Review
Clinical Neurology
Edoardo Dalmato Schilke, Lucio Tremolizzo, Ildebrando Appollonio, Carlo Ferrarese
Summary: Tic-related disorders are common and can range from mild to severe, with Tourette Syndrome being the most severe form. Tics are arrhythmic hyperkinesias driven by a premonitory urge. Studies have shown abnormalities in striatal circuits and cortical areas associated with excessive dopamine in the basal forebrain.
NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Lucas Albrechet-Souza, Andrei S. Nastase, Matthew N. Hill, Nicholas W. Gilpin
Summary: Understanding sex-specific effects of predator odor stress on amygdalar endocannabinoids may provide insights into the vulnerability to chronic psychiatric disorders. This study revealed differences in endocannabinoid levels in the amygdala of male and female rats exposed to stress, with implications for behavior regulation in females.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF STRESS
(2021)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Jiahui Liu, Zhe Liu, Weixia Sun, Ling Luo, Xingna An, Dehai Yu, Wanning Wang
Summary: Diabetic nephropathy is a common complication in diabetes, and current treatments mainly focus on glucose and blood pressure control. However, new drugs targeting the pathological mechanisms of DN have emerged, and there is growing attention on therapeutic strategies targeting these mechanisms. Sex hormones, such as testosterone and estrogen, are believed to play important roles in the onset and progression of DN, but the underlying molecular mechanism is not fully understood. This review aims to summarize the correlation between sex hormones and DN and evaluate the potential value of hormonotherapy in DN.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Kyle J. Brymer, Erin Y. Kulhaway, John G. Howland, Hector J. Caruncho, Lisa E. Kalynchuk
Summary: Repeated corticosterone injections in rats lead to cognitive deficits and depression-like behavior, highlighting the importance of considering cognitive impairments in assessing depression. Corticosterone significantly affects body weight, immobility in the forced swim test, startle amplitudes, and object recognition memory, suggesting a complex phenotype induced by chronic stress.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Katherine C. Dodd, Madhvi Menon
Summary: Autoimmune diseases show significant sex dimorphism, with women being more susceptible. This is partly caused by complex interactions between sex hormones and sex chromosomes, as well as sociological factors, diet, and gut microbiota.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Luca T. Giurgea, Adriana Cervantes-Medina, Kathie-Anne Walters, Kelsey Scherler, Alison Han, Lindsay M. Czajkowski, Holly Ann Baus, Sally Hunsberger, Sabra L. Klein, John C. Kash, Jeffery K. Taubenberger, Matthew J. Memoli
Summary: In this study, it was found that females were more likely to have symptoms and a higher number of symptoms than males after influenza challenge. Neuraminidase inhibition (NAI) titers were found to be predictive of all outcomes of interest.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Sofia R. Bernstein, Caroline Kelleher, Raouf A. Khalil
Summary: Previous research has assumed that male and female biology is similar except for the reproductive system, leading to misconceptions in research interpretations and clinical applications. However, recent research has identified sex differences in various organs and systems, as well as differences in the prevalence and severity of certain disorders between males and females. This highlights the importance of studying gender differences in biology and disease.
BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Claudia Ferreira, Fabio Trindade, Rita Ferreira, Joao Sergio Neves, Adelino Leite-Moreira, Francisco Amado, Mario Santos, Rita Nogueira-Ferreira
Summary: Heart failure is on the rise, with different types affecting men and women differently. Hormones play a key role in the development of HFpEF, which mainly affects postmenopausal women. Understanding these gender differences is crucial for developing personalized and sex-specific therapeutic approaches in heart failure management.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR MEDICINE-JMM
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Donghui Zhu, Axel Montagne, Zhen Zhao
Summary: AD is a neurodegenerative disease, with studies showing gender differences in risk and progression. The higher risk and progression of AD in women are largely attributed to distinct biological mechanisms, such as deviations in brain structure and biomarkers, psychosocial stress responses, genetic background, and more.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Ying Meng, Loralei L. Thornburg, Kathleen M. Hoeger, Zorimar Rivera- Nunez, Amber Kautz, Adam T. Evans, Christina Wang, Richard K. Miller, Susan W. Groth, Thomas G. O'Connor, Emily S. Barrett
Summary: This study aimed to assess the relationships between early-pregnancy sex steroid hormones and the subsequent development of hyperglycemia during pregnancy, as well as the associations between sex steroid hormone levels and gestational diabetes diagnosis. The results showed that total testosterone, free testosterone, and estrone in early pregnancy were positively associated with glucose levels and gestational diabetes in mid-late pregnancy. These hormones may serve as early predictors of gestational diabetes along with other risk factors.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Shannon Lynch, James E. Boyett, M. Ryan Smith, Samantha Giordano-Mooga
Summary: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the US and worldwide, with identified sex-related disparities. Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a role in the disease, and sex hormones are involved in regulating mitochondrial function.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Simona Anticoli, Maria Dorrucci, Elisabetta Iessi, Flavia Chiarotti, Reparata Rosa Di Prinzio, Maria Rosaria Vinci, Salvatore Zaffina, Vincenzo Puro, Francesca Colavita, Klizia Mizzoni, Silvia Meschi, Nicoletta Vonesch, Christian Albano, Elena Ortona, Anna Ruggieri, Paola Tomao
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate sex-based differences in immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines in healthcare workers. It found that female healthcare workers had a stronger antibody response to the vaccine, while male healthcare workers had higher testosterone levels associated with higher antibody levels.
HUMAN VACCINES & IMMUNOTHERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Megan C. Hansel, Hannah R. Murphy, Jessica Brunner, Christina Wang, Richard K. Miller, Thomas G. O'Connor, Emily S. Barrett, Zorimar Rivera-Nunez
Summary: The study found that neighborhood stressors were associated with higher levels of maternal testosterone, which may have implications for maternal and child health.
BMC PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Jie Cui, Ghania Ait-Ghezala, Kumar Sambamurti, Feng Gao, Yong Shen, Rena Li
Summary: This study identified an estrogen-specific BACE1 transcriptional regulation pathway, providing new clues for the study of sex differences and AD pathology, from cell and animal models to AD patients.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Critical Care Medicine
Meng Qi Zhang, Kimberly F. Macala, Alison Fox-Robichaud, Asher A. Mendelson, Manoj M. Lalu
Summary: The importance of considering sex and gender in biomedical research is increasingly recognized, particularly in the fields of clinical and preclinical sepsis. Clinical studies are limited by observational data and confounding factors, while preclinical studies offer a unique opportunity to study sex differences. Females may exhibit more favorable outcomes in these studies.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Nada Raslan, Arran Hamlet, Veena Kumari
Summary: This study focused on analyzing the protection concerns and intervention outcomes of 376 school children enrolled in a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support project in Idleb, Syria. The majority of students were found to have potential mental health issues, psychosocial deprivation, and social, behavioral, and emotional issues. Variations in these concerns were observed between children and adolescents, and between boys and girls.
CONFLICT AND HEALTH
(2021)
Review
Psychiatry
Piyal Sen, Danielle Adewusi, Alexandra Blakemore, Veena Kumari
Summary: The study suggests an association between low total cholesterol and aggression towards others as well as suicidality in schizophrenia. Future research should systematically explore this association in schizophrenia patients with a history of violence, suicidality, and self-harm, in both inpatient and community settings, and investigate underlying mechanisms further.
AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Laura F. Naysmith, Veena Kumari, Steven C. R. Williams
Summary: Startle reflex modulation can be attenuated (PPI) or enhanced (PPF) by preceding weaker sensory (prepulse) stimuli. Studies using functional neuroimaging reveal activation in thalamic, striatal, and frontal regions during PPI in healthy individuals, with deficits in cortico-striato-pallido-thalamic circuitry in schizophrenia and Tourette Syndrome. A shared network for PPI and PPF in frontal regions and cerebellum was identified, with PPF networks recruiting additional areas like the superior medial gyrus and cingulate cortex.
