Annals of Neurosciences最新文献

Background: The issue of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has received critical attention in understanding the complexity of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Despite growing empirical support demonstrating the role of ACEs in neurodevelopment, there is little research on their distinct role in the onset, severity, and progression of NDDs, specifically attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and cognitive impairments.

Summary: The goal of this systematic review is to critically summarise the existing research on the relationship between ACEs and NDDs, assess current knowledge about their interdependency, identify the gaps in the literature, and suggest future direction and clinical application. Based on the PECO and PRISMA frameworks, we have systematically searched four electronic databases-ScienceDirect, Web of Science, EBSCO, and PubMed. Thirty-two studies that meet the inclusion criteria are further evaluated for quality using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) and Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) parameters. Most studies fall in the moderate-to-high quality range. The review critically evaluates the interplay between ACEs and three types of specific NDDs-ADHD, ASD, and cognitive impairments. The findings provide strong empirical confirmation of the consistent bidirectional, cyclical, and dose-response association between the ACEs and NDDs.

Key message: Shedding a contemporary light on recent evidence, this study focuses on important gaps in the existing literature pertaining to the association of ACEs and NDDs across the developmental trajectory of the individual. There are several promising areas for further study involving high-quality research (quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods) to investigate the dynamic and complex interplay between ACEs and NDDs and to design appropriate interventions.

Background: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting motor neurons and is characterised by a diverse range of clinical manifestations. With the understanding of its pathophysiology, many treatments have emerged in last two decades. This study aims to evaluate the impact of intravenous Edaravone on Amyotrophy Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale (ALS-FRS) scores and patient survival outcomes of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis patients in Central India.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted over a span of 2.5 years and included patients diagnosed with definitive or probable ALS, as per the revised El Escorial criteria. The effects of intravenous (IV) Edaravone on ALS-FRS-R scores were compared between two groups: the intervention group (patients who received IV Edaravone) and the non-intervention group (patients who did not receive IV Edaravone). Data collected included demographic details and ALS-FRS-R scores that were recorded at baseline after each treatment cycle, for a total six cycles. These scores were compared with those of the control group at the corresponding time points. Survival outcomes were also evaluated between the two groups and side effect profile of the drug was also noted.

Results: Data of ALS patients (definitive and probable) were screened, and 62 patients were enrolled, of which 12 were excluded, thus there were 25 ALS patients in the intervention group and 25 patients in the non-intervention group. The two groups were matched for demographic parameters and the ALS-FRS scores were noted at the baseline at each cycle till 6 cycles and compared. It was inferred that the scores were not significant statistically (p > .001) among the two groups, nor did the survival rates vary significantly.

Conclusion: Intravenous Edaravone therapy had no beneficial effect on the ALS-FRS score in the intervention group when compared to the non-intervention group, nor did the survival rates improve. Keywords: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Edaravone Therapy, ALS FRS Score.

Background: Sexting, the explicit sharing of digital content, is found common among young adults in this era. It appears to originate from a process of identity exploration and need for external validation or attention. Social media is used as a tool to validate this need, with easy access to smartphones and impulsivity contributing to its rise.

Purpose: Nomophobia, the fear of being separated from one's mobile, has become a significant concern among young adults in today's digital era. This study aimed to examine the psychological and emotional implications of nomophobia, focusing on its relationship with risky decision-making and sexting behaviour.

Methods: A sample of 206 young adults aged 18-25 is utilised. Data is collected using self-report questionnaires: the nomophobia questionnaire (NMP-Q), the sexting behaviour scale (SBS) and the domain-specific risk-taking scale (DOSPERT).

Results: Linear regression was conducted to evaluate the predictive relationships between risky decision-making, sexting behaviour and nomophobia. Baron and Kenny's mediational analysis examined the role of sexting behaviour as a mediator. Results: This study found that males reported higher levels of risky decision-making (M = 4.03, <0.001) and marginally higher levels of sexting behaviour (M = 1.94, p = .051) compared to females. Regression analysis revealed that risky decision-making significantly predicted nomophobia (β = 0.454, p < .001), while sexting behaviour also emerged as a significant predictor of nomophobia (β = 0.502, p < .001). Baron and Kenny's analysis showed that sexting behaviour partially mediated the relationship between risky decision-making and nomophobia. Risky decision-making significantly predicted nomophobia (β = 0.454), and the indirect effect through sexting behaviour was also significant (β = 0.111).

Conclusion: The findings highlight the significant role of risky decision-making and sexting behaviour in predicting nomophobia, with notable gender differences observed in these variables. This study emphasises the need for targeted strategies to address the psychological impact of excessive dependence on mobile devices among young adults.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the predominant age-related neurodegenerative condition, characterised by the gradual and irreversible loss of neurons. Key pathological features include amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, which trigger a chronic inflammatory response in the brain, leading to microglial activation and proliferation.

