The local properties of bold signal fluctuations at rest monitor inhibitory control training in adolescents

Inhibitory control (IC) plays a critical role in cognitive and socio-emotional development. Short-term IC training improves IC abilities in children and adults. Surprisingly, few studies have investigated the IC training effect during adolescence, a developmental period characterized by high neuroplasticity and the protracted development of IC abilities. We investigated behavioural and functional brain changes induced by a 5-week computerized and adaptive IC training in adolescents. We focused on the IC training effects on the local properties of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) signal fluctuations at rest (i.e., Regional Homogeneity [ReHo] and fractional Amplitude of Low Frequency Fluctuations [fALFF]). Sixty adolescents were randomly assigned to either an IC or an active control training group. In the pre- and post-training sessions, cognitive (‘Cool’) and emotional (‘Hot’) IC abilities were assessed using the Colour-Word and Emotional Stroop tasks. We found that ReHo and fALFF signals in IC areas (IFG, ACC, Striatum) were associated with IC efficiency at baseline. This association was different for Cool and Hot IC. Analyses also revealed that ReHo and fALFF signals were sensitive markers to detect and monitor changes after IC training, while behavioural data did not, suggesting that brain functional changes at rest precede behavioural changes following training.     

The influence of different Stop-signal response time estimation procedures on behavior-behavior and brain-behavior correlations

The fundamental cognitive-control function of inhibitory control over motor behavior has been extensively investigated using the Stop-signal task. The critical behavioral parameter describing stopping efficacy is the Stop-signal response time (SSRT), and correlations with estimates of this parameter are commonly used to establish that other variables (e.g., other behavioral measures or brain activity measures) are closely related to inhibitory motor control. Recently, however, it has been argued that SSRT estimates can be strongly distorted if participants strategically slow down their responses over the course of the experiment, resulting in the SSRT no longer reliably representing response-inhibition efficacy. Here, we performed new analyses on behavioral and functional data from an fMRI version of the Stop-signal task to gauge the consequences of using different SSRT estimation approaches that are differentially prone to the influence of strategic response slowing. The results indicate that the SSRT estimation approach can dramatically change behavior-behavior correlations. Specifically, a correlation between the SSRT and Go-trial accuracy that was highly significant with one estimation approach, virtually disappeared for the other. Additional analyses indeed supported that this effect was related to strategic response slowing. Concerning brain-behavior correlations, only the left anterior insula was found to be significantly correlated with the SSRT within the set of areas tested here. Interestingly, this brain-behavior correlation differed little for the different SSRT-estimation procedures. In sum, the current results highlight that different SSRT-estimation procedures can strongly influence the distribution of SSRT values across subjects, which in turn can ramify into correlational analyses with other parameters.     

二甲双胍联用阿卡波糖对空腹血糖受损人群干预治疗的观察

目的研究在饮食加运动的基础上应用二甲双胍与阿卡波糖对空腹血糖受损（IFG）人群糖尿病干预治疗的效果。方法对IFG患者按年龄、性别、收缩压（SBP）、舒张压（DBP）、体重指数（BMI）等均衡原则（P〉0．05）随机分为对照组及实验组,对照组在饮食加运动基础上给予口服安慰剂治疗,实验组在饮食加运动基础上予口服二甲双胍肠溶片和阿卡波糖胶囊治疗,随访12个月,对比两组的干预治疗效果。结果对照组和实验组的各项指标均较治疗前有所下降,但实验组各项指标下降更明显;实验组在治疗前后FPG、FINS、2hPG、2hINS、HbAlc差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论对IFG患者,在饮食加运动基础上予二甲双胍和阿卡波糖干预治疗,能更有效的控制血糖水平,预防和延缓2型糖尿病的发生。     

Relative utility of 1-h Oral Glucose Tolerance Test as a measure of abnormal glucose homeostasis

Background and aims

Impaired glucose tolerance based on 2-h glucose levels is more predictive of future cardiovascular disease and more sensitive in detecting earlier diabetes compared to impaired fasting glucose. However, the 1-h OGTT may be even more sensitive than the 2-h. We assessed the relative value of 1-h OGTT by exploring its relationship with adiposity and other measures of glucose homeostasis.

Methods and results

Ninety four overweight/obese individuals free of diabetes and major cardiovascular conditions were included in the analyses. We adjusted for age, gender, smoking status and physical activity. One-h OGTT showed similar partial correlations with fasting glucose and 2-h OGTT (r = 0.60 and 0.64 respectively). Fasting glucose, fasting insulin and HOMA correlated better with 1-h OGTT (r = 0.60, 0.47 and 0.52) than with 2-h OGTT (r = 0.50, 0.41, and 0.45). BMI and waist circumference also showed stronger correlation with 1-h (r = 0.31, 0.29), compared to 2-h OGTT (r = 0.16, 0.16) or fasting glucose (r = 0.23, 0.22). Metabolic syndrome was associated similarly with 1-h and 2-h OGTT.

Conclusions

The 1-h OGTT correlates well with both fasting glucose and 2-h OGTT and shows similar or higher associations with obesity measures. The 1-h OGTT has potential utility in epidemiologic studies.     