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
(2021)
Article
Psychiatry
Raphael Underwood, Liam Mason, Owen O'Daly, Jeffrey Dalton, Andrew Simmons, Gareth J. Barker, Emmanuelle Peters, Veena Kumari
Summary: Anomalous perceptual experiences are relatively common in the general population, and the key to distinguishing individuals with a need for care from those without lies in how they appraise these experiences. The clinical group reported higher subjective threat appraisals compared to the non-clinical and control groups, accompanied by differences in brain activation patterns.
Article
Neurosciences
Martina Vanova, Luke Aldridge-Waddon, Ray Norbury, Ben Jennings, Ignazio Puzzo, Veena Kumari
Summary: Previous research has found that positive schizotypy, psychopathy, and impulsivity traits are associated with lower word-nonword recognition accuracy. This study aimed to examine the neural mechanisms underlying these associations using fMRI. The results showed that each trait was associated with distinct patterns of brain activity during word-nonword recognition, suggesting different cognitive processes are involved in these associations.
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Jennifer L. Dickson, Amyn Bhamani, Samantha L. Quaife, Carolyn Horst, Sophie Tisi, Helen Hall, Priyam Verghese, Andrew Creamer, Ruth Prendecki, John McCabe, Kylie Gyertson, Vicky Bowyer, Ethaar El-Emir, Alice Cotton, Simranjit Mehta, Fanta Bojang, Claire Levermore, Anne-Marie Mullin, Jonathan Teague, Laura Farrelly, Arjun Nair, Anand Devaraj, Allan Hackshaw, Sam M. Janes
Summary: This study assessed the effectiveness of communicating pulmonary nodule results to participants in a lung cancer screening setting through written letters. The results showed that most participants were satisfied with receiving their results by letter and preferred this communication method.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Preethi Premkumar, Veena Kumari
Summary: This study examines the association between rejection sensitivity (RS) and schizotypal personality traits and aggression, and proposes different explanations for these associations. The results suggest that social anxiety and disorganization explain RS in schizotypy, while anger and the need for reward from retaliation and mood repair explain RS in aggression.
CURRENT OPINION IN BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Respiratory System
Jennifer L. Dickson, Helen Hall, Carolyn Horst, Sophie Tisi, Priyam Verghese, Anne-Marie Mullin, Jonathan Teague, Laura Farrelly, Vicky Bowyer, Kylie Gyertson, Fanta Bojang, Claire Levermore, Tania Anastasiadis, Karen Sennett, John McCabe, Anand Devaraj, Arjun Nair, Neal Navani, Matthew E. J. Callister, Allan Hackshaw, Samantha L. Quaife, Sam M. Janes
Summary: Telephone-based risk assessment is an efficient method to optimize selection for lung cancer screening appointments, but further adjustments are needed to ensure fairness, especially for younger individuals and minority ethnic groups.
Article
Oncology
Jennifer L. Dickson, Helen Hall, Carolyn Horst, Sophie Tisi, Priyam Verghese, Sarah Worboys, Andrew Perugia, James Rusius, Anne-Marie Mullin, Jonathan Teague, Laura Farrelly, Vicky Bowyer, Kylie Gyertson, Fanta Bojang, Claire Levermore, Tania Anastasiadis, John McCabe, Anand Devaraj, Arjun Nair, Neal Navani, Allan Hackshaw, Samantha L. Quaife, Sam M. Janes
Summary: Identifying discrepancies and missing data in smoking status is important for lung cancer screening eligibility assessment. Primary care records can be used to target screening invitation, however, there is a need to improve accuracy and completeness of the smoking status documentation.
