Brain Behavior and Immunity Integrative最新文献

Drug abuse significantly affects the neuroimmune system, which in turn contributes to the development of addiction. Chemokines, the critical components of neuroimmune factors, mediate many brain functions, including neuroinflammation, neuronal activity, and endocrine function. Extensive abnormalities in chemokines have been found in models of drug addiction; however, the underlying mechanisms and treatment efficacy remain unclear. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) are increasingly recognized and applied in immune regulation and drug addiction. This review highlights the recent advances in our understanding of chemokine changes associated with exposure to drugs of abuse, including cocaine, opiates, and methamphetamine. We provide a brief overview of what is known about the role of chemokines in brain function and addiction and the TCMs that could be applied in chemokine regulation.

Background

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a modulatory neuroprotein implicated in learning, memory, and neuroplasticity. Studies have found increased peripheral BDNF in participants of meditation interventions, indicating that BDNF may play a role in the learning and habit formation that occurs with meditation training. In this study, we assessed changes in peripheral BDNF protein and gene expression across a month-long insight meditation retreat. We also explored relationships between BDNF and previously reported measures of telomerase activity and telomere length—biomarkers implicated in cell aging and longevity.

Method

All participants were experienced meditators. Retreat group participants (n = 28) were assessed at the beginning of, and 3 weeks into, a silent residential retreat. Control group participants (n = 34), who were similar in age, gender, and meditation experience, were also assessed across a 3-week interval. BDNF was measured in serum. BDNF transcripts, telomere length, and telomerase activity were measured in PBMCs.

Results

In retreat participants, higher levels of serum BDNF at the beginning of retreat predicted increases in telomere length during retreat. We also found negative correlations between serum BDNF and telomerase activity. Contrary to our prediction, we observed no mean-level change in serum BDNF or BDNF transcripts as a function of retreat.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that basal BDNF levels may play a role in retreat-related improvements observed in telomere biology.

Four decades of research in the field of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) have yielded lessons that may be instructive for those devising criteria to better comprehend Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS CoV-2 Infection (PASC) and Long COVID. For instance, substantial effort has been devoted to defining classification systems, operationalizing methods, and developing instruments with adequate reliability and validity in the ME/CFS field. The current article provides guidelines for developing a case definition for Long COVID and discusses the significance of psychometric issues and criterion variance, including how to specify symptoms, and develop thresholds, subtypes, and exclusionary conditions. ME/CFS research could enhance our knowledge of Long COVID pathophysiology, early diagnosis, prognosis, and the identification of effective treatments.

Background

The theriac, known in Arabic as tiryāq, is a medicinal panacea and an alexipharmic which was conceptualized during the 2nd century BC. During medieval ages, the Unani physicians employed various theriac formulations as an antidote, health-protective, and therapeutic in various disorders. In general, the theriac formulations contained many drugs having heath-protective, preventive, and restorative effects. Since the advent of COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a renewed interest in theriac formulations, and researches are underway to elaborate the scientific basis of their action mechanism. This article is an attempt to provide a comprehensive overview of theriac in Unani literature, as well as to elaborate on the potential mode of actions.

Methods

Selected authoritative and comprehensive textbooks of Unani medicine and leading scientific websites (MEDLINE, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Springer, and PubMed Central) were explored for information regarding the theriac in Unani classical literature, and its potential usefulness in the present era. No time duration was specified for the search as certain drugs are now relatively obsolete. The keywords used for the search were ‘theriac’, ‘health’, ‘bioactive constituents’, ‘infection’, and ‘antidote’, etc., accompanied by names of drugs.

Results

Pharmacological researches on theriac ingredients have revealed the presence of several bioactive compounds, having anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antipyretic, antivenin, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, cytotoxic, etc. activities.‎ An interesting step in theriac preparation is the process of maturation. It is scientifically proven that during maturation, the drugs undergo biotransformation through fermentation. Besides, certain drugs like Saffron, Celery, and Fennel, etc. increase bioavailability of other drugs. Overall, the Theriac formulations are a complex mixture of health-preservative, protective, therapeutic and restorative drugs.

