Modulating neuroinflammation in COVID-19 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Relationships between obsessive-compulsive disorder and the big five personality traits: A meta-analysis

Although several studies have examined the relationships between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and the Big Five personality traits (i.e., neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness), the results have been inconsistent. Therefore, this meta-analysis comprehensively examined the relationships between OCD and these traits. In total, 23 studies (29 independent datasets) with 30,138 participants were analyzed. The pooled effect size was 0.34 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.28, 0.40) for neuroticism, -0.14 (95% CI: -0.18, -0.10) for extraversion, -0.04 (95% CI: -0.09, 0.02) for openness, -0.10 (95% CI: -0.16, -0.04) for agreeableness, and -0.03 (95% CI: -0.11, 0.05) for conscientiousness, indicating that OCD was associated with higher scores for neuroticism and lower scores for extraversion and agreeableness. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses indicated that heterogeneity was mainly due to differences in sample types and OCD measurement instruments. Sensitivity analysis showed that the results of the meta-analysis were robust. Overall, neuroticism was a maladaptive trait, whereas extraversion and agreeableness were adaptive traits for OCD. Although the results could be sample- and instrument-specific, our findings may inform preventions and interventions for OCD symptoms.

Exploring the role of interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 in the pathophysiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder

BACKGROUND

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a highly prevalent neuropsychiatric disorder. Recently, there has been a growing interest in investigating the association between pro-inflammatory cytokines and the pathogenesis of OCD. However, studies targeting interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in OCD are limited. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the potential role of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6 in the pathophysiology and development of OCD.

METHODS

This study recruited 58 OCD patients and 30 age-sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). A qualified psychiatrist diagnosed OCD patients and assessed HCs based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Health Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) criteria. We measured the severity of OCD using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). Serum IL-1β and IL-6 levels were measured using ELISA kits following the appropriate methods.

RESULTS

The results showed that serum IL-1β levels were significantly elevated in OCD patients compared to HCs (23.68±1.65 pg/ml vs. 15.75±1.02 pg/ml; p = 0.002). Similarly, OCD patients exhibited significantly higher serum IL-6 levels than HCs (44.97±0.73 pg/ml vs. 37.04±0.35 pg/ml; p<0.001). We observed both cytokines were positively correlated with the Y-BOCS scores in OCD patients (IL-1β: r = 0.380, p = 0.015; IL-6: r = 0.324, p = 0.026) which indicates their role in disease pathophysiology.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that serum IL-1β and IL-6 levels may be associated with the pathophysiology of OCD. Also, these cytokines levels in blood samples can serve as early risk assessment tools for the development of OCD. We recommend further studies in a large and homogeneous population to support these findings.

Bibliometric Analysis of Marine Traditional Chinese Medicine in Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China: Development, Differences, and Trends Directions

Background

Marine traditional Chinese medicine (MTCM) is a class of traditional medicine that has antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties. Bibliometric approaches were used in this study to conduct systematic research in order to gain a complete picture of MTCM research around the world.

Methods

CiteSpace and NoteExpress software were utilized as tools to examine the information about authors, sources, keywords, etc. Chinese publications were collected from the CNKI, VIP, and WANFANG databases; English publications were collected from the Web of Science database.

Results

A total of 10080 publications were screened, and the search volume of Chinese literature is greater than that of English literature; Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, China, and Jeju National University, South Korea, published a greater number of articles than other institutions; the scholars Zhaohui-Zhang and Youjin-Jeon have published the highest number of articles in the world. MTCM of shells was often researched for inorganic elements, and data mining methods were applied frequently; MTCM of animals was commonly used for antifatigue and was taken authenticity identification owing to the scarcity of resources; scholars conducted the most research on MTCM of plants, this category usually for antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant purposes, and the mechanisms of action were studied in depth. The Chinese literature has undertaken a multifaceted research study based on the theories of processing and the nature of TCM. In the English literature, in-depth studies have been done from the perspectives of the mechanism of action, the extraction and purification of active substances, etc.

Conclusions

According to the analysis of keywords, different medicinal parts present their own special research directions, and different research hotspots have also emerged under different medical theories. The development of MTCM is moving in the direction of standardization and modernization, thanks to the development of cross-disciplinary research as well as the use of several new technologies and statistical techniques.

Efficacy of a vegetal mixture composed of Zingiber officinale, Echinacea purpurea, and Centella asiatica in a mouse model of neuroinflammation: In vivo and ex vivo analysis

Experimental evidence suggests that neuroinflammation is a key pathological event of many diseases affecting the nervous system. It has been well recognized that these devastating illnesses (e.g., Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, depression, and chronic pain) are multifactorial, involving many pathogenic mechanisms, reason why pharmacological treatments are unsatisfactory. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a vegetal mixture capable of offering a multiple approach required to manage the multifactoriality of neuroinflammation. A mixture composed of Zingiber officinale (150 mg kg⁻¹), Echinacea purpurea (20 mg kg⁻¹), and Centella asiatica (200 mg kg⁻¹) was tested in a mouse model of systemic neuroinflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 mg kg⁻¹). Repeated treatment with the vegetal mixture was able to completely counteract thermal and mechanical allodynia as reported by the Cold plate and von Frey tests, respectively, and to reduce the motor impairments as demonstrated by the Rota rod test. Moreover, the mixture was capable of neutralizing the memory loss in the Passive avoidance test and reducing depressive-like behavior in the Porsolt test, while no efficacy was shown in decreasing anhedonia as demonstrated by the Sucrose preference test. Finally, LPS stimulation caused a significant increase in the activation of glial cells, of the central complement proteins and of inflammatory cytokines in selected regions of the central nervous system (CNS), which were rebalanced in animals treated with the vegetal mixture. In conclusion, the vegetal mixture tested thwarted the plethora of symptoms evoked by LPS, thus being a potential candidate for future investigations in the context of neuroinflammation.

