Cerebrolysin reverses hippocampal neural atrophy in a mice model of diabetes mellitus type 1

The animal model of streptozotocin‐induced diabetes mellitus type 1 (DM1) is used to study neuronal and behavioral changes produced by an increase in blood‐glucose levels. Our previous report showed that chronic streptozotocin administration induced atrophy of dendritic morphology of pyramidal neurons of the CA1 dorsal hippocampus. In addition, we showed that Cerebrolysin (Cbl), a neurotrophic peptide mixture, reduces the dendritic atrophy in animal models of aging. This study aimed to determine whether Cbl was capable of reducing behavioral and neuronal alterations, after 6 weeks of hyperglycemia in mice (streptozotocin‐induced DM1). The levels of glucose in the blood were evaluated before and after streptozotocin administration and only animals with more than 240 mg/dL of blood‐levels of glucose were used. After streptozotocin treatment, the mice received 6 weeks of Cbl, locomotor activity was measured and dendritic morphological changes were evaluated using Golgi‐Cox stain procedure, and analyzed by the Sholl method. In mice treated with streptozotocin there was a clear reduction in the dendritic length of pyramidal neurons of the CA1 and granular cells of the dental gyrus of the dorsal hippocampus. Interestingly, Cbl reversed the morphological changes induced by streptozotocin. Our results extend the list of abnormal morphological changes detected in this model of DM, and support the possibility that Cbl may have beneficial effects in the management of brain alterations induced by DM. Synapse 69:326–335, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Conserved expression of the GPR151 receptor in habenular axonal projections of vertebrates

The habenula is a phylogenetically conserved brain structure in the epithalamus. It is a major node in the information flow between fronto‐limbic brain regions and monoaminergic brainstem nuclei, and is thus anatomically and functionally ideally positioned to regulate emotional, motivational, and cognitive behaviors. Consequently, the habenula may be critically important in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders such as addiction and depression. Here we investigated the expression pattern of GPR151, a G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR), whose mRNA has been identified as highly and specifically enriched in habenular neurons by in situ hybridization and translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP). In the present immunohistochemical study we demonstrate a pronounced and highly specific expression of the GPR151 protein in the medial and lateral habenula of rodent brain. Specific expression was also seen in efferent habenular fibers projecting to the interpeduncular nucleus, the rostromedial tegmental area, the rhabdoid nucleus, the mesencephalic raphe nuclei, and the dorsal tegmental nucleus. Using confocal microscopy and quantitative colocalization analysis, we found that GPR151‐expressing axons and terminals overlap with cholinergic, substance P‐ergic, and glutamatergic markers. Virtually identical expression patterns were observed in rat, mouse, and zebrafish brains. Our data demonstrate that GPR151 is highly conserved, specific for a subdivision of the habenular neurocircuitry, and constitutes a promising novel target for psychiatric drug development. J. Comp. Neurol. 523:359–380, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Maternally responsive neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and medial preoptic area: Putative circuits for regulating anxiety and reward

Postpartum neuropsychiatric disorders are a major source of morbidity and mortality and affect at least 10% of childbearing women. Affective dysregulation within this context has been identified in association with changes in reproductive steroids. Steroids promote maternal actions and modulate affect, but can also destabilize mood in some but not all women. Potential brain regions that mediate these effects include the medial preoptic area (mPOA) and ventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (vBNST). Herein, we review the regulation of neural activity in the mPOA/vBNST by environmental and hormonal concomitants in puerperal females. Such activity may influence maternal anxiety and motivation and have significant implications for postpartum affective disorders. Future directions for research are also explored, including physiological circuit-level approaches to gain insight into the functional connectivity of hormone-responsive maternal circuits that modulate affect.     

Developmental programing of thirst and sodium appetite

Thirst and sodium appetite are the sensations responsible for the motivated behaviors of water and salt intake, respectively, and both are essential responses for the maintenance of hydromineral homeostasis in animals. These sensations and their related behaviors develop very early in the postnatal period in animals. Many studies have demonstrated several pre- and postnatal stimuli that are responsible for the developmental programing of thirst and sodium appetite and, consequently, the pattern of water and salt intake in adulthood in need-free or need-induced conditions. The literature systematically reports the involvement of dietary changes, hydromineral and cardiovascular challenges, renin–angiotensin system and steroid hormone disturbances, and lifestyle in these developmental factors. Therefore, this review will address how pre- and postnatal challenges can program lifelong thirst and sodium appetite in animals and humans, as well as which neuroendocrine substrates are involved. In addition, the possible epigenetic molecular mechanisms responsible for the developmental programing of drinking behavior, the clinical implications of hydromineral disturbances during pre- and postnatal periods, and the developmental origins of adult hydromineral behavior will be discussed.     

