Skepticism Surrounds Triple Nobel Winners Abortion Drug Approval

Home , Bert Sakmann

importance of neuronal signaling and Skepticism surrounds triple Nobel winners the involvement of these processes in learning and memory have been recog- For those who have not yet heard, the naling pathways by which neurotrans- nized by the Nobel committee, many Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska mitters such as dopamine, noradrena- also feel the combination of Carlsson, Institute has awarded The Nobel Prize line and serotonin control neuronal Greengard and Kandel is a peculiar one, in physiology or medicine for 2000 excitability. He identified a as this year’s prize covers a jointly to Arvid Carlsson of the number of signal tranduction much broader spectrum of University of Goeteborg, Paul Greengard proteins, particularly kinases science than previous years’ of The Rockefeller University and Eric and phosphatases, that are in- prizes. Kandel of Columbia University. And for volved in synaptic transmis- “The Nobel prize is usually yet another year, the selec- sion. awarded for a specific break- tion has stimulated contro- Kandel was hon- through that everyone asso- versy amongst those ‘in the ored for advancing ciates with one or two know’ in the field of neuro- the understanding individuals—when you think

science. of the molecular Photo: AP/David Karp of the patch-clamp tech- The three are leading sci- basis of learning Paul Greengard nique you think of Erwin entists in neuronal signal- and memory. His Neher and Bert Sakmann, ing, and their research into early work using the sea slug when you think of the prion story, you the functions of signal Aplysia demonstrated that think of Stanley Prusiner,” says one neu- transduction proteins in changes in synaptic form roscientist. He explained that this is the Photo: AP/Pressens Bild/Anette Eriksson .com movement control, learning Arvid Carlsson and function are the basis of first time that the Nobel prize has been and memory have led to learning and memory. He awarded for a concept as broad as ‘signal

.nature new therapeutic approaches for a vari- showed that cellular signaling events transduction in the nervous system’, a ety of neurodegenerative diseases and such as ion channel conduction and concept that could be associated with psychiatric disorders. synaptic neurotransmitter release are in- dozens of different systems and hun- Carlsson won the prize for his dis- volved in ‘short-term mem- dreds of prominent scien- covery that dopamine is a neurotrans- ory’, whereas cAMP signaling tists. “Its almost as if the mitter produced in the basal ganglia, a and new protein synthesis committee had these three http://medicine ¥

brain region involved in movement are required for ‘long-term people in mind and then control. He showed that animals de- memory’. had to come up with a topic pleted of dopamine lose their ability to One neuroscientist who to encompass them all,” perform spontaneous movements, but talked to Nature Medicine said says another researcher. that treatment with the dopamine pre- “Kandel showed that we can In addition, the field of cursor L-dopa restores normal motor attack a problem as compli- learning and memory is now behavior. Carlsson realized that the cated as the molecular basis of in a state of flux, with Photo: AP/Ed Bailey symptoms of the dopamine-depleted learning and memory in a Eric Kandel much individual disagree- animals are similar to those of patients simple system.” Kandel spent ment. Some researchers feel 2000 Nature America Inc. with Parkinson disease, leading to the the 1990s showing that the changes in that the selection of Kandel—one of © finding that these patients have low synaptic function that take place dur- the most visible and influential figures levels of dopamine in the basal ganglia ing learning in Aplysia also occur in in neuroscience—was premature, as and can be treated with L-dopa. mammals. many of his theories have not yet been Greengard was recognized for his con- Although members of the neuro- substantiated. tributions to the elucidation of the sig- science community are pleased that the Kristine Novak, New York

Abortion drug approval opens up research prostate cancers. The drug is also effective in Cushing syndrome, which results from overpro- With the long-awaited approval of the now, to permit additional studies. duction of the hormone cortisol—mife- abortion pill mifepristone in the US, sci- ‘‘[The drug] has tremendous poten- spristone binds to glucocorticoid entists are hoping that the climate of tial,’’ says Eric Schaff, professor of family receptors and prevents the cortisol from public opinion will now be more medicine at the University of Rochester, binding. “I also think it has tremendous amenable to studying its other medical who has studied its effect against uterine potential as a once-a-week or once-a- properties. fibroid tumors, a condition affecting month contraceptive, and as a drug to in- As far back as 1993, a panel of the one-third of all women older than 40 duce labor,” says Schaff. National Academy of Science’s Institute and a leading cause of hysterectomies. At present, 37 patients are receiving of Medicine called for extensive studies Other researchers who have exam- the drug ‘off-label’ for conditions other of the drug for other health benefits. ined the drug in small-scale trials have than abortion, under the Food and Drug However, the ardent antagonism gener- been encouraged by its potential against Administration’s ‘‘compassionate use’’ ated by abortion foes meant that the meningiomas of the brain and spinal program. drug was too tightly controlled, until cord and certain breast, ovarian and Marlene Cimons, Washington

1196 NATURE MEDICINE • VOLUME 6 • NUMBER 11 • NOVEMBER 2000