The relationship between oxytocin,dietary intake and feeding: A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies in mice and rats

The neuropeptide oxytocin has been associated with food intake and feeding behaviour. This systematic review aimed to investigate the impact of oxytocin on dietary intake and feeding behaviour in rodent studies. Six electronic databases were searched to identify published studies to April 2018. Preclinical studies in mice and rats were included if they reported: (1) a dietary measure (i.e. food or nutrient and/or behaviour (2) an oxytocin measure, and (3) relationship between the two measures. A total of 75 articles (n = 246 experiments) were included, and study quality appraised. The majority of studies were carried out in males (87%). The top three oxytocin outcomes assessed were: exogenous oxytocin administration (n = 126), oxytocin-receptor antagonist administration (n = 46) and oxytocin gene deletion (n = 29). Meta-analysis of exogenous studies in mice (3 studies, n = 43 comparisons) and rats (n = 8 studies, n = 82 comparisons) showed an overall decrease in food intake with maximum effect shown at 2 h post-administration.     

Giving a good start to a new life via maternal brain allostatic adaptations in pregnancy

Successful pregnancy requires adjustments to multiple maternal homeostatic mechanisms, governed by the maternal brain to support and enable survival of the growing fetus and placenta. Such adjustments fit the concept of allostasis (stability through change) and have a cost: allostatic load. Allostasis is driven by ovarian, anterior pituitary, placental and feto-placental hormones acting on the maternal brain to promote adaptations that support the pregnancy and protect the fetus. Many women carry an existing allostatic load into pregnancy, from socio-economic circumstances, poor mental health and in ‘developed’ countries, also from obesity. These pregnancies have poorer outcomes indicating negative interactions (failing allostasis) between pre-pregnancy and pregnancy allostatic loads. Use of animal models, such as adult prenatally stressed female offspring with abnormal neuroendocrine, metabolic and behavioural phenotypes, to probe gene expression changes, and epigenetic mechanisms in the maternal brain in adverse pregnancies are discussed, with the prospect of ameliorating poor pregnancy outcomes.     

双针刺疗法联合米索前列醇在118例孕足月产妇催产中的应用及对产妇宫颈成熟的影响＊

目的 研究118例孕足月产妇催产中采用双针刺疗法联合米索前列醇的效果对其宫颈成熟的影响。方法 选取2019年6月-2020年6月在我院就诊的足月催产患者118例，按照随机数字分配法分为米索前列醇治疗组和联合治疗组，各59例。米索前列醇治疗组给予米索前列醇片进行治疗，联合治疗组在米索前列醇治疗组的基础上给予双针刺疗法针刺双侧合谷、三阴交穴位。统计两组患者宫颈成熟、子宫活动力、宫口扩张速度、出血量、产程、分娩方式、新生儿情况及催产效率。结果 联合治疗组宫颈口扩张、宫颈管消退、先露位置、宫颈硬度、宫口位置指标均大于米索前列醇治疗组，有统计学差异（P < 0.05）。联合治疗组子宫活动力、宫口扩张速度均大于米索前列醇治疗组，产时出血量、产后2 h出血量均低于米索前列醇治疗组，有统计学差异（P < 0.05）。联合治疗组第一产程、第二产程、第三产程、总产程均小于米索前列醇治疗组，有统计学差异（P < 0.05）。联合治疗组阴道分娩患者例数多于米索前列醇治疗组，剖宫产患者例数少于米索前列醇治疗组，有统计学差异（P < 0.05）。联合治疗组催产效率高于米索前列醇治疗组，有统计学差异（P < 0.05）。结论 双针刺疗法联合米索前列醇在足月产妇催产中应用能促进患者宫颈成熟，减少产后出血量，缩短产程，促进阴道分娩，催产效率高。     

Neuroepigenetic impact on mentalizing in childhood

Mentalizing, or the ability to understand the mental states and intentions of others, is an essential social cognitive function that children learn and continue to cultivate into adolescence. While most typically developing children acquire sufficient mentalizing skills, individual differences in mentalizing persist throughout childhood and are likely influenced by a combination of cognitive functioning, the social environment, and biological factors. DNA methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTRm) impacts gene expression and is associated with increased brain activity in mentalizing regions during displays of animacy in healthy young adults. The establishment, fine-tuning, and implications of such associations in the context of broader social functioning remain unclear. Using a developmental neuroimaging epigenetic approach, we investigated the contributions of OXTRm to individual variability in brain function during animate motion perception in middle childhood. We find that higher levels of OXTRm are associated with increased neural responses in the left temporo-parietal junction and inferior frontal gyrus. We also find a positive association between neural activity in LTPJ and social skills. These findings provide evidence of epigenetic influence on the developing child brain and demonstrate that variability in neural social perception in childhood is multifaceted with contributions from individual social experience and the endogenous oxytocin system.     

