ecnp matters NEWSLETTER NO. 4, December 2002

Looking back at Barcelona Page 3 ECNP Consensus Meeting 2002: Expectations certainly met Long-term treatment in psychi- atric and neurological diseases

In the June 2002 issue of ecnp matters the Scientific Programme Committee focused with enthusiasm on certain aspects of the 15th ECNP Congress. Were Page 4-6 15th ECNP Congress those expectations met? Barcelona - October 5 - 9, 2002

David J. Nutt, chair SPC 15th ECNP Congress Page 7 rack system very impressive turnout to this new ses- Calendar ECNP events TBy common consensus the new sion, with many more delegates than track systems would seem to be a great the individual presenters could have success. Participants were guided expected to reach in an ordinary set- Page 8 through the extensive programme by ting. General Assembly Barcelona classifying the presentations into one of The quality of the presentations (after the following: some slight teething problems with the – treatment track audiovisual system) was uniformly high – clinical research track and the quality of the discussions con- – interface track firmed that this quality was well appre- – preclinical track ciated. I got the impression that the – educational track. young hot topic presenters really I received a number of unsolicited pos- enjoyed the privilege of being at the itive comments about the logical struc- ECNP Congress and some of them cer- talk through some of the issues raised announcing a lot of new cutting edge ture, the value of such a thematic tainly were very active at the congress in the particular sessions. We are wait- data. The presentations on the whole organization of presentations, and the party! ing for formal feedback of the sessions were extraordinarily well attended - clear and explicit way in which the but I am fairly sure that the idea of the right through to the very last morning tracks can be followed in the pro- Scientific cafés scientific café was received well and and the general ordinance was an gramme. I am sure that we will be using Another initiative designed to promote that we will continue with them in the enthusiastic sharing of scientific ideas a similar format in future meetings. the preclinical sessions was the bonus future. and facts. of a scientific café, giving delegates the Hot topic session opportunity to meet the speakers in an Scientific programme A new development to stimulate (the informal setting. This activity did seem In my preview of the 15th ECNP attendance of) preclinical symposia is to get off to a good start, prompted Congress I promised delegates an out- the hot topic session in which young undoubtedly by the pleasant weather standing scientific event. Looking back promising preclinical neuroscientists and the ability to congregate in the gar- I think that overall the quality of pre- See page 4 – 6 for more reports on the give short presentations. There was a dens outside the conference centre and sentations was uniformly high, 15th ECNP Congress.

Arvid Carlsson: pounds such as serotonin that had been discovered in the brain shortly before. So they had measured serotonin after “The Nobel Prize did change administering reserpine and the level of serotonin was down to almost zero. It my life!” was very dramatic to find that an endoge- nous, physiologically active compound Nobel Prize winner Arvid Carlsson is not yet thinking of taking it easy. At disappears after a drug has been given. the verge of his 80th birthday he is still running his company in I proposed to Brodie to look at the effect Gothenburg in southern Sweden, making the most of the money and of reserpine on some closely related respect the award brought along to develop and research drugs to help peo- compounds, the catecholamines such as ple with mental and neurological disorders. An interview with a man ECNP adrenaline. He did not see anything in can be proud to have recently voted honorary member. this. But I was very fortunate to be given this opportunity. So I went home and was lucky again by finding Professor Nils-Åke Hillarp at the University of Kirsten Bett, editor ecnp matters

Lund. Together we did indeed discover interview hen you started out as a scien- research paper by the American Space that led me to many more exciting expe- that the effect of reserpine on the cate- W tist, was there a specific disor- Programme credited our study to be the riences, starting in the Laboratory of cholamines was the same as the effect der you wanted to help cure? first of this kind. Chemical Pharmacology of the National on serotonin; it led to the depletion of “No, everything that has happened to I, then, temporarily abandoned CNS for Heart Institute in Maryland, in the United catecholamines! When we continued this me has been a coincidence. Even getting something entirely different. Again, it States. investigation we found that after admin- into neuropsychopharmacology in the was my professor who talked me into When I went there in 1955, Bernard istering reserpine stimulation of the sym- first place. When I started to study med- doing research on calcium tablets, using Brodie (1907-1989) was head of the la- pathetic nerves did not lead to the usual icine in 1941, I more or less had made radioactive tracers that had just become boratory. I was welcome to work at blood pressure response, apparently up my mind to become a scientist. My available. This study ended up as my Brodie´s lab if I did not mind not getting because the neurotransmitter noradrena- first course was in anatomy; after my doctoral thesis that dealt with calcium paid because he had no money… Still, line had gone. exams I was offered a position as an metabolism, using radioactive calcium to this was the best career move ever as I The rabbits treated with reserpine were amanuensis. So I started out in anatomy find out how the formation of bone got to be in the forefront of major devel- deeply sedated and cataleptic. Catalepsy until the professor of pharmacology takes place.” opments! Bernard Brodie was a real is a state of immobility predicting what came along. He asked me to be his character! He was nicknamed Steve after in humans is known of as Parkinson’s amanuensis and it sounded more fun It must be very exciting to take part Steve Brodie, a famous sensation seeker disease. You could say the rabbits were than anatomy. So that is why I became a in the discovery of something major in the States. Bernard himself was also a ‘Parkinsonistic’, which we did not realize pharmacologist. as you experienced later on in your bit of a sensation seeker; he had been a at the time of the experiment. We intra- The professor gave me a topic related to career? fairly successful boxer before he got into venously injected into these animals a the central nervous system (CNS) as it “It is indeed very exciting. What hap- organic chemistry in which he reached precursor of noradrenaline which is dealt with drugs capable of awakening pened a few years after defending my great success. He was one of the pio- called dopa and after about ten minutes people who had taken an overdose of a doctoral thesis was that I applied for a neers in biochemical pharmacology, the rabbits were up and running again. It hypnotic. These central analeptics are professorship but ended as number 2. especially in the area of drug metabo- was amazing. Of course we very quickly not much used now. My colleague Folke Actually my friend Folke Serin got the lism. This was the fifties: the time of dis- published these results but later on Serin, who is still a very good friend, and position, which is quite right as he is my covering antipsychotic agents. when we analysed the brains, we dis- I published a paper in 1950 on our dis- senior by five years. The reason, how- Brodie had just experienced a tremen- covered that the expectation that the covery that the effect of the drugs ever, that I was turned down was that dous breakthrough by using a new noradrenaline was back proved false. It depended on the time of day. The drugs they were not impressed with my instrument: the spectrophotofluorimeter. was still zero, which was very disap- hit the rodents the hardest at night when research and advised me to leave the This instrument made it possible for the pointing… However we kept at it and they were the most active. The funny focus of calcium metabolism if I wanted first time to measure very low levels of thing was that many decades later a to remain a pharmacologist. So I did and drugs, metabolites and endogenous com- continued on next page

