Canada falls short on safeguarding its drug supply

The influence of the structure of the triplet excited state of benzophenone (bp) and decafluorobenzophenone (dfbp) on the reactivity towards hydrogen abstraction was studied by time-resolved resonance Raman spectroscopy. The resonance Raman spectra and Raman excitation profiles were recorded for both the triplet excited state and the ketyl radical. Vibrational spectral assignments were made for all the intermediate states. Based on the analysis of the spectra, it was concluded that the enhanced reactivity towards hydrogen atom abstraction of dfbp over bp is due to (a) the non-planar structure of the triplet excited state of dfbp, thus increasing the accessibility for the CO group, and (b) the highly polarized and electrophilic nature of the CO group in the triplet excited state of dfbp

Inflammation-associated depressive-like behavior in mice is mediated by indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase: utility of the tail suspension test

National audienc

Inflammation-associated depressive-like behavior in mice is mediated by indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase: utility of the tail suspension test

National audienc

Aging exacerbates depressive-like behavior in mice in response to activation of the peripheral innate immune system

Publié en ligne le 12/12/2007International audienceExposure to peripheral infections may be permissive to cognitive and behavioral complications in the elderly. We have reported that peripheral stimulation of the innate immune system with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) causes an exaggerated neuroinflammatory response and prolonged sickness behavior in aged BALB/c mice. Because LPS also causes depressive behavior, the purpose of this study was to determine whether aging is associated with an exacerbated depressive-like response. We confirmed that LPS (0.33 mg/kg intraperitoneal) induced a protracted sickness response in aged mice with reductions in locomotor and feeding activities 24 and 48 h postinjection, when young adults had fully recovered. When submitted to the forced swim test 24 h post-LPS, both young adult and aged mice exhibited an increased duration of immobility. However, when submitted to either the forced swim test or the tail suspension test 72 h post-LPS, an increased duration of immobility was evident only in aged mice. This prolonged depressive-like behavior in aged LPS-treated mice was associated with a more pronounced induction of peripheral and brain indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase and a markedly higher turnover rate of brain serotonin (as measured by the ratio of 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid over 5-hydroxyt-tryptamine) compared to young adult mice at 24 post-LPS injection. These results provide the first evidence that age-associated reactivity of the brain cytokine system could play a pathophysiological role in the increased prevalence of depression observed in the elderl