Europe to tackle brain disorder research by linking industry... ( Attempts to cure brain-related disor...)

Europe to tackle brain disorder research by linking industry, academia

Date:11/27/2007

Attempts to cure brain-related disorders have proved less successful than therapies for other major conditions such as heart cancer, even though just as many people suffer from them. About 600 million worldwide each year are afflicted by depression alone, more than any other condition except heart disease, and yet of those given existing drugs, only half recover.

Furthermore progress treating depression as well as other major brain disorders has stalled. This stark fact lies behind an ambitious European proposal to revive the field. The proposal, to be presented at EuroBioForum, in Lisbon in December 2007, aims to develop a ground breaking multi-disciplinary research project which would propel Europe to the head of global research into the crucial role of neurotransmitters in brain disorders. Bringing together the relevant specialisms in chemistry, radio-chemistry, in vivo modelling, and above all PET and SPECT scanning, the project would exploit recent advances both in PET (Positron Emission Tomography), and SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computer Tomography), enabling metabolic activity such as levels of neurotransmitters to be determined with greater accuracy in space and quantity.

The objective is to develop new methods to identify the release of neurotransmitters such as noradrenaline, serotonin, acetylcholine, and endorphins, in the brain and so examine their role in major brain disorders. This in turn will enable more effective therapies to be developed than current drugs, which often fail to work, according to the projects leader David Nutt, Professor of Psychopharmacology at the University of Bristol, UK. Professor Nutt is presenting his vision for this groundbreaking project at the EuroBioForum conference, which is organised by the European Science Foundation (ESF) with support from the European Commission.

The programme has great potential for human health given the vast number of people affected, but as Professor Nutt poi
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Contact: Dr. Fiona Kernan
fkernan@esf.org
33-388-762-180
European Science Foundation
Source:Eurekalert

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