1 continued from front page million Swedish Krona - to a pension fund. This was actually before October decided to focus on dopamine, an inter- 9. But a lot of problems remained. mediate between dopa and noradrena- Accommodation was starting to become line - at that time considered to be an extremely difficult issue until October absolutely uninteresting in terms of 9. After that we could choose from three physiological activity on itself. First, we different offers…” had to develop a method to measure dopamine because there was none avail- Could you elaborate on the activities able at that time. We then discovered of Carlsson Research Company? that dopamine normally occurs in fairly “We have chemists synthesizing mole- large amounts in the brain, that it disap- cules and pharmacologists testing these peared after reserpine treatment and that molecules. The idea of the Carlsson the response to dopa could be related to Research Company is to develop new the reappearance of dopamine in the molecules and to characterize them brain. Perhaps that was one of the most pharmacologically. The next step is to interview exciting experiments I have done. A few develop drugs, taking them through all years after the publication of our first the required toxic testing such as to results Hillarp and his fellow researchers show them suitable and safe for human succeeded in developing a method by beings. First testing them on volunteers means of which it became possible for and then on patients who we hope will us to visualize dopamine, noradrenaline benefit from them. and serotonin in neurons of brain and We are on our way now. Our first drug peripheral tissues in the fluorescence has gone through all the animal work microscope…” and phase 1 tests on healthy human vol- unteers for safety purposes. Studies on Do you work together with patients’ treating patients suffering from organizations at all? Parkinson’s disease with L-DOPA- “When I started the work on the effect of What did you think of Oliver Sacks’ ond place would go to the research into induced dyskenisia have been initiated reserpine the focus was entirely on men- Awakenings? the role of dopamine in mental disorders and show promise. Not only people with tal functions. It just so happened that we “What happened with L-DOPA was in schizophrenia, followed by the third: Parkinson’s disease participate in the stumbled on dopamine and then we had Awakenings like in the rabbits. In the the mode of action of antipsychotic now on-going studies but also people the whole story about Parkinson’s dis- movie, many of the humans after the ini- drugs. Fourth prize would go to the suffering from schizophrenia and other ease. In 1967 George Cotzias (United tial awakenings relapse again. It is a studies of the antidepressant zimelidine, disorders.” States) demonstrated how to use lev- great tragedy that that happened. It a predecessor of prozac and other so- odopa (L-DOPA) to bring about the dra- really is very sad, especially because called SSRIs.” What are your expectations of the matic improvements. Around that time I when these patients came back to life, development of neuropsychophar- attended a meeting in Canada where his they started off at the age they were The discovery of dopamine was also macology in general? documentary was shown. I rushed back when they fell asleep: in their twenties. the main reason for the Nobel “I think there will be a shift away from to Sweden and persuaded clinicians here Oliver Sacks’ patients did not actually Committee to present you with the purely molecular aspects of chemical to start working on this as well, which have Parkinson’s disease but rather a 2000 Nobel Prize for Medicine or transmission to include neurocircuits of they did the same year. I still remember very severe form of Parkinsonism devel- Physiology. What did this mean for intact systems on both the microscopic the patients in their wheelchairs and oped after sleepy-sickness they con- you? and the macroscopic level. It is very thinking to myself: I do not think this is tracted during the great epidemic after “It did not entirely come as a surprise as important to grasp a number of tissue going to work. But it did! After they had World War I, much more severe. In both I knew I had been on the short list for a patterns using modern computer tech- had their L-DOPA, they got up and actu- cases you have a degeneration of long time. Actually, I was starting to niques. I believe that we will awake ally started to walk. It was exactly like dopamine but the loss is so much think they had forgotten about me. I from treating the brain as a chemical fac- Oliver Sacks’ description a few years greater with the sleepy-sickness. So think there are several aspects to the rea- tory and look at it more as a extremely later in Awakenings. It was very dramatic therefore in many of the patients L- son why it took so long. The first has to complicated survival machine. This is and also meant my first contact with DOPA could not work very well. do with the reluctance of pharmacolo- not to say that modern techniques are people suffering from Parkinson’s dis- Fortunately, with Parkinson’s disease the gists to recognize that dopamine is not not very useful, but it is even better to ease. As my field of research is preclini- activity remains for several years, some- merely a precursor of noradrenaline. We work together with both the new imag- cal I do not have much to do with times for as long as 20 years or more. had a lot of resistance to deal with. ing techniques and advanced computer- patients’ organizations. But I do maintain But sooner or later many patients still Secondly, maybe the generation shift in dependent statistics involving pattern close contact with some organizations. run into problems with L-DOPA.” the Nobel Committee had something to recognition. Those studies will probably For example, about once a year I give a do with it as the new generation clearly prove extremely useful and very much presentation for the Swedish Parkinson’s Could the relapse of the patients has a different perspective than the for- help to bridge the gap between animal Disease Association. Last May I was also ever be prevented? mer. This is not so unusual; it took Albert and human observations. The future asked to talk to the European Committee “It is not at all impossible that a drug will Einstein 20 years to be presented with looks very bright indeed. I am positive in Brussels about Parkinson’s disease.” be developed to prevent or cure this. the Nobel Prize as the chair thought he that lots of important things will happen But it will not happen in the next ten was “…merely writing formulas”. As and that many people suffering from “When I had seen Cotzias’ impres- years or so. There is also the problem of soon as the chair stepped down, the mental and neurological disorders shall sive film demonstrating the effect of the cause; the genetic factor seems to be prize went to Einstein. A third aspect benefit greatly from these develop- escalating oral doses of L-DOPA at a relatively weak. So one has to look for might be that many in the 2000 Nobel ments!” meeting in Canada I hastened back environmental factors; lately there have Prize Committee knew me and have to Göteborg and initiated studies been some quite interesting develop- worked with me at the Karolinska together with Drs Svanborg, Steg ments. In the United States, an environ- Institute in Stockholm. I received the and others, which quickly con- mental poison called rotenon has been prize together with Paul Greengard, who firmed Cotzias’ observations (Andén tested in rats and these rats have shown I have known for many years, and with et al: Oral L-DOPA treatment of a degeneration of dopamine. Imagine Eric Kandel. Both are from the United Parkinsonism. Acta Med Scand 1970; the importance of actually identifying States. 187:247-255), like in many other compounds causing Parkinson’s disease Although I somewhat expected to places at the same time. This suc- and then getting rid of them! receive the prize, I was certainly not cess story was soon afterwards told There are other exciting areas of ready for the awe surrounding it. I have to the general public by Oliver research. For example, there is the idea been presented with so many prizes Sacks in “Awakenings” (Sacks; that the disease is caused by the failure before and one of them, the Japan Prize, London, Gerald Duckworth 1973; 1- of our own antioxidants. The research of was more than the award money of the 408), which became a bestseller and stem cells is another very exciting area. Nobel Prize and I also got to sit next to was also made into a movie.” It is my guess that this will ultimately the empress of Japan at the banquet. lead to success but unfortunately not in And yet… when I was presented with Out of: Reprint from Les Prix Nobel the near future…” the Nobel Prize it was so much more vis- 2000 ible. The media make such a fuss about ‘A half-century of neurotransmitter What do you think are your most it! For this reason getting the Nobel Prize research: impact of neurology and important research contributions to did change my life; October 9, 2000 was psychiatry’ science? an important date for the Arvid Carlsson By Arvid Carlsson - Copyright© Les “I would put the discovery of dopamine Company especially. In 1998, at the Prix Nobel 2000, page 249. and its role for normal brain functions as beginning, we had no funding, but we a winner, no doubt about it. A good sec- managed to sell a piece of the cake - 60 Calligrapher: Susan Duvnäs

