Protein Translation and Psychiatric Disorders

Although historically research has focused on transcription as the central governor of protein expression, protein translation is now increasingly being recognized as a major factor for determining protein levels within cells. The central nervous system relies on efficient updating of the protein landscape. Thus, coordinated regulation of mRNA localization, initiation, or termination of translation is essential for proper brain function. In particular, dendritic protein synthesis plays a key role in synaptic plasticity underlying learning and memory as well as cognitive processes. Increasing evidence suggests that impaired mRNA translation is a common feature found in numerous psychiatric disorders. In this review, we describe how malfunction of translation contributes to development of psychiatric diseases, including schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, and addiction.

Lessons from a broad view of science: a response to Dr Robergs’ article

Dr Robergs suggested that the central governor model (CGM) is not a well-worded theory, as it deviated from the tenant of falsification criteria. According to his view of science, exercise researches with the intent to prove rather than disprove the theory contribute little to new knowledge and condemn the theory to the label of pseudoscience. However, exercise scientists should be aware of limitations of the falsification criteria. First, the number of potential falsifiers for a given hypothesis is always infinite so that there is no mean to ensure asymmetric comparison between theories. Thus, assuming a competition between CGM and dichotomised central versus peripheral fatigue theories, scientists guided by the falsification principle should know, a priori, all possible falsifiers between these two theories in order to choose the finest one, thereby leading to an oversimplification of the theories. Second, the failure to formulate refutable hypothesis may be a simple consequence of the lack of instruments to make crucial measurements. The use of refutation principles to test the CGM theory requires capable technology for online feedback and feedforward measures integrated in the central nervous system, in a real-time exercise. Consequently, falsification principle is currently impracticable to test CGM theory. The falsification principle must be applied with equilibrium, as we should do with positive induction process, otherwise Popperian philosophy will be incompatible with the actual practice in science. Rather than driving the scientific debate on a biased single view of science, researchers in the field of exercise sciences may benefit more from different views of science.