A group of researchers at the Molecular Neurobiology and Cell Biology Laboratory of the Department of Biotechnology, Cochin University of Science and Technology, led by Dr C S Paulose, have developed the technique by observing the status of the neuro transmitter function in the circulating blood and platelets.

The team consisting of Dr Pius Padayatti, Dr Sudha Balasubramanian, Dr Asha Abraham, Jackson James, Ani Das and M P Biju have established the role of neuro transmitters in the control of pancreatic insulin production and its action.

These findings were reached by monitoring the norepinephrine (NE) changes, known for decreasing insulin production and its function, in the brain, plasma and platelets of rats - which were induced with diabetes - and by simultaneously monitoring the NE content in the plasma andplatelets of diabetic and hypersensitive patients. The platelets study was preferred as it was often used to assess neurological changes in man.

Streptozotocin, which specifically kills `pancreatic beta' cells that produces insulin, was injected into rats and the animal developed diabetes in three days. Subsequent studies recorded a gradual increase in NE content in the cerebral cortex and brain stem of the animal and rise in NE level was visible within 12 hours.

The platelets and plasma NE of the diabetic animals also recorded a considerable increase during the study. Confirmatory studies were later performed in human samples. This led to the conclusion that monitoring of blood neuro transmitters could be counted as an index for early diagnosis of the disease, Paulose told The Indian Express.

These studies have won international acclaim and the papers were published in leading medical journals including Hepatology (1998) of the American Association of Liver Diseases.

Preliminary studiesby these researchers have also indicated that neuro transmitters like Serotonin, GABA and NE and its functions play an important role in controlling cancer.

In living organisms, controlled cell proliferation operates normally in pre-mitotic cells capable of dividing themselves. Proliferation automatically stops once the appropriate number or cell mass is achieved, which maintains the size or mass of body organs.

When the controlled factors of cell proliferation are disturbed, it leads to cancer. Serotonin, GABA and NE are major players in controlling cancer-triggering factors, revealed the study. The study also suggested that once the appropriate neuro transmitter's functional inter-relationship was maintained at normal levels, cancer could be cured.

These studies have immense importance in the control of liver cancer and possibly early detection of cancers using neuro transmitters and receptors as tools, he said adding, but more work is to be pursued at the gene level.

Even while developing thetechnique, Paulose disagreed with the insulin therapy commonly administered to diabetes patients. ``The insulin treatment not only worsens the diabetic condition but also damages brain cells,'' he said kicking up a controversy. Paulose has done extensive research in the neuro transmitter receptor functional role on the regulation of various hormones.

Even though the blood glucose level would be normalised with insulin, the metabolic functions of the body disturbed or damaged with the onset of diabetes ``cannot be corrected by insulin treatment''.

In a diabetic patient, the energy current produced from glucose metabolism would not be sufficient for most functions of the cell, he said. This would upset various metabolic activities in all types of body cells essential for normal life. These disturbances could also badly damage vital organs like the liver, pancreas and the kidney, he added.