2 addiction of Neuropsychopharmacology around thearea.Theselection isbased participants frommedicalschools all The localcoordinator(s)select about45 soon asthechosentopicsare known. workshop. ECNPexpertsare sought as that ofaveryintensiveandinteractive oftheeducationalteam is The format Kirsten Bett,editor fairly advancedplanstonextsetupanEducationalTeam already Bulgariain2004. are ent atthemeetingasthere wouldliketodiscuss.LucezarG. HranovofBulgariawasalsopres- facilitates forwhatthespecificcountryorregion setatApril25–27,2003.Topicswere stillbeinglistedasthewholeideaofeducational teamisthatECNP are initiative ofanECNPEducationalTeam in2003.Themeetingwasveryfruitful;even tentativedates tovisitTurkey I. HakkiAyhan withJosephZohar, and AhmetGögusmetinBarcelona chairEducationalCommittee,todiscussthe Educational Team Turkey The 4 David J.Nutt,chairSPC could helpdefinegeneticvulnerabilitytoaddiction. theoriesthat animalstudiesaswellleadstointeresting drug abusefrom abetterunderstandingof understood atthemolecularlevel.Thisoffers ofmostdrugsabuseisbecoming In additionthebasicpharmacology function. brainneurotransmitter chemicalsubstancesthataffect drugs are theunifyingthemeisfactthat addiction isamultifactorialsyndrome Addiction isoneofthemajorchallengestohealthandsociety.Although 4 ofneuroprotective gested thattheeffect symptomatic improvement.Itwassug- would distinguishneuroprotectionfrom demonstration ofneuroprotectionand study designsthatwouldenable The focusofthediscussionwason Alzheimer, andMultipleSclerosis(MS). of diseasessuchasParkinson’sdisease, slowing downtheunderlyingprocess from symptomatictreatment,isaimedat Neuroprotection, tobedifferentiated oftheNetherlands Medicines EvaluationBoard T orders. r inneu- countries gottogetherinNicelastspringtodiscussneuroprotection variousEuropean from cliniciansandregulators Experts, researchers, and neurological diseases treatment inpsychiatric Long-term ConsensusMeeting2002: ECNP workshops areretained.Theseinclude Successful innovationsfromearlier latest ideasaboutpracticaltherapy. and intotheclinicaldomainwith cuits andnewapproachestotreatment, animals throughstudiesofneuralcir- genetic basisofselfadministrationin addiction: fromthemolecularand arenas toexplorecuttingedgeissuesin scientists intheclinicalandpreclinical addiction bybringingtogetherleading ological diseases, and long term treatment in depressive andanxietydis- indepressive treatment ological diseases,andlongterm amar Wohlfarth, clinicalassessor th th CPWorkshop, Nice-France ECNP Nice ECNPWorkshop targets interview ecnp matters information onthisissue.” information I experiencedailythenecessity formore topics”, statesAyhan. “BothAhmetand would likeaddictiontobeone ofthe course. “We doknowalready thatwe cussed duringtheintensivetraining on CV’sandcasestudiesthatwillbedis- toidentifybasedonclinical are difficult phases ofthediseasearepreferredbut included instudies.Patientstheearly appropriate patientpopulationtobe compounds istheidentificationof A probleminstudyingneuroprotective ment iswithdrawn. expected todiminishassoontreat- ofsymptomatictreatmentis the effect even aftertreatmentiswithdrawnwhile treatment canbeexpectedtoremain To experts inthegroup. discussed indetailbyoneofthemany researcher’s topicforinvestigationis mentoring sessionwhereayoung the interactivepostersessionsand apply sodosoon! research interestinaddictionisfreeto ECNP members.Anyonewitha delegates shouldberecommendedby have droppedtherequirementthat

