Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Rong Huang, Xinxiu Bai, Xueyan Li, Xiaohui Wang, Lina Zhao
Summary: Pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes is influenced by elevated levels of retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), which directly suppresses insulin synthesis through the STRA6 pathway. Lowering circulating RBP4 levels could potentially restore beta-cell function and improve hyperglycemia in diabetic mice.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Renata Belfort-DeAguiar, Romina Lomonaco, Kenneth Cusi
Summary: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D), and can lead to serious complications. Endocrinologists can play a crucial role in preventing cirrhosis by diagnosing and treating NAFLD early in high-risk individuals. This article provides a practical approach for endocrinologists in managing NAFLD patients, including diagnosis, fibrosis risk assessment, and referral to hepatologists.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM
(2023)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Evangelia Makri, Antonis Goulas, Stergios A. Polyzos
Summary: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease, with its prevalence rising due to increasing rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes. The pathogenesis of NAFLD is not fully understood, with factors such as adipokines, gut microbiota, and genetic predisposition playing a role in addition to weight gain and insulin resistance. Liver biopsy is currently the gold standard for diagnosis and staging, but early use of noninvasive biomarkers is essential for identifying patients at different stages of the disease.
ARCHIVES OF MEDICAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Hangkai Huang, Chengfu Xu
Summary: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming more common as the global economy grows. Retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP4) has been found to be related to various metabolic diseases. However, observational studies on the association between serum RBP4 level and NAFLD prevalence have shown contradictory results. Further research should focus on the predictive value of RBP4 in NAFLD development and its potential as a therapeutic target.
CHINESE MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Fernando Bril, Michael J. McPhaul, Srilaxmi Kalavalapalli, Romina Lomonaco, Diana Barb, Meagan E. Gray, Dov Shiffman, Charles M. Rowland, Kenneth Cusi
Summary: Measuring intact fasting insulin levels by mass spectrometry is an accurate and noninvasive method to predict the presence of NAFLD in patients without diabetes.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM
(2021)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Qian Lin, Zhifeng Huang, Genxiang Cai, Xia Fan, Xiaoqing Yan, Zhengshuai Liu, Zehua Zhao, Jingya Li, Jia Li, Hongxue Shi, Maiying Kong, Ming-Hua Zheng, Daniel J. Conklin, Paul N. Epstein, Kupper A. Wintergerst, Moosa Mohammadi, Lu Cai, Xiaokun Li, Yu Li, Yi Tan
Summary: The study demonstrated that FGF1(oHBS) is effective in preventing and reversing liver steatosis and steatohepatitis by activating AMPK through hepatocyte FGFR4.
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Ludovico Abenavoli, Tiziana Larussa, Alessandro Corea, Anna Caterina Procopio, Luigi Boccuto, Marcello Dallio, Alessandro Federico, Francesco Luzza
Summary: NAFLD, characterized by a wide spectrum of liver disorders, is considered a major public health issue globally. Polyphenols, known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, are believed to have potential benefits in preventing and treating NAFLD, though limited human clinical trials are available.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ying-ying Yu, Yu-ling Tong, Ling-yan Wu, Xin-yan Yu
Summary: This study investigated the effect of H. pylori eradication treatment on NAFLD patients. The results showed that after 1 year of treatment, the metabolic and inflammatory indicators improved significantly in the treatment group, indicating that H. pylori infection may worsen the development of NAFLD, and eradication treatment can improve metabolic indicators and the degree of liver steatosis.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mian-Li Xiao, Hai-Li Zhong, Hong-Rou Lin, Chun-Ying Liu, Yan Yan, Yue-Bin Ke, Yu-Ming Chen
Summary: The association between serum vitamin A and the severity of NAFLD was examined in middle-aged and older Chinese adults. The results showed that higher serum vitamin A levels were associated with NAFLD progression, possibly mediated by increased levels of serum retinol-binding protein 4, triglycerides, insulin resistance, and body mass index.
Article
Biology
Hajnalka Lorincz, Imre Csige, Mariann Harangi, Anita Szentpeteri, Ildiko Seres, Zoltan Szabo, Gyorgy Paragh, Sandor Somodi
Summary: The study revealed that serum fetuin-A and RBP4 concentrations were lower in morbid obese non-diabetic patients compared to controls, with a positive correlation between the two proteins. Fetuin-A showed positive correlations with HDL-C and large HDL subfractions, while RBP4 correlated positively with HDL-C, apoAI, and various HDL subfractions.
Article
Cell Biology
Zhe Zheng, Yue Li, Siyuan Fan, Jie An, Xi Luo, Minglu Liang, Feng Zhu, Kai Huang
Summary: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common clinical disease without approved drugs due to unclear pathological mechanisms. The newly discovered oncogene WBP2 has been found to decrease in NAFLD and its overexpression can alleviate liver fat deposition and insulin resistance, while knockdown aggravates these symptoms. This suggests a potential new direction for future research on NAFLD.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Fuqiang Liu, Ronghuai Zhang, Wei Zhang, Ling Zhu, Qi Yu, Zhongwei Liu, Yong Zhang, Shuo Pan, Yang Wang, Chao Chu, Li Hu, Qingyu Wang, Jiadong Yu, Jianjun Mu, Junkui Wang
Summary: High salt intake increases serum RBP4 levels in healthy individuals, while potassium supplementation reverses this effect. Furthermore, RBP4 levels are positively correlated with 24-hour urinary sodium excretion and negatively correlated with potassium excretion.
JOURNAL OF DIABETES INVESTIGATION
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Xiaorong Fu, Justin A. Fletcher, Stanislaw Deja, Melissa Inigo-Vollmer, Shawn C. Burgess, Jeffrey D. Browning
Summary: This study found that aberrant oxidative metabolism in fasting NAFL subjects is related to the inability to halt fasting de novo lipogenesis (DNL). Fasting DNL negatively correlated with hepatic beta-oxidation and ketogenesis, and positively correlated with citrate synthesis. Subjects with the highest fasting DNL were intransigent to the effects of fasting on insulin, non-esterified fatty acid, and ketone concentrations, and sustained glycogenolysis and citrate synthesis.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Jinchao Hou, Jue Zhang, Ping Cui, Yingyue Zhou, Can Liu, Xiaoliang Wu, Yun Ji, Sicong Wang, Baoli Cheng, Hui Ye, Liqi Shu, Kai Zhang, Di Wang, Jielin Xu, Qiang Shu, Marco Colonna, Xiangming Fang
Summary: NAFLD serves as an independent risk factor for sepsis, with a link to hepatic mitochondria and energetic metabolism dysfunction. Trem2 plays a crucial role in the metabolic coordination between hepatocytes and liver macrophages, affecting the progression and treatment of NAFLD-associated sepsis.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2021)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Maria Irene Bellini, Irene Urciuoli, Giovanni Del Gaudio, Giorgia Polti, Giovanni Iannetti, Elena Gangitano, Eleonora Lori, Carla Lubrano, Vito Cantisani, Salvatore Sorrenti, Vito D'Andrea
Summary: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide and is closely associated with insulin resistance and diabetes. Treatment for NAFLD depends on the severity of the disease, including abstinence from alcohol, dietary changes, and reduction of risk factors, as well as procedures like weight loss surgery to improve liver condition.
WORLD JOURNAL OF DIABETES
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Fernanda C. Gabriel, Manoela Oliveira, Michael Berk, Elisa Brietzke, Felice N. Jacka, Beny Lafer
Summary: This review aims to summarize the relationship between nutrition and bipolar disorder (BD). Findings suggest that the intake of unsaturated fatty acids, seafood, folic acid, and zinc is associated with improved BD symptoms. The impacts of creatine, carnitine, vitamin D, inositol, or NAC supplementation on BD are variable and mainly non-significant. Promising results are associated with Coenzyme Q10 (Coq10) and probiotics. Overall, dietetic approaches might be included as part of BD treatment, and individuals with BD should choose healthy dietary lifestyles.
NUTRITIONAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Elysha Ringin, David W. Dunstan, Roger S. McIntyre, Michael Berk, Neville Owen, Susan L. Rossell, Tamsyn E. Van Rheenen
Summary: Type 2 diabetes is more prevalent in bipolar disorder and is linked to cognitive deficits. This study explored the interaction between type 2 diabetes, bipolar disorder, and cognition, as well as the effect of age on cognitive performance in bipolar disorder with type 2 diabetes. The results showed that type 2 diabetes was associated with a negative impact on visuospatial memory in bipolar disorder. Processing speed and prospective memory were also negatively affected by type 2 diabetes, regardless of bipolar disorder diagnosis. Cognitive deficits were evident in bipolar disorder patients with type 2 diabetes compared to those without, and their cognitive performance remained stable or improved as they aged. In contrast, bipolar disorder patients without type 2 diabetes showed worse cognitive performance as they aged, but the age-related trajectory was similar to the psychiatrically healthy comparison group. The study suggests that comorbid type 2 diabetes may contribute to cognitive dysfunction in bipolar disorder, and bipolar disorder patients with type 2 diabetes may experience premature deterioration of cognitive functioning.
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jacqueline Lake, Chiara C. Bortolasci, Amanda L. Stuart, Julie A. Pasco, Srisaiyini Kidnapillai, Briana Spolding, Trang T. T. Truong, Bruna Panizzutti, Zoe S. J. Liu, Olivia M. Dean, Tamsyn Crowley, Mark Richardson, Jee Hyun Kim, Michael Berk, Lana J. Williams, Ken Walder
Summary: This study utilized gene expression signature technology and pharmacoepidemiology to identify potential drugs for treating mood disorders. The results showed that metformin, an FDA-approved diabetes treatment, had transcriptional effects similar to commonly used mood disorder drugs, and retrospective cohort study found evidence of its protective effect against the onset of mood disorders. These findings demonstrate the potential of combining gene expression signature technology with pharmacoepidemiology to discover novel drugs for mood disorders.
PHARMACOPSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Jessica Emily Green, Michael Berk, Mohammadreza Mohebbi, Amy Loughman, Amelia J. McGuinness, David Castle, Mary Lou Chatterton, Joahna Perez, Philip Strandwitz, Eugene Athan, Christopher Hair, Andrew A. Nierenberg, John F. Cryan, Felice Jacka
Summary: This study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) as a treatment for major depressive disorder. The results suggest that FMT is a feasible, acceptable, well-tolerated, and safe treatment for depression, supporting further research on its clinical efficacy.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY-REVUE CANADIENNE DE PSYCHIATRIE
(2023)
Review
Psychiatry
A. Ratheesh, D. Hett, J. Ramain, E. Wong, L. Berk, P. Conus, M. A. Fristad, T. Goldstein, M. Hillegers, S. Jauhar, L. Kessing, D. J. Miklowitz, G. Murray, J. Scott, M. Tohen, L. N. Yatham, A. H. Young, M. Berk, S. Marwaha
Summary: This systematic review examined the effectiveness of interventions in the early course of bipolar disorder (BD). The findings suggested that lithium use was associated with lower recurrence risk compared to other mood stabilizers, and mood stabilizers were associated with better global functioning compared to antipsychotics in the medium term. Psychological interventions, such as family-focused and cognitive-behavioral interventions, were associated with reduced recurrence risk or improved symptomatic outcomes. Pharmacological interventions were more efficacious when utilized in the earlier stages of illness.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIPOLAR DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Gregory Roebuck, Michael Mazzolini, Mohammadreza Mohebbi, Julie A. A. Pasco, Amanda L. L. Stuart, Malcolm Forbes, Michael Berk, Lana Williams
Summary: This study investigated the effect of anxiety disorders on bone mineral density (BMD) and found a significant association between anxiety disorders and reduced BMD in men, which may be mediated by comorbid mood disorders.
ACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Monojit Debnath, Michael Berk
Summary: The neurodevelopmental origin of schizophrenia is influenced by parental exposure to environmental adversities and alterations in immune and stress-regulatory pathways. Maternal immune activation, induced by maternal infections, has been identified as a key pathway in the development of schizophrenia. However, the role of paternal immune activation and the underlying mechanisms are still not well understood. This article highlights the potential mechanisms linking paternal immune activation and the risk of schizophrenia and proposes the possibility of bi-parental immune priming as a risk mechanism. Understanding these mechanisms will have important implications for the etiology and prevention of schizophrenia.
MEDICAL HYPOTHESES
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Aswin Ratheesh, Dylan Hammond, Caroline Gao, Steven Marwaha, Andrew Thompson, Jessica Hartmann, Christopher Davey, Stanley Zammit, Michael Berk, Patrick McGorry, Barnaby Nelson
Summary: Establishing staging models with transdiagnostic validity can advance early intervention efforts and enhance understanding of common underpinnings of mood, psychotic, and anxiety disorders. However, there is a lack of well-supported operationalizations for such models, particularly in community-based samples. This study aimed to explore the inter-relationships among symptom stages and common risk factors to develop data-informed transdiagnostic stages. The findings suggest that anxiety, psychotic, and depressive symptoms could be combined to form a transdiagnostic stage, which can aid in prognostication and indicated prevention in youth mental health.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Kelly Allott, Hok Pan Yuen, Lara Baldwin, Brian O'Donoghue, Alex Fornito, Sidhant Chopra, Barnaby Nelson, Jessica Graham, Melissa J. J. Kerr, Tina-Marie Proffitt, Aswin Ratheesh, Mario Alvarez-Jimenez, Susy Harrigan, Ellie Brown, Andrew D. D. Thompson, Christos Pantelis, Michael Berk, Patrick D. D. McGorry, Shona M. M. Francey, Stephen J. J. Wood
Summary: The drivers of cognitive change following first-episode psychosis are not well understood. This study conducted a secondary analysis of a randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled trial to investigate the role of antipsychotic medication on cognitive performance in patients with first-episode psychotic disorder. The results showed that the medication group exhibited decline in verbal learning and memory, while the placebo group showed improvement.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Review
Substance Abuse
Clara Lo, Mansee Mane, Jee Hyun Kim, Michael Berk, Richard R. Sharp, Kendall H. Lee, Jason Yuen
Summary: DBS as a treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) is being explored due to the limitations of current treatment modalities. Ethical concerns include informed consent and risks/benefits of DBS compared to traditional methods. Legal issues may arise from the criminalization of substance use and familial consent. Given the lack of clinical guidelines, general medico-legal principles should be considered for responsible use of DBS, and incorporating the IDEAL framework is recommended for future research.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Elysha Ringin, David W. Dunstan, Roger S. McIntyre, Neville Owen, Michael Berk, Susan L. Rossell, Mats Hallgren, Tamsyn E. Van Rheenen
Summary: This study examined the impact of physical activity and sedentary behavior on cognitive function in individuals with bipolar disorder. The results showed a negative association between physical activity and passive sedentary behavior with cognitive function, and a positive association between mentally-active sedentary behavior and cognitive function. These associations were stronger in individuals with bipolar disorder.
MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jacqueline Kaiser, Kevin Nay, Christopher R. Horne, Luke M. Mcaloon, Oliver K. Fuller, Abbey G. Muller, Douglas G. Whyte, Anthony R. Means, Ken Walder, Michael Berk, Anthony J. Hannan, James M. Murphy, Mark A. Febbraio, Andrew L. Gundlach, John W. Scott
Summary: Current pharmacological treatments for bipolar disorder are inadequate and lack revolutionary therapies due to limited efficacy, burdensome side-effects, and a poor understanding of the underlying disease mechanisms. Targeting the CaMKK2 enzyme shows promise as a new treatment strategy for bipolar disorder, as it is associated with the disease and its behaviors can be ameliorated by increasing CaMKK2 activity with lithium.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Melissa O'Shea, Emma E. Houston, David Skvarc, Hannah Capon, Shane Mclver, Michael Berk, Jill Harris, Belinda Chandler, Subhadra Evans
Summary: This study reports on a pragmatic preference trial with adults diagnosed with depression or anxiety, comparing the longer-term outcomes between those who completed a group CBT program and those who completed a group CBT program with an adjunct therapeutic yoga program. The findings show that participants in the combined CBT+Yoga group had sustained reductions in anxiety and depression, with significantly superior outcomes when compared to those receiving group CBT alone.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
R. Barnes, D. Skvarc, P. B. Fitzgerald, M. Berk, O. M. Dean, S. Dodd, T. Schriemer, A. B. Singh
Summary: This study compares the effects of once and twice daily rTMS treatment for depression, and finds similar remission rates between the two groups. However, twice daily treatment requires a shorter length of hospital stay, which has significant cost implications.
PROGRESS IN NEURO-PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Mathematical & Computational Biology
Ashlea Segal, Linden Parkes, Kevin Aquino, Andrew Zalesky, Ben J. Harrison, Jeggan Tiego, Murat Yucel, Leah Braganza, Chao Suo, Mark Bellgrove, Alex Fornito, Seyed Mostafa Kia, Thomas Wolfers, Barbara Franke, Martine Hoogman, Christian F. Beckmann, Lars T. Westlye, Ole A. Andreassen, Christopher Davey, Carles Soriano-Mas, Narcis Cardoner, Michael Berk, Sue Cotton, Andre F. Marquand
JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)