International Journal of Neuroscience最新文献

Purpose/aim of the study: The pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD) involves multiple factors, including inflammatory processes. This study investigated the relationship between changes in the levels of cytokines and remission in patients with MDD following duloxetine treatment.

Materials and methods: MDD patients were administered duloxetine for 16 weeks. Clinical evaluation and immunological monitoring were performed every 4 weeks.

Results: Our results indicated that changes in serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were associated with remission following duloxetine treatment in MDD patients. There was a slight increase in TNF-α levels in the first four weeks following duloxetine treatment, which correlated significantly with patients who were in remission. Furthermore, patients in remission exhibited an initial increase in IL-6 levels in the first four weeks, followed by a decrease at 16 weeks.

Conclusions: These results suggest an important relationship between changes in cytokine levels and remission in patients with major depression after duloxetine treatment.

Background: Our objective is to investigate the potential causal relationship between telomere length (TL) and aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and intracranial aneurysms (IAs) by conducting a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) study.

Methods: We utilized publicly available summary data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for comprehensive analysis. Telomere length-associated data were sourced from the Epidemiology Unit (IEU) GWAS database (n = 472,174), while data pertaining to intracranial aneurysms were derived from a GWAS meta-analysis conducted by Bakker et al. encompassing aneurysmal subtypes including aSAH (n = 77,074), IAs (n = 79,429), and unruptured intracranial aneurysms (uIA) (n = 74,004), all sampled from European populations. The primary method for MR analysis employed was the Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW) method. Additionally, we conducted various sensitivity analyses to assess the heterogeneity and pleiotropy of study findings. Reverse MR analysis was employed to explore potential reverse causality.

Results: In the forward MR analysis, the IVW method indicated a negative association between TL and aSAH (OR = 0.636, 95% CI: 0.459-0.883, p = 0.006) as well as IAs (OR = 0.670, 95% CI: 0.499-0.900, p = 0.0079). There was no evidence of heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropy in the forward MR analysis. Reverse MR analysis did not reveal any causal relationship between aSAH, IAs, uIA and TL.

Conclusions: In European populations, there exists a causal relationship between longer TL and reduced risks of aSAH and IAs Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and the potential of TL as an intervention target for lowering the incidence of aSAH and IAs.

Purpose: To investigate the activity of default mode network (DMN), frontoparietal network (FPN) and cerebellar network (CN) in drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) patients undergoing vagus nerve stimulation (VNS).

Methods: Fifteen patients were recruited and underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans. Independent component analysis and paired sample t-tests were used to examine activity changes of DMN, FPN and CN before and after VNS.

Results: Compared with preoperative patients, DMN exhibited decreased activity in left cuneus/precuneus, left median cingulate gyrus, left superior/middle occipital gyrus, right superior parietal gyrus, right precentral/postcentral gyrus, right rolandic operculum and right insula, while increased activity was observed in right supramarginal gyrus, left fusiform gyrus, right supplementary motor area, left amygdala, and right inferior frontal gyrus. FPN displayed decreased activity in left cuneus, left anterior cingulate gyrus, right precentral gyrus, left middle/inferior frontal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus, left superior/middle temporal gyrus, left superior/middle occipital gyrus, and right superior parietal gyrus, but increased activity in right inferior temporal gyrus. CN showed decreased activity in left superior/middle frontal gyrus, right inferior frontal gyrus, left supplementary motor area, left precuneus, left postcentral gyrus, left middle occipital gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, and left inferior cerebellum, while increased activity was detected in bilateral superior cerebellum and right fusiform gyrus.

Conclusions: DMN, FPN and CN exhibited distinct changes in DRE patients following VNS. The suppression or activation of sensorimotor, language, memory and emotion-related regions may represent the underlying neurological mechanisms of VNS. However, the contrasting activity patterns between superior and inferior cerebellum require further investigation.

Introduction: Current electroencephalogram (EEG) indices for monitoring the depth of anaesthesia have not been adjusted for age. This study aims to identify the most suitable EEG indices for monitoring anaesthesia depth across different age groups.

Method: In here, we conducted a prospective observational trial to observe whether different EEG features in different age groups can detect anaesthesia depth and compare their performance.

