Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Constantin Hecker, Tobias Welponer, Manfred Herold, Eugen Trinka, Erasmia Broussalis, Monika Killer-Oberpfalzer
Summary: Central nervous system vasculitis is a rare disease with challenging diagnosis. This review provides an overview of its pathophysiology, current therapeutic guidelines, and novel treatment strategies.
DRUG DISCOVERY TODAY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Masa Kenda, Taja Zore, Marija Sollner Dolenc
Summary: The study found that certain drugs acting on the central nervous system may have adverse effects on the endocrine system, affecting receptors such as androgen receptor, estrogen receptor alpha, and thyroid hormone receptor. These findings contribute to informed prescription choices and highlight the need for further research on the long-term exposure to therapeutic concentrations of drugs with endocrine activities.
CHEMICO-BIOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Ke Chen, Si Sun, Junying Wang, Xiao-Dong Zhang
Summary: The central nervous system is crucial for human health, and the treatment of CNS diseases is essential. Artificial enzymes offer high stability and catalytic activity, showing great potential for treating neuroinflammation and other disorders.
COORDINATION CHEMISTRY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Alexander Yermanos, Daniel Neumeier, Ioana Sandu, Mariana Borsa, Ann Cathrin Waindok, Doron Merkler, Annette Oxenius, Sai T. Reddy
Summary: The study discovered clonally expanded B and T cells in the central nervous system of elderly mice, with many of the B cells being of the IgM and IgD isotypes and having low levels of somatic hypermutation. Integration of gene expression information also revealed distinct transcriptional profiles of these clonally expanded lymphocytes.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Alicja Jakimiuk, Agnieszka Piechal, Alicja Wiercinska-Drapalo, Alicja Nowaczyk, Dagmara Mirowska-Guzel
Summary: Evaluation of dolutegravir reveals a risk of CNS disorders associated with long-term use. Pharmacokinetics and clinical trials assessing adverse effects and discontinuation frequency were reviewed. Factors affecting CNS disorders were summarized, highlighting the importance of pharmacovigilance for newly registered drugs.
PHARMACOLOGICAL REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Santhosh Sethuramanujam, Akihiro Matsumoto, Geoff deRosenroll, Benjamin Murphy-Baum, J. Michael McIntosh, Miao Jing, Yulong Li, David Berson, Keisuke Yonehara, Gautam B. Awatramani
Summary: The study reveals that acetylcholine signals are transmitted through a rapid co-activation mechanism, activating receptors on multiple neurons surrounding the release site. Additionally, while acetylcholine signals are direction-selective locally, they do not show global directionality, facilitating information transfer at a local scale.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Wenjie Zhang, Yuan Chen, Hui Pei
Summary: C1q is an essential component of the complement system, performing non-specific immune functions and playing a crucial role in immune homeostasis and normal physiological functions. In the developing central nervous system, C1q is involved in synapse formation, pruning, and the development of neuronal networks. C1q has a close relationship with microglia and astrocytes and may contribute to the development of CNS disorders. Clinical trials are already underway for CNS disorders, highlighting the potential therapeutic target of C1q.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bowen Jia, Jing Li, Yiting Song, Chengliang Luo
Summary: Ferroptosis is a form of iron-dependent regulated cell death characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation and has been implicated in various diseases, including nervous system diseases and injuries. ACSL4, a member of the ACSLs family, is involved in the regulation of arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, leading to ferroptosis. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of ACSL4-mediated ferroptosis will contribute to the development of new treatment strategies for these diseases or injuries.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Benedetta Russo, Marika Menduni, Patrizia Borboni, Fabiana Picconi, Simona Frontoni
Summary: This review discusses the role of the autonomic nervous system in obesity and insulin-resistance, highlighting the bi-directional effects of related mechanisms, and exploring the neural, hormonal, and nutritional mechanisms involved. Leptin is emphasized for its crucial role in appetite regulation, glucose homeostasis, and energy expenditure.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhongwu Guo
