Valosin-containing human protein (VCP) or p97 performs enzyme functions associated with the maintenance of protein homeostasis and control of protein quality. Disruption of its normal functioning might be associated with the development of Parkinson's disease (PD). Tissues of mice with toxininduced presymptomatic and early symptomatic stages of PD, as well as 52 treated and untreated patients with newly diagnosed PD and nine patients with a "predicted" form of PD, were investigated. Significant changes in Vcp gene expression were observed in almost all studied mouse tissues. A significant decrease in VCP expression specific for PD was also detected at both the late preclinical and the early clinical stages of pD in untreated patients. thus, a decrease in VCP expression is important for changes in the function of the nervous system at early stages of pD. Analysis of changes in VCP expression in all patients with PD and in Vcp in the peripheral blood of mice used as models of pD revealed significant decreases in expression specific for PD. These data suggest that a decrease in the relative levels of VCP mRnA might serve as a biomarker for the development of pathology at the early clinical and preclinical stages of human pD.

The efficacy and safety of divasa in asthenic and mild to moderate cognitive disorders in elderly and senile subjects were shown. There is a need for a multicenter placebo-controlled trial on the efficacy of divasa to treat cognitive and asthenic disorders in elderly patients.

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Back pain is a topical problem for both a general practitioner and a neurologist because of not only the high rate of this syndrome, but also its differential diagnosis problems. As any clinical syndrome, back pain should be differentiated from very many other diseases. This is primarily determined by the tactics of the management and treatment of a patient with neck-and-chest or low back pain. Today the diagnosis of spinal osteochondrosis may be rather common as that of exclusion. A meticulous neurological examination is of importance when diagnosing back pain. A premium is also placed upon X-ray and neuroimaging studies. When back pain is treated, it is necessary to take into account the intensity of pain syndrome, its proneness to chronicity, the individual personality traits, and concomitant visceral involvement and to use bothdrug and non-drug treatments, among which remedial exercises and psychotherapy are considered most effective.