Crewe Road South, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, United Kingdom
| | - Becky C. Carlyle
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street,
Suite 901, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Nicholas J. Bradshaw
- Medical Genetics Section, Molecular
Medicine Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital,
Crewe Road South, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, United Kingdom
| | - David J. Porteous
- Medical Genetics Section, Molecular
Medicine Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital,
Crewe Road South, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, United Kingdom
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Malone DT, Hill MN, Rubino T. Adolescent cannabis use and psychosis: epidemiology and neurodevelopmental models. Br J Pharmacol 2010; 160:511-22. [PMID: 20590561 DOI: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2010.00721.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabis is one of the most widely used illicit drugs among adolescents, and most users first experiment with it in adolescence. Adolescence is a critical phase for brain development, characterized by neuronal maturation and rearrangement processes, such as myelination, synaptic pruning and dendritic plasticity. The endocannabinoid system plays an important role in fundamental brain developmental processes such as neuronal cell proliferation, migration and differentiation. Therefore changes in endocannabinoid activity during this specific developmental phase, induced by the psychoactive component of marijuana, Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol, might lead to subtle but lasting neurobiological changes that can affect brain functions and behaviour. In this review, we outline recent research into the endocannabinoid system focusing on the relationships between adolescent exposure to cannabinoids and increased risk for certain neuropsychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia, as highlighted by both human and animal studies. Particular emphasis will be given to the possible mechanisms by which adolescent cannabis consumption could render a person more susceptible to developing psychoses such as schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel T Malone
- Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Action, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Vic., Australia
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13
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Nieratschker V, Frank J, Mühleisen TW, Strohmaier J, Wendland JR, Schumacher J, Treutlein J, Breuer R, Abou Jamra R, Mattheisen M, Herms S, Schmäl C, Maier W, Nöthen MM, Cichon S, Rietschel M, Schulze TG. The catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) gene and its potential association with schizophrenia: findings from a large German case-control and family-based sample. Schizophr Res 2010; 122:24-30. [PMID: 20643532 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2010.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2010] [Revised: 06/02/2010] [Accepted: 06/24/2010] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate possible associations between schizophrenia and 13 SNP markers in COMT. No association was observed in 631 cases, 207 nuclear families, and 776 controls. A cognitive performance phenotype (Trail Marking Test) was available for a subgroup of the patients. No association was found between the 13 markers and this phenotype. Four clinically-defined subgroups (early age at onset, negative symptoms, family history of schizophrenia, and life-time major depressive episode) were also investigated. Associations were observed for 3 of these subgroups, although none withstood correction for multiple testing. COMT does not appear to be a risk factor for schizophrenia in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Nieratschker
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology, Central Institute of Mental Health, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany.
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14
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Abstract
Genetic epidemiologic studies indicate that all ten personality disorders (PDs) classified on the DSM-IV axis II are modestly to moderately heritable. Shared environmental and nonadditive genetic factors are of minor or no importance. No sex differences have been identified. Multivariate studies suggest that the extensive comorbidity between the PDs can be explained by three common genetic and environmental risk factors. The genetic factors do not reflect the DSM-IV cluster structure, but rather: i) broad vulnerability to PD pathology or negative emotionality; ii) high impulsivity/low agreeableness; and iii) introversion. Common genetic and environmental liability factors contribute to comorbidity between pairs or clusters of axis I and axis II disorders. Molecular genetic studies of PDs, mostly candidate gene association studies, indicate that genes linked to neurotransmitter pathways, especially in the serotonergic and dopaminergic systems, are involved. Future studies, using newer methods like genome-wide association, might take advantage of the use of endophenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ted Reichborn-Kjennerud
- Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health Institute of Psychiatry, University of Oslo, Norway.