increase accesstotheWorkshop we to putonthemembers’site,pleasesendtheminane-mailsecr Neuropsychopharmacology ofmembersandthejournal to, amongothers,thedirectory membershaveaccess ofmembershipnumber).Havingentered, (first 6figures memberscanloginbyputtingtheirnameandpassword www.ecnp.nl. Already ECNP issettingupaseparatesectionformembersonthegeneralwebsite For membersonly... the wholeofTurkey. Ankara University,easilyaccessible for Tu by peoplealloveracertain area. The be reachedwithouttoomanydifficulties Educational Team thatthelocationcan It isalsoarequirementoftheECNP is tobepreferred,butnotenough markers, ratherthanclinicalsymptoms, ofbiological Deterioration interms rioration aresomepossibilities. issue. Deteriorationortimetodete- come measureforstudiesisanother might benecessary.Definingtheout- recruited, studiesoflongduration in earlyphasesofthediseaseare symptoms alone.Inaddition,ifpatients psychiatric andneurological rkish venueisalsoalreadyknown: March17 - 20, 2002,Nice - France Long-term treatmentin CONSENSUS The Netherlands 3508 AKUtrecht P ECNP-Office Secretariat: website: http://www.ecnp.nl e-mail: [email protected] fax: +31 302538568 phone: +31 302538567 .O. Box85410 European CollegeofNeuropsychopharmacology MEETING diseases 2002 France 06004 Nice 12, Avenue deVerdun Boscolo HôtelsPlaza Venue: fax: +33 493886111 phone: +33493167575 ecnp . Ifyouhaveanysuggestionsforotheritemsus openly discussed. tors, researchersandclinicianscouldbe opments thatareofinteresttoregula- instructive meetinginwhichnewdevel- Altogether, thiswasafruitfuland as well. symptoms fromrelapsewerediscussed designed todistinguishdiscontinuation ment freeperiod.Severalmethods remained inremissionduringatreat- remission duringtreatmentand patients whohavepreviouslyachieved domisation totreatmentorplaceboof tion waspresented.Thisinvolvesran- arating recurrencefromrelapsepreven- free period.Adesignthatenablessep- of anewepisodefollowingdisease rence beingdefinedastheoccurrence within thesameepisode;andrecur- indicating worseningofsymptoms recurrence wasdealtwith,withrelapse issue ofdistinguishingrelapsefrom depression andanxiety.Specifically,the treatmentof the discussionoflong-term Design issueswerealsoprominentin Fruitful andinstructive ures. meas- define suchmarkersasefficacy knowledge hasaccumulatedtovalidly Office ([email protected]). Office ([email protected]) andccthe ECNP- municate yourrequesttoJoseph Zohar readers areverywelcome.Pleasecom- be inBulgaria2004),requestsfromthe site for2005(theeducationalactivitywill Joseph Zoharisgettingreadytoselecta As theeducationalteamchairedby T on themeetingofEducationalTeam ECNP-Office. Kirsten Bett,educationalwriter, fromthe Krusemeijer, generalmanagerand meeting wasattendedbyJocelynKoole- Forthisreasonthe parties informed. of invitingtheexpertsandkeepingall alsotakescare budget. TheECNP-Office ECNP paysforallcosts,withinacertain urkey inthenextissue. ecnp matters [email protected] ecnp will report European . 3 form. a registration for Please [email protected] inattending. interested for allwhoare The ConsensusMeeting2003isopen matters March 12 - 14, 2003,Nice - France Clinical trialsin: CONSENSUS The Netherlands 3508 AKUtrecht P ECNP-Office Secretariat: website: http://www.ecnp.nl e-mail: [email protected] fax: +31 302538 568 phone: +31 302538567 .O. Box85410 social phobia European CollegeofNeuropsychopharmacology MEETING addiction 2003 France 06004 Nice 12, Avenue deVerdun Boscolo HôtelsPlaza Venue: fax: +33 493886111 phone: +33493167575 ecnp Welcome to Barcelona!

“It was with great regret that we had to cancel last year’s ECNP Congress in

Istanbul. I would especially like to thank the people in Turkey who worked

so hard and never were able to see the results… I am grateful that we all are

able to meet again at the 15th ECNP Congress in Barcelona and am especially

pleased that so many of the over 5,000 delegates are participating at this

welcome reception.” With these words I officially opened the Congress at

the Catalonia Palace of Congresses (CPC) on Saturday October 5.

Yves Lecrubier, president

Theatrical big heads accompanied the were carried round the swimming pool 2001 ECNP-Lilly Neuroscience Award by a group of Catalan entertainers. They winners and the 2001 and 2002 towered masterful over approximately Fellowship Award winners to the stage. 1,500 people present in the different ECNP Congress One by one they crossed the walkway garden areas of the congress centre. over the swimming pool to the stage While these entertainers kept on play- where Julien Mendlewicz, chair of the ing traditional Catalan wind music, a th Award Committee, and I presented the human tower took over. All stood in awards. (Also see the articles on the awe of this amazing performance. awards.) Refreshments were brought round, peo- ple got (re-)acquainted: the perfect Positive reinforcement beginning of an inspiring and lively 15 Giant figures, about three metres tall, congress!

