Behavioural Neurology最新文献

Sutherlandia frutescens (SF) is a plant used traditionally in South Africa for various health conditions, including neurological disorders. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, resulting in motor symptoms. Rotenone, a pesticide, has been linked to PD-like symptoms in both in vitro and in vivo studies. However, SF-specific effects of SF on PD-related symptoms have not been extensively studied. This study was aimed at investigating the potential neuroprotective effects of SF against rotenone-induced PD using in vivo electrophysiological recordings from the hippocampus and an open-field test to assess motor behavior. Rats were divided into three groups: a control group receiving sunflower oil, a rotenone group treated with rotenone (2.0 mg/kg), and an SF group treated with hydroponically grown SF extract. Electrophysiological recordings from the hippocampus were conducted to assess neuronal activity, and an open-field test was used to evaluate motor behavior. Rats treated with SF exhibited significantly higher motor activity compared to both the sunflower oil and rotenone groups, suggesting an activating effect of SF on motor behavior. In contrast, the rotenone group displayed reduced activity levels and exploratory behavior, highlighting the suppressive impact of rotenone on motor function. These findings suggest that SF modulates hippocampal neuronal activity and may offer neuroprotective benefits against rotenone-induced PD-like symptoms. SF, a plant with traditional medicinal applications, shows potential in modulating motor behavior and hippocampal neuronal activity in a rotenone-induced PD model. Further studies are needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms and evaluate the clinical relevance of SF in PD management.

Background: Sleep disorders, such as insomnia, are pervasive and frequently comorbid with depression, significantly affecting the quality of life of patients. Insomnia is characterized by difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, which leads to impairment. Depression is characterized by persistent sadness and loss of interest, and it often features symptoms of insomnia. Understanding their interaction will be done for treatment strategies concerning both disorders. Despite the existence of extensive studies on insomnia and depression, there is a significant gap in bibliometric analysis specifically addressing the comorbidity of these two conditions. Objectives: This study is aimed at conducting a bibliometric analysis of research in insomnia comorbid with depression (ICD) to identify research trends, collaboration patterns, influential works, and hotspots. Methods: The study involved performance analysis to evaluate research productivity and trends, science mapping to visualize the intellectual structure and thematic evolution of the field, and network analysis to examine research collaboration and knowledge structure. Tools such as VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and GraphPad Prism were utilized for data analysis. Results: A total of 1624 publications on the comorbidity of insomnia and depression from 2000 to 2024 were included, encompassing both articles and reviews. Publication volume showed a steady growth from 2000 to 2008, followed by a significant increase from 2019 onward. The United States was the most productive country, followed by China. Key authors such as Allison G. Harvey, Charles M. Morin, and Daniel J. Buysse have made substantial contributions to the field. Major influential journals included Sleep Medicine, Journal of Affective Disorders, and Frontiers in Psychiatry. Research trends identified included the exploration of neurobiological mechanisms, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-i), and personalized treatment approaches. Conclusion: This bibliometric analysis provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of research on ICD. Future research should focus on personalized, multimodal interventions, expanding the application of CBT-i, exploring neurobiological mechanisms, and improving patients' quality of life through integrated treatment strategies.

Objective: The study is aimed at investigating the relationship between dietary inflammatory index (DII) score and depression symptoms in chronic kidney disease (CKD), exploring its potential role as an indicator of depression risk and offering new insights into dietary interventions for this vulnerable population. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional investigation included CKD patients aged ≥ 18 in the 2007-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was administered to evaluate depression symptoms. Dietary information was obtained from a 24-h dietary recall interview. The relationship between DII and depression was explored through weighted univariate and multivariate logistic regression models, adjusting for relevant covariates identified via backward selection. Results were expressed as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). To further investigate the association, restricted cubic spline (RCS) and subgroup analyses were conducted. Results: Totally, 489 (11.55%) patients with CKD had depression symptoms. A high DII score was linked to elevated depression symptoms incidence in CKD (OR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.06-2.65). Adjusting all covariates, the relationship between DII score and depression symptoms still existed in patients aged ≥ 60 years (OR: 1.80, 95% CI: 1.16-2.79), males (OR: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.16-3.59), smokers (OR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.06-2.75), and those without sleep disorders (OR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.01-3.23). Conclusion: DII score was associated with depression symptoms in patients with CKD. The findings suggest that diet plays a role in mental health, particularly in chronic conditions like CKD. The results underscore the importance of exploring anti-inflammatory dietary interventions to mitigate depression symptoms in this population. Further longitudinal research is necessary to establish causality and determine the efficacy of targeted dietary modifications in CKD patients with depression. Limitations: As a cross-sectional study, causality cannot be inferred from these findings. Additionally, the reliance on self-reported dietary data may introduce bias, and unmeasured confounders could influence the observed associations.

