[Social psychiatry and neurobiology : A long overdue convergence exemplified by schizophrenia]. / Sozialpsychiatrie und Neurobiologie : Eine längst fällige Annäherung am Beispiel der Schizophrenie.

BACKGROUND: The proliferation of biological psychiatry has greatly increased over the last two decades. With the possibility to carry out brain research using modern technical methods, it seemed that social influencing factors would lose importance in the development of mental diseases; however, in actual fact this does not seem to be justified. It is necessary to overcome this separation, in that social factors are incorporated into a conceptual framework in the development of mental diseases, which simultaneously also takes the results of current neurobiological research into consideration. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: The aims of this review article are to summarize the current state of sociopsychiatric research and to emphasize the perspectives of the biological principles and their validity with respect to the social dimensions of psychiatry, as exemplified by schizophrenic disorders. The article presents the options for a biosocial approach in social psychiatry and gives an overview of the currently available literature. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There is an abundance of neurobiological research approaches, which are closely associated with sociopsychiatric topics, such as social cognition. Social psychiatry and biological psychiatry should no longer be considered as diametrically opposed subdisciplines. On the contrary, the options which could emerge from a synthesis must be used in research and clinical practice.

Site-directed spin labeling of proteins for distance measurements in vitro and in cells.

Site-directed spin labeling (SDSL) in combination with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy allows studying the structure, dynamics, and interactions of proteins via distance measurements in the nanometer range. We here give an overview of available spin labels, the strategies for their introduction into proteins, and the associated potentials for protein structural studies in vitro and in the context of living cells.

C332C genotype of glyoxalase 1 and its association with late diabetic complications.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: Glyoxalase 1 catalyses the detoxification of methylglyoxal, a major precursor of advanced glycation end products associated with aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and microvascular complications of diabetes. Here, we examine a possible association of a single nucleotide polymorphism of glyoxalase 1 gene (Glo1 A332C, rs4746 or rs2736654) with the prevalence of microvascular diabetic complications in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Genotyping was performed in 209 patients with type 1 and 524 patients with type 2 diabetes using polymerase chain reaction and subsequent cleavage by restriction endonuclease Bsa I. RESULTS: Frequencies of the glyoxalase 1 genotypes were different with respect to diabetes type with a significantly higher prevalence of A332A-genotype in type 1 diabetes (35.9% vs. 27.3%; p=0.03). In type 1 diabetes, there was no correlation of any genotype with diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy or neuropathy. In contrast, type 2 diabetic patients homozygous for the C332C allele showed a significantly increased prevalence of diabetic neuropathy (p=0.03; OR=1.49 [95%-CI: 1.04; 2.11]), while no association with diabetic nephropathy or retinopathy was found. However, the significance of this association was lost after correction for multiple testing. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest a possible association of C332C-genotype of the glyoxalase 1 gene with diabetic neuropathy in type 2 diabetes, supporting the hypothesis that methylglyoxal might be an important mediator of diabetic neuropathy in type 2 diabetes.

Possible association of severe major depression with acute cessation of long-term excessive triptan use.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Triptans are approved medications introduced for the acute treatment of migraine, classified as high-affinity serotonin 5-HT(1B/D) receptor agonists with lower affinity for 5-HT(1A) receptors. Both migraine and treatment of migraine with triptans have been associated with the development of major depression. However, little is known about the adverse effects of acute cessation of long-term overdose triptan use. CASE SUMMARY: We report a case of a 49-year-old male patient with first onset of severe major depression following cessation of daily excessive triptan use for 8 years. The depressive disorder was resistant to prior serotonergic antidepressant therapy. Antidepressant treatment with a non-serotonergic agent was successful in resolving depressive symptoms. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: The present case report demonstrates for the first time that acute cessation of long-term excessive triptan use has the potential to induce severe major depression, presumably due to persistent alterations in the serotonergic system including downregulation and desensitization of 5-HT(1) receptors. In this case, treatment with a non-serotonergic agent could be a promising therapeutic strategy.

A role for cyclic hydroxamates in aluminium resistance in maize?

Hydroxamate siderophores have been found to alleviate Al toxicity in bacteria. In Poaceae plants cyclic hydroxamates, like DIMBOA (2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one) and its derivatives have mostly been studied in relation to either defence against insects or allelopathy. In this study the influence of Al on concentrations of these benzoxazinoids (Bx) in root tips, whole roots and root xylem exudates of Zea mays L. varieties differing in Al resistance was analyzed by HPLC-MS. Aluminium resistant maize variety Sikuani maintained considerably higher Bx levels in root tips than the Al sensitive variety Bakero. In vitro binding of Al to DIMBOA was shown by fluorescence quenching. Addition of DIMBOA to Al-containing nutrient solution protected the sensitive maize against Al toxicity as shown by bioassays using callose and haematoxylin staining of root tips as stress indicators. This is the first study showing that Bx can detoxify Al in solution. Tissue analysis data provide first, circumstantial, support for a role of Bx in defence against Al toxicity also in planta.

Influence of zinc hyperaccumulation on glucosinolates in Thlaspi caerulescens.

• Previous investigations suggest that in species of the Brassicaceae hyperaccumulation of heavy metals might provide an ecological advantage by protecting the plants against herbivores and/or pathogens while lowering the glucosinolate content. Few analytical data on glucosinolate concentrations in hyperaccumulators are available for supporting this 'trade-off' hypothesis. • This is the first report on the influence of zinc (Zn) hyperaccumulation on the concentrations of individual glucosinolates in Thlaspi caerulescens exposed to different Zn concentrations. • The most abundant glucosinolate within both roots and shoots was p-hydroxybenzyl glucosinolate (sinalbin). Zn hyperaccumulation decreased sinalbin concentrations in shoots, whereas root concentrations increased with Zn accumulation. These changes in sinalbin concentrations were mainly responsible for Zn-induced alterations of total glucosinolate contents. Quantitatively less important was a Zn-induced decrease of indolylglucosinolates observed in both roots and shoots and that of 3-butenylglucosinolate found in roots. • The results presented here support the view of a trade-off between Zn and glucosinolates in shoots but not in roots of Thlaspi caerulescens.