Impulsiveness mediates the association between GABRA2 SNPs and lifetime alcohol problems.

Genetic variants in GABRA2 have previously been shown to be associated with alcohol measures, electroencephalography (EEG) β waves and impulsiveness-related traits. Impulsiveness is a behavioral risk factor for alcohol and other substance abuse. Here, we tested association between 11 variants in GABRA2 with NEO-impulsiveness and problem drinking.

Mechanisms of estrogen-independent breast cancer growth driven by low estrogen concentrations are unique versus complete estrogen deprivation.

Despite the success of the aromatase inhibitors (AIs) in treating estrogen receptor positive breast cancer, 15-20 % of patients receiving adjuvant AIs will relapse within 5-10 years of treatment initiation. Long-term estrogen deprivation (LTED) of breast cancer cells in culture mimics AI-induced estrogen depletion to dissect mechanisms of AI resistance. However, we hypothesized that a subset of patients receiving AI therapy may maintain low circulating concentrations of estrogens that influence the development of endocrine resistance.