-308(G/A) TNF-alpha gene polymorphism and risk of depression late in the life.

The relationship between major depression (MD) and dementia in the elderly is still not clear, but it is certain that the immune system and in particular, pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, play a key role in the mechanisms underlying the two neuro-psychiatric disorders. In our experience, the -308(G/A) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the TNF-alpha gene is associated with earlier age at onset in patients affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the -308(G/A) SNP and late-life MD in elderly people without dementia. Blood samples were obtained from 50 subjects, after screening with the geriatric depression scale (GDS>or=15) and mini-mental state examination (MMSE>or=24). The -308 (G/A) SNP was genotyped by SSP-PCR amplification. Two-hundred-fourty age-matched healthy volunteers were taken as the control group. We identified different genotype and allele distributions of the SNP in old depressed patients and healthy controls (HC). Our results evidenced a significantly higher percentage of the GG genotype in depressed subjects (84.0% vs. 68.3%; p=0.007) and consequently of the G allele (92.0% vs. 81.9%; p=0.05). The presence of the GG genotype raised the risk of developing MD (odds ratio=OR=2.433, confidence interval=Cl=1.09-5.43). Our findings suggested that the investigated TNF-alpha SNP may: (1) affect MD susceptibility; (2) be involved both in AD and MD development, but probably with a distinct role in the two pathologies.

Canine testicular tumours: a study on 232 dogs.

The aim of this study was to provide an up-to-date estimate of the prevalence of canine testicular tumours, an earlier study (reported in 1962) having found a prevalence of 16%. Histological examination of both testes collected at necropsy from 232 dogs revealed that 62 (27%) had one or more testicular tumours, the total number of tumours identified being 110. Of these, 55 were interstitial cell tumours, 46 were seminomas, and nine were Sertoli cell tumours. The results suggest that, as reported in man, testicular tumours in dogs have increased during the past 40 years. Further studies should investigate the possible causative role of environmental pollutants.

Oxiracetam in the treatment of primary degenerative and multi-infarct dementia: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

A multicentre, double-blind, between-patient study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of oxiracetam (800-mg tablets), in comparison with placebo, each given twice daily for 12 weeks to patients suffering from primary degenerative, multi-infarct or mixed forms of dementia. Efficacy was assessed by the Inventory of Psychic and Somatic Complaints in the Elderly (IPSC-E), administered at entry and after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, and by the Blessed Dementia Scale and the Newcastle Memory, Information and Concentration Scale (NMICS), administered at the beginning and at the end of the study. Three hundred and seven patients were enrolled, 18 of whom were excluded from the analysis because of violation of the protocol. Two hundred and eighty-nine patients were analyzed (145 m, 144 f, mean age 73 years) and 272 completed the study; 3 patients in each treatment group were withdrawn because of poor tolerability, 10 because of poor compliance and 1 patient because of the occurrence of a cerebral stroke. A significantly (p less than 0.01) different effect, in favor of oxiracetam, was observed in the three main efficacy criteria (i.e. IPSC-E, Blessed Dementia Scale and NMIC total scores), and confirmed by descriptive analyses carried out on some subitems of the scales used. Thirty-one patients on oxiracetam and 27 on placebo complained of a total of 35 and 32 minor unwanted effects, respectively. No clinically or statistically significant changes were observed on routine laboratory examinations.