Monthly Archives: August 2016

The strongest genetic risk factor influencing susceptibility to late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype. APOE has three common isoforms in humans, E2, E3, and E4. The presence of two copies of the E4 allele increases risk by … Continue reading →

Ransohoff RM: How neuroinflammation contributes to neurodegeneration. Science 353(6301): 777-783 (2016). http://science.sciencemag.org/content/353/6301/777.abstractneuroinflammation_neurodegeneration_review2016

Glucocorticoids are involved in stress regulation and produce their actions via the glucocorticoid receptor, a nuclear transcription factor. The glucocorticoid receptor is translocated from the cytosol to the mitochondria where corticosteroids have a direct influence on mitochondrially transcribed mRNA (mtDNA) … Continue reading →

“Both preclinical studies and clinical trials have indicated that the combination of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and a statin may have superior antidepressant effects compared with SSRI treatment alone. The authors sought to assess whether this beneficial effect … Continue reading →

“Lithium is a first-line therapy for bipolar affective disorder. However, various adverse effects, including a Parkinson-like hand tremor, often limit its use. The understanding of the neurobiological basis of these side effects is still very limited. Nigral iron elevation is also a … Continue reading →

“Deficient excitatory drive to parvalbumin-containing cortical interneurons is proposed as a key neural substrate for altered gamma oscillations and cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. However, a pathological entity producing such a deficit has not been identified. The authors tested the hypothesis … Continue reading →

“Over the past decade, a growing number of studies have revealed that progressive changes to epigenetic information accompany aging in both dividing and nondividing cells. Functional studies in model organisms and humans indicate that epigenetic changes have a huge influence … Continue reading →