Results: In Group 1, absolute θ had the highest prediction probability (Pk) value (0.78 ± 0.07), while relative γ had the lowest relative coefficient of variation (CV) value in states 1 (0.160), 2 (0.153), 3 (0.214) and 4 (0.144). In Group 2, absolute θ had the highest Pk value (0.81 ± 0.09), and relative γ had the lowest CV value in states 1 (0.159), 2 (0.178), 3 (0.140) and 4 (0.095). In Group 3, absolute δ had the highest Pk value (0.79 ± 0.08), with absolute slow wave having the lowest CV value in States 1 (0.196), 2 (0.258), 3 (0.295) and 4 (0.181). In Group 4, absolute δ had the highest Pk value (0.75 ± 0.10), and absolute slow wave had the lowest CV value in States 1 (0.176), 2 (0.192), 3 (0.185) and 4 (0.144).

Conclusion: In this study, we found that absolute θ and relative γ are the most suitable choices for young and middle-aged patients, while absolute δ and absolute slow wave are the most suitable choices for young elderly and elderly patients.

Background: Failure of delayed neurological improvement (fDNI) following successful recanalization is a prevalent clinical phenomenon in patients who have experienced acute ischemic stroke (AIS). An investigation into the potential link between markers of systemic inflammation such as platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), systemic immune-inflammation index known as SII, and the occurrence of fDNI in patients received successful reperfusion was conducted.

Methods: The study included patients diagnosed with AIS who underwent thrombectomy and experienced fDNI, as observed in a prospective study conducted from January 2017 to April 2020. In order to identify predictors of fDNI, we performed multivariable logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results: Eighty-four patients (23.86%) without early neurological improvement (ENI) experienced DNI, and 268 (76.14%) patients did not show DNI. After adjustment for potential confounders, NLR (adjust OR, 2.131; 95%CI, 1.066-4.259; p = 0.032) and SII (adjust OR, 1.065; 95%CI, 1.001-1.132, p = 0.045) exhibited independent reationship with fDNI independently in multivariate analysis. The areas under AUC of multivariable NLR and SII mode were 0.862 and 0.861, respectively.

Conclusions: The immune-inflammatory biomarkers, including NLR and SII, exhibited associations with DNI in patients without ENI. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Background: Previous studies have shown that an increased number of immune cells is closely associated with the onset and course changes of intracerebral hemorrhage, but the exact causal relationship has not been clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate the causal relationship between immune cells and intracerebral hemorrhage by a two-way Mendelian randomization method.

Methods: Two sets of SNPs were used as instrumental variables and two-way Mendelian randomization analyses were performed and leave-one-out method were used to assess the validity and heterogeneity of the included genetic variation instruments. The level of multiplicity and heterogeneity of the included genetic variance instruments was assessed.

Results: The results showed a clear causal relationship between three immune cells and intracerebral hemorrhage, and no heterogeneity between SNPs related to intracerebral hemorrhage, while scatterplot and funnel plot confirmed that the causality was less likely to be biased; MR-Egger results suggested that no genetic pleiotropy was found. Leave-one-out analysis was applied to suggest that the MR analysis results for a single SNP were robust; meanwhile, Meta-analysis was applied to combine the two intracerebral hemorrhage datasets, and the analysis results suggested that in the fixed-effects model and random-effects model, the immunocyte CD66b on Granulocytic Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells and other three immune cells were significantly causally associated with intracerebral hemorrhage, while the heterogeneity test suggested that there was no significant difference between the different datasets.

Conclusions: The present study found a significant causal relationship between specific immune cell phenotypes and intracerebral hemorrhage by Mendelian randomization analysis.

Background: Intracranial Aneurysms (IA) are life-threatening cerebrovascular diseases, and their pathogenesis remains not fully understood. This study aims to systematically evaluate the causal relationship between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) metabolites and IA through bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to identify potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Methods: Using genome-wide association study data from public databases, the primary analysis was conducted with inverse variance weighting, supplemented by MR-Egger regression, weighted median, weighted mode, and simple mode. Sensitivity analyses were performed using heterogeneity tests, horizontal pleiotropy tests, and leave-one-out analyses to ensure the stability of the results.

Results: Forward MR analysis revealed that 1-arachidonoyl-gpc (20:4n6), 2'-deoxyuridine, 3-hydroxystachydrine, 5-hydroxyhexanoate, isobutyrylcarnitine (C4), phenylacetylglutamine, and X-10457 were protective factors for IA. In contrast, 2-hydroxybutyrate/2-hydroxyisobutyrate, arabonate/xylonate, argininosuccinate, citrate, cysteinylglycine disulfide, and isovalerate were identified as risk factors for IA. Reverse MR analysis showed a significant causal relationship between IA and changes in the concentrations of 14 CSF metabolites. Sensitivity analyses indicated the robustness of these findings.

