Evoked power was computed under baseline condition and after vehicle or MK-801 (0.03 mg/kg, iv). MK-801 produced a significant attenuation in response

to 40 Hz auditory stimuli while entrainment to other frequencies was not affected. Time-frequency analysis revealed deficits in both power and phase-locking to 40 Hz. Nicotine (0.1 mg/kg, iv) administered after MK-801 reversed the attenuation of the 40 Hz response. Administered alone, nicotine augmented 40 Hz steady state E7080 power and phase-locking. Nicotine’s effects were blocked by simultaneous administration of the alpha 4 beta 2 antagonist DHSSE. Thus we report for the first time, a rodent model that mimics a core neurophysiological deficit seen in patients with schizophrenia and a pharmacological approach to alleviate it. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Kidney function declines with age in the majority of the population. Although very few older people progress to end stage, the consequences of doing

so are burdensome for the patient and very expensive for the society. Although some of the observed decline is likely due to changes in the vasculature, much is associated with the development of age-associated glomerulosclerosis. This article will review the well-established structural and functional changes in the glomerulus with age. The role of calorie restriction in modifying age-related pathology will be discussed. click here The importance of the podocyte as a critical cell in the aging process is considered using this website animal models and human biopsy material. Newer data on changes in gene expression driven by nuclear factor kappa beta (NFkB) and possible changes in biology in the glomerulus are discussed. The relationship between pathways involved in aging and the decline in kidney function is reviewed. There is speculation on the significance of these changes in relation to normal and pathological aging.”
“An enlarged volume of the pituitary gland

has been reported in the schizophrenia spectrum, possibly reflecting the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) hyperactivity. However, it remains largely unknown whether the pituitary size longitudinally changes in the course of the spectrum disorders. In the present study, longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were obtained from 18 patients with first-episode schizophrenia, 13 patients with schizotypal disorder, and 20 healthy controls. The pituitary volume was measured at baseline and follow-up (mean, 2.7 years) scans and was compared across groups. The pituitary volume was larger in the schizophrenia patients than controls at baseline, and both patient groups had significantly larger pituitary volume than controls at follow-up. In a longitudinal comparison, both schizophrenia (3.6%/year) and schizotypal (2.7%/year) patients showed significant pituitary enlargement compared with controls (-1.8%/year).