Inhibition of Monoacylglycerol Lipase by NSD1819 as an Effective Strategy for the Endocannabinoid System Modulation against Neuroinflammation-Related Disorders

Neuroinflammation is a key pathological event shared by different diseases affecting the nervous system. Since the underlying mechanism of neuroinflammation is a complex and multifaceted process, current pharmacological treatments are unsatisfactory—a reason why new therapeutic approaches are mandatory. In this context, the endocannabinoid system has proven to possess neuroprotective and immunomodulatory actions under neuroinflammatory status, and its modulation could represent a valuable approach to address different inflammatory processes. To this aim, we evaluated the efficacy of a repeated treatment with NSD1819, a potent β-lactam-based monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitor in a mouse model of neuroinflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. Mice were intraperitoneally injected with LPS 1 mg/kg for five consecutive days to induce systemic inflammation. Concurrently, NSD1819 (3 mg/kg) was daily per os administered from day 1 until the end of the experiment (day 11). Starting from day 8, behavioral measurements were performed to evaluate the effect of the treatment on cognitive impairments, allodynia, motor alterations, anhedonia, and depressive-like behaviors evoked by LPS. Histologically, glial analysis of the spinal cord was also performed. The administration of NSD1819 was able to completely counteract thermal and mechanical allodynia as highlighted by the Cold plate and von Frey tests, respectively, and to reduce motor impairments as demonstrated by the Rota rod test. Moreover, the compound was capable of neutralizing the memory loss in the Passive avoidance test, and reducing depressive-like behavior in the Porsolt test. Finally, LPS stimulation caused a significant glial cells activation in the dorsal horn of the lumbar spinal cord that was significantly recovered by NSD1819 repeated treatment. In conclusion, NSD1819 was able to thwart the plethora of symptoms evoked by LPS, thus representing a promising candidate for future applications in the context of neuroinflammation and related diseases.

Adverse Childhood Events, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Infectious Encephalopathies and Immune-Mediated Disease

Adverse Childhood Events (ACE), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and infectious encephalopathies are associated with immune-mediated diseases. Data supporting this are reviewed, and an integrated hypothesis is provided. All three can be associated with intrusive symptoms and temporal lobe pathology. ACE and PTSD are accompanied by an impaired mental capacity to differentiate external danger vs. safety. Infectious encephalopathies are accompanied by a failure of adaptive immunity and an impaired immune capacity to differentiate internal danger vs. safety. All three conditions are associated with impairments to differentiate danger vs. safety and adapt effectively. There are reciprocal interactions between ACE, PTSD, and infectious encephalopathies with accompanying persistent immune activation. This is associated with immune dysregulation, chronic hyperarousal, activation of the stress response, and impairments of the fear recognition and response neural circuits, hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, amygdala, and hippocampus. The pathophysiological processes can result in a broad spectrum of chronic neuropsychiatric and somatic symptoms and diseases. Understanding the psychodynamic, neurological, neuroimmune, inflammatory and autoimmune components of this interactive process expands the effective treatment opportunities.

Update of the Potential Treatments for Psychiatric and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in the Context of the Post-COVID-19 Condition: Still a Lot of Suffering and Many More Things to Learn

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined a post-COVID-19 condition. Some of these symptoms can be categorized as psychiatric long COVID-19 if they appeared in the aftermath of COVID-19, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, somatic symptoms disorders such as hyperventilation syndrome, fatigue, cognitive and sleep disorders. Psychiatric and neuropsychiatric post-COVID-19 present mental health specialists with difficult challenges because of its complexity and the multiple ways in which it integrates into a singular somatic context. Methods: We conducted a systematic research paradigm from SARS-CoV-2 using LitCOVID and Web of Science to search management strategies and potential treatments for psychiatric post-COVID-19 symptoms. Results: Management strategies must be based on a multidisciplinary approach to promote the global evaluation of psychiatric and physical symptoms, systematic detection and prevention. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors appear to be the best choice to treat post-COVID-19 depression and anxiety disorders, and tofisopam could be helpful for anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy techniques adjusted to post-COVID-19 fatigue, functional remediation, extracorporeal apheresis, transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation, monoclonal antibodies, flavonoids, oxytocin or L-carnitine all represent hypothetical therapeutic avenues that remain to be evaluated in clinical trials. Conclusions: Psychiatric and neuropsychiatric post-COVID-19 symptoms occur frequently and are debilitating. Attention should be paid to this condition and studies undertaken to specify the effective treatments.