Summary: GM1 is a major glycosphingolipid on the cell surface in the CNS with a wide range of functions, including cell differentiation, neuritogenesis, signal transduction, memory, and cognition. GM1 is also involved in various neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease, and may have therapeutic applications in these disorders.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Guan-Ru Ho, Chiao-Wen Wei, Hann-Chorng Kuo
Summary: This study investigates the incidence of central nervous system (CNS) diseases in adult patients with voiding dysfunction and urethral sphincter dysfunction confirmed by videourodynamics (VUDS). The results show a high incidence of CNS diseases in patients with urethral sphincter dysfunction, with the highest incidence in the group with dysfunctional voiding.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Shuyu Shi, Hongze Ren, Yujie Xie, Meihua Yu, Yu Chen, Liqun Yang
Summary: This article provides an overview of advanced nanoengineering technologies for the delivery of neurotherapeutics, explaining how nanotherapeutics overcome the blood-brain barriers for enhanced therapeutic effects in CNS diseases. It discusses typical paradigms of nanomaterials and their impacts on the treatment of central nervous system disorders.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dominique Figarella-Branger, Carole Colin, Nathalie Baeza-Kallee, Aurelie Tchoghandjian
Summary: This review focuses on the expression of A2B5 in the central nervous system and gliomas. A2B5 is found in neural stem cells during brain development and in neurogenic areas and white matter in adults, where it identifies oligodendrocyte precursor cells and cells with neural stem cell properties. A2B5 has been identified as an accurate marker to identify glioma cancer stem cells and its expression is positively correlated with stemness and tumor growth.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Bangqi Wang, Tianshu Fang, Hongping Chen
Summary: Zinc (Zn2+) is a crucial trace element in the human body, playing a critical role in various physiological processes. It is necessary for cellular proliferation, transcription, apoptosis, growth, immunity, and wound healing. Maintaining zinc homeostasis is vital for the central nervous system, where zinc is abundantly distributed and accumulates in presynaptic vesicles. Synaptic zinc is necessary for neural transmission and is involved in neurogenesis, cognition, memory, and learning. Disruption of zinc homeostasis is associated with several central nervous system disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, depression, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injury. This review explores the correlation between zinc and these disorders, providing potential mechanisms and new insights for prevention and treatment.
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Wenzhong Li, Dawei Chen, Nan Liu, Yongxin Luan, Shoujun Zhu, Haifeng Wang
Summary: Recent studies have shown that the vertebrate brain has a specialized lymphatic transport pathway, challenging the traditional concept of immune privilege in the central nervous system (CNS). Despite the absence of lymphatic vessels, the glymphatic system and meningeal lymphatic vessels provide a unique pathway for the transport of solutes and clearance of metabolites in the brain. This specialized lymphatic drainage pathway is modulated by sleep, circadian rhythm, arterial pulsation, and other physiological factors, and undergoes significant changes under pathological conditions. These modulatory mechanisms could serve as crucial targets for the treatment of CNS disorders.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Amy Theresa Page, Kathleen Potter, Vasi Naganathan, Sarah Hilmer, Andrew J. McLachlan, Richard Lindley, Tracy Coman, D. Mangin, Christopher Etherton-Beer
Summary: This study analyzed medication regimens used by older people living in residential aged care facilities and found that almost all residents experienced potentially suboptimal prescribing, with the majority having highly complex medication regimens. These findings suggest that most older people in residential aged care facilities may be at risk of medication-related harm.
ARCHIVES OF GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRICS
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Kenji Fujita, Sarita Y. Y. Lo, Ruth E. Hubbard, Danijela Gnjidic, Sarah N. Hilmer
Summary: This study compared two frailty assessment tools (eFI-AH and HFRS) in terms of their characteristics and predictive ability for hospitalized patients. The results showed that both tools were associated with adverse outcomes and had comparable ability to predict prolonged hospitalization. However, they did not consistently identify the same frail inpatients.
AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL ON AGEING
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
A. R. M. Saifuddin Ekram, Joanne Ryan, Sara E. Espinoza, Anne B. B. Newman, Anne M. M. Murray, Suzanne G. Orchard, Sharyn M. Fitzgerald, John J. J. McNeil, Michael E. Ernst, Robyn L. Woods
Summary: This study examined the relationship between physical frailty and healthy community-dwelling older adults and explored the impact of frailty on disability-free survival. The results showed that frailty is common among older adults and is associated with factors such as age, waist circumference, education, and ethnicity. Frailty significantly reduces disability-free survival and addressing modifiable correlates such as depression and polypharmacy may help mitigate its adverse effects.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Melissa T. Baysari, Bethany A. Van Dort, Kristian Stanceski, Andrew Hargreaves, Wu Yi Zheng, Maria Moran, Richard Day, Ling Li, Johanna Westbrook, Sarah Hilmer
Summary: Limited research has explored the role of evidence in the selection and implementation of health information technology (HIT), particularly in regards to clinical decision support (CDS) alerts. This study found that the selection of CDS alerts and HIT in general is often based on expectations of benefits and vendor assurances, rather than evidence of improved patient care.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR QUALITY IN HEALTH CARE
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Anne B. Newman, Sheena Patel, Jorge R. Kizer, Se-Jin Lee, Shalinder Bhasin, Peggy Cawthon, Nathan LeBrasseur, Russel P. Tracy, Peter Ganz, Steven R. Cummings
Summary: Studies using heterochronic parabiosis have found that circulating factors play a role in brain aging in animal models. In this study, the levels of GDF-11, GDF-8, and follistatin were evaluated and their associations with cognitive function, brain MRI findings, and incident dementia were assessed. The results showed that these factors were not significantly correlated with cognitive outcomes or dementia in older adults.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Hui Wen Quek, Christopher Etherton-Beer, Amy Page, Andrew J. McLachlan, Sarita Y. Lo, Vasi Naganathan, Leanne Kearney, Sarah N. Hilmer, Tracy Comans, Derelie Mangin, Richard Lindley, Kathleen Potter
Summary: This study aimed to investigate pharmacist deprescribing recommendations for residents in aged care facilities, the acceptance of these recommendations by doctors, and the actual implementation of the accepted recommendations at 12-month follow-up. The results showed that 77% of deprescribing recommendations were accepted by doctors, and 74% of the accepted recommendations were successfully implemented. The most common reason for deprescribing was medication no longer being needed. Pharmacist-led deprescribing recommendations based on an algorithm-based medication review are acceptable to doctors and can significantly reduce inappropriate medication use in aged care facilities.
