Objective: To identify early changes in hippocampal quantitative parameters in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients using synthetic MRI, and to correlate these changes with clinical variables.
Methods: 45 MS patients and 26 healthy controls (HCs) underwent synthetic MRI and 3D-T1 MRI. The hippocampus volumes were assessed by using voxel-based morphometry. Synthetic MRI parameters (T1, T2, and proton density (PD)) from hippocampus and its subfield were measured and compared, and their associations with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) scores were further investigated.
Results: There was no significant difference in hippocampal volume between MS patients and HCs. Compared with HCs, the T1, T2 and PD values of hippocampus and its subfield increased in MS patients. T2 values showed positive correlation with EDSS and negative correlation with SDMT.
Conclusions: Synthetic MRI can detect subtle quantitative changes of the hippocampus in MS patients with normal hippocampal volume. Specifically, Synthetic MRI parameters may apply as potentially effective imaging biomarker for hippocampus evaluation.
Background: Ischemic stroke has become one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide in individuals aged 60 and above. However, currently available drugs show limited efficacy. Therefore, research to find more effective and safer therapeutic strategies is an urgent requirement for the treatment of cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury (CIRI).
Methods: First, the free radical scavenger Edaravone and a Ginseng active ingredient were coloaded into liposomes (aER@Lip), followed by optimization and characterization. Pluronic F127 and F68 at different concentrations were mixed and stored at 4 °C for more than 24 h to obtain gel solutions. Then, aER@Lip was added to the gel solutions to prepare the drug-loaded in situ gel, termed aER@Lip-TSG.
Results: In vitro experiments showed that aER@Lip-TSG was taken up by cells and had a good protective effect on oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation in pheochromocytoma 12 cells. In a rat CIRI model, aER@Lip-TSG delivered by intranasal administration not only decreased the apoptosis in brain tissue induced by CIRI, but also decreased the resultant inflammatory response. Moreover, the results suggested that aER@Lip-TSG had good biosafety.
Conclusion: This delivery system provides a promising multi-factor combination, synergistic effects, sustained-release capabilities, and is a non-invasive treatment strategy for CIRI. It thus meets the urgent need for effective treatments of central nervous system diseases.
Background: Antioxidants that can scavenge reactive oxygen in the brain and inhibit hyperactivity of the HPA axis are desirable.
Aims: We investigated the cerebral translocation of the antioxidant 3,5-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzyl alcohol (DHMBA) and the effects of DHMBA administration on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in stress-loaded rats.
Methods: Experiment 1: Plasma and brain DHMBA concentrations were measured over time after oral DHMBA administration to female B6 mice. Experiment 2: Female Wistar Imamichi rats were used. The normal group was not subjected to stress. The stress, DHMBA, and vitamin E groups were subjected to individual and overcrowding stress. Brain and hippocampal 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine levels, hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor-α levels, plasma corticosterone levels and RNA levels of glutathione peroxidase 4, catalase, and glutathione reductase in the hippocampus were measured.
Results: In Experiment 1, DHMBA was not detected in the plasma or brain before DHMBA administration but was detected in both after administration. In Experiment 2, brain and hippocampal 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine levels and plasma corticosterone levels were significantly lower in the DHMBA than in the stress group. Glucocorticoid receptor-α levels were higher in the DHMBA than in the stress group. DHMBA increased RNA levels of antioxidant enzymes in the hippocampus.
Conclusion: DHMBA was translocated to the brain after administration. DHMBA administration decreased 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine levels in the brain and hippocampus, increased hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor-α levels, and decreased the plasma corticosterone concentration, suggesting that DHMBA inhibits hyperactivity of the HPA axis. Nrf2 pathway activity induced by DHMBA resulted in increased antioxidant enzyme levels in the hippocampus.