硬膜外间歇脉冲注射镇痛模式中罗哌卡因 分娩镇痛效果及最适宜浓度研究

目的 探讨硬膜外间歇脉冲注射（intermittent epidural bolus，IEB）镇痛模式中罗哌卡因的分娩镇痛效果及最适宜浓度。方法 选择2021年1月至2022年1月龙港市人民医院收治的接受IEB镇痛的健康初产妇120例，按罗哌卡因使用浓度分为低浓度组（0.075%罗哌卡因）、中浓度组（0.1%罗哌卡因）、高浓度组（0.125%罗哌卡因），每组各40例。记录3组产妇在镇痛前、镇痛后1～7h、分娩时及分娩后1h的疼痛视觉模拟评分法（visual analogue scales，VAS）评分。采用Bromage评分评估3组产妇椎管内麻醉运动神经阻滞效应。记录3组产妇的产程时间、罗哌卡因总量、舒芬太尼总量、缩宫素使用情况、总满意度及新生儿Apgar评分。结果 镇痛后随产程进展，3组产妇的VAS均逐渐升高，其中低浓度组VAS相对较高；3组中除镇痛后1h外的其他时间点VAS，差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）；分娩时，3组VAS均达到最高，差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）。镇痛后1～7h，中浓度、高浓度组中Bromage评分1分的产妇占比均高于低浓度组，高浓度组中Bromage评分0分的产妇占比低于低浓度组，差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）；分娩时及分娩后1h，高浓度组Bromage评分1分的产妇占比高于低浓度组，差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）。3组产妇产程时间、罗哌卡因用量、舒芬太尼用量、使用缩宫素患者占比、总满意度、新生儿出生1min及5min的Apgar评分比较，差异均无统计学意义（P>0.05）。结论 采用0.1%罗哌卡因联合0.4μg/ml舒芬太尼的IEB镇痛模式可达到起效时间短、疼痛感觉阻滞完全、下肢运动神经阻滞少的目的，且不影响产程时间、宫缩以及新生儿Apgar评分，同时还减少了硬膜外用药的总量，提高了麻醉的安全性和产妇满意度。     

Gestational poly(I:C) attenuates,not exacerbates,the behavioral,cytokine and mTOR changes caused by isolation rearing in a rat ‘dual-hit’ model for neurodevelopmental disorders

Many psychiatric illnesses have a multifactorial etiology involving genetic and environmental risk factors that trigger persistent neurodevelopmental impairments. Several risk factors have been individually replicated in rodents, to understand disease mechanisms and evaluate novel treatments, particularly for poorly-managed negative and cognitive symptoms. However, the complex interplay between various factors remains unclear. Rodent dual-hit neurodevelopmental models offer vital opportunities to examine this and explore new strategies for early therapeutic intervention. This study combined gestational administration of polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C); PIC, to mimic viral infection during pregnancy) with post-weaning isolation of resulting offspring (to mirror adolescent social adversity). After in vitro and in vivo studies required for laboratory-specific PIC characterization and optimization, we administered 10 mg/kg i.p. PIC potassium salt to time-mated Lister hooded dams on gestational day 15. This induced transient hypothermia, sickness behavior and weight loss in the dams, and led to locomotor hyperactivity, elevated striatal cytokine levels, and increased frontal cortical JNK phosphorylation in the offspring at adulthood. Remarkably, instead of exacerbating the well-characterized isolation syndrome, gestational PIC exposure actually protected against a spectrum of isolation-induced behavioral and brain regional changes. Thus isolation reared rats exhibited locomotor hyperactivity, impaired associative memory and reversal learning, elevated hippocampal and frontal cortical cytokine levels, and increased mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activation in the frontal cortex – which were not evident in isolates previously exposed to gestational PIC. Brains from adolescent littermates suggest little contribution of cytokines, mTOR or JNK to early development of the isolation syndrome, or resilience conferred by PIC. But notably hippocampal oxytocin, which can protect against stress, was higher in adolescent PIC-exposed isolates so might contribute to a more favorable outcome. These findings have implications for identifying individuals at risk for disorders like schizophrenia who may benefit from early therapeutic intervention, and justify preclinical assessment of whether adolescent oxytocin manipulations can modulate disease onset or progression.     

