Objective sleep disturbance is associated with poor response to cognitive and behavioral treatments for insomnia in postmenopausal women

Study objectivesTo determine whether insomnia patients with objective sleep disturbance are less responsive to cognitive and behavioral treatments than those without objective sleep disturbance, characterize effects of insomnia therapy on objective sleep, and determine whether reductions in nocturnal cognitive arousal correspond to changes in objective sleep.MethodsSecondary analysis of a single-site, randomized controlled trial. 113 postmenopausal women (56.40 ± 5.34 years) with menopause-related insomnia disorder were randomized to three treatment conditions: cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI), sleep restriction therapy (SRT), or sleep education control. Primary outcomes were the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and polysomnography (PSG) sleep parameters and were collected at pretreatment, posttreatment, and six-month follow-up.ResultsPatients with lower pretreatment PSG sleep efficiency had lower rates of insomnia remission after active treatment relative to those with higher sleep efficiency (37.8% vs 61.8%). Neither CBTI and SRT produced clinically meaningful effects on PSG sleep. Exploratory analyses revealed that reductions in nocturnal cognitive arousal were associated with decreases in PSG sleep latency, but not wake after sleep onset.ConclusionsOur findings support an emerging literature suggesting that insomnia patients with objective sleep disturbance may have blunted response to insomnia therapy. Research is needed to enhance treatments to better improve insomnia in patients with objective sleep disturbance. A lack of observed CBTI and SRT effects on PSG sleep suggests that these therapies may be presently ill-designed to improve objective sleep. Nocturnal cognitive arousal may represent an entry point to improve objective sleep latency in insomnia.NameBehavioral Treatment of Menopausal Insomnia: Sleep and Daytime Outcomes. URL: clinicaltrials.gov. Registration: NCT01933295.     

Transient anisocoria after a traumatic cervical spinal cord injury: A case report

Context: Autonomic dysreflexia and dysautonomia can be a common complication following spinal cord injury, especially at levels of T6 and above and can lead to complications associated with the pupil. In this case report, we review autonomic dysreflexia, the anatomy and physiology of the sympathetic nervous system of the eye, as well as review the clinical relevance in understanding autonomic and pupillary changes in response to autonomic dysfunction.

Findings: We present a patient with an incomplete C4 level injury who was found to have isolated anisocoria on two separate occasions during his acute inpatient rehabilitation stay.

Conclusion/Clinical Relevance: Anisocoria associated with abnormal sympathetic activation may be a clinical sign of dysautonomia.     

C57BL/6小鼠放射性心肺功能不全动物模型建立

目的 建立C57BL/6小鼠放射性心肺功能不全动物模型。方法 24只雄性C57BL/6小鼠随机分为对照组、照射组。照射组接受胸部局部单次20 Gy电子线照射,照后饲养6个月。超声心动检查心功能,血气分析检测血氧分压(PaO₂),Tunel染色法检测细胞凋亡,Masson染色法检测心肺纤维化。结果 照射组LVEF (68.60±10.92)%与对照组(81.75±8.79)%降低(P<0.01);照射组心脏凋亡指数(23.90±6.60)%比对照组(3.25±3.38)%增高(P<0.01);照射组心脏CVF (15.42±5.72)%比对照组(1.45±0.64)%增高(P<0.01)。照射组PaO₂(86.10±7.60) mmHg比对照组PaO₂(107.16±9.01) mmHg下降(P<0.01);照射组肺脏凋亡指数(27.90±8.94)%比对照组(2.50±3.55)%增高(P<0.01);照射组肺脏CVF (17.76±5.77)%比对照组(2.50±3.55)%增高(P<0.01)。结论 辐射使心肺凋亡纤维化重塑,进而导致心肺功能的下降,成功构建C57BL/6小鼠放射性心肺功能不全动物模型。     

Effects of single and combined exposure to lead and stress during pregnancy on offspring neurodevelopment

ObjectiveTo assess associations of single and combined exposures to lead and stress during different stages of pregnancy with offspring neurodevelopment.MethodsWe measured prenatal lead (maternal blood-lead in early-pregnancy and umbilical-cord-blood-lead) and maternal stress levels in Shanghai-Birth-Cohort from 2013 to 2016. Maternal stress was assessed using Center-for-Epidemiological-Studies-Depression-Scale and Self-Rating-Anxiety-Scale during mid-pregnancy. The Ages-Stages-Questionnaires-3 (at 6/12-months-of-age) and Bayley-III (at 24-months-of-age) were both used to assess neurodevelopment.ResultsA total of 2132 mother-child pairs with both prenatal lead and stress measurements were included. The geometric-means of blood-lead in early-pregnancy and cord-blood-lead were 1.46 μg/dL and 1.33 μg/dL, respectively. Among the study women, 1.89 % and 0.14 % were screened positive for depression and anxiety. Adjusting for related confounders, the combined exposures had stronger adverse associations with offspring social-emotional skills than single exposures; and the combined exposure in early-pregnancy was associated with greater neurodevelopmental differences than combined exposure around-birth, especially in social-emotion at 24 months-of-age [β (95 %CI): − 10.48(−17.42, −3.54) vs. − 5.95(−11.53, −0.36)].ConclusionsBoth single and combined prenatal exposures to lead/stress impaired infant neuro-development, and the effects of combined exposure may be more profound than single exposures. Combined exposure in early-pregnancy may be associated with worse neurodevelopmental outcomes than combined exposure around-birth, especially in social-emotional development.     