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) involves alterations in both cortical morphology and sensory processing. These structural and perceptual changes may lie on a continuum with typically developing (TD) individuals. However, investigations on possible links between these two factors are lacking, and it remains to be seen if their relationship differs by sex. We hypothesized that cortical thickness in the postcentral gyrus (a somatosensory processing hub) would correlate with sensory processing symptoms in a combined cohort of autistic and TD individuals. We also hypothesized that these correlations would differ based on sex. Methods: We studied 23 autistic adults and 27 TD adults using magnetic resonance imaging to measure the cortical thickness of the postcentral gyrus and the Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R) to measure autism characteristics, with a particular focus on the sensory motor subscale. Results: The left postcentral gyrus (PCG) was found to be thicker in the autism group than in the TD group (d = 0.946, p = 0.003), particularly in autistic males compared to TD males and TD females. The RAADS-R sensory motor subscale and bilateral PCG cortical thickness were positively correlated across both autistic and TD males (Spearman's rho = 0.481, p = 0.008) but not females. These correlations were specific to the sensory motor subscale, as no correlations were found for RAADS-R total score or any of the other subscales. Conclusions: These results demonstrate sex-specific differences in the relationship between cortical thickness at the PCG and sensory processing in autistic individuals and that these differences exist along a continuum that extends into the TD population. Our findings contribute to furthering our understanding of sex-specific neuroanatomical differences in people on the autism spectrum. The left PCG thickness could be a potential sex-specific biomarker for sensorimotor function that is generally applicable in both neurotypical and autism populations. With further validations, this biomarker could be used to track responses to interventions targeting sensorimotor challenges in people on the autism spectrum.

Background: Epilepsy is a prevalent condition that affects a large population. However, a lack of knowledge and misconceptions about seizures can lead to inappropriate reactions and negative attitudes toward people with epilepsy, who are more likely to experience stigma because of their illness. This study explored public knowledge, attitudes, and awareness of epilepsy and seizures among residents of Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted between September and November 2023 involving 2626 random adult residents of the Madinah Region in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through an online survey consisting of 27 questions concerning epilepsy. Results: Regarding participants' awareness of epilepsy, 92.2% reported having heard or read about it, and 12.8% had attended a course on controlling epileptic seizures. The results showed an acceptable level of understanding about epilepsy. The mean knowledge and attitude scores about epilepsy for the sample were 22 (SD ± 3.2) and 27.1 (SD ± 3.1), respectively, indicating moderate knowledge and positive attitudes toward epilepsy. Among demographic characteristics, knowledge about epilepsy was significantly associated with gender, age, marital status, educational level, occupation, household monthly income, having heard about epilepsy, having a family member diagnosed with epilepsy, and course attendance. However, attitudes toward epilepsy were only significantly associated with gender, having heard about epilepsy, having a family member diagnosed with epilepsy, and course attendance. Similarly, actions toward seizure attacks were significantly associated with all demographic characteristics except education. Conclusions: The residents of Madinah have generally positive attitudes regarding epilepsy, although their knowledge levels could be enhanced by education. Therefore, more educational awareness campaigns are required to improve public understanding of epilepsy and appropriate actions to take when witnessing a seizure. The results of this study provide a foundation for worldwide comparisons of general levels of knowledge and attitudes concerning epilepsy in Saudi Arabia.

Background: According to the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) 2015 classification, status epilepticus (SE) is a seizure that lasts longer than 5 min or a frequency of more than one seizure within 5 min, without returning to a normal level of consciousness between episodes. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic factors of SE and compare our patients with those of patients treated internationally with the modified status epilepticus severity score (mSTESS) to determine the reliability of this scoring system. Methods: The medical records of patients aged 1 month-17 years with SE who were treated at Çukurova University-Balcalı Training and Research Hospital between September 2018 and September 2021 and who were followed in the intensive care unit were included in the study. Results: Seventy-two patients were included in this study. The mean age of the patients with SE was 5 years (3-8). The male/female ratio was 34 (47%)/38 (53%). A history of epilepsy was present in 53% of the patients. The most common etiologies behind SE were meningoencephalitis (19%), febrile status (8%), unknown status (12%), and genetic causes (7%). Comorbidities, including developmental delay/intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, hyperactivity, and autism spectrum disorder, were present in 44 (61%) of the patients. The cutoff was ≥ 2 for unfavorable outcomes and 4 for mortality in our patients according to the mSTESS system. The case mortality rate was 1% in our study. Nonconvulsive SE, slowing and abnormal ground on EEG, being stuporous or comatose, having abnormal MRI-CT, and having a comorbid condition were associated with an unfavorable prognosis in SE patients. Conclusion: The mSTESS is a useful and practical scoring system for predicting the prognosis of SE patients. Nonconvulsive SE, slowing and abnormal ground in EEG, being stuporous or comatose, abnormal MRI-CT, and the presence of comorbid conditions indicated poor prognosis of SE in children.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common cause of disability in young adults due to several motor, sensory, and cognitive symptoms. However, little is still known about the impact of psychological, cognitive, and social-support variables on subjective disability. This study is aimed at exploring the role of clinical, psychological, cognitive, and social-support variables in predicting disability levels as perceived by persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) and the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) were used as subjective and objective measures of disability, respectively. State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory-II assessed symptoms of anxiety and depression; 19-item Medical Outcome Study-Social Support Survey assessed social support; and Rao's Brief Repeatable Battery assessed cognitive functioning. A multivariable regression analysis was applied using the WHODAS 2.0 as an outcome. One hundred and fifty-one pwMS (93 females, mean age 51.6, standard deviation (SD) 5.8) were enrolled. EDSS (β = 7.190; p < 0.001), state anxiety (β = 0.265; p = 0.009), and symptoms of depression (β = 0.835; p < 0.001) explained a large amount of the variance of subjective disability (Adj.R ² = 0.705; p < 0.001) measured through the WHODAS 2.0. Contrarily, cognitive functioning and perceived social support are not independently associated with the WHODAS 2.0 score. Psychosocial interventions in rehabilitation settings, aimed at reducing the overall perceived disability of pwMS, should be implemented in rehabilitation programs.

