Report on the ISN Symposium on “Molecular Basis of Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders"

Congress held in Martin, Slovak Republic

September 6-10, 2006

The 11th International Congress on Molecular Basis of Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders took place at Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Martin, Slovakia, 6-10 September 2006. The congress focused on experimental and clinical research in the field of neurochemistry, neurobiology and brought together 102 scientists from around the world attended this International Congress. Attendees were from: Australia, Netherland, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Schwitzerland, Italy, Poland, Russia, Slovak Republic, Ukraine, U.K., U.S.A. There were 48 slide presentations and 54 poster presentations.
The first day of the symposium was devoted to the session “Molecular Basis of Neurological Disorders“, the other two days to “Glutamatergic Neurotransmission and Schizophernia” and “Molecular Basis and Neurological Disorders, Molecular Basis of Psychiatric Disorders, New Frontiers of Neurochemistry ”.

THURSDAY, September 7.
Molecular Basis of Neurological Disorders (Neutransmitters and Neuropeptides, Neuronal Receptors and Signaling Transduction, Brain Plasticity, Neurochemistry of Stress).

A. Boldyrev (Moscow) opened the congress with a plenary lecture regarding the role of glutamate receptors in nerve and immune systems which are one of the widespread structures in brain responsible for many aspects of cognitive functions. A. Hrabovská (Bratislava) stressed that acetylcholinesterase knockout mouse has decreased levels of striatal dopamine receptors. A. Szutowicz (Gdansk) spoke about the phenotypic modifications of cholinergic neurotoxicity. F. Hucho (Berlin) presented data about the pain receptor TRPV1 at nerve endings which regulates growth cone morphology and movement through cytoskeleton reorganization. J. Jakubík (Prague) reported about the interactions of four chemically closely related substances (strychnine and its dimethoxy derivate brucine, synthesis precursor Wieland-Gumlich Aldehyde (WGA) and its derivate propargyl-WGA with orthosteric antagonist N-methylscopolamine (NMS) on M3 subtype of muscarinic modulation on M3 receptors and weak on M2 receptors. ?. Lacinová (Bratislava) presented a report about the contribution of positively charged residues in individual S4 segments to voltage-dependent gating of the neuronal T-type CAv3.1 calcium channel. P. Štefánik (Bratislava) spoke about the modulation of the inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptors in the neuronal tissues. B. Tarabová (Bratislava) reported about toxic effects of inorganic mercury on neuronal T-type calcium channel. B. Schwaller (Fribourg) in the presentation summarized the current knowledge on the three calcium-binding proteins in the brain revealing their important roles in the CNS. J. Mareš (Prague) spoke about the changes of learning in water maze elicited by a single short epileptic seizure and possible role of reactive oxygen species.

J. Pokorný (Prague) presented data about neuroplasticity in conditions of functional overload. It was shown that neuroplasticity changes depend on the intensity, duration and repetition of seizure, on the actual conditions of the internal microenviroment, and on the actual relation of neurons within the neuronal circuits. R. Kvet?anský (Bratislava) demonstrated results of stress-induced changes in gene expression of catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes in CRH knockout mice. J. Myslive?ek (Prague) spoke about the gene disruption of miscellaneous molecules in receptor signalization which affect G-protein coupled receptor properties. On the second presentation ho spoke about the effect of stress on adrenoreceptor and muscarinic receptor signalization. Zelena D. (Budapest) presented a report about the role of cannabinoids during chronic stress in CB1 knockout mice. D. Ježová (Bratislava) reported about several models of chronic stress in mice which respect to the induction of signs of chronic stress, namely body weight reduction, thymus involution, adrenal gland enlargement and activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis.

FRIDAY, September 8
Glutamatergic Neurotransmission and Schizophernia

C. H?schl (Prague) opened the second day with a description of genetic basic of schizophrenia, the impact of familial/genetic factors on clinical variation in schizophrenia and he stressed that in future another generation of studies of schizophrenia would test for linkage and association of more complete genetic dissection to clinical features as well as to clinically homogenous subforms of schizophrenia. J. H. Neale (Washington) continued on NAAG peptidase inhibitors as novel therapy for pain, brain injury and schizophrenia. F. Conti (Ancona) demonstrated results of role of glutamate and schizophrenia. F. Š?astný (Prague, Sydney) reported on modified activity of specific class of ionotropic glutamate receptors of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA-R) in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. He stressed that neonatal treatment with subunit selective NMDA-Rs antagonist (Ro 25-6981) and/or acute administration of typical antipsychotic (haloperidol) to young adult rats support this assumption owing to improvements in hypofunction of glutamatergic system as well as in functional deficits. V. J. Balcar (Sydney) demonstrated data from the study of in vivo role of neuropeptide N-acetyl-L-aspartyl-L-glutamate in the central nervous system. L. M. Reynolds (Belfast) reported about the function of N-acetylaspartate in the brain in schizophrenia and he stressed that deficits in N- acetylaspartate confirm the importance of hippocampal and other subcortical structures in the neuropathology of the mayor psychiatric disorders. M. Bojar (Prague) spoke about a contribution of spect data scan in Parkinsonian patients with suspected Lewy bodies dementia.