Purpose: This study evaluated the neuroprotective potential of diosgenin (DGN) and pterostilbene, two phytoconstituents with known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, in amyloid-β 1-42 exposed SH-SY5Y cells.

Methods: Human neuroblastoma cells were cultured and neurodifferentiated with retinoic acid, then exposed to amyloid-β 1-42 to simulate the AD model. Treatments included DGN (1.5 µM), pterostilbene (PTB) (1.5 µM), their combination (0.25 µM and 0.5 µM), and donepezil (1.2 µM) as a standard drug for comparison. The effects of treatments were assessed through cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, apoptosis, inflammatory cytokines, and BDNF levels using various assays, including flow cytometry, ELISA, Western blotting, and inhibitory assays for NOS, H₂O₂-mediated oxidative stress, DPPH, AChE, and β-secretase.

Results: DGN and PTB combination indicated increased cell viability, reduced microglial activation, decreased apoptosis, and lower ROS levels, with the maximum effect observed in the combination group (0.5 µM). Combination treatments also showed maximum inhibition in various assays and reduced levels of cytokines while upregulating BDNF, highlighting their neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that the combination of DGN and PTB may serve as an effective neuroinflammatory modulator in managing neurodegenerative diseases.

Background: Amid the fast-paced world, nature has a therapeutic modality for healing individuals both physiologically and psychologically. One such practice mentioned in an ancient Indian text is 'Vanacharya', which provides a deep connection with nature and a means of achieving overall well-being. Vancharya is a practice with profound roots in Indian spiritual and philosophical traditions that view the environment as a sacred and valuable source of knowledge and healing.

Purpose: This purpose of this experimental research is to explore the therapeutic benefits of 'vancharya', in healing subtle systems of energy or the biofield present within the body like Aura Field (AF), Overall Alignment of Chakra (OAC), Overall, Chakra Energy (OCE), Stress Level (SL), Overall Energy Level (OEL).

Methods: This research aims to evaluate the effect of 'vancharya', by examining 50 young adult participants over a one-week period (7 days). The study utilised a non-experimental single-group pre- and post-research design. The data collection was done using an advanced Biowell machine. The obtained data were analysed through a Paired Sample t-test by using SPSS software.

Results: The obtained results indicated significant changes in the AF, OAC, OCE, while showing no significant impact on participants' SL and OEL. Subjects also reported improved sleep patterns, less impulsivity, reduced aggression and fewer fluctuations of mood during their sessions in day-to-day activities.

Conclusion: Therefore, the research indicates that 'Vancharya' as a therapeutic modality had a significant impact on the subtle systems of energy among young adults. The obtained result from this intervention programme clearly indicates that subtle systems present in the body can have an impact as early as within 7 days itself, whereas, for visible impact within the individual (for instance stress level or overall energy level of the body), the duration of the intervention can be increased.

Background: Meditation and Yoga practices are being adopted and gaining considerable interest as a tool that prevents the occurrence of numerous ailments. Meditation is well prescribed in several old religious manuscripts and has origins in past Indian practices that encourage emotional and personal well-being. Two different classification tasks were performed. One way to identify the mind state allied with Vipassana meditation and another was to identify the mind state allied with Himalayan Yoga meditation. The tasks were performed for classifying non-meditative and meditative states with varying cut-off frequencies to obtain the best results.

Purpose: This study is mainly focused on how the high-pass cut-off influences the single-trial accuracy of the model. The performance of the model depends on appropriate pre-processing. The results of High-pass Filter (HPF) at different settings were methodically assessed. Although there are many factors on which the accuracy of the model depends, like the HPF, Independent Components Analysis (ICA), model building and the hyperparameter tuning. One important preprocessing step is to effectively choose the filter to improve the classification results.

Methods: Inception Convolutional Gated Recurrent Neural Network (IC-RNN) and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) models were designed and compared to examine the varying effects of HPF.

Results and conclusion: The highest accuracy of 86.19% was attained for IC-RNN, and 99.45% was achieved for CNN model with filter setting at 1 Hz for the Vipassana meditation classification task. The highest accuracy of 88.15% was attained for IC-RNN, and 100% was achieved for CNN model with the same filter setting at 1 Hz for the Himalayan Yoga meditation classification task. HPF at 1 Hz steadily produced good results. Based on the outcomes, the guidelines are suggested for filter settings to increase the performance of the model.

Background: Perinatal mood disorders are being increasingly recognised and may have deleterious outcomes for the mother and offspring, underlining the importance of understanding their pathophysiology. Neurosteroids can alter the excitability of neurons through rapid non-genomic actions. Here, we review the changes in neurosteroids across pregnancy and their impact on maternal mental health.

