Neuroprotective effects of riluzole in early phase Parkinson's disease on clinically relevant parameters in the marmoset MPTP model.

The present study evaluates neuroprotection in a marmoset MPTP (1-methyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) model representing early Parkinson's disease (PD). The anti-glutamatergic compound riluzole is used as a model compound for neuroprotection. The compound is one of the few protective compounds used in the clinic for a neurodegenerative disorder.

REM sleep behavior disorder in the marmoset MPTP model of early Parkinson disease.

Study Objectives: Sleep problems are a common phenomenon in most neurological and psychiatric diseases. In Parkinson disease (PD), for instance, sleep problems may be the most common and burdensome non-motor symptoms in addition to the well-described classical motor symptoms. Since sleep disturbances generally become apparent in the disease before motor symptoms emerge, they may represent early diagnostic tools and a means to investigate early mechanisms in PD onset.

Therapeutic effects of Delta9-THC and modafinil in a marmoset Parkinson model.

Current therapies for Parkinson's disease (PD) like l-dopa and dopamine (DA) agonists have declined efficacy after long term use. Therefore, research towards supplementary or alternative medication is needed. The implementation in PD can be expedited by application of compounds already used in the clinic.

Efficacy of caffeine and modafinil in counteracting sleep deprivation in the marmoset monkey.

Background And Purpose: The effects of sleep deprivation are a burden in our 24-h society. The use of wake-promoting compounds could improve the performance in situations where sleep cannot be allowed. In this study, the efficacy of the wake-promoting compounds, modafinil and caffeine, in counteracting the effects of 24-h sleep deprivation in the marmoset monkey were tested.

Neuroprotective effects of modafinil in a marmoset Parkinson model: behavioral and neurochemical aspects.

The vigilance-enhancing agent modafinil has neuroprotective properties: it prevents striatal ischemic injury, nigrostriatal pathway deterioration after partial transsection and intoxication with 1-methyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine. The present study determines the protective effects of modafinil in the marmoset 1-methyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine Parkinson model on behavior and on monoamine levels. Twelve marmoset monkeys were treated with a total dose of 6 mg/kg 1-methyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine.

Behavioral effects of modafinil in marmoset monkeys.

Rationale: Modafinil is increasingly used in sleep disturbances in general and in neurodegenerative diseases and is recently being used in healthy people for attention control. However, the application of modafinil is possibly not only restricted to alertness enhancing effects. More insight in this compound may lead to new applications.

Induction of nevi and skin tumors in Ink4a/Arf Xpa knockout mice by neonatal, intermittent, or chronic UVB exposures.

Nevi and melanomas correlate to childhood and intermittent solar UV exposure, xeroderma pigmentosum patients run increased risk, and p16(Ink4a) expression is often lost in malignant progression. To ascertain the effect of these risk factors, pigmented hairless Ink4a/Arf-, Xpa- knockout mice were subjected to various combinations of neonatal [7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) or UVB exposure] and adult treatments (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate or subacute daily UVB exposure or intermittent overexposure). Nevi occurred earliest, grew largest, and were most numerous in mice exposed to DMBA followed by intermittent UVB overexposure [effect of six minimal edemal doses (MED), 1 x /2 weeks > 4 MED 1 x /wk].

Single UVB overexposure stimulates melanocyte proliferation in murine skin, in contrast to fractionated or UVA-1 exposure.

Overexposure to short- and long-wave ultraviolet radiations (UVB, UVA) may contribute to melanoma development through combined genotoxic and mitogenic effects in melanocytes. This study compares the impact of UVA-1 versus UVB, and single versus fractionated exposures on melanocyte proliferation in hairless SKH-2 mice. A single erythemal dose was compared with an equal dose fractionated over 8 d, and dose-dependency was studied.

Differential expression of cytokines in UV-B-exposed skin of patients with polymorphous light eruption: correlation with Langerhans cell migration and immunosuppression.

Background: Disturbances in UV-induced Langerhans cell migration and T helper (T(H)) 2 cell responses could be early steps in the pathogenesis of PLE.

Objective: To establish whether UV-B exposure induces aberrant cytokine expression in the uninvolved skin of patients with polymorphous light eruption (PLE).

Design: Immunohistochemical staining and comparison of microscopic sections of skin irradiated with 6 times the minimal dose of UV-B causing erythema and the unirradiated skin of patients with PLE and of healthy individuals.