Children are at higher risk from lead exposure because their developing neural system is susceptible to its neurotoxic effects. We studied lead levels of paints manufactured in Nigeria in 2006. Lead levels in 5 colors of paints, each from different manufacturers were measured using flame-atomic absorption spectroscopy. We found that 96% of the paints had higher than recommended levels of lead. ...

New 3-[(2,4-dioxo-1,3,8-triazaspiro[4.6]undec-3-yl)methyl]benzonitrile derivatives 8-37 were synthesized and their pharmacological activities were determined with the objective to better understand their structure-activity relationship (SAR) for anticonvulsant activity. All the compounds were evaluated for their possible anticonvulsant activity by maximal electroshock seizure (MES) and pentylen...

In vivo pulse voltammetry was used to study the effect of anti-parkinsonian drugs and of neurotoxins in rat striatum. It could be demonstrated that besides the well-known changes of total dopamine (DA) concentrations the applied drugs affected also the extraneuronal DA metabolism in the living rat. In addition, neurotoxin-treated rats can be used as a model to study some aspects of the Parkinso...

A 14-residue fragment from near the C-terminus of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is believed to have a neurotoxic/neurotrophic effect acting via an unknown pathway. While the peptide is alpha-helical in the full-length enzyme, the structure and association mechanism of the fragment are unknown. Using multiple molecular dynamics simulations, starting from a tetrameric complex of the asso...

The spectrum of structural damage in the brain associated with HIV is now more fully understood. Such changes include inflammatory disorders (such as HIV encephalitis, leukoencephalopathy, and diffuse poliodystrophy), dendritic and synaptic damage, and neuronal loss. However, the relationship between neuronal damage and loss and clinical variables is still not clear. In my laboratory my researc...

The ability to identify potential neurotoxicants depends upon the characteristics of our test instruments. The neurotoxic properties of lead, methylmercury, polychlorinated biphenyls, and organic solvents would all have been detected at some dose level by tests in current use, provided that the doses were high enough and administered at an appropriate time such as during gestation. The adequacy...

In addition to its role in glycolysis, GAPDH has been implicated as a mediator of neurotoxicity triggered by nitrosative stress. In this issue of Neuron, Sen et al. identify a novel, negative regulator of this GAPDH neurotoxic pathway termed GOSPEL, which, like GAPDH itself, is regulated by S-nitrosylation.

The metabolism of tryptophan by the kynurenine pathway leads to the production of several neurotoxic compounds, some of which have been associated with neurological disorders. Recent investigation of some relevant compounds in this pathway has provided further evidence of their neurotoxicity.

Although urinary excretion levels of dialkyl­ phosphates (DAPs)—which are metabo­ lites and environmental degradates of OP insecticides—are useful as quantitative indi­ cators of exposure to OPs in agricultural workers, they are not as useful for the gen­ eral population. For agricultural workers, the source of the OP and time of exposure are typically known, and there is substan­ tial exposure...