Mental stress induces sustained elevation of blood pressure and lipid peroxidation in postmenopausal women

Assessment of Psychological Status and Oxidative Stress in Postmenopausal Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives

During menopause, women may experience some physical changes that can affect their psychological status. Oxidative stress also increases with menopause, as decreasing levels of estrogen reinforce the deterioration of antioxidant status. To assess total antioxidative capacity, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase and the correlation between psychological status and oxidative stress in postmenopausal women.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was undertaken on 100 postmenopausal women (40–59 years). Blood malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and total antioxidative capacity were analyzed, and psychological status was assessed using Rosenberg's self-esteem test, Zung's self-rating anxiety scale, and Zung's self-rating depression scale.

Results

Of the women, 38.0% had mild to moderate symptoms of anxiety (mean ± standard deviation, 50.15 ± 4.89), 21.0% showed depression, and 19.0% had low self-esteem. Twelve percent of the study population had mild to moderate symptoms of all three disorders. A statistically significant difference was found in the scores of anxiety and self-esteem (P = 0.001 and P < 0.001 in women with and without psychological disturbances, respectively). With regard to oxidative stress parameters, only superoxide dismutase levels showed a statistically significant difference (P = 0.001), with lower levels found in women with psychological disturbance.

Conclusions

Women with depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem are in an oxidative challenge, which might be associated with estrogen depletion. A lower superoxide dismutase level is associated with higher depression and anxiety scores in postmenopausal women.

Interaction of multiple risk factors and population attributable fraction for type 2 diabetes and hypertension among adults aged 15-49 years in Northeast India

AIMS

The aim is to assess the association and population attributable fraction (PAF) of multiple risk factors combination for diabetes and hypertension among adults in the Northeast region of India.

METHODS

Data used is from the Indian Demographic Health Survey conducted in 2015-16. The study comprised 107, 766 respondents (95,153 females and 12, 613 males) aged 15-49 years. We examined four modifiable risk factors: smoking, alcohol consumption, aerated drinks consumption, and overweight or obesity. PAF was calculated using the relative risk from the multivariable logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Overweight or obesity in conjunction with smoking was associated with 43.9 % of patients with diabetes. Smoking in conjunction with alcohol and overweight or obesity contributed to 53% of patients with diabetes (PAF = 53 %). The three risk factors combination (i.e., smoking, alcohol, and overweight or obesity) is associated with the most hypertension cases (PAF = 50.7 %). Experiencing all four risk factors is associated with 50.3 % of patients with hypertension. In women, the four-risk combination contributed the most hypertension cases (PAF = 46.8 %).

CONCLUSIONS

Overweight or obesity was the single most significant factor leading to hypertension and diabetes among the study population. Also, smoking, alcohol, and overweight or obesity together are prominent risk factors for hypertension and diabetes.

Effect of α-lipoic acid on spatial memory and structural integrity of developing hippocampal neurons in rats subjected to sodium arsenite exposure

BACKGROUND

Exposure to arsenic has been reported to affect the nervous system in a number of ways. Various epidemiological studies suggest cognitive impairment in subjects following exposure to environmental arsenic. The goal of the present study was to determine if supplementation of exogenous α-lipoic acid (ALA) could ameliorate sodium arsenite (NaAsO₂) induced adverse effects on learning and memory and synaptic connectivity in rat hippocampus.

METHODS

Accordingly, NaAsO₂ alone (1.5/2.0 mg/kg bw) or NaAsO₂ along with ALA (70 mg/kg bw) was administered by intraperitoneal (i.p.) route from postnatal day (PND) 4-17 to Wistar rat pups (experimental groups) and the Control groups received either distilled water or no treatment at all. After carrying out Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) and Morris Water Maze (MWM) test, the fresh brain tissues were collected on PND 18 and processed for Golgi Cox staining.

