title: A neurochemical basis for an epigenetic vision of psychiatric disorders (1994-2009).
abstract: In 1996, Dr. Costa was invited by Prof. Boris Astrachan, Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago, to direct the research of the "Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, at the University of Illinois at Chicago." He was asked to develop a seminal research program on psychiatric disorders. Viewed in retrospect, Dr. Costa met and surpassed the challenge, as was usual for him. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms whereby nurture (epigenetic factors) and nature (genetic factors) interact to cause major psychiatric disorders was at the center of Dr. Costa's mission for the last 15 years of his research at the Psychiatric Institute. The challenge for Dr. Costa and his colleagues (Auta, Caruncho, Davis, Grayson, Guidotti, Impagnatiello, Kiedrowski, Larson, Manev, Pappas, Pesold, Pinna, Sharma, Smalheiser, Sugaya, Tueting, Veldic [1-111]) had always been to find new ways to prevent and treat psychiatric disorders with pharmacological agents that failed to have major unwanted side effects. In this list, we have quoted the first authors of the papers pertaining to the field of research highlighted in the title. As you know, Dr. Costa was an eclectic scientist and in his 15 years of studies at UIC, he touched many other aspects of neuroscience research that are not discussed in this overview.
authors.affiliation: The Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601 Taylor, Chicago, IL 60612, United States. aguidotti@psych.uic.edu
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guidotti
authors.forename: Dennis R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Grayson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics*; D009448:Neurochemistry / Q000266:history*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid