Article
Immunology
Rebecca G. Biltz, Samuel P. Swanson, Natalie Draime, Amara C. Davis, Wenyuan Yin, Ethan J. Goodman, Natalie R. Gallagher, Anindya Bhattacharya, John F. Sheridan, Jonathan P. Godbout
Summary: Chronic stress is associated with increased anxiety. Repeated social defeat in mice causes anxiety through the activation of neurons, reactive microglia, and accumulation of monocytes in the brain. The activation of P2X7 receptor on microglia plays a potential role in this process. Blocking P2X7 activation can attenuate neuroinflammation, monocyte accumulation, and anxiety-like behavior induced by repeated social defeat in male mice.
BRAIN BEHAVIOR AND IMMUNITY
(2024)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Xiaoheng Li, Zhixin Peng, Lingling Jiang, Ping Zhang, Pin Yang, Zengqiang Yuan, Jinbo Cheng
Summary: Chronic stress exposure can lead to dysregulation of the immune system and activation of microglia, resulting in depression-like symptoms. The study found that Dlg1 knockout in microglia can alleviate depression-like behavior induced by chronic stress, by reversing microglial activation and morphological changes. This finding provides a potential target for the treatment of clinical depression.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Toshinori Yoshioka, Misaki Ohashi, Kenjiro Matsumoto, Tomoki Omata, Takumi Hamano, Mayuna Yamazaki, Sayaka Kimiki, Kotaro Okano, Riho Kobayashi, Daisuke Yamada, Noriyasu Hada, Shinichi Kato, Akiyoshi Saitoh
Summary: Increasing evidence suggests a connection between emotional states and intestinal conditions in brain-gut interactions. This study focused on a validated animal model of stress-induced psychiatric disorders (cVSDS model mice) and found that these mice exhibited symptoms similar to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), including changes in intestinal motility and increased visceral pain. These symptoms persisted for a month after the stress session. Additionally, a traditional Chinese medicine used for the treatment of IBS normalized the intestinal motility changes in the model mice.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yunfeng Zhou, Mingzhu Yan, Ruile Pan, Zhi Wang, Xue Tao, Chenchen Li, Tianji Xia, Xinmin Liu, Qi Chang
Summary: Radix Polygalae (RP) demonstrated remarkable antidepressant activity in behavioral despair mice and chronic restraint stress (CRS)-induced rats, possibly by promoting autophagy and inhibiting neuroinflammation.
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Xianghe Li, Dongyan Ren, Bin Luo, Ziyang Liu, Nuojing Li, Tian Zhou, Erkang Fei
Summary: Anxiety disorder is a common mental disorder, affecting nearly 30% of adults worldwide, yet its molecular mechanisms remain unclear. A study on mice exposed to chronic restraint stress showed that anxiety-like behavior was induced and synaptic transmission in the medial prefrontal cortex was reduced. The reduction of perineuronal nets (PNNs) expression in the medial prefrontal cortex and the decrease of aggrecan (ACAN) levels were found to be associated with anxiety-like behavior. Treatment with the clinically prescribed antidepressant/anxiolytic drug Fluoxetine not only improved behavior and synaptic transmission deficits but also prevented the reduction of PNNs and ACAN expressions induced by chronic restraint stress. This study highlights the importance of proper PNNs levels in brain function and suggests that their decline may contribute to the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Physiology
Gessynger Morais-Silva, Lucas Gomes-de-Souza, Willian Costa-Ferreira, Jacqueline C. Pavan, Carlos C. Crestani, Marcelo T. Marin
Summary: Prolonged and heightened responses to stress can affect the development of mood disorders and cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to investigate how susceptible and resilient rats respond to a new stressor after exposure to social defeat stress. The results showed that susceptible rats had increased cardiovascular reactivity, indicating a higher risk for cardiovascular diseases.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Karina S. MacDowell, David Martin-Hernandez, Cristina Ulecia-Moron, Alvaro G. Bris, Jose L. M. Madrigal, Borja Garcia-Bueno, Javier R. Caso
Summary: This study investigated the potential involvement of inflammasomes in stress-induced neuroinflammation and the modulatory effects of paliperidone. The findings suggest that chronic stress induces inflammasome complexes in the frontal cortex of rats, and pre-treatment with paliperidone can normalize this response, highlighting its inhibitory action on stress-induced inflammasomes. Targeting inflammasome pathways could be a promising approach for future therapeutic interventions in neuropsychiatric diseases.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anna Gorlova, Evgeniy Svirin, Dmitrii Pavlov, Raymond Cespuglio, Andrey Proshin, Careen A. A. Schroeter, Klaus-Peter Lesch, Tatyana Strekalova
Summary: Aggression and deficient cognitive control problems are common in psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder. These abnormalities significantly contribute to functional impairment and the global burden of disease. Targeted treatments for excessive aggression and accompanying symptoms are limited and there is a need for more efficacious treatments for depressed patients.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Lanmin Guo, Zhi-mei Jiang, Rui-xue Sun, Wei Pang, Xue Zhou, Mei-ling Du, Meng-xiang Chen, Xinyue Lv, Jing-tao Wang
Summary: The social defeat stress model is commonly used to study depression and anxiety disorder, but the mechanism of neuronal loss is still unclear. In this study, a social defeat stress model was established in mice, and the impact on the structure of hippocampal neurons was evaluated using various techniques. The results showed that social defeat stress disrupts homeostasis in the hippocampus and affects the integrity of mitochondria, resulting in inhibited neuronal development and growth. These findings provide important insights into the mechanisms of neuronal development and the development of new strategies to combat depression and anxiety disorder.
BRAIN RESEARCH BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Eric Arsenault, Andree-Anne Lavigne, Samaneh Mansouri, Anne-Marie Gagne, Kimberley Francis, Thibault P. Bittar, Francis Quessy, Khaled Abdallah, Annie Barbeau, Marc Hebert, Benoit Labonte
Summary: The study used ERGs to investigate cone and rod responses in male and female C57BL/6 mice before and after chronic social defeat stress (CSDS), dividing the mice into susceptible or resilient categories. The results indicate that CSDS reduces the amplitude of certain ERG components in resilient males, while showing age-related changes in rod ERGs in females. Baseline ERG was found to predict susceptibility and resilience with an efficacy of up to 71% in males and females before stress exposure. Overall, retinal activity may serve as a valid biomarker for stress response prediction in individuals.
FRONTIERS IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Christine C. Kwiatkowski, Hope Akaeze, Isabella Ndlebe, Nastacia Goodwin, Andrew L. Eagle, Ken Moon, Andrew R. Bender, Sam A. Golden, Alfred Jay Robison
Summary: This study introduces a novel structural model approach for quantifying mouse aggression, and demonstrates its reliability and applicability through correlation analyses of large datasets. The technique is not only useful for selecting mouse aggressors, but also offers a more consistent and accurate study of mouse aggression itself.
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Psychiatry
Aki Takahashi
Summary: Significant sex differences exist in psychiatric disorders, with women being more vulnerable to stress-related disorders such as depression and anxiety. Recent research has focused on female mice in the study of repeated social defeat stress models, highlighting the importance of considering various factors in using this model.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
M. D. Reguilon, C. Ferrer-Perez, J. Minarro, M. Rodriguez-Arias
Summary: The study found that treatment with oxytocin can prevent the increase in alcohol consumption and neuroinflammatory response caused by social stress, without affecting motivation for alcohol.
HORMONES AND BEHAVIOR
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carmen Ferrer-Perez, Marina D. Reguilon, Jose Minarro, Marta Rodriguez-Arias
Summary: Oxytocin plays a crucial role in regulating addiction, with positive effects in mitigating drug abuse and buffering against stress. However, continuous stress or drug use can lead to dysregulation of the oxytocin system, making oxytocin a promising pharmacotherapy to restore natural benefits and rebalance the addicted brain's functions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Shiho Kitaoka, Ayaka Tomohiro, Shinya Ukeshima, Keyue Liu, Hidenori Wake, Shinya H. Kimura, Yasuhiko Yamamoto, Masahiro Nishibori, Tomoyuki Furuyashiki
Summary: Inflammation is associated with depression, and HMGB1 plays an important role in chronic stress-induced depression-related behaviors. HMGB1 can affect depression-related behaviors by regulating the Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2/4 in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The study found that HMGB1 has an antidepressive effect on social avoidance behavior, but the role of endogenous HMGB1 under chronic stress is still unknown.
Article
Integrative & Complementary Medicine
Yun Han, Xiao-kun Geng, Hangil Lee, Fengwu Li, Yuchuan Ding
Summary: The study demonstrates that drug-induced hypothermia can reduce ischemic brain damage, with interischemia hypothermia possibly being more effective than inter-reperfusion hypothermia.
EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Xiaokun Geng, Jiamei Shen, Fengwu Li, James Yip, Longfei Guan, Gary Rajah, Changya Peng, Donald DeGracia, Yuchuan Ding
Summary: The study demonstrated that phenothiazine reduced infarction and oxidative/lactic stress by inhibiting PCKs after stroke, leading to functional recovery. This suggests a potential therapeutic target in treating stroke-related complications.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Integrative & Complementary Medicine
Meng Wang, Xiaokun Geng, Chaitu Dandu, Radhika Patel, Yuchuan Ding
Summary: The study demonstrated that NBO treatment significantly reduced infarct volume and neurobehavioral deficits after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion. The neuroprotection provided by NBO was correlated with inhibited autophagy activity.
EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Sichao Guo, Xiaokun Geng, Hangil Lee, Yuchuan Ding
Summary: Chlorpromazine and promethazine exhibit neuroprotective effects by inhibiting neuroinflammation and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, as well as suppressing the activation of key pathways such as JAK2/STAT3, p38, and HIF-1 alpha/FoxO1.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Lipeng Cai, Jianjie Yang, Eric Cosky, Ruiqiang Xin, Xiaokun Geng, Yuchuan Ding
Summary: In the SHR model, long-term exposure to PM2.5 worsened CMBs, increased SBPs, induced systemic inflammation and oxidative stress. PM2.5 is potentially a controllable risk factor that promotes CMBs in certain patients, such as those with hypertension.
NEUROLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Qingzhu Wang, Melissa Wills, Fengwu Li, Xiaokun Geng, Yuchuan Ding
Summary: The study investigated the neurorehabilitative benefits of early RIC followed by exercise (RICE) therapy in rats with ischemic brain injury. Results showed that RICE was superiorly effective in inducing rehabilitation after stroke as compared to traditional exercise monotherapy, leading to significant improvements in functional outcomes, particularly in groups that had the later initiation of exercise. Additionally, all treatment groups showed significant increases in mRNA and protein expression of key molecules for neuroplasticity, synaptogenesis, and angiogenesis, with further significant increases after RICE following ischemic stroke.
NEUROLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Yanling Wang, Yazeed Haddad, Radhika Patel, Xiaokun Geng, Huishan Du, Yuchuan Ding
Summary: The onset of cardiogenic cerebral embolism is sudden and dangerous, with factors such as severity of neurological impairment, types and severity of combined heart diseases, establishment of cerebral collateral circulation, treatments, components of emboli causing cardiogenic cerebral embolism, existence and control of other system complications, distribution and expression of inflammatory immune cells and molecules, and epigenetic changes related to disease prognosis all influencing patient outcomes. Emphasis should be placed on clinical settings, emboli pathological profile, and epigenetic changes in the prevention and treatment of cardiogenic cerebral embolism to improve outcomes and reduce recurrence.
NEUROLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Lipeng Cai, Gary Rajah, Honglian Duan, Jie Gao, Zhe Cheng, Ruiqiang Xin, Shangqian Jiang, Peter Palmer, Xiaokun Geng, Yuchuan Ding
Summary: The study aims to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of intravenous GTN in patients with AIS, as well as its potential neuroprotective effects. Early results will provide important parameters for future studies and shed light on the possible neuroprotective qualities of GTN in AIS.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Surgery
Zhe Cheng, Gary B. Rajah, Jie Gao, Xiaokun Geng, Yuchuan Ding
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of endovascular treatment with an intermediate catheter and microballoon for atherosclerotic tandem occlusions in acute ischemic stroke. The results showed that the PEACE technique was safe, efficient, and fast, with a high rate of successful reperfusion and favorable functional outcomes in patients with tandem occlusions. Compared to isolated intracranial occlusions, tandem occlusion patients had fewer incidences of atrial fibrillation, a higher rate of successful recanalization, and better functional prognosis.
JOURNAL OF ENDOVASCULAR THERAPY
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Huimin Fan, Jing Feng, Melissa Wills, Liying Wang, Xiaomeng Chen, Xiaokun Geng, Yuchuan Ding
Summary: This study comprehensively evaluated Vestibular Neuritis patients and found that cerebral white matter changes on MRI were predictive of chronic vestibular insufficiency after the disease. Nerve divisions, age, and the grade of nystagmus were not associated with clinical recovery.
NEUROLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Yuequan Zhu, Xiaokun Geng, Christopher Stone, Sichao Guo, Shabber Syed, Yuchuan Ding
Summary: This study suggests that repeated social defeat stress (RSDS) can induce inflammation in both blood and brain, and FoxO1 may exacerbate stress-induced inflammation.
NEUROLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Fengli Che, Yanfang Liu, Xiping Gong, Anxin Wang, Xiaoyan Bai, Yi Ju, Binbin Sui, Jing Jing, Xiaokun Geng, Xingquan Zhao
Summary: This study found a significant association between extracranial carotid IPH detected by HRVMRI and poor 3-month functional outcome after acute ischemic stroke, indicating that IPH can serve as a predictor for poor functional prognosis at 3 months post-stroke.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Fengwu Li, Xiaokun Geng, Ho Jun Yun, Yazeed Haddad, Yuhua Chen, Yuchuan Ding
Summary: Physical exercise has been shown to induce remodeling and proliferation of astrocytes, which potentially affect the recruitment and function of neurons. The interactions between astrocytes, microglia, and neurons may enhance neuroplasticity, ultimately impacting neural circuit function.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Zhe Cheng, Xiaokun Geng, Gary B. Rajah, Jie Gao, Linlin Ma, Fenghai Li, Huishan Du, Yuchuan Ding
Summary: This study investigated a new method for predicting functional prognosis of AIS patients after endovascular recanalization, finding that the NIHSS consciousness score combined with ASPECTS may be a favorable predictor for functional independence. Low consciousness score, high ASPECTS score, short time from onset to recanalization, and high rate of successful recanalization were significantly associated with functional independence.
Article
Cell Biology
Zhe Cheng, Feng-Wu Li, Christopher R. Stone, Kenneth Elkin, Chang-Ya Peng, Redina Bardhi, Xiao-Kun Geng, Yu-Chuan Ding
Summary: Normobaric oxygen therapy can exhibit neuroprotective effects in ischemic stroke by reducing hyperglycolysis, modulating the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase signaling pathway and alleviating oxidative injury.
NEURAL REGENERATION RESEARCH
(2021)