RESULTS

Observations of MWM test revealed impaired learning and memory in iAs alone treated animals as against those co-exposed to iAs and ALA. In Golgi stained hippocampal sections of iAs alone treated animals, decreased dendritic arborization and reduced number of spines in pyramidal neurons (CA1) and granule cells (DG) was observed whereas neuronal morphology was preserved in the controls and ALA supplemented groups CONCLUSIONS: These observations are suggestive of beneficial effects of ALA on iAs induced effects on learning and memory as well as on hippocampal neuronal morphology.

Ascorbic acid inhibits vascular remodeling induced by mental stress in overweight/obese men

BACKGROUND

Mental stress (MS) is related to endothelial dysfunction in overweight/obese men. It is believed that the pro-oxidant profile, associated with an imbalance in the vascular remodeling process, may contribute to deleterious effects of MS on endothelial function. However, it is unknown whether administration of ascorbic acid (AA), a potent antioxidant, can prevent oxidative and remodeling dysfunction during MS in these subjects.

METHODS

Fourteen overweight/obese grade I men (27 ± 7 years; 29.7 ± 2.6 kg·m^-2) underwent the Stroop Color Word Test for 5 min to induce MS after AA (3 g) or placebo (PL, 0.9% NaCl) intravenous infusions. Venous blood samples were collected at baseline and the last minute of MS to measure nitrite concentration (chemiluminescence), protein carbonylation, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and catalase activity (colorimetric assays), superoxide dismutase (SOD; immunoenzymatic assay), activities of active/inactive (pro) forms of metalloproteinases-9 and -2 (MMP; zymography) and its respective tissue inhibitors concentration (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2; immunoenzymatic assays).

RESULTS

At baseline, MMP-9 activity (p < 0.01), the MMP-9/proMMP-9 ratio (p = 0.02) and TIMP-1 concentration (p = 0.05) were reduced, whereas proMPP-9 activity was increased (p = 0.02) after AA compared to PL infusion. After PL infusion, MS increased protein carbonylation (p < 0.01), catalase (p < 0.01), and the MMP-9/proMMP-9 ratio (p = 0.04) when compared to baseline. AA infusion reduced protein carbonylation (p = 0.02), MMP-9 activity (p < 0.01), and MMP-9/pro-MMP-9 ratio (p < 0.01), while SOD (p = 0.04 vs baseline), proMPP-9 (p < 0.01 vs PL), MMP-2 (p < 0.01 vs PL) and TIMP-2 (p = 0.02 vs baseline) remained elevated during MS.

CONCLUSIONS

AA appears to minimize the oxidative imbalance and vascular remodeling induced by MS.

Anxiolytic and anti-inflammatory role of thymoquinone in arsenic-induced hippocampal toxicity in Wistar rats

Arsenic (As) is a widely existing metalloid in the biosphere. Drinking water contamination by arsenic is a major route of human exposure, either by natural means or through industrial pollution. Numerous evidence form earlier reports suggest that arsenic exposure causes cerebral neurodegeneration which initiates behavioral disturbances concomitant to psychiatric disorders. Also, mood disorders in humans as well as in animals correlate with arsenic exposure; the present study is carried out to implore the neuroprotective potential of thymoquinone (TQ) in arsenic-stressed rats. TQ is an active component of Nigella sativa (Kalonji) seed oil. Arsenic exposure in the form of sodium arsenate (10 mg/kg/day; p.o) caused neurobehavioral deficits as evidenced by changes in locomotion and exploratory behavior in open-field and elevated plus maze tasks. Alongside this, arsenate also elevated hippocampal oxidative stress parameters like lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and protein carbonyl formation with a decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GSH) content. Genotoxicity assessment by Comet assay also showed prominent levels of DNA damage. Furthermore, arsenic also elevated hippocampal cytokine levels, TNF-α and INF-γ. However, TQ supplementation (2.5 and 5 mg/kg/day, p.o) preceded three days before arsenic administration, significantly attenuated arsenic-associated anxiogenic changes which majorly attributed to its antioxidant and anxiolytic potential. Also, TQ pre-treated rats expressed positive shifts in the hippocampal oxidative stress and cytokine levels with decreased DNA fragmentation. Thus, this study concludes that TQ might serve as a strong therapeutic agent for management of anxiety and depressive outcomes of arsenic intoxication.