SATURDAY, September 9
Molecular Basis and Neurological Disorders (Neuroprotection and Neuroregeneration, Function of Glia Brain Metabolism, Brain Ischemia), Molecular Basis of Psychiatric Disorders ( Neurochemistry of Schizophrenia and Depression), New Frontiers of Neurochemistry (Brain Structure and Disease, Brain Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy).

A. J. Turner (Leeds) opened the third day with a lecture concerning metalloproteases in neurodegeneration and neuroprotection. A. Pavlik (Safat) spoke about the NMDA preconditioning affords short-term protection against excitotoxic lesion of CA3 neurons induced by intraventricular kainate injection in rat. I. Vanický (Košice) reported about the progressive secondary degeneration after experimental spinal cord injury, inflammatory processes as potential targets for treatment. N. Luká?ová (Košice) reported about the effect of nitric oxide synthase inhibitors on changes in nitric oxide synthase pools in the spinal cord after peripheral nerve axotomy. R. Murín (T?bingen) spoke about the capability of the brain cells to engage in the catabolism of leucine for the generation of energy. J. W. Lazarewicz (Warsaw) stressed that the hypoxia, but not activation of glutamate receptors is the primary trigger inducing the long-lasting ischemia tolerance in brain in vivo and that neuroprotective neuropeptide Y may be implicated in tolerance. J. Burda (Košice) in his presentation spoke about the postconditioning which prevents delayed neuronal death in CA1 of hippocampus after transient forebrain ischemia in rat brain. N. N. Nalivaeva (Leeds) spoke about the role of hypoxia and ischemia in amyloid metabolism and development of Alzheimer´s disease. P. Ra?ay (Martin) reported on ischemia-induced inhibition of mitochondrial proteosynthesis and respiratory chain complexes, effect of ischemic preconditioning. J. Korf (Groningen) demonstrated the relation between longitudinal psychiatric epidemiological data and intra-subjective processes. E. Rybnikova (St. Petersburg) spoke about antidepressant-like effects of mild hypoxic preconditioning in experimental models of depression in rats. J. Maršala (Košice) reported on Sherrinton´s dorsal roots afferentation concept and putative double role of nitric oxide synthase therein. B. Ledvai (Budapest) continued on modulation of frequency and spatial domains of dentritic spikes in layer 5 pyramidal neurons. C. Zwingmann (Montréal) suggested that carbon flux through cerebral PC is essential for ammonia detoxification in different forms of liver failure, which migh by of therapeutic value to decrease brain ammonia concentrations. D. Dobrota (Martin) spoke about in vivo 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy in diagnostic protocol of the brain diseases. J. Dragašek (Martin) reported about proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the frontal white matter in schizophrenia.

The scientific program of the symposium included 7 invited lectures and 41 oral presentations selected from proposals made by individual scientists. Posters were presented in chaired discussions beside posters. The results of several experimental studies presented by well-known speakers were most stimulating and resulted in fruitful, in-depth discussions. In this sense the symposium was helpful in bridging the gap between experimental and clinical neuroscience, and provided an inspiring forum for the exchange of views concerning the latest research trends and developments in the field of neuroscience. In addition, a number of new contacts between experimental and clinical scientists and proposals for collaboration were made during the symposium.

Ninety-four abstracts was submitted and presented in the symposium booklet and up to fifteen selected papers will be published in Neurochemistry International.

The ISN–CC provided 5,000 USD to support young scientists’ attendance. Twenty-two applicants were successful. The grants covered all local symposium expenses (registration, accommodation, full board, social program). Travel expenses were divided among the participants according to the distance they had to travel to the symposium venue, and were paid to them in Slovak currency or US dollars, or Euro after their arrival in Martin. The registration fee and travel expenses were covered from the IBRO-CEERC support.

We would like to thank ISN-CC for generous support of this congress, without which the attendance of 22 PhD students and young scientists at this interesting meeting would not have been possible. Another major source of financial support for the symposium was from local sponsors, who made possible the organization of a congress that was greatly appreciated by the participants for its scientific standard and a very warm and friendly atmosphere.

Sincerely yours,
Dusan Dobrota

Grant expenses for PhD students and young participants

Arranz Amaia, Spain
Bakoš Ján, Slovakia
Bálentová So?a, Slovakia
Bittšanský M, Slovakia
Dragašek Jozef, Slovakia
Gul Sylwia, Poland
Kašpárová Svatava, Slovakia
Kolesár Dalibor, Slovakia
Lacková Monika, Slovakia
Mashkina Anna, Russia
Murín Radovan, Germany
Mironova Vera, Russia
Mravec Boris, Slovakia
Nováková Martina, Slovakia
Peregud Danil, Russia
Pirnik Zdenko, Slovakia
Ronowska Anna, Poland
Rybnikova Elena, Russia
Schreiberová Andrea, Slovakia
Slomka Marta, Poland
Stolecka Anna, Poland
Tarabová Bohumila, Slovakia

Dusan Dobrota