Alcohol mixed with energy drinks: what about taurine?

RATIONALE: Since energy drinks (EDs) were marketed to the general public as recreational and soft drinks, mixing these with alcohol has become a popular practice, especially in the younger population. Alcohol mixed with EDs (AmEDs) is a particularly alarming combination, given the evidence that consistently associate these drinks with increased risk behaviours and greater alcohol consumption. Caffeine and taurine are commonly found in EDs. In contrast to caffeine, the studies on taurine psychoactive properties and how this amino acid influences ethanol intake alone or in combination with caffeine are not so numerous. OBJECTIVES: We summarised relevant and available data on the studies focusing on taurine as a psychoactive agent and its influence on ethanol (EtOH)-induced behaviours. Given the increased risk that represents mixing alcohol with energy drinks, we put emphasis on the research exploring the impact of these combinations on motivated behaviour towards EtOH consumption. RESULTS: The research on taurine properties on motivated behaviour towards EtOH consumption is limited, and mostly all done in combination with caffeine or other molecules. This makes it difficult to elucidate the effect of this amino acid when combined with alcohol. CONCLUSIONS: Incomplete understanding of the properties and effects of AmEDs is unavoidable until more studies are performed on the influence of taurine on motivation to consume alcohol. Taurine should be further explored, particularly in regard to its potential beneficial applications, motivational properties and synergies with other psychoactive ingredients (i.e. caffeine).

Centrally formed acetaldehyde mediates ethanol-induced brain PKA activation.

Centrally formed acetaldehyde has proven to be responsible for several psychopharmacological effects induced by ethanol. In addition, it has been suggested that the cAMP-PKA signaling transduction pathway plays an important role in the modulation of several ethanol-induced behaviors. Therefore, we hypothesized that acetaldehyde might be ultimately responsible for the activation of this intracellular pathway. We used three pharmacological agents that modify acetaldehyde activity (α-lipoic acid, aminotriazole, and d-penicillamine) to study the role of this metabolite on EtOH-induced PKA activation in mice. Our results show that the injection of α-lipoic acid, aminotriazole and d-penicillamine prior to acute EtOH administration effectively blocks the PKA-enhanced response to EtOH in the brain. These results strongly support the hypothesis of a selective release of acetaldehyde-dependent Ca(2+) as the mechanism involved in the neurobehavioral effects elicited by EtOH.

Functional role of Barrington's nucleus in the micturition reflex: relevance in the surgical treatment of Parkinson's disease.

The pontine micturition center or Barrington's nucleus (BN) - besides regulating micturition - co-regulates the activity of other pelvic viscera such as the colon and genitals. At present, this issue is gaining particular importance due to: (i) recent findings of α-synuclein in BN, (ii) known urinary dysfunction in parkinsonian patients (part of the so-called non-motor symptoms), other patients with dementia and as in very old individuals; and (iii) its proximity to the pedunculopontine nucleus, a surgical target in deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease (PD). The structural and functional organization of the micturition reflex comprises a coordinating action of somatic motor activity with both divisions of the autonomic nervous system, modulated by trunk encephalic and cortical centers that involve the BN as locus coeruleus and periaqueductal gray matter, among other trunk encephalic structures. The involvement of dopaminergic activity (physiologic inhibition of the micturition reflex mediated by dopaminergic D1 activity) that diminishes in Parkinsonism and leads to overactivity of the micturition reflex is also well known. In this review, the integrating role of the BN in the context of vesical and gastrointestinal behavior is revisited, and the principal morpho-functional findings that associate dysfunction with the urinary disorders that appear during the pre-motor stages of PD are summarized.

Evaluation of symptomatic drug effects in Alzheimer's disease: strategies for prediction of efficacy in humans.

In chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), the arsenal of biomarkers available to determine the effectiveness of symptomatic treatment is very limited. Interpretation of the results provided in literature is cumbersome and it becomes difficult to predict their standardization to a larger patient population. Indeed, cognitive assessment alone does not appear to have sufficient predictive value of drug efficacy in early clinical development of AD treatment. In recent years, research has contributed to the emergence of new tools to assess brain activity relying on innovative technologies of imaging and electrophysiology. However, the relevance of the use of these newer markers in treatment response assessment is waiting for validation. This review shows how the early clinical assessment of symptomatic drugs could benefit from the inclusion of suitable pharmacodynamic markers. This review also emphasizes the importance of re-evaluating a step-by-step strategy in drug development.

[Aorto-arteriography of the legs in the elderly. Tolerability and value. Report of 100 tests carried out consecutively in patients over 70 years of age]. / Aorto-artériographie des membres inférieurs chez le vieillard. Tolérance et intérêt. A propos de 100 examens réalisés consécutivement chez des patients de plus de 70 ans.

Over a period of 4 years, we have studied 100 consecutive cases of arteriographies, realized out of emergency, and concerning patients age 70 and above (average age 77). In 2/3 of cases, the arteriography was requested for a stage IV arteriopathy of the inferior limbs, the other 1/3 being equally distributed between stage II and III. On the technical plan, the femoral pathway with retrograde catheterization was mostly performed because femoral pulses were correct in most cases. Only one major complication occurred. The presurgery balance, patience and gentleness have permitted to reduce risks. We haven't observed any type of complications during the procedure in these elderly patients with polysystem disease (HT, diabetes, CVA, cardiopathology) latent renal insufficiency at this age did not create a problem because normal precautions were taken during procedure and new contrast products with low osmolarity used. The study of arteriographies by a personal scoring that we elaborated has clearly confirmed the distal and often bilateral nature of arterial lesions. The indications of this examination are of course already assessed by medico-surgical teams who select patients susceptible of enduring a by pass. The imagery obtained has allowed in almost 40% of cases either a revascularization act or a per cutaneous angioplasty, thus proving the advantages of this examination, finally little aggressive, in evaluation of these predominantly distal lesions in the elderly people.