Conclusions: This study, through bidirectional MR analysis, uncovered the causal relationship between CSF metabolites and IA, highlighting the significant roles of various amino acids and lipid metabolites in the pathophysiology of IA. These metabolites not only provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying IA but also present potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets, offering theoretical support for early intervention and prevention strategies for the disease.

Persistent post-concussion symptoms can greatly affect a person's life, thinking abilities, and their capacity to go back to normal daily tasks. This narrative review gives a detailed look at new treatments for ongoing symptoms after a concussion. It includes methods like brain stimulation, medications, and holistic approaches. We searched for information using PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar, looking for keywords like 'post-concussion syndrome', 'neuromodulation', 'rehabilitation', 'cognitive behavioral therapy', 'vestibular therapy', and 'medications. 'This review talks about how each therapy works, the proof from clinical trials, and practical tips for using them. Methods like transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation could help improve thinking skills and mood problems. Medicines like amantadine and zolpidem may help treat certain symptoms. Methods like aerobic exercise, balance training, and talk therapy provide overall benefits. The review also points out future areas to explore, like stem cell treatment, using virtual reality for rehab, timing treatments better, and using light therapy. This review looks at new information and trends to help doctors and researchers understand the latest ways to treat ongoing symptoms after a concussion. It also aims to guide future studies in this important field.

Aim: Symptomatic carotid artery stenosis (SCAS) patients face a high risk of ischemic stroke (IS) recurrence. This study evaluates the prognostic value of the serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)-to-albumin ratio (L/A) for predicting IS recurrence among SCAS patients.

Methods: In this retrospective study (January 2020-January 2023), 307 conservatively managed SCAS patients were stratified into non-recurrence (n = 238) and recurrence (n = 69) groups based on 24-month follow-up. Serum LDH and albumin were measured, and L/A was calculated. Relationships between L/A and plaque neovascularization-related parameters (peak intensity, AUCTC, CAS rate) were assessed using Pearson correlation. Independent risk factors were determined with multivariate Cox regression, while the predictive performance and risk stratification of L/A were evaluated with ROC and Kaplan-Meier curves.

Results: Significant differences existed in age, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, albumin, peak intensity, AUCTC, CAS rate, vulnerable plaques, and medication adherence between the two groups. Recurrent patients exhibited higher L/A (p < 0.005). L/A correlated positively to peak intensity (r = 0.323), AUCTC (r = 0.450), and CAS rate (r = 0.529; all p < 0.001). Hyperlipidemia, vulnerable plaques, peak intensity, CAS rate, and elevated L/A were independent risk factors for IS recurrence in SCAS patients. L/A could assist in predicting IS recurrence in SCAS patients (AUC: 0.801; sensitivity: 63.77%; specificity: 85.71%). High L/A significantly increased 2-year recurrence risk in SCAS patients.

Conclusion: Elevated L/A potentially aids in predicting IS recurrence in SCAS patients and correlates to plaque neovascularization.

Background: Reliable molecular biomarkers for predicting cerebral infarction outcomes remain limited, highlighting the need for integrative approaches that bridge bioinformatic discovery with clinical validation.

Objective: To identify key differentially expressed genes (DEGs) prognostic for cerebral infarction and evaluate their clinical utility for risk stratification through integrated bioinformatic analysis and prospective cohort validation.

Methods: Functional annotation employed GO enrichment and protein-protein interaction network analysis. A prospective cohort enrolled 151 cerebral infarction patients, with peripheral blood samples subjected to qPCR analysis of candidate genes. Prognostic predictive capacity was assessed via multivariable Cox regression, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and ROC curve analysis with clinical follow-up data.

Results: Five candidate DEGs (VIM, OSM, PTGS2, SOD2, SAMSN1) were identified, enriched in inflammatory response, nitric oxide metabolism, and lipopolysaccharide response pathways. qPCR confirmed significantly elevated VIM, OSM, and PTGS2 expression in poor prognosis group (p < 0.01). Multivariable Cox regression identified VIM (HR = 4.475), OSM (HR = 2.800), and homocysteine (Hcy; HR = 1.120) as independent prognostic risk factors. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated significantly reduced survival in high-expression groups (all p < 0.01). The combined model integrating VIM, OSM, and Hcy achieved superior predictive performance (AUC = 0.811; sensitivity 72.55%, specificity 78.00%, Youden's index 0.506) compared to VIM alone (AUC = 0.760).

Conclusion: VIM and OSM exhibit robust bioinformatic associations and stable expression with independent prognostic value in clinical cohorts.