Resting state functional connectivity of the subthalamic nucleus in Parkinson's disease assessed using arterial spin‐labeled perfusion fMRI

Neurophysiological changes within the cortico‐basal ganglia‐thalamocortical circuits appear to be a characteristic of Parkinson's disease (PD) pathophysiology. The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is one of the basal ganglia components showing pathological neural activity patterns in PD. In this study, perfusion imaging data, acquired noninvasively using arterial spin‐labeled (ASL) perfusion MRI, were used to assess the resting state functional connectivity (FC) of the STN in 24 early‐to‐moderate PD patients and 34 age‐matched healthy controls, to determine whether altered FC in the very low frequency range of the perfusion time signal occurs as a result of the disease. Our results showed that the healthy STN was functionally connected with other nuclei of the basal ganglia and the thalamus, as well as with discrete cortical areas including the insular cortex and the hippocampus. In PD patients, connectivity of the STN was increased with two cortical areas involved in motor and cognitive processes. These findings suggest that hyperconnectivity of the STN could underlie some of the motor and cognitive deficits often present even at early stages of the disease. The FC measures provided good discrimination between controls and patients, suggesting that ASL‐derived FC metrics could be a putative PD biomarker. Hum Brain Mapp 36:1937–1950, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc .     

骶棘肌复位缝合法与传统骶棘肌游离法在单纯椎板间隙开窗髓核摘除术中的应用

目的对比分析后路单纯椎板间隙开窗髓核摘除术中骶棘肌复位缝合法与传统骶棘肌游离法治疗腰椎间盘突出症的临床效果,探讨骶棘肌复位缝合法的应用价值。方法回顾性分析2009年6月至2013年7月单节段腰椎间盘突出症患者80例,按照治疗方式的不同分为观察组(行骶棘肌复位缝合法治疗)和对照组(行传统骶棘肌游离法治疗),比较两组术后引流量、并发症发生情况、术后住院天数,手术前后视觉模拟评分(VAS)和功能障碍评分(ODI),以及患者术后48 h血红蛋白丢失率。结果观察组、对照组术后引流量分别为(121.4±12.8)ml、(159.7±14.3)ml,血红蛋白丢失率分别为(1.4±0.6)%、(2.3±0.8)%,术后ODI评分分别为(11.6±7.3)分、(15.4±8.8)分,以上项目两组差异明显,均有统计学意义(P0.05)。两组术后住院时间分别为(9.3±1.1)d、(9.4±1.3)d,两组术后VAS评分分别为(2.1±1.8)分、(2.7±1.9)分,以上项目两组比较差异均无统计学意义(P0.05)。观察组并发症发生例数少于对照组,但差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论骶棘肌复位缝合法具有术后引流量少、并发症发生率低、术后ODI评分值及术后48 h血红蛋白丢失率低等优点,是一种良好的手术方式,值得临床推广应用。     

磁敏感加权成像技术在帕金森病患者的脑基底节和红核铁含量的变化分析中的应用研究

目的应用磁敏感加权成像技术(SWI)测量分析帕金森病患者脑基底节和红核中铁含量变化,并探讨该技术在帕金森患者临床研究中的应用价值。方法对60例帕金森病患者及55例健康对照者进行磁敏感加权成像检查,在滤波后的校正相位图上测量基底节、红核的相位值,随后分析二者相位值在帕金森病患者中的异常情况以及与疾病的病情、病程的相关性。结果帕金森病患者的基底节与红核中的相位值分别是0.064±0.025,0.071±0.018,明显低于健康对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);Hoehn-Yahr分级为Ⅲ~Ⅳ的帕金森病患者比分级为Ⅰ~Ⅱ级的帕金森病患者同样存在显著高的相位值(P0.05),说明基底节与红核的相位值与帕金森病的病情密切相关,而基底节与红核的相位值与帕金森病的病程无关。结论磁敏感加权成像技术作为一个新型的影像技术,可以有效地检测帕金森病患者脑内铁沉积情况,有助于临床判断帕金森病患者的病情变化。