Browsing by Author "Rodriguez, Eric"

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    Cognitive testing in older primary care patients: A cluster-randomized trial
    (Elsevier, 2015-09) Fowler, Nicole R.; Morrow, Lisa; Chiappetta, Laurel; Snitz, Beth; Huber, Kimberly; Rodriguez, Eric; Saxton, Judith; Department of Medicine, IU School of Medicine
    INTRODUCTION: This study investigated whether neuropsychological testing in primary care (PC) offices altered physician-initiated interventions related to cognitive impairment (CI) or slowed the rate of CI progression. METHODS: This 24-month, cluster-randomized study included 11 community-based PC practices randomized to either treatment as usual (5 practices) or cognitive report (CR; 6 practices) arms. From 2005 to 2008, 533 patients aged ≥65 years and without a diagnosis of CI were recruited; 423 were retested 24 months after baseline. RESULTS: CR physicians were significantly more likely to order cognitive-related interventions (P = .02), document discussions about cognition (P = .003), and order blood tests to rule out reversible CI (P = .002). At follow-up, significantly more CR patients had a medication for cognition listed in their chart (P = .02). There was no difference in the rate of cognitive decline between the groups. DISCUSSION: Providing cognitive information to physicians resulted in higher rates of physician-initiated interventions for patients with CI.
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    Serotonin Transporter Regulation by Cholesterol-Independent Lipid Signaling
    (Elsevier, 2021) Deveau, Carmen M.; Rodriguez, Eric; Schroering, Allen; Yamamoto, Bryan K.; Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine
    Serotonin neurotransmission is largely governed by the regulation of the serotonin transporter (SERT). SERT is modulated in part by cholesterol, but the role of cholesterol and lipid signaling intermediates in regulating SERT are unknown. Serotonergic neurons were treated with statins to decrease cholesterol and lipid signaling intermediates. Contrary to reported decreases in 5-HT uptake after cholesterol depletion, biochemical and imaging methods both showed that statins increased 5-HT uptake in a fluoxetine-dependent manner. Simvastatin lowered the Km without changing Vmax for 5-HT or SERT distribution to the plasma membrane. Cholesterol repletion did not block enhanced 5-HT uptake by simvastatin but the enhanced uptake was blocked by lipid isoprenylation intermediates farnesyl pyrophosphate and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate. Blockade of geranylgeranylation alone without statins also enhanced 5-HT uptake. Overall, this study revealed a specific neuronal effect of statin drugs and identified lipid signaling through geranylgeranylation within the isoprenylation pathway regulates SERT in a cholesterol-independent manner.