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Liu H, Chen D, Liu C, Liu P, Yang H, Lu H. Brain structural changes and molecular analyses in children with benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes. Pediatr Res 2024:10.1038/s41390-024-03118-2. [PMID: 38431664 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03118-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS) is a common childhood epilepsy syndrome, accompanied by behavioral problems and cognitive impairments. Previous studies of BECTS-related brain structures applied univariate analysis and showed inconsistent results. And neurotransmitter patterns associated with brain structural alterations were still unclear. METHODS Structural images of twenty-one drug-naïve children with BECTS and thirty-five healthy controls (HCs) were scanned. Segmented gray matter volume (GMV) images were decomposed into independent components (ICs) using the source-based morphometry method. Then spatial correlation analyses were applied to examine possible relationships between GMV changes and neurotransmitter systems. RESULTS Compared with HCs, drug-naïve children with BECTS showed increased volume in one GMV component (IC7), including bilateral precentral gyrus, bilateral supplementary motor area, left superior frontal cortex, bilateral middle/ inferior frontal cortex and bilateral anterior/ middle cingulate cortex. A positive correlation was observed between one GMV component (IC6) and seizure frequency. There were significantly positive correlations between abnormal GMV in IC7 and serotonergic, GABAergic and glutamatergic systems. CONCLUSION These findings provided further evidence of changed GMV in drug-naïve children with BECTS related to their behavioral problems and cognitive impairments, and associated neurotransmitters which could help to better understand neurobiological mechanisms and underlying molecular mechanisms of BECTS. IMPACT The article provides further evidence of changed gray matter volume in drug-naïve children with BECTS related to their behavioral problems and cognitive impairments as well as associated neurotransmitters. Most literature to date has applied univariate analysis and showed inconsistent results, and neurotransmitter patterns associated with brain structural alterations were still unclear. Therefore, this article uses multivariate method and JuSpace toolbox to fill the gap. Significantly increased gray matter volume was found in drug-naïve children with BECTS compared with healthy controls. Abnormal gray matter volume was significantly correlated with clinical data and specific neurotransmitters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Liu
- Department of Radiology, The Seventh People's Hospital of Chongqing, The Central Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, China.
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China.
| | - Duoli Chen
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chengxiang Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Peng Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hua Yang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Chongqing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Chongqing, China.
| | - Hong Lu
- Department of Radiology, The Seventh People's Hospital of Chongqing, The Central Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, China.
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Li J, Yao X, Wu Y, Wang C, Yang J, Wu C. The anticonvulsant effect of saiga horn on febrile seizures by regulating brain serotonin content and inhibiting neuroinflammation. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117180. [PMID: 37709104 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Saiga antelope horn (SAH) is derived from the Saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica Linnaeus) of the bovidae family. SAH has been used for the treatment of febrile seizures (FS) in children for thousands of years in China. Due to the biological protection of Saiga antelope and its ethical reasons, the application of SAH has been widely restricted. Unfortunately, the field of artificial manufacturing of SAH is still blank at present. The mechanism of SAH in the treatment of FS is still unclear, which seriously hinders the further development of artificial antelope horns and the search for substitutes for SAH. At present, there is an urgent need to determine the mechanism of SAH in the treatment of FS, so as to provide a theoretical basis for artificial antelope horn and its substitutes. AIM OF THE STUDY To explore the anti-FS effect of natural SAH on FS rat model and its possible mechanism, and to provide a theoretical basis for the subsequent manufacture of artificial antelope horns and the search for the best substitutes. MATERIALS AND METHODS FS was induced by a warm water bath (48 ± 0.5 °C). The latency and seizure grade of FS were observed and recorded. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the functional defect of hippocampal cells. The contents of tryptophan (TRP), serotonin (5-HT), IL-1β and TNF-a in rat brain tissue were determined by ELISA. qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of 5-HT synthesis related neurotransmitter receptors, catalytic enzymes and inflammatory factors in hippocampus. Immunofluorescence was used to observe the expression of TPH2 protein in the dorsal raphe nucleus of rat brain. RESULTS After pretreating rats with SAH, the seizure grade of FS was significantly reduced and the latency was prolonged. SAH can reduce the histological damage of hippocampal tissue induced by FS in rats. Further analysis of ELISA results showed that SAH significantly increased the levels of TRP and 5-HT in the brain of FS rats, and significantly decreased the levels of IL-1β and TNF-a. The results of QPCR showed that SAH could up-regulate the expression of ER-β and TPH2 mRNA and down-regulate the expression of IL-1β and TNF-ɑ mRNA in the hippocampus of rats. In addition, WB and immunofluorescence results showed that SAH could significantly up-regulate the expression of ER-β/TPH2/5-HT pathway in the hippocampus of FS rats and the expression of TPH2 protein in the raphe nucleus, but had no significant effect on SERT protein in the hippocampus of FS rats. In addition, ER-β protein inhibitor PHTPP significantly inhibited the therapeutic effect of SAH on FS rats. CONCLUSIONS The present study demonstrates that SAH has a significant anticonvulsant effect on the FS rat model. The mechanism may be related to the increase of TRP content and up-regulation the expression of ER-β/TPH2/5-HT signaling pathway in the brain of FS rats, thereby increasing the content of 5-HT in the brain and reducing the content of IL-1β and TNF-a in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhu Li
- School of Pharmacy/School of Modern Chinese Medicine Industry, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China.
