Neurotoxicology and development: Human, environmental and social impacts

Abstract

The 12th International symposium of the Scientific Committee on Neurotoxicology and Psychophysiology, International Commission on Occupational Health was held in Cape Town, South Africa on March 24 – 27, 2013. Reflecting the meeting aiming to build greater focus on challenges facing working populations and communities in developing countries, the Symposium theme was Neurotoxicology and Development: Human, Environmental and Social Impacts. A total of 23 countries were represented with strong participation from 5 African countries. In addition to the more traditional topics of these Symposia, like metal, solvents and pesticides neurotoxicity, the conference embraced several new themes including affective disorders arising from chemical exposure, neurodevelopmental impacts in early life and novel approaches to genetic and epigenetic biomarkers for the assessment of neurotoxic impact. The theme of the conference prompted extensive discussions, which have laid the basis for a number of new directions for research, advocacy and capacity building to prevent and manage chemical neurotoxicity in workplace and community settings across the globe.

AMPK/SIRT1/p38 MAPK signaling pathway regulates alcohol‑induced neurodegeneration by resveratrol

“…It has been suggested that alcohol may have an effect by inhibiting the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA) receptor and activating GABA receptors, and can promote apoptosis by affecting the activities of Na + /K + -ATP enzymes, the adenosine acid cyclization enzyme, and opening of Ca 2+ channels. Others have suggested that the pharmacological and toxicological mechanisms of alcohol may work through ceramide (4,5). As an important cellular signal transduction carrier, ceramide is involved in a variety of cellular signal transduction pathways, and has multiple cellular physiological functions, including regulation of the cell cycle, cell differentiation and proliferation, regulation of apoptosis, and being involved in stress, immunity and inflammation (6,7).…”