Amnesia is a memory disorder marked by the inability to recall or acquire information. Hence, drugs that also target the neurogenesis process constitute a hope to discover a cure against memory disorders. This study is aimed at evaluating the antiamnesic and neurotrophic effects of the aqueous extract of Parkia biglobosa (P. biglobosa) on in vivo and in vitro models of excitotoxicity. For the in vivo study, 42 adult male rats were divided into six groups of seven rats each and treated daily for 30 days as follows: normal control group (distilled water, 10 mL/kg, po), negative control group (distilled water, 10 mL/kg, po), positive control group (piracetam, 200 mg/kg, po), and 03 test groups (extract, 44, 88, and 176 mg/kg, po). Scopolamine (0.5 mg/kg, ip) was administered once daily, 45 min after these treatments, for 14 days, except in the normal control group. The animals were then subjected to short-term memory (new object recognition and T-maze) and long-term memory (radial arm maze) tests for 15 following days. Animals were then euthanized, and biochemical analyses (neurotransmitters, oxidative status, and neuroinflammation) were performed in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and serum. Histological analysis of these organs was also carried out. In the in vitro study, the effect of the extract (5, 10, 19, 40, 77, 153, 306, 615, 1225, and 2450 μg/mL) was assessed on the viability of primary cortical neurons exposed to L-glutamate (0.1 mg/mL). Scopolamine induced memory impairment and increased oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and neuronal loss. P. biglobosa extract (44 mg/kg) reduced (p < 0.001) short- and long-term memory deficit. It also increased (p < 0.01) the concentration of acetylcholine, reduced (p < 0.001) that of malondialdehyde, and limited (p < 0.001) neuroinflammation and neuronal loss (p < 0.001). In addition, the extract (2450 μg/mL) increased (p < 0.001) the percentage of viable cells. These results suggest that the extract has effects on amnesia and neurogenesis. These effects seem to be mediated by antioxidant and anti-inflammatory modulations.

Astrocytes are the primary cell type in the central nervous system, responsible for maintaining the stability of the brain's internal environment and supporting neuronal functions. Researches have demonstrated the close relationship between astrocytes and the pathophysiology and etiology of major depressive disorder. However, the regulatory mechanisms of astrocytes during depression remain unclear. The aim of this study is to examine the alterations of calcium signaling of astrocytes in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), the calcium signaling alterations of neurons in both the DRN and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and the alteration of depressive-like behaviors by activation of DRN astrocytes using chemogenetics in chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) mice. The results showed that the intensity of calcium signaling in DRN astrocytes was decreased and the frequency of calcium signaling was lower after CSDS. The activation of DRN astrocytes increased the calcium signaling of the neurons including CaMKIIα neurons in both DRN and mPFC (via neural circuit between DRN and mPFC). The depressive-like behaviors were improved by activating DRN astrocytes in CSDS mice. Our results suggest that the astrocytes in DRN have an important role in depression and the findings offer new insights for the treatment of depression.

People with Cushing's disease (CD) often experience both mood/anxiety disorders and cognitive impairments that persist during long-term biochemical remission. The relationship between persistent neurocognitive and psychiatric problems in patients with CD is not well understood. Also, mechanisms other than hypercortisolism are poorly understood, and studies comparing CD with nonfunctioning adenomas (NFA) patients postoperatively are scarce. We compared neuropsychological functioning in two groups: individuals with CD in remission (n = 20; 80% female; 61.6 [44.13] months since remission) and individuals with NFAs (n = 20). Evaluation was performed, on average, 4.9 years following pituitary surgery. We used mediation models to evaluate psychiatric dysfunction as a possible mediator of cognitive outcomes and assessed the influence of demographic and medical factors (age at diagnosis, remission duration, and radiation therapy) on neuropsychological outcomes. Neuropsychological outcomes did not differ significantly between groups; however, up to 30% of patients demonstrated mild impairments in attention, processing speed, executive functioning, and visual memory. Time since remission in the CD group was inversely correlated with processing speed; however, this relationship was no longer significant after controlling for the presence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Levels of anxiety, depression, or somatization were reported in up to 40% of people with CD. Further, 70% of people with CD and 35% of people with NFA reported continuous depressive symptoms lasting at least 2 years. In conclusion, neuropsychological screening in clinical practice and longitudinal studies in individuals with NFA and CD are needed to identify patients at risk for long-term neuropsychological dysfunction. Appropriate support and treatment are recommended for persistent cognitive and/or psychiatric dysfunction for both patient groups.