In rodents, DXM enhanced the cholinergic nerve terminal development in the brain (Zahalka et al. 1993), the expression of nNOS mRNA in neuroblastoma cells (Schwarz et al. 1998) and the growth of VIP mRNA/protein in the Langerhans islets (Jamal et al. 1991). The gene discussed is VIP; the disease is neuroblastoma.