2002 ECNP Travel Clinical research track Award winners Psychiatric aspects Getting more young scientists to the meetings is one of ECNP’s priorities. of Parkinson’s Another step in achieving this was taken in Barcelona. For the first time the ECNP Travel Award was presented to disease about 40 young European scientists who had their papers accepted for pub- lication and for presentation. This Steve Gill award consists of a grant of € 500 and a certificate. Winners who applied for a reduced rate “This meeting had quite a mixed audi- In my presentation I reported on a pilot will also have their registration fee ence although I think on the whole study that we have carried out in waived. The winners can be viewed on mainly psychiatrists attended. I am a patients with advanced Parkinson’s dis- the website www.ecnp.nl (clicking on neurosurgeon and I normally attend ease. In this study we infused a growth congresses and Barcelona). congresses aimed more specifically at factor (glial derived neurotrophic fac- my profession. tor) directly into the basal ganglia in This symposium was even more unique order to resuscitate the failing dopamin- to me because it had five different pro- ergic system. This treatment proved to fessionals discussing Parkinson’s dis- be both safe and efficacious. Patients ease: a neurophysiologist, a neurosur- showed significant improvements in geon (myself), a neurologist, a psychia- their motor activity, activities of daily trist and a psychologist. living and quality of life. The result was a cross-fertilization of ideas and approaches to managing For the first time a chronic degenerative patients with Parkinson’s disease. disease of the brain was treated with growth factors in order to both protect As functional neurosurgeons we tend to and resuscitate failing neurones. focus on the motor aspects of the dis- ease. However, it has recently become It opens up the way for treating other apparent that although with surgery disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, one can achieve quite remarkable amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and changes in motor function, a large pro- Huntington’s disease, where various portion of patients suffer worsening neurotrophic factors have also been anxiety and depression. shown to have beneficial effects on ani- Of course the motor benefits are then mal models. outweighed in terms of quality of life Perhaps in the future when we better for the patients. Therefore this sort of understand the mechanisms involved in forum is extremely useful to discuss psychiatric conditions such as schizo- these problems and generate new phrenia, similar forms of treatment may ideas. be applicable.”

4 with questionsandtwodelegates from Afterwards alotofpeoplecame over The audiencewasveryinterested. them. the latestresultswehavegainedwith have beenprovidedandItalkedabout complicated issue.Still,animalmodels munication andlanguageisalsoavery still unknown.Simulatinghumancom- psychopathology ofschizophreniais sincethe phrenia inanimalsisdifficult human psychiatricdisorderlikeschizo- velopmental disorder. Modellinga models onschizophreniaasaneurode- My presentationwasaboutanimal schizophrenia inthiscase. chiatric disorderfromseveralangles: especially intriguingtolookatonepsy- hypotheses theyuseandwhy.Itis clinical researcherswork,which So formeitisinterestingtoknowhow entist –Ineverevenseeanypatients. clinical researchwhileIamabasicsci- Pol,does for example,HillekeHulshoff Another presenterofthissymposium clinical studiesofschizophrenia. because itwasamixofclinicalandpre- “This symposiumwasinnovating

interview Neurodevelopmental schizophrenia issues in Mirjam Gerrits track Interface tal disorder. asaneurodevelopmen- schizophrenia Mirjam Gerrits:Animalmodelson October 2002,S77-S458 cology, volume12,supplement3, book Barcelona 2002)orseetheabstract www.ecnp.nl (clickoncongressesand pleasevisit For moreinformation, would havebeenappreciated.” few clocksaroundthecongresscentre enough timefortheirpresentation…A tation thatotherspeakersdidnothave took somuchtimeformyownpresen- other presentations.MoreoverIactually tion toengagemyselffullyintothe and thinkingaboutmyownpresenta- a goodidea.Iwastoobusychairing this symposium,probablywasnotsuch chair andapresenter, whichIwasin To give apresentationattheirinstitute! mentalhospitalsinvitedmeto different

be honestlookingback,beingco- European Neuropsychopharma- European • • • • went to(inalphabeticalorder): The 2001ECNPFellowshipAward • • • • • • • • went to(inalphabeticalorder): The 2002ECNPFellowshipAward Julien Mendlewicz,chairAward Committee covering partoftheexpensestoattendcongress. consistsofacommemorativecertificateandgrantEURO1,500 award disciplines.The andcloselyrelated the fieldofneuropsychopharmacology clinicalorteachingactivitiesin committedtoeitherbasicresearch, ners are oftheirwork.Thewin- as recognition withtheaward presented inees were eight2001nomineesandanother2002nom- 12 for2002.InBarcelona submittedfor2001and 18 applicationsoftheECNPFellowshipAward were FellowshipAward ECNP times Ithoughtthepresentation skills congress isverygood,although some- the wholescientificquality ofthe treatment’ (clinicalresearchtrack).On on ‘Newtargets inAlzheimer’sdisease “On SundayIattendedthesymposium Bart N.M.vanBerckel,theNetherlands Matthias Liechti,Switzerland Michael Kellner, Germany Holger Jahn,Germany Anna Capasso,Italy A L’ubomíra Vojteková, Slovakia Alexander Ternianov, Bulgaria Falk Kiefer, Germany Igor N.Iezhitsa,Russia Nasser Haddjeri,France Sergei V. Fedorovich,Belarus ysegül Yldiz,Turkey Cheon Jin-Sook Excerpta Medicasite). and abstractsprogramme(onthe site. Justclickoncongresses,Barcelona, A the 2002and2001ECNPFellowship onthepostersofboth More information articles. ‘jump toecnpmatters’lookatthese visit thewebsitewww.ecnp.nland more onthe2001awardwinnersor Also seetheJanuary2002issuefor • • • • registration feetobesomewhat high…” remark wouldbethatIdo findthe ers atfutureECNPcongresses. Myfinal also behappytoseemoreAsianspeak- participants walkinground,Iwould and asIhaveseenquiteafewAsian Parkinson’s disease.Ilikebroadtopics Next onmylististhesymposium geriatric psychiatristinSouthKorea. a professoratmedicalschooland tions isgoodenoughforme.Iamboth facilities, thequalityofpresenta- rather smallandtherearenotenough Even thoughthecongressvenueis mild cognitiveimpairment? ment ofAlzheimer’sdiseasethrough (Finland): presentation ofHilkkaSoininen sium Isaw,especiallyappreciatedthe needed someimproving.Inthesympo- ward canalsobefoundontheweb- Luigia Trabace, Italy Rael Strous,Israel W Zoltan Nemes,Hungary illiam Pitchot,Belgium Can we predict thedevelop- Can wepredict ecnp 5 matters Preclinical track symposia; one on depression and one on nicotine. These were quite interest- ing for me as well. Besides doing research I teach psychopharmacology Hot Topic Session at the School of Medicine in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil so this congress provides in preclinical me with a lot of useful new information for my lectures. Tomorrow we will be neuropsycho- presenting two posters at this congress, of which one on the activation of pharmacology NADPH-diaphorase positive neurons, Francisco will actually be presented by one of my Guimaraes students. Martien Kas & Kathy Aitchison The poster I will be presenting is about Martien: “This was the first time that together. To further increase the integra- “Today I went to the interesting plenary the aversive role of nitric oxide in the such a session was held. Overall I found tion it could be an idea to have presen- debate by Siegfried Kasper (Austria) inferior colliculus and in the dorsolat- that all the presentations of the chosen tations by clinical and basic researchers and Sylvio Garattini. I also attended two eral periaqueductal grey.” hot topics, however diverse, were very during the same session topics of com- interesting and that they combined well mon interest, like in the interface track together.” at this meeting. All feedback aside Kathy: “I do think it could have been though, I feel this session was success- better attended, though, and that more ful in two ways: the preclinical presen- questions could have been asked, but I tations got special attention as being hot 2001 ECNP - Lilly agree that the quality of the presenta- topics and young scientists were asked tions was high and I also found them to give a presentation. Normally only Neuroscience Awards very interesting. The feedback we the more established scientists get this received was good as well.” kind of opportunity.” The 2001 ECNP - Lilly Neuroscience Awards were given to Hanns Möhler Martien: “Actually there were 80 to 100 Kathy: “I too would like to thank ECNP people attending. According to co-chair for the opportunity and to say that we (Switzerland) for basic research and to Eugène Paykel (United Kingdom) for Jan van Ree this is quite reasonable for were well informed about everything ECNP Congress a preclinical session.” and the session was very well organ- clinical research. The presentation took place at the welcome reception on Kathy: “I still think it could have been ized.” better, even if it was the first time such

