[Poisonous plants]. / Myrkylliset kasvit.

Approximately ten species of dangerously poisonous plants are found in Finland. Severe plant poisonings are very rare. Edible plants eaten raw or wrongly processed may cause severe symptoms. As first aid, activated charcoal should be given to the person who has eaten a plant causing a risk of significant poisoning. In case of exposure to topically irritating plant fluids, the exposed person's eyes must be irrigated and mouth or skin washed with copious amounts of water. In combination with solar UV radiation, light-sensitizing plants cause local burns. The diagnosis of plant poisoning is usually based on incidental information; the plant should be identified in order to make the correct treatment decisions.

C957T polymorphism of dopamine D2 receptor gene affects striatal DRD2 in vivo availability by changing the receptor affinity.

The C957T polymorphism of the human dopamine D2 receptor gene (DRD2) regulates DRD2 availability in striatum in vivo. Specifically, the T allele predicts high DRD2 availability in healthy volunteers (T/T>T/C>C/C). However, this finding was unexpected as in vitro the T allele is associated with a decrease in DRD2 mRNA stability and synthesis of the receptor through a putative alteration in the receptor mRNA folding. To elucidate further how changes in DRD2 density (B(max)) and affinity (K(D)) contribute to the differences in DRD2 availability between the C957T genotypes, we studied these parameters separately in a sample of 45 healthy volunteers. The subjects had two PET scans with [(11)C]raclopride (high and low specific radioactivity scans) for the estimation of B(max) and K(D), and were genotyped for the C957T. Moreover, the role of the related and previously studied functional TaqIA polymorphism of ankyrin repeat and kinase domain containing 1 (ANKK1) gene was reassessed for comparative purposes. The results indicate that the C957T increased binding potential by decreasing DRD2 K(D) (C/C>C/T>T/T), while B(max) was not significantly altered. These preliminary findings indicate that the C957T genotype-dependent changes in DRD2 availability are driven by alterations in receptor affinity and putatively in striatal dopamine levels. This mechanism seems to differ from that observed previously for the ANKK1 gene TaqIA polymorphism, where the minor allele (A1) affects DRD2 availability predominantly by changing B(max). The hypothesis that the two SNPs may have independent effects on dopamine neurotransmission needs to be further tested.

Deramciclane in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: a placebo-controlled, double-blind, dose-finding study.

Deramciclane, a camphor derivative, is a novel anxiolytic agent with a unique mechanism of action. It acts as a potent and specific antagonist at serotonin 5-HT2A/2C receptors, and exhibits anxiolytic efficacy in animal models. The aim of this double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study was to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of a range of doses of deramciclane in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Adult patients with a diagnosis of GAD (DSM-IV) and a Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) total score >or=18; a score >or=2 for the HAM-A items 'Anxious Mood' and 'Tension'; a score >or=4 on the Clinical Global Impression of Severity of Illness (CGI-S) Scale; and a score

The A1 allele of the human D2 dopamine receptor gene is associated with increased activity of striatal L-amino acid decarboxylase in healthy subjects.

The A1 allele of the TaqI restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the human dopamine D2 receptor gene (DRD2) is associated with a low density of D2 dopamine receptors in the striatum. Because of the important role of D2 autoreceptors in regulating dopamine synthesis, we aimed to examine whether subjects with the A1 allele have altered presynaptic dopamine function in the brain. We also studied the effects of two other DRD2 polymorphisms, C957 T and--141C Ins/Del, which have been suggested to affect D2 receptor levels in brain. The relationships between the TaqIA RFLP, C957 T and--141C Ins/Del polymorphisms and striatal dopamine synthesis in 33 healthy Finnish volunteers were studied using positron emission tomography and [18F]fluorodopa ([18F]FDOPA), a radiolabelled analog of the dopamine precursor L-DOPA. Heterozygous carriers of the A1 allele (A1/A2; 10 subjects) had significantly higher (18%) [18F]FDOPA uptake in the putamen than subjects without the A1 allele (A2/A2; 23 subjects). C957 T and--141C Ins/Del polymorphisms did not significantly affect [18F]FDOPA Ki values. These results demonstrate that the A1 allele of DRD2 gene is associated with increased striatal activity of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase, the final enzyme in the biosynthesis of dopamine and the rate-limiting enzyme for trace amine (e.g. beta-phenylethylamine) synthesis. The finding can be explained by lower D2 receptor expression leading to decreased autoreceptor function, and suggests that dopamine and/or trace amine synthesis rate is increased in the brains of A1 allele carriers.

Analysis of monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) promoter polymorphism in Finnish male alcoholics.

Alterations in monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) expression and enzyme activity may be associated with alcoholism and impulsive behavior. Therefore, functional polymorphisms in the MAOA gene would be good candidates to consider in the interindividual differences that exist in the susceptibility to alcoholism. One variant that has been considered as a candidate in alcoholism is a repeat polymorphism in the MAOA gene promoter. We analyzed a cohort of Finnish males with either type 1 or type 2 alcoholism, as well as controls, for differences in the distribution of MAOA promoter alleles. Based on other studies, we postulated that type 2 alcoholism, which is associated with antisocial behavior, but not type 1 alcoholism, would be correlated with the inheritance of the low promoter activity allele. However, we failed to find a difference in allele distribution in type 1 and type 2 alcoholics. In addition, there was no difference in the allele distribution when each group of alcoholics was compared with controls. However, when both groups of alcoholics were pooled and compared with controls, the difference in allele distribution reached a trend towards significance. Our results suggest a minimal association between the MAOA low activity promoter alleles and alcoholism, regardless of the presence or absence of antisocial behavior. Interestingly, approximately 3% of type 2 alcoholics were found to be heterozygous for the MAOA promoter polymorphism. Since MAOA is X-linked, the heterozygotes are probable cases of Klinefelter's syndrome (47,XXY) suggesting that X-chromosome aneuploidy may increase the risk for developing type 2 alcoholism.