Neuro endocrinology letters最新文献

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics and MRI imaging of the patients with pituitary stalk interruption syndrome (PSIS) in the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University in the past four years, and to achieve better comprehension of this disease.

Methods: Ten patients with PSIS (9 males, 1 female) in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed, regarding clinical manifestation, laboratory data and MRI imaging.

Results: The clinical features of 10 cases of PSIS were as follows: growth retardation, 55% of patients with hypogonadism, 45% of patients with short stature; the dystocia rate at birth is as high as 90%, of which 61% are breech presentation and 27% are foot presentation; 10 patients with PSIS, the height was between 135 cm and 180 cm, the weight was between 31 kg and 93 kg, the lower part was larger than the upper part, and the finger distance was smaller than the height; bone age is behind 3~7 years old; normal intelligence; 10 patients have clinical manifestations of hypopituitary hypofunction; no manifestations of diabetes insipidus; MRI imaging of pituitary showed that the pituitary stalks were not shown, atrophy or aplasia of anterior pituitary, posterior pituitary ectopic.

Conclusion: The incidence of PSIS is low, and the etiology and pathogenesis are unknown. Appropriate hormonal replacement therapy is the only effective way but the timing of treatment is very important. Therefore, clinical doctors should strengthen the awareness of the disease, and master the clinical characteristics of the disease to grasp the timing of treatment.

Stroke is the second-leading cause of death worldwide and exhibits a high disability rate. Ischemic stroke accounts for approximately 80% of all stroke cases. Inflammatory responses induced by innate immunity are involved in all stages of stroke-related injury, including early cerebral-infarction tissue repair and regeneration after ischemia. Toll-like receptors are the main receptors involved in innate immunity. Toll-like receptors specific antagonists inhibit neuroinflammation by reducing overproduction of inflammatory mediators. But there are still some limitations, such as affecting protein clearance and myelination. Extracellular vesicles are widespread and distributed in various body fluids, carry and transmit important signal molecules, affect the physiological state of cells and are closely related to the occurrence and progress of many diseases. In the present review, we summarize recent findings regarding the mechanisms by which extracellular vesicles act as signaling vectors to regulate cellular crosstalk between neurovascular units and further discuss the therapeutic effects of extracellular vesicles derived from mesenchymal stem cells on brain injury. Collectively, our review may provide novel insights into further elucidating pathogenesis and cerebral-protective measures of ischemic stroke.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM), characterized by hyperglycemia, is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. An appropriate DM animal model to explore the underlying mechanism of DM and develop new antidiabetic drugs is still desirable. Here, we aim to provide alternatives of DM animal models for medical researches.

Objective: To establish a diabetes susceptible family in the Bama minipig (BMP) by N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) induction.

Methods: Male BMPs with hyperglycemia were selected from G1 and bred by the inbreeding strategy. After 5 generations, parameters such as fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour plasma glucose (2hPG), intravenous glucose-tolerance test (IVGTT), and insulin resistance were determined to evaluate susceptible family members.

Results: The male BMP 2907 (FPG = 6.1 mmol/L, IGVTT 2hPG = 11.9 mmol/L) with hyperglycemia was selected from G1 to generate the 2907 hyperglycemic family. With the number of breeding generations, average FPG levels in BMPs increased significantly (p < 0.05). G5 displayed the characteristics of elevated FPG, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and abnormal glucose tolerance (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: A diabetes susceptible family has been successfully established, which might be used for further inbreeding or induced to mimic the phenotype of diabetes.

Objective: Data about the dynamics of noradrenaline (NA) transmission, storage and degradation may be very important for understanding the reduction of functional deficiency of NA and maintaining the stability of NA levels in animals with depressive-like behavior treated with lithium. This study aimed to investigate the effects of mood stabilizer lithium on concentrations of NA in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), as well as behavior rats exposed to chronic restraint stress (CRS). In addition, this study examined the effects of lithium on protein levels of noradrenaline transporter (NET), vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), as well as the enzyme activity of monoamine oxidase A (MOA) in the PFC of chronically stressed rats.

Methods: The investigated parameters were quantified by Western blot analysis, CAT Research ELISA kits, and an assay of enzyme activity. Also, the forced swim test (FST) was used to assess the behavior of animals.

Results: We found that lithium treatment decreased high protein levels of NET and VMAT2, as well as the enzyme activity of MOA in chronically stressed rats to the levels found in unstressed animals. In addition, lithium treatment decreased the concentration of NA (24%) and immobility in animals exposed to CRS.

Conclusion: Our data confirm that lithium-induced modulation of prefrontal noradrenergic turnover and stabilized the behavior of chronically stressed rats.

Objectives: The effect of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy in patients with neurotic spectrum disorders may be related with predictive factors such as the severity of the disorder, diagnosis, self-stigma level, personality characteristics, comorbidity with depression and personality disorder, dissociation, and traumatic childhood experience. This study focuses on finding factors related to the effect of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy in patients with neurotic spectrum disorders.

Method: The study was conducted at the Psychotherapeutic ward of the Psychiatric Department in Regional Hospital Liberec from October 2015 to March 2019. The assessment method used at the beginning was the objective and subjective Clinical global impression (objCGI, subjCGI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Dissociative Experience Scale (DES), Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI), Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), Parental Bonding Style (PBI), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). The 6-week therapeutic program combines group dynamic psychotherapy (4 times a week for 1.5 hours), pharmacotherapy and other therapeutic activities. The primary criterium of therapeutic outcome was the change in objCGI severity, and the secondary criteria were changes in subjCGI, BAI and BDI-II.