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15
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Quednow BB, Wagner M, Mössner R, Maier W, Kühn KU. Sensorimotor gating of schizophrenia patients depends on Catechol O-methyltransferase Val158Met polymorphism. Schizophr Bull 2010; 36:341-6. [PMID: 18635674 PMCID: PMC2833112 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbn088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
It has been recently shown that Catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val(158)Met polymorphism strongly influences prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response (ASR) in healthy human volunteers. Given that schizophrenia patients exhibit impairment in PPI and that COMT is a putative susceptibility gene for schizophrenia, we investigated the impact of the COMT Val(158)Met polymorphisms on PPI in schizophrenic inpatients. We analyzed COMT Val(158)Met polymorphisms and assessed startle reactivity, habituation, and PPI of ASR in 68 Caucasian schizophrenia inpatients. Clinical symptoms were measured with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Patients carrying the Val(158)Met Met/Met allele showed elevated PPI levels whereas startle reactivity and habituation did not differ from the other two genotypes. These preliminary results imply that PPI is influenced by COMT Val(158)Met genotype in schizophrenia as well. In concert with other findings, our data suggest that PPI is a polygenic trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris B. Quednow
- Experimental Psychopathology and Brain Imaging, University Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Switzerland,To whom correspondence should be addressed; Clinical Research, Experimental Psychopathology and Brain Imaging, University Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Lenggstrasse 31, CH-8032 Zurich, Switzerland; tel: 0041-44-384-2777, fax: 0041-44-384-3396, e-mail:
| | - Michael Wagner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Wolfgang Maier
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Kai-Uwe Kühn
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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16
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Coman IL, Gnirke MH, Middleton FA, Antshel KM, Fremont W, Higgins AM, Shprintzen RJ, Kates WR. The effects of gender and catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val108/158Met polymorphism on emotion regulation in velo-cardio-facial syndrome (22q11.2 deletion syndrome): An fMRI study. Neuroimage 2010; 53:1043-50. [PMID: 20123031 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.01.094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2009] [Revised: 01/26/2010] [Accepted: 01/26/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS) is caused by a micro-deletion of over 40 genes at the q11.2 locus of chromosome 22 and is a risk factor for the development of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. COMT, one of the genes located in the deleted region, has been considered as a major candidate gene for genetic susceptibility in psychiatric diseases. Its functional polymorphism Val108/158Met has been shown to affect prefrontal function and working memory and has been associated with emotional dysregulation. We utilized a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) event-related paradigm to asses COMT genotype and gender-moderated effects on the neural activation that are elicited by viewing emotionally salient images charged with pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral content. Since estrogen down-regulates COMT activity resulting in lower COMT activity in women than men, we hypothesized an allele-by-gender interaction effect on neural activation. Participants included 43 VCFS individuals (Val/male=9, Val/female=17, Met/male=9, Met/female=8). We observed a gender effect on processing positive emotions, in that girls activated the cingulate gyrus more than boys did. We further observed a significant gender-by-allele interaction effect on neural function specific to the frontal lobe during the processing of pleasant stimuli, and specific to limbic regions during the processing of unpleasant stimuli. Our results suggest that in VCFS, the effect of the COMT Val108/158Met polymorphism is moderated by gender during the processing of emotional stimuli and could contribute to the understanding of the way in which this COMT polymorphism affects vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioana L Coman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA.
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17
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Abstract
Schizophrenia may well represent one of the most heterogenous mental disorders in human history. This heterogeneity encompasses (1) etiology; where numerous putative genetic and environmental factors may contribute to disease manifestation, (2) symptomatology; with symptoms characterized by group; positive--behaviors not normally present in healthy subjects (e.g. hallucinations), negative--reduced expression of normal behaviors (e.g. reduced joy), and cognitive--reduced cognitive capabilities separable from negative symptoms (e.g. impaired attention), and (3) individual response variation to treatment. The complexity of this uniquely human disorder has complicated the development of suitable animal models with which to assay putative therapeutics. Moreover, the development of animal models is further limited by a lack of positive controls because currently approved therapeutics only addresses psychotic symptoms, with minor negative symptom treatment. Despite these complexities however, many animal models of schizophrenia have been developed mainly focusing on modeling individual symptoms. Validation criteria have been established to assay the utility of these models, determining the (1) face, (2) predictive, (3) construct, and (4) etiological validities, as well as (5) reproducibility of each model. Many of these models have been created following the development of major hypotheses of schizophrenia, including the dopaminergic, glutamatergic, and neurodevelopmental hypotheses. The former two models have largely consisted of manipulating these neurotransmitter systems to produce behavioral abnormalities with some relevance to symptoms or putative etiology of schizophrenia. Given the serotonergic link to hallucinations and cholinergic link to attention, other models have manipulated these systems also. Finally, there has also been a drive toward creating mouse models of schizophrenia utilizing transgenic technology. Thus, there are opportunities to combine both environmental and genetic factors to create more suitable models of schizophrenia. More sophisticated animal tasks are also being created with which to ascertain whether these models produce behavioral abnormalities consistent with patients with schizophrenia. While animal models of schizophrenia continue to be developed, we must be cognizant that (1) validating these models are limited to the degree by which Clinicians can provide relevant information on the behavior of these patients, and (2) any putative treatments that are developed are also likely to be given with concurrent antipsychotic treatment. While our knowledge of this devastating disorder increases and our animal models and tasks with which to measure their behaviors become more sophisticated, caution must still be taken when validating these models to limit complications when introducing putative therapeutics to human trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared W Young
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, USA.