Summary: Among the neurosteroids, the most studied is allopregnanolone, followed by 5-DHP in pregnancy. Predominantly, allopregnanolone is shown to be increased across pregnancy with a drop in the post-partum levels. With respect to the mood changes in pregnancy and the role of neurosteroids, there are conflicting reports about pregnanolone and its isomers. However, a few studies reported that lower allopregnanolone levels during mid-pregnancy seem to be associated with an increased risk for postpartum depression (PPD).

Key message: Thus, while there are reports that have examined individual neurosteroids across pregnancy, studies with serial measurements that include comprehensively all neurosteroids throughout pregnancy and their temporal relationship to mood are needed. Such studies will pave the way for a better understanding of the neurobiology of mood disorders in pregnancy. Additionally, it will facilitate the development of novel antenatal tests for potential predictive biomarkers, thus improving clinical decision-making, patient management and evolving appropriate preventive lifestyle interventions/therapeutic measures.

Background: Emotional dysregulation is a multidimensional construct, understood as frequent and intense experience of emotions combined with a lack of ability to cope with their occurrence. Adolescence represents a crucial developmental period where emotional dysregulation is being increasingly addressed as an emerging mental health issue, with implications on overall well-being, as well as a potential cause of psychopathology. Mindfulness is the awareness that surfaces through purposefully paying attention to the present moment and nonjudgmentally, exploring the layers of moment-to-moment experiences; Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) emphasise increasing the awareness of the thoughts, feelings, and actions through therapeutic application of Mindfulness techniques. The application of MBIs is conducive to reducing emotional regulation difficulties and has further led to the enhancement of self-regulation of emotions and behaviour.

Summary: This study aims to understand the role of MBIs on emotional dysregulation among adolescents.The methodology comprised of a systematic review of literature following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The analysis of the literature highlighted that MBIs effectively reduce emotional dysregulation and improve emotional regulation. The findings suggest that MBIs have been found to reduce adolescents' emotional dysregulation and improve emotional regulation, coping skills, as well as neurological functioning, leading to positive outcomes as well as an enhancement of self-regulation of emotions.

Key messages: Emotional dysregulation is a critical concern during adolescence and can lead to mental health challenges.Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) help enhance emotional awareness and self-regulation.Systematic review findings suggest MBIs effectively reduce emotional dysregulation among adolescents.MBIs can serve as a preventative and therapeutic strategy for adolescent mental health.

Background: Suicidal behaviour (SB) is one of the most complex neuropsychiatric conditions, with an etiopathogenesis that remains elusive despite a myriad of studies revealing its multifaceted nature, influenced by various biological, psychological, socioeconomic and cultural factors, usually with complex reciprocal and synergistic interactions. Emerging evidence has recently suggested a potential involvement of pathogens and host-tissue derived microbial species in contributing to SB. This review aims to provide a concise synthesis of clinical evidence focusing on the presence of microbial alterations in subjects with SB and in those exhibiting risk factors for SB, thereby exploring a possible new perspective in suicidology.

Summary: We conducted a surveillance of the literature in the PUBMED database, from its inception to 10 May 2025, to identify associations between infection/microbial alterations with SB and some of its risk factors (by focusing on two pathologic examples of psychiatric and somatic origins, respectively: depression and chronic pain, two often closely related conditions). Major clinical findings were selected and synthesised into a hypothetical framework to support the presence of a microbe-related origin of SB. We found that SB was associated with selected infections, such as Toxoplasma gondii and Cytomegalovirus. Dysbiosis, including changes in diversity and/or abundance of selected microbial species, in the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, and other mucosal tissues, was observed in subjects with SB and individuals with psychiatric (depression) and somatic (chronic pain) risk factors of SB.

Key message: Microbial dysbiosis might contribute to SB etiopathogenesis. Further studies in this emerging field of research are expected to provide additional mechanistic insights for an improved understanding, prevention, and therapeutic management of this neuropsychiatric condition.

Background: The phenomenon of anxiety stemming from the absence of a smartphone or mobile device, known as nomophobia, has become increasingly prevalent in contemporary society. This condition is particularly pronounced among young adults and is associated with several adverse psychological outcomes, including depression, anxiety, stress, somatic complaints and anxiety- related disorders.

Purpose: This study aims to examine the prevalence of nomophobia and its psychopathological correlations.

Methods: The study sample comprised N = 200 college/university students and working adults in the age group of 18-25 years. The Nomophobia Scale, developed by Yildirim and Correia (2015), and the short version of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) by Morey (1991) were employed. The research utilised SPSS-26, a quantitative analysis software, and applied descriptive statistics along with Pearson Product-Moment correlation and simple linear regression.

Findings: The results indicated a significant positive correlation between nomophobia and certain subscales of psychological symptoms, such as depression, somatic complaints, anxiety, and anxiety- related disorders. And Nomophobia significantly predicted psychopathologies among young adults.