HOUSTON -- (November 6, 2008) -- Memories turned on and off with a flick of a switch - the idea is the basis for the award-winning research of Dr. Mauro Costa-Mattioli, assistant professor of neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Costa-Mattioli is being honored with the prestigious Eppendorf and Science Prize for Neurobiology for his work identifying a single molecule that when modified can affect memory.

His findings are outlined in his winning essay titled "Switching memories ON and OFF" that can be found in the current publication of Science.

A step in aiding memory loss

"This is certainly one of the first steps to one day being able to help those suffering from age-related memory loss or even the more devastating memory loss caused by Alzheimer's disease," Costa-Mattioli said. "It is imperative to understand how the brain's basic molecular processes function to generate corresponding insights in cognitive disorders."

It is well known that making long-lasting memories is dependent on the ability of brain cells to create new proteins. Costa-Mattioli found that by reducing activity of a key protein called translation initiation factor 2 alpha, eiF2α, the expression of genes and proteins needed for the formation of a long-lasting memory is increased. Costa-Mattioli and colleagues genetically reduced eiF2α activity in mice. The test mice were then tested in a variety of behavioral paradigms. For instance, to study spatial memory, which underlie our ability to remember people, events and a particular environment; mice were trained in the Morris Water. In this task, mice swimming in a pool of opaque water search for a submerged platform. The mice used visual cues that are placed on the walls of the room to remember the location of the platform.

The mice with reduced activity of eiF2α were able to find the platform significantly faster than the average mice.

"Unlike normal mice, mice with decreased eIF2α activity knew exactly where the platform was located and swam straight towards it," he said.

Learning and memory

Researchers also looked at the strength of the connections between neurons, called synapses, in what is believed to be a "cellular model" to study learning and memory. Usually weak stimulation elicits a short lasting response or a transient enhancement of such synaptic connections, while strong or repeated activity triggers a long-lasting persistent enhancement of the strength of synaptic connections. Strikingly, in the test mice weak stimulation induced longer lasting strengthening of the synaptic connections between neurons, indicating that a short exposure to a given experience created long term memories.

"It usually takes several attempts to memorize a passage of a textbook, practice makes it perfect" Costa-Mattioli said. "A human equivalent of these mice would get the information if he reads it just once."

An important aspect of Costa-Mattioli's studies is that treatment of mice with a drug which increases the activity of eIF2α block the formation of long-lasting changes and long-term memory.

"The ability to erase specific memories would be crucial in the treatment of patients suffering from traumatic memories such as post-traumantic stress disorder," he said.

Dr. Michael Friedlander, chair of the department of neuroscience and the director of Neuroscience Initiatives at the College, said, "We are extremely fortunate to have recruited Dr. Costa-Mattioli to BCM. His recent discoveries on the role of specific protein synthesis in the conversion of short-term to long-term memories have dramatically re-awakened the world neuroscience community's interest in this critical molecular process. These new insights will drive experimental innovation in basic neurobiology of memory and diseases such as Alzheimer's that rob us of this most precious function."

Costa-Mattioli's recruitment was supported by the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation. He joins a growing memory research community in the Department of Neuroscience and in the new Mitchell Center for Brain Aging and Dementia and the Center for Memory and Learning at BCM.

Costa-Mattioli's studies were started at McGill University in Canada in the laboratory of Nahum Sonenberg.

The Eppendorf and Science Prize for Neurobiology acknowledges the role of neurobiology in advancing our understanding of the functioning of the brain and the nervous system. It is awarded annually for the most outstanding neurobiological research by a young scientist.

The award ceremony will be held in Washington, D.C., Nov. 16.

The essay can be found at http://www.sciencemag.org/.

For more information on basic science research at Baylor College of Medicine, please go to www.bcm.edu/fromthelab.

HOUSTON -- (November 5, 2008) -- This list provides answers to commonly asked questions about flu.

Why is flu season when it is?

The virus spreads better during cold weather. Kids are in school and more likely to spread it with so much interaction.

When is the best time to get a flu shot?