Article
Psychology, Biological
V. Kumari, E. Antonova, S. Mahmood, M. Shukla, A. Saifullah, R. Pandey
Summary: There is increasing evidence that mindfulness training/practices have beneficial effects on sensory and cognitive processing, emotion regulation, and mental health. This study examined the associations between dispositional mindfulness, alexithymia, and sensory processing. The results showed a negative association between dispositional mindfulness and alexithymia, and a stronger startle habituation in individuals with higher dispositional mindfulness. These findings suggest a similar startle habituation pattern in individuals with high dispositional mindfulness as in those with moderate mindfulness meditation practice intensity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Amyn Bhamani, Carolyn Horst, Fanta Bojang, Samantha L. Quaife, Jennifer L. Dickson, Sophie Tisi, Helen Hall, Priyam Verghese, Andrew Creamer, Ruth Prendecki, John McCabe, Kylie Gyertson, Vicky Bowyer, Ethaar El -Emir, Alice Cotton, Simranjit Mehta, Claire Levermore, Anne -Marie Mullin, Jonathan Teague, Laura Farrelly, Arjun Nair, Anand Devaraj, Allan Hackshaw, Sam Janes
Summary: This study assessed the perception of a written preparatory information booklet provided to participants in a large lung cancer screening program. The results showed that the majority of participants found the booklet useful and containing the right amount of information. However, older participants, those from the least deprived socioeconomic quintile, and participants of Black ethnicity were less likely to have a positive perception of the booklet.
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Satyam Chauhan, Ray Norbury, Kaja Christina Fassbender, Ulrich Ettinger, Veena Kumari
Summary: Chronotype refers to the expression or representation of various mechanisms of circadian rhythms, such as body temperature, cortisol secretion, cognitive functions, eating and sleeping patterns. It is influenced by internal (e.g., genetics) and external factors (e.g., light exposure), and has implications for health and well-being. Existing models of chronotype have primarily focused on the sleep dimension and have not considered the social and environmental influences. We propose a multidimensional model that integrates individual, environmental, and social factors to determine an individual's true chronotype with potential feedback loops. This model has relevance in both basic science and understanding the health and clinical implications of different chronotypes, as well as designing preventive and therapeutic approaches for related illnesses.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jennifer L. Dickson, Helen Hall, Carolyn Horst, Sophie Tisi, Priyam Verghese, Anne-Marie Mullin, Jon Teague, Laura Farrelly, Vicky Bowyer, Kylie Gyertson, Fanta Bojang, Claire Levermore, Tania Anastasiadis, John McCabe, Neal Navani, Arjun Nair, Anand Devaraj, Allan Hackshaw, Samantha L. Quaife, Sam M. Janes, SUMMIT consortium
Summary: This study aimed to assess the uptake of invitations to a lung health check offering low-dose CT lung cancer screening in a diverse cohort at high risk of lung cancer. The results showed that men, younger age groups, deprived areas, and individuals of White ethnicity had lower participation rates, while individuals of Asian ethnicity and former smokers had higher participation rates.
LANCET PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Krupa Vakani, Martina Ratto, Anna Sandford-James, Elena Antonova, Veena Kumari
Summary: There is limited research on the cognitive impact of COVID-19, and this study aimed to address this gap by evaluating cognitive function in COVID-19 patients compared to non-COVID patients. The results showed that while there was limited cognitive impact in the COVID group overall, they exhibited larger intra-individual variability in processing speed. Those who required hospitalization due to COVID-19 and experienced long-COVID symptoms displayed cognitive impairment in attention and executive function. The findings suggest the importance of repeated cognitive assessments and remediation efforts for these individuals.
EUROPEAN PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rakesh Pandey, Satchit Prasun Mandal, Meenakshi Shukla, Vishnukant Tripathi, Elena Antonova, Veena Kumari
Summary: Dispositional mindfulness reduces the risk of mental health problems by reducing maladaptive emotion processing styles and associated negative affect.