th Saturday October 5. a hot topic session was held. For more information, please visit Furthermore, it would have been nice to www.ecnp.nl (click on congresses and have seen more clinical researchers in Barcelona 2002) or see the abstract Julien Mendlewicz, chair 2001 ECNP-Lilly Neuroscience Award Jury the audience. Maybe a tip for next year book European Neuropsychopharma- would be for the chair to ask the people cology, volume 12, supplement 3, 15 with questions for the presenters to state October 2002, S77-S458 As in previous years, a number of their background. I got the impression excellent scientists were nominated and from this year’s questions that this ses- S.04.04 Martien Kas: although it was very hard to choose, the sion was mainly attended by preclinical A stressful event dissociates food stimu- jury was unanimous in its choice. researchers. That would be consistent lating in hypothalamic neurons; impli- with the track system that gives clini- cations for obesity and anorexia ner- Hanns Möhler is one of the most cians the possibility to attend a clinical vosa respected neuropharmacologists. His symposium at the same time the pre- S.04.08 Kathy Aitchison: innovative work has made essential clinical symposium is held…” Pharmacogenetic studies of tricyclic contributions to knowledge of the Martien: “I believe that the term preclin- antidepressant response and an associa- GABA system. He has been one of the ical is introduced to bring clinical and tion study of a noradrenaline trans- pioneers in developing the GABA basic neuroscience researchers closer porter variant in depression hypothesis of the action of benzodi- azepines and in identifying GABAA- receptor subtypes. His more recent identification of the alpha-2-GABAA- receptor, as a target for anxiolytic Educational track Julien Mendlewicz, Hanns Möhler and Yves Lecrubrier agents, may have major consequences for the development of new anxiolytics and the understanding of the patho- Pharmacological update: physiology and the genetics of anxiety.

Biochemical and pharma- Eugène Paykel is a distinguished clini- cian and scientist having made major cological properties of contributions to research in the clinical psychopharmacology of depression. In the GABA receptors particular he has conducted pioneering controlled clinical trials, exploring the combination of antidepressants and Gerry Dawson psychological treatments. More recent “My presentation in this update was science has increased significantly, add are his important studies on relapse about the role of GABAA receptor sub- to this the strong clinical base of the prevention in residual and minor types in the brain. In short I went into congress and you have the makings of a depression. Julien Mendlewicz, Eugène Paykel and Yves Lecrubrier the functional role of GABAA receptor truly high-quality international meeting. subtypes to show how it may be possi- I am also quite interested in the clinical ble to develop anti-anxiety drugs that track: how basic scientific research have fewer side effects than the existing results are put to use in a clinical setting. benzodiazepines. This session was Do I have any suggestions for next year? “I think this is a good congress. aimed at delegates who want to get I thought our session was going to be Especially as there is so much on my involved in this new field of neuropsy- more of a workshop but it turned out to specialization as a psychiatrist: depres- chopharmacology or just want to know be much bigger with less interaction sion. I enjoyed the plenary debate on the basic ideas behind the topic. My with the audience than I expected. the topic of classical antipsychotics. own presentation went well and I found However, looking back, the symposium I also got some new information, which the other presentations very interesting. format worked just as well, but I think is always helpful for my work in Egypt. The scientific community in this particu- that both the speakers and the audience Today I will be attending a symposium lar field of research is small. All the could have benefitted from a panel dis- on depression in children. The only researchers know each other quite well cussion at the end. Perhaps the program thing about the congress that bothers and there is a certain friendly com- committee would also consider organiz- me is that because of all the parallel petiveness between us. As a basic scien- ing some sessions that are chaired by Abdel tracks, we cannot go to everything that tist I feel that the ECNP has much more both a clinical and a preclinical scientist El Medany interests us…” to offer me now than previous meet- so that a wider perspective could be ings. The amount and quality of basic given to some important topics.”