The best time to get a flu shot is the period between Labor Day and Thanksgiving.

What if I don't get my flu shot then? Is it too late?

It is never too late to get the flu shot, unless you already have the flu.

How long does it take before I am protected?

With the shot, it will take 10 to 14 days for immunity. With the FluMist nasal spray vaccine, protection is practically immediate.

Who is at most risk for getting the flu?

There are three categories of people who are at most risk, including:

• People with chronic medical conditions, especially asthma
• Very young (younger than two years old) and the elderly (older than 65 years)
• Health care workers

People in the same household with those at high-risk should also be vaccinated.

When exactly is flu season?

We will see most cases after the start of the New Year, with the peak in February. But, we don't really know exactly when it will start. It could start as early as October or as late as March.

What is the flu strain this season?

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the vaccines for the 2008–09 season will include coverage for A/Brisbane/59/2007(H1N1)-like virus; A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like virus; and B/Florida/4/2006-like virus. These viruses will be used because they are representative of influenza viruses that are anticipated to circulate in the United States during the 2008–09 influenza season.

How are flu types named?

The names reflect the areas where the viruses were first identified. For example, a virus identified by the Baylor Flu Center in October 1991 was named A/Texas.

Will there be a flu epidemic this season?

There is a flu epidemic every season, but some seasons are worse than others. It generally starts in mid-December and fades in March, even though there are isolated cases before and after that. Even mild flu epidemics are the most important cause of acute respiratory illness that results in medical care.

What happens if there are two different strains of flu in one season?

We can never really predict how many strains of flu there will be and by the time we find another strain in the middle of the flu season, it is too late to make a vaccine for the new one. We hope that the vaccine will have some cross protection against the new strain.

What if I get the flu? Are there medications?

There are four medications that a person can take if they have the flu or are at high risk for the flu. Two are specifically for strain A and the other two are effective for both strains. If a person shows signs of the flu, antiviral drugs for prevention and treatment are available, but should not be used as a substitute for the flu shot or FluMist. For maximum effectiveness, they should be taken within 48 hours of feeling symptoms. Amantadine and Rimantadine treat only Influenza A and Zanamivir and Oseltamivir treat both Influenza A and B. Amantadine and rimantadine are not recommended for use against influenza A(H3N2) viruses but may be useful if A(H1N1) viruses predominate.

Is there enough vaccine this year?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 143 million to 146 million doses will be available for this year’s flu season, although we don't really know from year to year if there will be enough. 285 million people should be getting the vaccine, including people at high risk and their caretakers and household contacts. That is approximately 85% of the US population. Last year, about 40 million doses were not used.

Are there other options if I don't like needles?

FluMist is a nasal spray vaccine made with the live attenuated virus, is available for healthy people ages 2 to 49 and is sprayed once in each nostril. A single dose provides almost immediate protection against the flu. It works against both A and B types of influenza. It usually gives broader coverage against new variants that sometimes appear after the vaccine formula is set.

Should flu vaccines be repeated annually?

Yes. The protection lasts only one season. And, influenza viruses continually mutate or change, making people susceptible to the flu throughout their lives. It is important to remember, the flu vaccine is not a guarantee against getting the flu. It reduces your chances and lessens the severity of the illness should you become sick.

Which flu season was the most severe?

The 1918 worldwide flu epidemic infected over 500 million people, and killed 50 million. In the United States, more than 500,000 died. The 1918 flu epidemic killed more people in less time than any disease in modern history. It ranks with the Black Death of the 14th century as one of the few events in recorded history to reduce the population of the earth by as much as one percent.

We now know that the Spanish flu of the 1918 pandemic mutated from an avian influenza virus.

Can you get the flu from taking a flu shot?

There is no live virus in the inactivated vaccine so you can't get the flu from the shot. Only a few people who get flu shots experience a low-grade fever and mild aches and pains, but they do not have the flu, which has much more severe symptoms. Others will experience nothing more than a sore arm from the shot. The nasal spray vaccine may cause a stuffy nose or slight sore throat but does not produce fever in adults.

