The genetics of addiction—a translational perspective

Addictions are serious and common psychiatric disorders, and are among the leading contributors to preventable death. This selective review outlines and highlights the need for a multi-method translational approach to genetic studies of these important conditions, including both licit (alcohol, nicotine) and illicit (cannabis, cocaine, opiates) drug addictions and the behavioral addiction of disordered gambling. First, we review existing knowledge from twin studies that indicates both the substantial heritability of substance-specific addictions and the genetic overlap across addiction to different substances. Next, we discuss the limited number of candidate genes which have shown consistent replication, and the implications of emerging genomewide association findings for the genetic architecture of addictions. Finally, we review the utility of extensions to existing methods such as novel phenotyping, including the use of endophenotypes, biomarkers and neuroimaging outcomes; emerging methods for identifying alternative sources of genetic variation and accompanying statistical methodologies to interpret them; the role of gene-environment interplay; and importantly, the potential role of genetic variation in suggesting new alternatives for treatment of addictions

Effects of rotigotine on Parkinson's disease-related sleep disturbances

INTRODUCTION: Sleep abnormalities are a frequent non-motor symptom and a prominent cause of disability in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). AREAS COVERED: This review discusses what is currently known about the characteristics of sleep disturbances in PD patients and attempts to clarify the role of dopaminergic pathways in their pathogenesis as well as the beneficial effect of dopaminergic agents in their treatment. In particular, this review will focus on the effects of transdermal rotigotine on improving PD-related sleep disorders. EXPERT OPINION: Sleep disturbances are common in PD, and these disturbances can be reduced or resolved, in large part, by preventing or attenuating nocturnal and early morning motor and non-motor symptoms of PD. The studies discussed within this review suggest that sleep disorders are not just a consequence of motor impairment and dopaminergic therapy but are an integral part of the neurodegenerative process of PD. This is supported by the appearance of specific sleep disturbances, which are related to degeneration of the brainstem areas involved in the regulation of sleep/wake states in advance of typical PD symptoms. Development of more detailed diagnostic tools aimed at detecting sleep disturbances and at defining the main causative factors of sleep disturbances in PD will lead to improved treatment of these disturbances.Fil: Antonini, Angelo. IRCCS San Camilo. Department for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders; ItaliaFil: Calandrella, Daniela. IRCCS San Camilo. Department for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders; ItaliaFil: Merello, Marcelo Jorge. Fundación para la Lucha Contra las Enfermedades Neurológicas de la Infancia. Instituto de Investigaciones Neurológicas "Raúl Carrea"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Konstantinos, Koutsikos. Università di Padova; ItaliaFil: Pilleri, Manuela. IRCCS San Camilo. Department for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorder; Itali

Densitometric analysis of Western blot assays for feline immunodeficiency virus antibodies

Western blot (WB) strips for antibodies directed to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) were analysed using reflectance densitometry by a semiautomatic densitometer. This method was used to quantify the antibody responses to different FIV proteins in both vaccinated and naturally or experimentally-infected cats. In order to increase reproducibility, reagents and protocols were accurately standardised and internal controls were added. In a first format, an internal control band consisting of feline IgG was added to each blot to minimise the effect of band intensity variation. In a second format, antibody concentrations were calculated from the ratio of the dens ities produced by test sera and by positive and negative standard sera. The sera under scrutiny were also examined by standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the results obtained compared with those of the corresponding WB. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between the results obtained with the two methods, and this was especially evident when ELISA titres were compared to corrected WB values (P = 0.001). Densitometric analysis of WB assays allowed to quantify the antibodies against FIV proteins and might be useful to investigate possible humoral immune correlates of protection in FIV vaccination studies and antibody production in the early phase of infection. The quantitation of antibodies to Gag and Env FIV antigens might be used to obtain further informations on the course of FIV disease, as previously demonstrated in human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infections. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved

Patient-centred management of Parkinson's disease

We read with interest the Personal View by Bastiaan Bloem and colleagues on integrated and patient-centred management of Parkinson\u2019s disease. We have designed the structure and operation of the Parkinson\u2019s disease network in Lombardy, Italy, and wish to compare the two models. Both networks consider a hub-andspoke model of distributed healthcare services and are designed to be implemented in high-income European regions with prevalently public health-care systems. However, there are some considerable differences between the two models