Thoughts modulate the expression of inflammatory genes and may improve the coronary blood flow in patients after a myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

Mental stress is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Meditation and music listening are two techniques that are able to counteract it through the activation of specific brain areas, eliciting the so-called Relaxing Response (RR). Epidemiological evidence reveals that the RR practice has a beneficial prognostic impact on patients after myocardial infarction. We aimed to study the possible molecular mechanisms of RR underlying these findings.

METHODS

We enrolled 30 consecutive patients after myocardial infarction and 10 healthy controls. 10 patients were taught to meditate, 10 to appreciate music and 10 did not carry out any intervention and served as controls. After training, and after 60 days of RR practice, we studied the individual variations, before and after the relaxation sessions, of the vital signs, the electrocardiographic and echocardiographic parameters along with coronary flow reserve (CFR) and the carotid's intima media thickness (IMT). Neuro-endocrine-immune (NEI) messengers and the expression of inflammatory genes (p53, Nuclear factor Kappa B (NfKB), and toll like receptor 4 (TLR4)) in circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells were also all observed.

RESULTS

The RR results in a reduction of NEI molecules (p < 0.05) and oxidative stress (p < 0.001). The expression of the genes p53, NFkB and TLR4 is reduced after the RR and also at 60 days (p < 0.001). The CFR increases with the relaxation (p < 0.001) and the IMT regressed significantly (p < 0.001) after 6 months of RR practice.

CONCLUSIONS

The RR helps to advantageously modulate the expression of inflammatory genes through a cascade of NEI messengers improving, over time, microvascular function and the arteriosclerotic process.

Early diagnosis of type 2 diabetes based on multiple biomarkers and non-invasive indices

We previously reported that type 2 diabetes risk, early impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance can be predicted by measuring the fasting levels of certain biomarkers. Here we validated these findings in randomly recruited healthy volunteers (n = 101) based on biomarker expression as well as various non-invasive indices. Weight, body mass index, waist circumference and visceral fat differed between individuals with impaired fasting glucose and/or impaired glucose tolerance, and normal subjects. Fasting plasma levels of glycated hemoglobin, leptin, pro-insulin and retinol binding protein 4 differed between impaired fasting glucose/impaired glucose tolerance and normal subjects group and between newly detected diabetes and normal subjects group. Insulin resistance was correlated with fasting levels of insulin and leptin/adiponectin (r = 0.913); of insulin, retinol binding protein 4 and leptin/adiponectin (r = 0.903); and of insulin, glycated albumin, and leptin/adiponectin (r = 0.913). Type 2 diabetes risk, early impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance were predicted with >98% specificity and sensitivity by comparing fasting glucose levels to the estimated Matsuda Index based on fasting levels of insulin, adiponectin and leptin with or without oxidative lineolate metabolites. Non-invasive indices are slightly correlated with glucose tolerance and insulin resistance but do not increase the accuracy of predicting type 2 diabetes risk.

Estrogen replacement attenuates stress-induced pressor responses through vasorelaxation via β2-adrenoceptors in peripheral arteries of ovariectomized rats