宫颈扩张球囊联合缩宫素对足月孕妇引产安全性和产程的影响

目的分析宫颈扩张球囊和缩宫素的具体效果,明确在足月孕妇引产中的作用。方法选择2019年1-12月在医院产科进行分娩的100例有引产指征的足月妊娠患者,随机分为研究组与对照组,比较两组促宫颈成熟有效率、宫颈Bishop评分、临产时间、第一产程时间及分娩方式等。结果研究组促宫颈成熟总有效率明显高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);促宫颈成熟后,研究组宫颈Bishop评分高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);研究组临产时间、第一产程时间短于对照组,阴道分娩率高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);两组引产后2 h出血量及新生儿体重比较,差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论采用宫颈扩张球囊联合缩宫素可以有效促进宫颈成熟,提高分娩的安全性,具有应用价值。     

五禽戏联合推拿对原发性痛经患者中医证候及血清TNF-α、CD4+、OT、β-EP 表达的影响

目的:观察五禽戏联合推拿治疗原发性痛经(PD)的临床疗效及对患者血清肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)、CD4⁺、催产素(OT)及β-内啡肽(β-EP)水平的影响。方法:选取80例PD女大学生,按随机数字表法分为对照组、五禽戏组、推拿组及五禽戏⁺推拿组,对照组给予田七痛经胶囊治疗,其余3组分别给予五禽戏、推拿及五禽戏+推拿治疗,治疗时间均为3个月经周期。采用中医证候积分评价临床疗效,通过血清TNF-α、CD4⁺、OT、β-EP表达的变化探讨五禽戏联合推拿治疗PD的作用机制。结果:与治疗前比较,4组中医证候积分治疗1个疗程、2个疗程、3个疗程后均降低(P<0.05),且随着疗程增加逐渐降低。停止治疗3个月后,4组中医证候积分均较治疗3个疗程时上升(P<0.05);五禽戏+推拿组中医证候积分低于五禽戏组和推拿组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗后,4组血清TNF-α、OT水平均较治疗前降低(P<0.05),血清CD4⁺、β-EP水平均较治疗前升高(P<0.05)。4组治疗后CD4⁺、OT水平比较,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05),而TNF-α、β-EP水平比较,差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。治疗后,五禽戏+推拿组OT水平均低于对照组、五禽戏组及推拿组(P<0.05),CD4⁺水平高于对照组(P<0.05)。经秩和检验,4组临床疗效比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:五禽戏联合推拿治疗PD有较好的近期及远期疗效,其作用机制可能与调节患者的血清TNF-α、CD4⁺、OT、β-EP水平有关。     

Foley导尿管联合催产素在阴道分娩中的应用

目的探讨Foley导尿管和催产素在阴道分娩中的作用。方法随机选择初产妇368例，观察组184例（应用Foley导尿管联合催产素助产），对照组184例（仅用催产素助产）。观察两组产妇的促宫颈成熟程度、产程及子宫颈撕裂率：结果观察组的宫颈Bishop评分显著提高，第一、二产程与总产程明显缩短，子宫颈撕裂率大大降低。与对照组比较有明显统计学差异。结论Foley导尿管助产术可较快提高宫颈成熟度，伍用催产素可进一步缩短产程，减少产妇疼痛，降低子宫颈撕裂率，值得临床推广应用。     

Social functions of individual vasopressin–oxytocin cell groups in vertebrates: What do we really know?

Vasopressin–oxytocin (VP–OT) nonapeptides modulate numerous social and stress-related behaviors, yet these peptides are made in multiple nuclei and brain regions (e.g., >20 in some mammals), and VP–OT cells in these areas often exhibit overlapping axonal projections. Furthermore, the magnocellular cell groups release peptide volumetrically from dendrites and soma, which gives rise to paracrine modulation in distal brain areas. Nonapeptide receptors also tend to be promiscuous. Hence, behavioral effects that are mediated by any given receptor type (e.g., the OT receptor) in a target brain region cannot be conclusively attributed to either VP or OT, nor to a specific cell group. We here review what is actually known about the social behavior functions of nonapeptide cell groups, with a focus on aggression, affiliation, bonding, social stress, and parental behavior, and discuss recent studies that demonstrate a diversity of sex-specific contributions of VP–OT cell groups to gregariousness and pair bonding.