| | - Xiang Yao
- School of Pharmacy/School of Modern Chinese Medicine Industry, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China.
| | - Yurou Wu
- School of Pharmacy/School of Modern Chinese Medicine Industry, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China.
| | - Chengwei Wang
- School of Pharmacy/School of Modern Chinese Medicine Industry, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China.
| | - Jincheng Yang
- School of Pharmacy/School of Modern Chinese Medicine Industry, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China.
| | - Chunjie Wu
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy/Academy for Interdiscipline, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China; Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Endangered Medicinal Animals, China.
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3
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Garodia P, Hegde M, Kunnumakkara AB, Aggarwal BB. Curcumin, inflammation, and neurological disorders: How are they linked? Integr Med Res 2023; 12:100968. [PMID: 37664456 PMCID: PMC10469086 DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2023.100968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Despite the extensive research in recent years, the current treatment modalities for neurological disorders are suboptimal. Curcumin, a polyphenol found in Curcuma genus, has been shown to mitigate the pathophysiology and clinical sequalae involved in neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative diseases. Methods We searched PubMed database for relevant publications on curcumin and its uses in treating neurological diseases. We also reviewed relevant clinical trials which appeared on searching PubMed database using 'Curcumin and clinical trials'. Results This review details the pleiotropic immunomodulatory functions and neuroprotective properties of curcumin, its derivatives and formulations in various preclinical and clinical investigations. The effects of curcumin on neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), brain tumors, epilepsy, Huntington's disorder (HD), ischemia, Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), and traumatic brain injury (TBI) with a major focus on associated signalling pathways have been thoroughly discussed. Conclusion This review demonstrates curcumin can suppress spinal neuroinflammation by modulating diverse astroglia mediated cascades, ensuring the treatment of neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mangala Hegde
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, India
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4
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Knap B, Nieoczym D, Kundap U, Kusio-Targonska K, Kukula-Koch W, Turski WA, Gawel K. Zebrafish as a robust preclinical platform for screening plant-derived drugs with anticonvulsant properties-a review. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1221665. [PMID: 37701853 PMCID: PMC10493295 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1221665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditionally, selected plant sources have been explored for medicines to treat convulsions. This continues today, especially in countries with low-income rates and poor medical systems. However, in the low-income countries, plant extracts and isolated drugs are in high demand due to their good safety profiles. Preclinical studies on animal models of seizures/epilepsy have revealed the anticonvulsant and/or antiepileptogenic properties of, at least some, herb preparations or plant metabolites. Still, there is a significant number of plants known in traditional medicine that exert anticonvulsant activity but have not been evaluated on animal models. Zebrafish is recognized as a suitable in vivo model of epilepsy research and is increasingly used as a screening platform. In this review, the results of selected preclinical studies are summarized to provide credible information for the future development of effective screening methods for plant-derived antiseizure/antiepileptic therapeutics using zebrafish models. We compared zebrafish vs. rodent data to show the translational value of the former in epilepsy research. We also surveyed caveats in methodology. Finally, we proposed a pipeline for screening new anticonvulsant plant-derived drugs in zebrafish ("from tank to bedside and back again").