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18
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Dennis NA, Need AC, LaBar KS, Waters-Metenier S, Cirulli ET, Kragel J, Goldstein DB, Cabeza R. COMT val108/158 met genotype affects neural but not cognitive processing in healthy individuals. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 20:672-83. [PMID: 19641018 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhp132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between cognition and a functional polymorphism in the catechol-O-methlytransferase (COMT) gene, val108/158met, is one of debate in the literature. Furthermore, based on the dopaminergic differences associated with the COMT val108/158met genotype, neural differences during cognition may be present, regardless of genotypic differences in cognitive performance. To investigate these issues the current study aimed to 1) examine the effects of COMT genotype using a large sample of healthy individuals (n = 496-1218) and multiple cognitive measures, and using a subset of the sample (n = 22), 2) examine whether COMT genotype effects medial temporal lobe (MTL) and frontal activity during successful relational memory processing, and 3) investigate group differences in functional connectivity associated with successful relational memory processing. Results revealed no significant group difference in cognitive performance between COMT genotypes in any of the 19 cognitive measures. However, in the subset sample, COMT val homozygotes exhibited significantly decreased MTL and increased prefrontal activity during both successful relational encoding and retrieval, and reduced connectivity between these regions compared with met homozygotes. Taken together, the results suggest that although the COMT val108/158met genotype has no effect on cognitive behavioral measures in healthy individuals, it is associated with differences in neural process underlying cognitive output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy A Dennis
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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19
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Ayhan Y, Sawa A, Ross CA, Pletnikov MV. Animal models of gene-environment interactions in schizophrenia. Behav Brain Res 2009; 204:274-81. [PMID: 19379776 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2009.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2009] [Revised: 04/09/2009] [Accepted: 04/10/2009] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The pathogenesis of schizophrenia and related mental illnesses likely involves multiple interactions between susceptibility genes of small effects and environmental factors. Gene-environment interactions occur across different stages of neurodevelopment to produce heterogeneous clinical and pathological manifestations of the disease. The main obstacle for mechanistic studies of gene-environment interplay has been the paucity of appropriate experimental systems for elucidating the molecular pathways that mediate gene-environment interactions relevant to schizophrenia. Recent advances in psychiatric genetics and a plethora of experimental data from animal studies allow us to suggest a new approach to gene-environment interactions in schizophrenia. We propose that animal models based on identified genetic mutations and measurable environment factors will help advance studies of the molecular mechanisms of gene-environment interplay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yavuz Ayhan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
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20
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Lieberman JA, Bymaster FP, Meltzer HY, Deutch AY, Duncan GE, Marx CE, Aprille JR, Dwyer DS, Li XM, Mahadik SP, Duman RS, Porter JH, Modica-Napolitano JS, Newton SS, Csernansky JG. Antipsychotic drugs: comparison in animal models of efficacy, neurotransmitter regulation, and neuroprotection. Pharmacol Rev 2009; 60:358-403. [PMID: 18922967 DOI: 10.1124/pr.107.00107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Various lines of evidence indicate the presence of progressive pathophysiological processes occurring within the brains of patients with schizophrenia. By modulating chemical neurotransmission, antipsychotic drugs may influence a variety of functions regulating neuronal resilience and viability and have the potential for neuroprotection. This article reviews the current literature describing preclinical and clinical studies that evaluate the efficacy of antipsychotic drugs, their mechanism of action and the potential of first- and second-generation antipsychotic drugs to exert effects on cellular processes that may be neuroprotective in schizophrenia. The evidence to date suggests that although all antipsychotic drugs have the ability to reduce psychotic symptoms via D(2) receptor antagonism, some antipsychotics may differ in other pharmacological properties and their capacities to mitigate and possibly reverse cellular processes that may underlie the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A Lieberman
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Dr., Unit 4, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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