Conclusions

The theriac formulations contain a thoughtful mixture of ingredients, which have health-protective as well as restorative effects. It is known that most toxins as well as biological disease-causing agents damage the vital organs and processes which lead to complications and death. Hence, the theriac formulations can provide the much-needed protection to these organs, and also maintain the physiological processes, and gives the body the necessary time and strength to recover from these adverse effects.

Background

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in most developed and developing countries, thus representing one of the most significant health problems across the globe. The association between metabolic syndrome and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases has been proven by large multicentric studies. Calculating atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases risk has been advocated as a preventive strategy. A little is known about its utility and applicability of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases risk calculation in individuals predisposed to cardiovascular diseases such as individuals with metabolic syndrome. Practice of a multifaceted naturopathy and yoga-based lifestyle is likely to improve cardiovascular health outcomes and may reduce healthcare costs in high-risk populations. Hence the present study aimed to evaluate the impact of naturopathy and yoga-based lifestyle intervention on the calculated atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases risk among metabolic syndrome individuals.

Methods

This prospective single arm study recruited 70 individuals of both genders, with metabolic syndrome based on eligibility criteria. They underwent 10 days of supervised intensive naturopathy and yoga-based lifestyle intervention in a residential center. Blood pressure, Anthropometric measures and metabolic risk factors were assessed before and after the intervention.

Results

There was also a substantial decrease in both systolic blood pressure (p < 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.001) compared to baseline. There was a noteworthy decrease in weight (p < 0.001), Body mass index (p < 0.001), Waist circumference (p < 0.001), Hip circumference (p < 0.001) and Waist Hip Ratio (p = 0.005). The metabolic risk factors Fasting blood glucose (p < 0.001), Total cholesterol (p < 0.001), Triglycerides (p < 0.001), High-density lipoprotein (p < 0.01), Low-density lipoprotein (p < 0.01), Very low-density lipoprotein (p < 0.001), TC/HDL (p < 0.001) and non-HDL (p < 0.001) also showed a significant reduction. The 10-year (p < 0.001) and lifetime risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases risk was assessed and found to be significantly reduced after the intervention.

Conclusion

A multidimensional intensive naturopathy and yoga-based lifestyle could be explored as a non-invasive and cost-effective measure in the mitigation of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases risk in predisposed individuals.

Objective

Cognitive decline can significantly affect individuals’ overall health and well-being. While Qigong may hold promise as an intervention strategy, the underlying brain mechanisms of its beneficial effects remain unclear, particularly in cognitively impaired (CI) populations. This systematic review aims to investigate Qigong-induced brain changes and their associations with cognitive functions in both healthy and CI populations. It further seeks to identify potential consistent or divergent brain change patterns across these populations.

Methods

Five English databases PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and 2 Chinese databases Wanfang and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were searched for randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies with Qigong intervention and brain imaging outcomes from inception to March 2023. The quality of included studies was evaluated according to the Cochrane Collaboration’s risk of bias tool.

Results

A total of 18 studies from 9 RCTs were included in this review. The results indicated that Qigong induced various structural and functional changes in multiple brain regions, including the frontal lobe, hippocampus and temporal gyrus, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), insula, putamen, and caudate, among others. Within the brain changes, the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were consistently reported across healthy and CI populations and were found to be associated with various cognitive functions.

Conclusions

Qigong exercise leads to diverse brain changes, with the alterations in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex likely contributing to its cognitive benefits. These findings provide support for the effectiveness of Qigong as a cognitive intervention.

Background

Complementary and integrative health approaches with a focus on relieving side effects of cancer treatment are popular among cancer patients. Previous studies have investigated the combined effects of yoga postures, breathing, and meditation, but the specific effects of the breathing component are under-reported. Our previous studies indicate that yogic breathing can improve salivary biomarker expression related to stress, immune response, and tumor suppression. We aim to assess the acceptability and feasibility of a yogic breathing program in cancer patients and caregivers during the treatment period.

Methods

In this quality improvement study, we designed a 20-minute yogic breathing regimen and introduced them to all-site cancer patients and their caregivers during the cancer treatment period at a lodging facility, Hope Lodge in Charleston, SC. All interested participants were included as there were no eligibility criteria set for the study. The availability of the class was advertised via intercom, displays, and word of mouth. Participants were taught five different breathing exercises, and after completion of the exercises in a single session, a self-reported quality improvement questionnaire was administered assessing sociodemographic/clinical factors, expectations about the session, and ratings of satisfaction with the session.