Plasma interleukin-6 levels are increased in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance but not in those with impaired fasting glucose in a cohort of Italian Caucasians

BACKGROUND: While the relationship between impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and circulating interleukin-6 (IL-6) is well established, there is no information whether IL-6 levels are elevated in impaired fasting glucose (IFG). METHODS: To this end, we examined the relationship between plasma IL-6 concentration and different degrees of glucose homeostasis in a cohort of 470 Italian Caucasian subjects comprising 236 normal glucose tolerant (NGT), 49 IFG, 51 IGT, and 134 type 2 diabetic subjects. RESULTS: We observed that IL-6, CRP and fibrinogen levels were higher in subjects with IGT or type 2 diabetes as compared with NGT and IFG subjects. Univariate correlations between IL-6 concentrations and metabolic variables in the whole cohort showed that IL-6 levels were positively correlated with age, BMI, waist, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides, CRP, fibrinogen, and negatively correlated with insulin sensitivity, IGF-I and HDL. In a subgroup analysis including NGT, IFG and IGT (n = 336), IL-6 levels were positively correlated with age, BMI, waist, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, CRP, fibrinogen, fasting insulin, 2 h post-load glucose, and negatively correlated with insulin sensitivity, IGF-I and HDL. Stepwise linear regression analysis in a model including gender, age, BMI, waist, glucose tolerance status, fasting plasma glucose, 2 h post-load glucose, triglycerides, HDL, fasting insulin, and insulin sensitivity revealed that waist was the only independent variable associated with IL-6 levels accounting for 21.0% of its variation (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: These data show that IGT and type 2 diabetes, but not IFG, are associated with elevated plasma IL-6 levels.     

Cardiovascular and metabolic outcome in 6-8 year old offspring of women with type 1 diabetes with near-optimal glycaemic control during pregnancy

Background

High maternal glucose concentrations during diabetic pregnancy may lead to health problems in the offspring later in life. We showed in a previous nationwide study on pregnancy outcome in type 1 diabetic women that prepregnancy care was good and a near-optimal glycaemic control during pregnancy was achieved (mean HbA1c 6.2%).

Aims

We investigated to what extent current care and treatment of pregnant women with type 1 diabetes were related to cardiovascular and metabolic disturbances in the offspring at school age. Additionally, we studied the influence of level of maternal glycaemic control, preterm birth and neonatal macrosomia (birth weight > p90).

Study design

Observational cohort study.

Subjects

6-8 year old offspring of women with type 1 diabetes (ODM, n = 213) and a control group of children of non-diabetic women (n = 79).

Outcome measures

BMI, blood pressure, parameters of fasting glucose regulation and lipid metabolism, components of the metabolic syndrome (overweight, hypertension, impaired fasting glucose, dyslipidaemia).

Results

Parameters of fasting glucose regulation and lipid metabolism and the frequency of components of the metabolic syndrome did not significantly differ between ODM and controls. Systolic blood pressure was slightly higher in ODM. The influence of level of maternal glycaemic control, preterm birth and neonatal macrosomia on outcome in ODM was limited.

Conclusions

Current care and treatment of pregnant women with type 1 diabetes result in cardiovascular and metabolic outcome in the offspring at 6-8 years of age that is comparable to that in children of non-diabetic women. Further follow-up should substantiate these results at later age.     

Inverse association between plasma homocysteine concentrations and type 2 diabetes mellitus among a middle-aged and elderly Chinese population

Background and aims

Plasma homocysteine concentrations have been reported to be associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with controversial findings. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between plasma homocysteine concentrations and T2DM.

A systematic review of mirror neuron system function in developmental coordination disorder: Imitation,motor imagery,and neuroimaging evidence

PURPOSEThe aim of this systematic review was to investigate the evidence of abnormal functioning of the mirror neuron system (MNS) in children and adults with developmental coordination disorder (DCD), through examination of imitation, motor imagery, and neuroimaging literature.METHODSThe following databases were comprehensively searched for relevant articles: CINAHL Plus, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Pubmed, and Web of Science. Full-text articles of all potentially relevant citations were obtained and assessed for eligibility by two authors. Outcome measures of interest at a motor behaviour level were any measures of imitation or motor imagery proficiency and, at a neurological level, were any measures of neural activity in MNS brain regions. Due to differences in outcome measures between studies and the variables reported, a narrative review was undertaken to synthesise findings from the studies.RESULTSOverall, 31 articles met the inclusion criteria. Children and adults with DCD display deficits imitating meaningful and novel gestures and demonstrate different response patterns to controls when undertaking complex motor imagery tasks. Children with DCD present reduced activation and connectivity of frontal, parietal, and temporal MNS regions.CONCLUSIONSPreliminary evidence indicates some deficit in the functioning of the MNS at a motor behaviour and neurological level. As no published neuroimaging studies have been designed specifically to explore MNS function, these results must be interpreted with caution. Further research to explore the MNS hypothesis in greater detail, particularly from a neuroimaging perspective, has the potential to provide information on the underlying mechanisms of DCD, inform future research into the aetiology of this disorder, and inform intervention approaches.     

非药物干预对空腹血糖受损患者延缓糖尿病进程的影响

目的 观察非药物干预对空腹血糖受损(IFG)患者延缓糖尿病进程的影响.方法 选取门诊初次检测确诊为空腹血糖受损患者198例,随机分为2组,治疗组101例给予非药物干预治疗,如生活方式的干预,定期组织健康教育讲座,全方位指导患者饮食摄入、运动方案等;对照组97例只做体检后常规健康建议.2组每3个月行常规体检,并进行3年的跟踪随访,对比2组干预前后体质量指数(BMI)、空腹血糖(FBG)、三酰甘油(TG)、总胆固醇(TC)、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)变化,及2组干预1、2、3年糖尿病发生情况.结果 治疗组干预后BMI、FBG、TG、TC、HDL-C、LDL-C均较治疗前显著改善(P＜0.05),且BMI、FBG、TG、TC、LDL-C较对照组显著下降(P＜0.05),HDL-C较对照组显著升高(P＜0.05);治疗组干预后1、2、3年的糖尿病发生率低于对照组(P＜0.05).结论 非药物干预治疗方案可有效提高空腹血糖受损患者血糖转归正常的概率,提高患者健康意识及水平,阻止或延缓其向DM发展.