6 possibilities themeetingconcluded However, becausethere aresomany structure. to endthemeetingwithsomekindof theinitialgoalbeing bottom-up affair; would notbeatop-downbutrather agreed onthatdevelopingthegoals Itwas desired andpotentiallyeffective. where cooperationseemsthemost take partinanopendiscussionasto eties. Allrepresentativeswereaskedto between ECNPandthenationalsoci- sions togainbythecooperation communal interestsandfruitfuldiscus- the land:ECNPthinkstherearealotof As chairofthismeetingIfirstlaiddown Y Societies atthe15 ofNational cology toattendthefoundingmeetingofECNPAdvisoryBoard fornationalsocietiesinthefieldofneuropsychopharma- Europe around of course.Twenty acceptedtheinvitationECNPsentout countriesorregions mary reasonformyattendance wasthe I amamemberoftheECNPbut thepri- Full house for futuremeetings. organizers willadoptsomethingsimilar a greatstepforward.Iamsuremany navigate throughthemanypanelswas The useoftracksmakingiteasierto on scienceandmeetings:outstanding! real excitementinBarcelonadidcentre the postersiftheyreallywantedto.The were abletoviewboththeexhibitsand posters, butIbelieveallwhoattended for exhibitsandevenmoreso The congresscentrewasabitcrowded ACNP Oakley Ray,executivesecretary excellent! was Thisyear’smeetinginBarcelona for neuropsychopharmacologists. CollegeofNeuropsychopharmacology oftheEuropean the annualcongress forbeerandoompahbandlovers, Oktoberfest Harvest forthefarmers, toinEurope. goodthingstolookforward severalreally are Every fallthere We National Societies Advisory Boardof ECNP ACNP AT ECNPAT ACNP AT ECNPAT ACNP ves Lecrubier, president

appeared to have hit the bull’s eye in Barcelona. As a figure ofspeech, Asafigure tohavehitthebull’seyeinBarcelona. appeared interview th ECNP Congress. at the16 Advisory Boardwillgettogetheragain cooperation. Itwasagreedthatthe tee tocomeupwithpossibleareasof ofasmallcommit- with theformation ecnp matters committee tocomeupwithproposals. newsletters. Fornow,itisuptothe mentioning ofmeetingsinthedifferent Another feasibleactivitywouldbethe societies oneachother’swebsites. into workfairlyeasilyisthelinkingof ties already.Oneideathatcanbeput the representativessawmanypossibili- At thefirstmeetingitbecameclearthat discuss thisproposal. The ACNPsymposiumwaspart ofthe ated thespeakersandtheir content. after thesession,audience appreci- from whatIcouldtellandthequestions full houseonMondayOctober7and when hedesignedthepanel.We hada Joe musthavedonesomethingright Randy Blakelyasspeakers. James Kennedy,HusseiniManji,and involved DonaldPrice,DavidLewis, president JoeCoyleofHarvard, Disorders. Thispanel,chairedbyACNP for UnderstandingNeuropsychiatric ACNP symposiumMolecularStrategies th ECNP CongressinPragueto will keep you informed. will keepyouinformed. continued onnextpage raiigsceait Scientificsecretariat: 16 20 Organizing secretariat: For furtherinformation: 19 18 17 October 13-17,2007 September 16-20,2006 October 22-26,2005 October 9-13,2004 ac 5-1,20 4 March 15-17,2003 Workshop: ECNP ECNPConsensusmeeting,Nice-France March 12-14,2003 ConsensusMeeting: ECNP 16 September 20-24,2003 Congresses: ECNP Events Calendar ofECNP ue2 4 0424 June 20–24,2004 CINP 26 June 1-4,2003 Neuropsychopharmacology (CCNP) Canadian Collegeof Events otherorganizations 8 May 2004 RegionalMeeting: ECNP a:+3 05 025e-mail:[email protected] phone:+31302538567 website:www.ecnp.nl 3508AKUtrecht e-mail: [email protected] fax:+31302538568 TheNetherlands fax: +31205040225 phone: +31205040200 POBox85410 The Netherlands 1000 AHAmsterdam PO Box302 Congrex HollandBV website: www.ecnp.nl e-mail: [email protected] fax: +31302538568 phone: +31302538567 The Netherlands 3508 AKUtrecht PO Box85410 ECNP-Office Secretariat: For furtherinformation: website:www.ecnp.nl e-mail: [email protected] fax: +31302538568 phone: +31302538567 The Netherlands 3508 AKUtrecht PO Box85410 ECNP-Office th CPCnrs ECNP-Office ECNP Congress Clinical trialsinsocialphobia Clinical trialsinaddiction Neuropsychopharmacology ofaddiction Neuropsychopharmacology For more information www.CINP2004.com For moreinformation Paris, France e-mail: [email protected] fax (780)407-6672 tel. (780)407-6597 For detailscontact:Ms.RachelleAnderson, Abstract deadline:April18,2003. updates. Please checkoutthewebsitewww.ecnp.nlfor th th th th th th th th th ECNP Workshop, Nice-France Regional Meeting ECNP Congress,Vienna -Austria ECNP Congress,Paris-France ECNP Congress,Amsterdam-theNetherlands ECNP Congress,Stockholm-Sweden ECNP Congress,Prague-CzechRepublic CINP Congress Annual MeetingMontréal,Québec. ecnp 7 matters General Assembly Barcelona

Promoting the attendance of young researchers; date, location and format of future meetings; and the educational track in the annual meeting were items discussed in the ECNP General Assembly of Members. The meeting was held on Monday, October 7, 2002 at the 15th ECNP Congress in Barcelona.