We examined whether chronic estrogen replacement has an inhibitory effect on stress-induced pressor responses via activation of β₂-adrenoceptor (AR) in peripheral arteries of ovariectomized rats. Female Wistar rats aged 9 wk were ovariectomized. After 4 wk, pellets containing either 17β-estradiol (E₂) or placebo (Pla) were subcutaneously implanted into the rats. After 4 wk of treatment, rats underwent cage-switch stress, and, in a separate experiment, a subset received an infusion of isoproterenol (ISO) with or without pretreatment with the β₁-AR blocker atenolol or the β₂-AR blocker butoxamine. In addition, the isolated mesenteric artery was used to assess the concentration-related relaxing responses to ISO and the β₁- or β₂-AR mRNA level. The cage-switch stress-induced pressor response was significantly attenuated in the E₂-treated group compared with the Pla-treated group. Pretreatment with atenolol reduced blood pressure responses in both groups. However, butoxamine enhanced the pressor response only in the E₂-treated group, resulting in no difference between the two groups. In addition, the intravenous ISO-induced depressor response was significantly enhanced in the E₂-treated group compared with the Pla-treated group. Furthermore, the difference in the depressor response was abolished by pretreatment with butoxamine but not by atenolol. In the isolated mesenteric artery, butoxamine caused a rightward shift in ISO-induced concentration-related relaxation in the E₂-treated group. The β₂-AR mRNA level in the mesenteric artery was higher in the E₂-treated group than in the Pla-treated group. These results suggest that estrogen replacement attenuated the stress-induced pressor response probably by suppressing vasoconstriction via activation of β₂-ARs in peripheral arteries of ovariectomized rats. NEW & NOTEWORTHY In this study, we show, for the first time, that estrogen replacement has an inhibitory effect on the psychological stress-induced pressor response through vasorelaxation via β₂-adrenoceptors, probably due to overexpression of β₂-adrenoceptor mRNA, in peripheral arteries of ovariectomized rats.

The influence of vitamin C on the interaction between acute mental stress and endothelial function

PURPOSE

To determine whether orally administered vitamin C attenuates expected mental stress-induced reductions in brachial artery endothelial function as measured by flow-mediated dilation (FMD).

METHODS

Fifteen men (21 ± 2 years) were given 1000 mg of vitamin C or placebo over two visits in a randomized, double-blinded, within-subject design. Acute mental stress was induced using the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Saliva samples for cortisol determination and FMD measures were obtained at baseline, pre-TSST, and 30 and 90-min post-TSST. An additional saliva sample was obtained immediately post-TSST. Cardiovascular stress reactivity was characterized by changes in heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP).

RESULTS

A significant stress response was elicited by the TSST in both conditions [MAP, HR, and salivary cortisol increased (p < 0.001)]. Overall FMD did not differ pre- vs. post-stress (time: p = 0.631) and there was no effect of vitamin C (condition: p = 0.792) (interaction between time and condition, p = 0.573). However, there was a correlation between cortisol reactivity and changes in FMD from pre- to post-stress in the placebo condition (r ² = 0.66, p < 0.001) that was abolished in the vitamin C condition (r ² = 0.02, p = 0.612).

CONCLUSION

Acute mental stress did not impair endothelial function, and vitamin C disrupted the relationship between cortisol reactivity and changes in FMD post-stress. This suggests that acute mental stress does not universally impair endothelial function and that reactive oxygen species signaling may influence the interaction between FMD and stress responses.

Quality of life among post-menopausal women due to oxidative stress boosted by dysthymia and anxiety

Background

Menopause is the onset of aging in women. During this process, some women experience physical changes that may impact upon their psychological and social status, also affecting their quality of life. Furthermore, several psychological changes following menopause have been shown to act as pro-oxidant, but the association between the psychological status that modify the quality of life and oxidative stress in postmenopausal women is still unclear. The aim of this study was to determinate the relationship between oxidative stress with psychological disturbances, low self-esteem, depressive mood and anxiety, and quality of life in the postmenopausal women.

Methods

We carried out a cross-sectional study with101 premenopausal and 101 postmenopausal women from Mexico City. As markers of oxidative stress we measured plasma lipoperoxide levels, erythrocyte superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities, and total antioxidant status. We calculate a stress score as global oxidative stress status, with cut-off values for each parameter; this score range from 0 to 6, representing the severity of markers modifications. All the women were rated using the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory, the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety and the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scales, and the WHO Quality of Life-brief.