Results: A total of 96 hospitalized patients with neurotic spectrum disorder diagnosed according to ICD-10, confirmed with the MINI (MINI-International Neuropsychiatric Interview) were included in the study and filled out the questionnaires' battery. There was a statistically significant decrease in the anxiety and depression symptoms and an overall decrease in the disorder's severity during the treatment. At the beginning of the treatment, a higher self-stigma rate was associated with a smaller decrease in anxiety symptoms (BAI) and depression (BDI-II). However, self-stigma is not a factor associated with the change in primary outcome criteria (objCGI change). Initial assessment of objective severity of the disorder (objCGI) and personality factor Novelty Seeking predict the change in objCGI severity.

Conclusions: Self-stigma predicted the change in anxiety and depressive symptom but not the change of the disorder's global severity in short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy of patients with a neurotic spectrum disorder.

Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the most common cancers of the female reproductive system. In advanced stages, it might lead to metastases via hematogenous or lymphatic spread. Patients with hematogenous metastases are less common with a higher risk of death. This article focuses on a case of CC with comedo-like spinocellular skin metastases. These structures, typical for basaloid squamous cell carcinoma, represent an uncommon and extremely rare finding even in advanced CC and are associated with a poor prognosis.

Neuroendocrine neoplasms comprise an ever greater ratio of primary gastrointestinal tract tumors, thanks to the improving diagnostics. The clinical presentation can be quite diverse depending on the type of the tumor. Imaging methods - both the spectrum of radiological methods and methods of nuclear medicine - are an integral part of the diagnostics. This article presents a case report of a 65-year old female patient, whose routine abdominal US scan performed as part of a preventive check-up revealed a suspicious liver incidentaloma. The case report presents the image of the pathology in various imaging modalities, radiologic and molecular/hybrid methods used in the differential diagnostic process of the lesion, as well as findings in follow-up examinations after histological verification of the lesion and an outline of further approach and treatment.

Background: Emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD) is a challenging condition with a prevalence of 20% in inpatient services. Psychotherapy is the preferred treatment; nevertheless, off-license medications are widely used.

Objectives: To identify socio-demographics, clinical and service-delivery characteristics of people with EUPD admitted to inpatient services between 1st January 2017 and 31st December 2018.

Methods: A retrospective review using data from patients' records. Individuals, age 18-65 were included. Statistical analysis was conducted by the Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test and Chi-squared test with Yates's continuity correction.

Results: Of 1646 inpatients, 201 (12.2%); had the diagnosis of EUPD; 133 (66.0%) women, 68 (44.0%). EUPD was significantly (P < .001) more prevalent in women (18.2%) than men (7.4%). EUPD patients were significantly (P < .001) younger (32.2 years) than patients without EUPD (46 years), and had significantly (P < .001) more admissions (1.74) than patients without EUPD (1.2 admission). 70.5% of patients had one and 17.0% two Axis-I psychiatric co-morbidities. Substance use was significantly (P < .001) more often in men (57.3%) than in women (28.5%). Significantly (P = 0.047) more women (68.4%) than men (53.0%) reported sexual abuse. 87.5% used polypharmacy. Antidepressants were significantly (P = 0.02) often prescribed to women (76.6%) than men (69.1%). Significantly (P = 0.02) more women (83.5%) than men (67.6%) were on antipsychotics. 57.2% of the patients were on anxiolytics, 40.0% on hypnotics and 25.8% on mood stabilisers.

Conclusion: EUPD is a complex condition with widespread comorbidity. The term EUPD, Borderline Personality Disorder is unsuitable, stigmatising and too simplistic to reflect the nature, gravity and psychopathology of this syndrome.

Objectives: Self-stigma represents a process of accepting negative social prejudices with a consequent negative impact on many areas of the patient's life (self-concept, social and work functioning, relationships, cooperation in treatment, quality of life, willingness to strive for something). The study was aimed to examine the level of self-stigma and other significant variables potentially related to self-stigma (personality characteristics, childhood traumatisation, anxiety, depression, personality disorder, dissociation, parental styles, attachment).

Method: The study was conducted at the Psychotherapeutic section of the Psychiatric Department in Regional Hospital Liberec from October 2015 to March 2019. A total of 96 hospitalised patients with neurotic spectrum disorders diagnosed by an experienced psychiatrist according to ICD-10 (panic disorder and/or agoraphobia, social phobia, generalised anxiety disorder, mixed anxiety depressive disorder, somatoform disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, adjustment disorders) were included into the study and filled in the test battery.

Results: The main finding is that self-stigma is related to the severity of the disorder, anxiety and depression, social anxiety, the comorbid occurrence of other anxiety disorders or personality disorders, dissociation, personality temperamental traits Harm Avoidance, Reward Dependence and Self-Directedness. We have not established a connection between attachment in close relationships and self-stigma. The most important predictors of self-stigma are the disorder's duration, reduced Self-Directedness, a higher rate of depression and social anxiety, which together explain 58% of severity if self-stigma.

Conclusions: Self-stigma is a contemporary topic in research and clinical practice. The results can be used as a basis for the development of targeted intervention strategies aimed at reducing self-stigma or for further research studies in the field of self-stigma.