ARCHIVES OF GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRICS
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Paul K. L. Chin, Kellie Charles, Bridin Murnion, Treasure M. McGuire, Sarah N. Hilmer, Jennifer Martin, David Reith, David Joyce, Catherine Lucas, Nick Holford, Richard Day, Jennifer Schneider, Matthew Doogue, Catherine H. Han, Sarah Herd, Claire Harrison, Deborah O'Mara
Summary: The study investigated the implementation, student performance, and acceptability of the Prescribing Skills Assessment (PSA) for final-year medical students in Australia and New Zealand. The results showed high pass rates and positive feedback from students, but concerns about student preparedness need further investigation.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Sarah N. Hilmer, Sarita Lo, Patrick J. Kelly, Rosalie Viney, Fiona M. Blyth, David G. Le Couteur, Andrew J. McLachlan, Sheena Arora, Lutfun Hossain, Danijela Gnjidic
Summary: This study comprehensively investigates the prescribing practices for hospitalized older people, focusing on polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) based on Beers criteria, and cumulative exposure to anticholinergic and sedative medications using the Drug Burden Index (DBI). The study aims to quantify the exposure to these measures on admission, analyze changes between admission and discharge, and assess the associations with adverse outcomes and medication costs. The findings show an increase in the number of medications during hospitalization and slight reductions in PIMs and DBI, with varying associations with adverse outcomes.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Alessandra C. Marcelo, Emma K. Ho, David J. Hunter, Sarah N. Hilmer, Natali Jokanovic, Joanna Prior, Ana Paula Carvalho-e-Silva, Manuela L. Ferreira
Summary: This study aimed to develop educational materials for patients taking opioids for chronic low back pain or hip or knee osteoarthritis and evaluate their usability and acceptability. The materials were found to be usable, acceptable, and credible by both healthcare professionals and patients. The materials may be useful in supporting patients in reducing their opioid use.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Jeff Wang, Sophie James, Sarah N. N. Hilmer, Sarah J. J. Aitken, Garry Soo, Vasi Naganathan, Leanne Kearney, Janani Thillainadesan
Summary: In this study, the implementation of geriatric co-management in vascular surgery patients was associated with improvements in the prescription of guideline-recommended antiplatelet therapy. However, there was no significant impact on the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Kenji Fujita, Patrick Hooper, Nashwa Masnoon, Sarita Lo, Danijela Gnjidic, Christopher Etherton-Beer, Emily Reeve, Parker Magin, J. Simon Bell, Kenneth Rockwood, Lisa Kouladjian O'Donnell, Mouna Sawan, Melissa Baysari, Sarah N. Hilmer
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of a comprehensive intervention bundle using the Drug Burden Index (DBI) on older inpatients. The results showed that the intervention bundle increased the proportion of older patients who had at least one DBI-contributing medication stopped or dose reduced on discharge, particularly sedative and anticholinergic medications.
Editorial Material
Medicine, General & Internal
Sarah N. Hilmer, Allen C. Cheng
INTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Brendan L. McNeish, Iva Miljkovic, Xiaonan Zhu, Peggy M. Cawthon, Anne B. Newman, Bret Goodpaster, Kristine Yaffe, Caterina Rosano
Summary: This study found a positive association between serum myostatin levels and the amyloid burden in Alzheimer's disease. The association was significant in white men and women, but not in black men or women. Further investigation is needed to understand the role of myostatin in AD pathogenesis and its influence on different racial groups.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Peggy M. Cawthon, Sheena Patel, Anne B. Newman, Shalender Bhasin, Liming Peng, Russell P. Tracy, Jorge R. Kizer, Se-Jin Lee, Luigi Ferrucci, Peter Ganz, Nathan K. LeBrasseur, Steven R. Cummings
Summary: Based on studies from animal models, growth differentiation factor-11 (GDF-11) may have rejuvenating effects in humans. GDF-11 has high sequence homology with GDF-8, and follistatin and follistatin-like protein-3 (FSTL-3) are inhibitory proteins of both GDF-8 and GDF-11. In two prospective cohort studies of older adults, it was found that GDF-8 levels were positively associated with muscle size and strength, while GDF-11 was not significantly associated with strength or performance. This suggests that GDF-8 and its binding proteins may play a role in counteracting age-related loss of muscle mass and strength.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Shivani Sahni, Alyssa B. Dufour, Na Wang, Douglas P. Kiel, Marian T. Hannan, Paul F. Jacques, Emelia J. Benjamin, Ramachandran S. Vasan, Joanne M. Murabito, Anne B. Newman, Roger A. Fielding, Gary F. Mitchell, Naomi M. Hamburg
Summary: This study examined the association between vascular health measures and grip strength and gait speed. The cross-sectional analysis showed a positive association between resting brachial artery diameter and grip strength, as well as between mean arterial pressure (MAP) and grip strength. The longitudinal analysis revealed a significant association between brachial pulse pressure and slower gait speed, but no association with grip strength.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
(2023)