Scientists have the need to develop and choose the best biological models to understand the basis of the diseases in preclinical studies. Currently, animals and monolayer cell cultures (2D cultures) are widely spread as reference models. Anyway, these models are not completely reliable when it is necessary to comprehend some key events of the development […]
25 posts found
Neurotransmitters
Does a relation exist between brain GABA levels and psychiatric disorders?
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) plays a key role in many physiological processes of brain. It is present in one third of synapses in the central nervous system, and modulates neurotransmission via GABAergic interneurons. Although the involvement of GABA in psychiatric disorders is well-known, understanding its role in their etiology is very difficult. In order to achieve […]
Rett syndrome: loss of balance between excitation and inhibition
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare neurodevelopmental disease. Mutations in MECP2 (located on the X chromosome) are the most common cause. However, mutations in other genes such as CDKL5 and FOXG1 have been reported to produce a Rett-like phenotype. How these different genetic defects determine similar clinical features has yet to be elucidated. Italian researchers […]
Pharmacological chaperones, a new mechanism to protect tyrosine hydroxylase from degradation
Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is an enzyme that converts the amino acid L-tyrosine into the neurotrasmitter L-DOPA, fundamental for the normal functioning of the nervous system. Mutations in the gene that codes for TH cause a reduction in enzyme activity and are associated to disorders like tyrosine hydroxylase deficiency (THD), Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. For […]
Gut microbes induce serotonin production
We know, thanks to years of investigation, that our intestine is populated by 1-2 kilograms of microorganisms, almost the equivalent of an average human brain. We also know that this living and transforming universe is critical for digestion of food, regulation of immune system, response to drugs and susceptibility to disease. Recently, amazing data indicate […]
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