Yves Lecrubier, president ACNP AT ECNP ACNP AT Arvid Carlson (1923, Sweden) has Several ECNP educational activi- been appointed honorary mem- ties were presented by Joseph ber of ECNP. Together with two Zohar, chair Educational Commit- other pioneering scientists in this tee. He reported on the success of area, Paul Greengard and Eric the interactive training courses in Kandel, he received the 2000 Nobel both Poland (2000) and Estonia Prize in Physiology or Medicine. (2001). He also mentioned the His research showed that planned future training courses in continued from page 7 Parkinson’s disease is caused by a Turkey (2003) and in Bulgaria lack of dopamine in the basal gan- (2004) (Also see page 3.) preclinical track so included a ‘recep- tion to talking with old friends and glia of the brain. This knowledge tion following’. Few people stopped to meeting new ones. All in all, the cere- inspired the development of effec- This 15th ECNP Congress in take advantage of the coffee and tea to mony and reception worked well in the tive drug treatment (L-Dopa) nor- Barcelona congress marks the talk; most seemed to rush out to other outside garden. malizing motor control. The foundation of the ECNP Advisory activities. research of the role dopamine Board of National Societies. (See The other event to which all registrants plays in the brain has also resulted page 7 for more information.) As I usually do, I primarily look in on were invited was the concluding con- in increasing our understanding of or sit in on sessions I am interested in, gress party. Rain moved it inside to the antipsychotic drugs by showing ECNP is a founding member of the especially if I know some of the speak- French Railway Station, but all had a that they affect synaptic transmis- European Brain Council. Main ers. So in Barcelona that took me to the good time. Music, dancing, wine, food, sion by blocking dopamine recep- priorities are: plenary lecture by Jan van Ree (it was beautiful women, handsome men – the tors. Arvid Carlsson’s discoveries • collaboration with the European good, and more should have attended) closing ceremony was a rouser. have furthermore had a major Commission to keep brain and sessions where Herb Meltzer was Everyone got into the act. impact on the treatment of depres- research a research area in the speaking. He always seems to have sion; he has contributed to the frameworks; ACNP 41st Annual new data! In all honesty; when you have good sci- development of selective serotonin • working together with the ence, good people, a casual atmos- reuptake inhibitors, a new genera- European Parliament on deci- Meeting The social side of the meeting was very phere, plenty of opportunity to talk, or tion of antidepressants. sions directly related to brain December 8 - 12, 2002 interesting. I enjoyed the opening cere- not: what more can you want? That’s (Please turn to the front page for an research; San Juan, Puerto Rico mony, and Yves Lecrubier walking and why I very much enjoyed all of the interview with Arvid Carlsson.) • gathering data on the cost of talking - I could almost see him as ECNP Congress this year. And that is brain diseases through the proj- ECNP-symposium Maurice Chevalier. After I watched a why I am already planning and looking The track system of organizing ect ‘Cost of Disorders of the Advances in 5HT few human pyramids I had seen forward to ECNP in Prague next year. the scientific programme saw the Brain in Europe’; Wednesday, December 11, 2002 enough climbing and I turned my atten- You should do the same. light in Barcelona. This system • writing a position paper on guides delegates to the type of major brain disorders and stress- Carina Stenfors, Sweden information they are most inter- ing the necessity of basic phar- 5HT1A and 5HT1B antagonists as new therapeutic agents ested in. There are 5 simultane- macological research for gaining ecnp matters ously held tracks to choose from: any improvements. Klaus Peter Lesch, Germany • a treatment track 5HT transporter knockouts and ecnp matters is a publication of the Graphic Design • a clinical research track The annual account of 2001 was neurochemistry behaviour European College of Neuropsychopharma- Pieter Hoogeveen • an interface track commented on by the treasurer cology (ECNP). Design and Art Direction • a preclinical track René Kahn. Siegfried Kasper, Austria 5HT transporter SPECT imaging in • an educational track. psychiatric disorders Edited by Printing ECNP is installing Scientific Kirsten Bett, editor Teewes Textpresse Grafische Bedrijven A month in advance of the 15th Advisory Panels on the topics David J. Nutt, United Kingdom Jocelyn K. Koole-Krusemeijer, adviser Congress the abstracts of the pre- affective disorders and antidepres- PET and tryptophan depletion Jan M. van Ree, adviser Illustrations sentations could be viewed on sants, psychotic disorders and studies on 5HT function in anxiety cartoons: Jan Milders Internet. The Executive Committee antipsychotics, anxiety disorders Editorial Committee photography: Pieter Hoogeveen is of the opinion that this enhances and anxiolytics, degenerative disor- David Nutt (chair) the depth of discussion at the con- ders, neurological disorders, addic- Joseph Zohar Call for copy gress itself. tion, and basic neuroscience. The Deadline next issue: March 28, 2003 members of these panels will be Executive Committee ECNP The ECNP Travel Award was invited to contribute to the scien- Yves Lecrubier (France), president Copy (600 words maximum) can be sent to: introduced in order to promote the tific programme of the annual con- Christer Köhler (Sweden), vice-president ECNP-Office attendance of young researchers. In gress by suggesting topics and Julien Mendlewicz (Belgium), president-elect attn. Kirsten Bett Barcelona about 40 participants speakers to the Scientific Jan M. van Ree (the Netherlands), past PO Box 85410 were presented with this award. Programme Committee. Also, assis- president 3508 AK Utrecht Another initiative is the ECNP- tance could be given in preparing Joseph Zohar (Israel), secretary The Netherlands ACNP Exchange Award that has scientific programmes and scientific René S. Kahn (the Netherlands), treasurer phone: +31 30 253 8567 been established to promote advice, eg on developing guide- Celso Arango (Spain) [email protected] exchange of the best posters by lines for the Committee for Filippo Drago (Italy) young scientists at the ECNP and Proprietary Medicinal Products Siegfried Kasper (Austria) Copyright for all published material is held ACNP congresses. The award consists (CPMP) in Europe. Hans-Jürgen Möller (Germany) by ECNP unless specifically stated otherwise. of a waived registration fee and reim- David J. Nutt (United Kingdom) ECNP matters is carefully prepared and pub- bursement of travel and accommoda- Future goals of ECNP were men- Sven O. Ögren (Sweden) lished. The expressed views are not neces- tion costs for the annual meeting of tioned, for example: Jean-Charles Schwartz (France) sarily those of ECNP or the editorial staff. the American College of Neuro- • further enhancing participation Alexandra Eva Sulcova (Czech Republic) They are the responsibility of the writer of psychopharmacology, December of young researchers; Hans-Ulrich Wittchen (Germany) the article. The editorial staff, however, does 8-12, 2002 and vice versa. In return, • strengthening links with mem- have the right to refuse or shorten copy. The winners must present a poster. bers; Contributors writers are consulted about major changes in • promoting educational activities; Kirsten Bett the copy. It is decided that at future con- • improving levels of awareness Liedewij J. Jepsen gresses the ECNP Neuropsycho- and knowledge via interaction Yves Lecrubier Permission is given to reproduce the text of pharmacology Award will be with different organizations; Julien Mendlewicz any information found in this newsletter as presented without any support by • increasing impact on European David J. Nutt long as the sense is not distorted by omis- pharmacological companies. psychiatry; Oakley Ray sion or addition and the original place of One year the prize will go to a • possibly obtaining consultant Tamar Wohlfarth publication is cited. basic science researcher and the status in European Union. next year to a clinical researcher.

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