Results

The postmenopausal women with low quality of life in the WHO Quality of Life-brief and their subscales had higher stress score compared with premenopausal women with high quality of life (p < 0.05). We found a positive correlation among lipoperoxide levels and Zung Self-Rating Anxiety and Zung Self-Rating Depression score (r = 0.226 and r = 0.173, respectively, p < 0.05), and a negative correlation with WHO Quality of Life-brief scores (r = −0.266, p < 0.01) in postmenopausal women. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that average lipoperoxide levels increase by 0.0007 μmol/L for every 1-point increase in the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory and by 0.001 μmol/L for every 1-point decrease in the WHO Quality of Life-brief, after adjusted for pro-oxidant factors. Zung Self-Rating Anxiety and Zung Self-Rating Depression Scales scores also contribute to increase lipoperoxides levels, but not significant.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that oxidative stress is increased in postmenopausal women with psychological disturbances and low quality of life.

Preliminary studies of the effects of psychological stress on circulating lymphocytes analyzed by synchrotron radiation based-Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy

Psychological stress is a condition that not only generates behavioral disorders but also disrupts homeostasis and immune activity that can exacerbate or lead to inflammatory diseases. The aim of this work was to study biochemical changes in circulating immune cells from rats under psychological stress by using vibrational spectroscopy. A stress model was used, where exposure to a stressor was repeated for 5 days. Subsequently, circulating lymphocytes were examined for their biomolecular vibrational fingerprints with synchrotron radiation based-Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy. The results showed an increased absorption at the ester lipid region (1720-1755 cm(-1)) in lymphocytes from stressed rats, suggesting lipid peroxidation. Statistical significant changes in wavenumber peak position and absorbance in the nucleic acid region were also observed (915-950 cm(-1) Z-DNA, 1090-1150 cm(-1) symmetric stretching of P-O-C, 1200-1260 cm(-1) asymmetric PO2 and 1570-1510 cm(-1) methylated nucleotides) which suggest a reduction of transcriptional activity in lymphocytes from stressed rat. These results unravel part of the mechanisms by which psychological stress may affect the immune system leading to systemic consequences.

Oxidative & nitrosative stress in depression: why so much stress?

Many studies support a crucial role for oxidative & nitrosative stress (O&NS) in the pathophysiology of unipolar and bipolar depression. These disorders are characterized inter alia by lowered antioxidant defenses, including: lower levels of zinc, coenzyme Q10, vitamin E and glutathione; increased lipid peroxidation; damage to proteins, DNA and mitochondria; secondary autoimmune responses directed against redox modified nitrosylated proteins and oxidative specific epitopes. This review examines and details a model through which a complex series of environmental factors and biological pathways contribute to increased redox signaling and consequently increased O&NS in mood disorders. This multi-step process highlights the potential for future interventions that encompass a diverse range of environmental and molecular targets in the treatment of depression.

Diabetes and hypertension: is there a common metabolic pathway?

Diabetes and hypertension frequently occur together. There is substantial overlap between diabetes and hypertension in etiology and disease mechanisms. Obesity, inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance are thought to be the common pathways. Recent advances in the understanding of these pathways have provided new insights and perspectives. Physical activity plays an important protective role in the two diseases. Knowing the common causes and disease mechanisms allows a more effective and proactive approach in their prevention and treatment.

Integrase-independent HIV-1 infection is augmented under conditions of DNA damage and produces a viral reservoir

HIV-1 possesses a viral protein, integrase (IN), which is necessary for its efficient integration in target cells. However, it has been reported that an IN-defective HIV strain is still capable of integration. Here, we assessed the ability of wild type (WT) HIV-1 to establish infection in the presence of IN inhibitors. We observed a low, yet clear infection of inhibitor-incubated cells infected with WT HIV which was identical to cells infected with IN-deficient HIV, D64A. Furthermore, the IN-independent integration could be enhanced by the pretreatment of cells with DNA-damaging agents suggesting that integration is mediated by a DNA repair system. Moreover, significantly faster viral replication kinetics with augmented viral DNA integration was observed after infection in irradiated cells treated with IN inhibitor compared to nonirradiated cells. Altogether, our results suggest that HIV DNA has integration potential in the presence of an IN inhibitor and may serve as a virus reservoir.