Rate of progression from mild cognitive impairment to dementia in an essential tremor cohort: A prospective,longitudinal study

BackgroundEssential tremor (ET), among the most common neurological diseases, is associated with cognitive dysfunction. Yet, nearly all knowledge of ET-related cognitive impairment is static and cross-sectional (e.g., prevalence), with virtually no dynamic information (i.e., course and progression, conversion rates, and clinical outcomes).ObjectivesTo quantify the rate of progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia in a cohort of elderly ET cases.Methods167 ET cases, enrolled in a prospective, longitudinal, clinical-pathological study, underwent an extensive neuropsychological testing battery at baseline (T1), 1.5 years (T2), and 3 years (T3). Results of these assessments informed clinical diagnoses of normal cognition (ET-NC), MCI (ET-MCI), and dementia (ET-D).ResultsAt baseline, 26 cases (82.7 ± 7.7 years) were diagnosed with ET-MCI and were available for follow-up at T2. At T2, three of 26 (11.5%) had converted to ET-D. At the start of T2, 23 cases (83.6 ± 7.7 years) were diagnosed with ET-MCI and were available for follow-up at T3. At T3, six of 23 (26.1%) converted to ET-D. The average annual conversion rate from ET-MCI to ET-D was 12.5%.ConclusionsThe study of cognitive impairment in ET is a nascent field, with limited data. We show that the conversion rate from ET-MCI to ET-dementia was 12.5%. Available studies on historical controls have reported conversion rates of 2.6–6.3%. Data such as these systematically fill gaps in knowledge, creating a scientifically-derived knowledge base to guide physicians and patients in clinical settings.     

Neurophysiology of motor skill learning in chronic stroke

ObjectiveMotor learning is relevant in chronic stroke for acquiring compensatory strategies to motor control deficits. However, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying motor skill acquisition with the paretic upper limb have received little systematic investigation. The aim of this study was to assess the modulation of corticomotor excitability and intracortical inhibition within ipsilesional primary motor cortex (M1) during motor skill learning.MethodsTen people at the chronic stage after stroke and twelve healthy controls trained on a sequential visuomotor isometric wrist extension task. Skill was quantified before, immediately after, 24 hours and 7 days post-training. Transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to examine corticomotor excitability and short- and long-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI and LICI) pre- and post-training.ResultsThe patient group exhibited successful skill acquisition and retention, although absolute skill level was lower compared with controls. In contrast to controls, patients’ ipsilesional corticomotor excitability was not modulated during skill acquisition, which may be attributed to excessive ipsilesional LICI relative to controls. SICI decreased after training for both patient and control groups.ConclusionsOur findings indicate distinct inhibitory networks within M1 that may be relevant for motor learning after stroke.SignificanceThese findings have potential clinical relevance for neurorehabilitation adjuvants aimed at augmenting the recovery of motor function.     

尿毒症相关性不安腿综合征的发病机制研究进展

尿毒症是继发性不安腿综合征最常见的病因之一，但相关机制尚未完全阐明。在尿毒症相关性不安腿综合征的发病机制中，间脑多巴胺能神经元受损所致的功能障碍、铁缺乏对运动障碍的直接调控及通过影响多巴胺能系统的间接调控、持续性的血液透析所致的静息状态、对硫铵代谢的影响等扮演重要角色。此外，周围神经病变、钙磷不平衡、基因、毒素刺激等因素可能也参与了尿毒症相关性不安腿综合征的发生与发展。     

认知行为干预在冠心病患者护理中的应用效果

目的观察认知行为干预在冠心病患者护理中的应用效果。方法选取本院2016年12月～2018年2月期间收治的53例冠心病患者,根据住院号奇偶性情况将其随机分为观察组(n=27)和对照组(n=26),对照组予以常规护理,观察组予以认知行为干预。比较两组患者控制态度评分、心理状况评分、生活质量改善情况及依从性。结果观察组控制态度评分、心理状况评分、生活质量改善情况及依从性与对照组比较,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论在冠心病患者护理中给予认知行为干预应用效果极佳,可作为临床干预首选措施。