Results

During the nine months of the data collection period, 52 participants provided feedback of which patients and caregivers were almost equal numbers. Participants’ perception of intervention acceptance, symptom management, satisfaction with the sessions, and future needs for practice indicate that the yogic breathing sessions help improve some of the key symptoms of cancer experience such as stress.

Conclusion

Findings indicate that yogic breathing is acceptable to patients and caregivers and may help alleviate some of the side effects resulting from cancer treatment, and the intervention is feasible at lodging facilities during treatment. Currently, the yogic breathing sessions are conducted on a weekly basis by Hope Lodge volunteers trained by the study team.

The development of mental health care has changed greatly from ancient civilisations to the present day. Today, teachers' mental health and well-being are in a precarious state, and when lack of training is added, it becomes clear how difficult it is for teachers to provide adequate support to students. This can be exacerbated by specific contexts and cultures in which teachers may feel uncomfortable seeking help. The lack of support for teachers can lead to the development of long-term mental health problems, with negative personal, professional, and social consequences. Because teacher well-being directly impacts student well-being, achievement, and success, it is crucial to promote teachers' mental health. Qigong may be considered a patient-guided psychophysiological feedback technique that enables subjects to learn and control bodily functions and processes. The present study aimed to investigate the potential impact of Qigong on teachers' anxiety, depression, and stress levels, and to explore the feasibility of integrating it into the school context. Eighty-four participants were recruited and randomly divided into two groups. The experimental group received the Qigong intervention and the control group received a placebo intervention, both for 4 weeks. The outcomes were anxiety, depression and stress levels and were assessed using various scales and complementary physiological parameters. Regarding anxiety, the experimental group showed significant improvements in all outcome measures, while the placebo group showed similar scores in the pre- and post-measurements. The post-intervention results even showed a significant difference between the two groups in terms of state anxiety. In terms of depression and stress, the results suggest that Qigong can significantly improve symptoms. The placebo group showed no significant changes. However, no significant differences were found between the groups in the final assessment. The results of this study suggest that Qigong can help improve teachers' mental health and can be implemented in schools.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder associated with the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra followed by dopamine depletion in the striatum. PD usually affects people over 50; when those under 50 are involved, it is generally referred to as early-onset PD. The present study aimed to understand and explain the role of the typical Indian spice, greater cardamom, against parkinsonism and related complications. The methanolic extract of Amomum subulatum has flavonoids as the major phytoconstituent and may be a beneficial adjuvant in treating PD. Amomum subulatum fruit extract (ASFE) was given as treatment to the rats at 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg. Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, such as tremors, muscular rigidity, catalepsy, locomotor activity, and grip strength, were examined by several behavioural tests. Treatment with ASFE showed a significant decrease in all the symptoms of PD. Enzyme assays revealed a reduction in the levels of antioxidant enzymes SOD, Catalase, and GSH after administering reserpine and increased levels after treating ASFE. ASFE causes dopaminergic neuron regeneration after reserpine induces injury, thus increasing dopamine levels and restoring cellular damage. The inflammatory biomarkers revealed decreased proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6. In contrast, increase in the level of IL-10, which is an anti-inflammatory cytokine. The histopath studies showed reduced cell damage occurring in PD after the treatment with ASFE. The present investigation highlights the role of greater cardamom from the Indian kitchen to ethnopharmacology in progressive neurological degeneration.

Understanding how physical exercise (PE) can influence brain function, especially cognition, through the modulatory effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been extensively studied over the past few decades. Several studies have reported a relationship between PE and brain function in animals and humans. Recently, evidence has shown that exercise positively affects brain structure and brain functions such as learning and memory. Furthermore, the beneficial effect of voluntary physical activity on cognitive performance through modulating neurotrophic factors has been reported. This review aims to shed light on our current knowledge of how PE affects brain structure and the molecular events in brain areas associated with functions such as learning and memory processes. We provide evidence that exercise can improve common therapies against cognitive deficits through developing BDNF level in brain. We also highlight the critical role of exercise as a modulator of the relationship between cognition and BDNF alternations in neuropsychiatric disorders, based on animal and human research. Finally, the effects of physical activity on BDNF based on experimental and clinical studies will be addressed.