Hormonal modulation of endothelial NO production

Since the discovery of endothelium-derived relaxing factor and the subsequent identification of nitric oxide (NO) as the primary mediator of endothelium-dependent relaxations, research has focused on chemical and physical stimuli that modulate NO levels. Hormones represent a class of soluble, widely circulating chemical factors that impact production of NO both by rapid effects on the activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) through phosphorylation of the enzyme and longer term modulation through changes in amount of eNOS protein. Hormones that increase NO production including estrogen, progesterone, insulin, and growth hormone do so through both of these common mechanisms. In contrast, some hormones, including glucocorticoids, progesterone, and prolactin, decrease NO bioavailability. Mechanisms involved include binding to repressor response elements on the eNOS gene, competing for co-regulators common to hormones with positive genomic actions, regulating eNOS co-factors, decreasing substrate for eNOS, and increasing production of oxygen-derived free radicals. Feedback regulation by the hormones themselves as well as the ability of NO to regulate hormonal release provides a second level of complexity that can also contribute to changes in NO levels. These effects on eNOS and changes in NO production may contribute to variability in risk factors, presentation of and treatment for cardiovascular disease associated with aging, pregnancy, stress, and metabolic disorders in men and women.

Telomere length and psychological well-being in patients with chronic heart failure

BACKGROUND

psychological stress and depressive symptoms have been implicated with accelerated ageing and increased progression of diseases. Shorter telomere length indicates a more advanced biological age. It is unknown whether psychological well-being is associated with telomere length in patients with the somatic condition of chronic heart failure (CHF).

DESIGN

a cross-sectional analysis was used.

SETTING

patients were admitted to the hospital with signs and symptoms of CHF.

OBJECTIVE

the study aimed to assess the association between telomere length and psychological well-being in patients with CHF.

METHODS

telomere length was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 890 patients with New York Heart Association functional class II to IV CHF. We evaluated the perceived mental health by the validated RAND-36 questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D), and the presence of type D personality was evaluated by the DS14.

RESULTS

a lower perceived mental health on the RAND-36 score was associated with shorter telomere length. Adjustment for age and gender did not change our findings (standardised beta, 0.11; P-value, 0.002). Telomere length was not associated with the CES-D or DS14 score.

CONCLUSION

decreased perceived mental health is associated with shorter leukocyte telomere length in patients with CHF. Future work should determine whether psychological stress accelerates biological ageing.

Sex/gender medicine. The biological basis for personalized care in cardiovascular medicine

Sex differences in morbidity and mortality associated with cardiovascular disease have been recognized by the medical community for decades. Investigation into the underlying biological basis of these differences was largely neglected by the scientific community until a report released by the Institute of Medicine in the United States in 2001 "Exploring the Biological Contributions to Human Health: Does Sex Matter?" Recommendations from this report included the need for more accurate use of the terms "sex" and "gender", better tools and resources to study the biological basis of sex differences, integration of findings from different levels of biological organization and continued synergy between basic and clinical researchers. Ten years after the Institute's report, this review evaluates some of the sex differences in cardiovascular disease, reviews new approaches to study sex differences and emphasizes areas where further research is required. In the era of personalized medicine, the study of the biological basis of sex differences promises to optimize preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular disease in men and women, but will require diligence by the scientific and medical communities to remember that sex does matter.

Pursuing enigmas on ischemic heart disease and sudden cardiac death

This article reviews what our colleagues have found as to how ischemic injury or cell death develop in myocardium through Ca(2+)-dependent protease calpain and how compensatory responses evolve through activation of intracellular signaling molecules including PKC isoforms, MAP kinase family enzymes and PI3 kinase. We also addressed how restraint or other psychological stress evokes hypertension and cardiovascular responses in signaling molecules or genes. Unexpectedly, carbon monoxide protects heart and cardiogenic cells against ischemia-resperfusion injury. When I think back, the unresolved cases of autopsies provided ideas for experimental study, which then taught us how the other cases died.