It takes about two weeks for the shot to impart full immunity, so it is possible that a recently vaccinated person could still catch the flu. The timing might make that person mistakenly think it was the shot that caused the illness.

Also, it is possible that the person getting the shot had already been exposed to the flu or some common cold virus. Cold viruses have peak activity in autumn, coinciding with the time when flu shots are given.

Is there such a thing as stomach flu?

Yes, but it is caused by gastroenteritis viruses like the norovirus virus. Influenza is a respiratory illness, not an intestinal illness. Diarrhea and vomiting, for example, are not typical symptoms caused by influenza viruses.

Sometimes the label 'stomach flu' may be used to describe illness caused by an enteric virus like rotavirus, enterovirus or a norovirus. Symptoms include vomiting and/or diarrhea with fever and nausea. Noroviruses cause a 'winter vomiting disease.' Rotavirus has the same seasonal occurrence as influenza.

Many people use the term 'flu' to describe any kind of respiratory or winter illness they get. Sometimes you hear someone say, I had the flu, but I went to work anyway. If that person really had influenza, it is highly unlikely he or she would have been able to go to work. Certainly the person had some illness, but it was more likely a cold or some other malady less severe than the flu.

What should you do if you catch the flu?

• Take antiviral medications within 48 hours of onset of symptoms.
• Get plenty of bed rest.
• Drink lots of fluids.
• Take aspirin or an aspirin substitute for the aches and pains and to bring down fever. Children who catch the flu (or chicken pox) should not take aspirin because it has been associated with Reyes (pronounced RISE) syndrome. Reyes syndrome can cause vomiting, convulsions, brain damage and even death. Children can safely take acetaminophen-containing medicine for fever.

HOUSTON -- (November 5, 2008) -- Pediatricians at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston say a rising fever, respiratory symptoms, unusual exhaustion and muscle aches are indicators that a child is coming down with the flu and could be contagious to their school mates.

"Your child's flu may begin with a mild, low-grade fever, but within 24 hours, it is rising to 103 to 105 degrees," said Dr. Carol J. Baker, professor of pediatrics and molecular virology and microbiology at BCM. "The nasal stuffiness and congestion become more severe. They will not eat or get up and play. This is when you should consider taking your child to the doctor and keeping them out of school."

Onset of illness

Related links

Flu Q&A 2008-09

Video: Dr. Steve Rosenbaum talks about stress and the flu.

The first 36 to 48 hours of the onset of the infection is critical, said Baker, also executive director of the Center for Vaccine Awareness and Research at Texas Children's Hospital.

"One to two days before the height of the sickness, they are contagious to other young babies, children and adults who have not gotten, or cannot get, the flu shot," said Baker. "In order to make them better more quickly, you have to give the antiviral medication within 36 to 48 hours of illness onset."

Those who cannot get the flu shot include infants under six months of age and some transplants patients.

Get a flu shot

Flu is typically not serious in the five to 18-year-old group, Baker said, but getting your child the flu shot is extremely important. "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all children from six months of age to 18 get a flu shot," she said.

"Children will stay home from school and feel lousy, but they are very unlikely to get pneumonia or need to be hospitalized unless they are having trouble breathing," Baker said. "However, a few of these children die every year. Last year, nearly one-third of the pediatric deaths associated with influenza in the U.S. afflicted this age group. The best way to protect yourself and your child is with a flu vaccine."

"The school-age group is really a great group to prevent spreading flu in the community," said Baker. "If we can get enough kids immunized, we will stop epidemics in schools and protect people who are not protected from the flu shot."

Never too late

Baker said colds and respiratory infections occur all year, but the flu is seasonal, and with rare exceptions, does not come to Houston until November or December and can last as late as May.

"Flu season lasts longer than most people think. It is never too late to get yourself and your child a flu vaccine," she says. "The vaccine lasts all season long."

There is an ample supply of flu vaccine this year, Baker says. They are available at your doctor's office and some alternative venues, including pharmacies, grocery stores and school programs.