Publications by authors named "E Martinez-Pinilla"

Article Synopsis
  • Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a serious autoimmune and neurodegenerative disease affecting the central nervous system, with no cure available, highlighting the need for new treatment options.
  • The endocannabinoid system (ECS) has a crucial role in brain functions, and recent studies have shown that cannabinoid receptor interactions (heteromers) are relevant in neurodegenerative diseases, but their specific role in MS remains unclear.
  • New research identified cannabinoid receptor complexes (CBR-GPR55) in the prefrontal cortex, showing increased presence in MS patients, suggesting these receptor complexes could be potential targets for future MS therapies.
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Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline and neuropathological hallmarks, including β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques, Tau tangles, synaptic dysfunction and neurodegeneration. Emerging evidence suggests that abnormal iron (Fe) metabolism plays a role in AD pathogenesis, but the precise spatial distribution of the Fe and its transporters, such as ferroportin (FPN), within affected brain regions remains poorly understood. This study investigates the distribution of Fe and FPN in the CA1 region of the human hippocampus in AD patients with a micrometer lateral resolution using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS).

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Neuropsychiatric disorders (NDs) are a diverse group of pathologies, including schizophrenia or bipolar disorders, that directly affect the mental and physical health of those who suffer from them, with an incidence that is increasing worldwide. Most NDs result from a complex interaction of multiple genes and environmental factors such as stress or traumatic events, including the recent Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic. In addition to diverse clinical presentations, these diseases are heterogeneous in their pathogenesis, brain regions affected, and clinical symptoms, making diagnosis difficult.

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Article Synopsis
  • Adenosine is a nucleoside that interacts with four GPCRs, primarily the A receptor, which is crucial for dopamine signaling in the striatum and influences basal ganglia functions.
  • This chapter discusses how the A receptor's expression in the basal ganglia varies between healthy and disease states, and how its behavior changes when formed as homomers or heteromers with other receptors like dopamine or cannabinoid receptors.
  • Selective A receptor antagonists show promise for neuroprotection and treating neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's, with one such antagonist, istradefylline, already approved in Japan and the US.
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Theobromine is an abundant methylxanthine in cocoa/chocolate. A recent article in BMC Psychiatry concludes that theobromine consumption increases the risk of depression. In our opinion, it is difficult to make a correlation between dietary habits and the risk of depression, the diagnosis of which is not simple to make.

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