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Affiliation(s)
- Bartosz Knap
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Dorota Nieoczym
- Department of Animal Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland
| | - Uday Kundap
- Canada East Spine Center, Saint John Regional Hospital, Horizon Health Center, Saint John, NB, Canada
| | - Kamila Kusio-Targonska
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Wirginia Kukula-Koch
- Department of Pharmacognosy with Medicinal Plants Garden, Medical University, Lublin, Poland
| | - Waldemar A. Turski
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Kinga Gawel
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
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5
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Bi M, Li D, Zhang J. Role of curcumin in ischemia and reperfusion injury. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1057144. [PMID: 37021057 PMCID: PMC10067738 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1057144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is an inevitable pathological process after organic transplantations. Although traditional treatments restore the blood supply of ischemic organs, the damage caused by IRI is always ignored. Therefore, the ideal and effective therapeutic strategy to mitigate IRI is warrented. Curcumin is a type of polyphenols, processing such properties as anti-oxidative stress, anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis. However, although many researches have been confirmed that curcumin can exert great effects on the mitigation of IRI, there are still some controversies about its underlying mechanisms among these researches. Thus, this review is to summarize the protective role of curcumin against IRI as well as the controversies of current researches, so as to clarify its underlying mechanisms clearly and provide clinicians a novel idea of the therapy for IRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minglei Bi
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Danyi Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jiading District Central Hospital, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- *Correspondence: Jin Zhang,
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Cheng HM, Gao CS, Lou QW, Chen Z, Wang Y. The diverse role of the raphe 5-HTergic systems in epilepsy. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2022; 43:2777-2788. [PMID: 35614227 PMCID: PMC9622810 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-022-00918-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The raphe nuclei comprise nearly all of 5-hydroxytryptaminergic (5-HTergic) neurons in the brain and are widely acknowledged to participate in the modulation of neural excitability. "Excitability-inhibition imbalance" results in a variety of brain disorders, including epilepsy. Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder characterized by hypersynchronous epileptic seizures accompanied by many psychological, social, cognitive consequences. Current antiepileptic drugs and other therapeutics are not ideal to control epilepsy and its comorbidities. Cumulative evidence suggests that the raphe nuclei and 5-HTergic system play an important role in epilepsy and epilepsy-associated comorbidities. Seizure activities propagate to the raphe nuclei and induce various alterations in different subregions of the raphe nuclei at the cellular and molecular levels. Intervention of the activity of raphe nuclei and raphe 5-HTergic system with pharmacological or genetic approaches, deep brain stimulation or optogenetics produces indeed diverse and even contradictory effects on seizure and epilepsy-associated comorbidities in different epilepsy models. Nevertheless, there are still many open questions left, especially regarding to the relationship between 5-HTergic neural circuit and epilepsy. Understanding of 5-HTergic network in a circuit- and molecule-specific way may not only be therapeutically relevant for increasing the drug specificity and precise treatment in epilepsy, but also provide critical hints for other brain disorders with abnormal neural excitability. In this review we focus on the roles of the raphe 5-HTergic system in epilepsy and epilepsy-associated comorbidities. Besides, further perspectives about the complexity and diversity of the raphe nuclei in epilepsy are also addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- He-Ming Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Chen-Shu Gao
- Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Qiu-Wen Lou
- Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Zhong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
- Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China.
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7
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Fabio MC, Servin-Bernal IJC, Degano AL, Pautassi RM. Serotonin disruption at gestation alters expression of genes associated with serotonin synthesis and reuptake at weaning. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:3355-3366. [PMID: 36063206 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06228-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Serotonin (5-HT) is a monoamine neuromodulator that plays a key role in the organization of the central nervous system. 5-HT alterations may be associated to the emergence of social deficits and psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, depression, and substance abuse disorders. Notably, disruption of the 5-HT system during sensitive periods of development seems to exert long-term consequences, including altered anxiety responses and problematic use of alcohol. OBJECTIVE We analyzed, in mice, the effects of transient 5-HT depletion at gestation (a developmental stage when medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) 5-HT levels depend exclusively on placental 5-HT availability) on 5-HT central synthesis and reuptake at weaning. We also explored if 5-HT disruption at the embryonic stage influences behavioral outcomes that may serve as a proxy for autistic- or anxiety-like phenotypes. METHODS C57/BL6 male and female mice, born from dams treated with a 5-HT synthesis inhibitor (PCPA; 4-Chloro-DL-phenylalanine methyl ester hydrochloride) at gestational days (G)13.5-16.5, were subjected to a behavioral battery that assesses social preference and novelty, compulsive behavior, stereotypies, and ethanol's anti-anxiety effects, at postnatal days (P) 21-28. Afterwards, expression of the genes that encode for 5-HT synthesis (Tph2) and SERT (5-HT transporter) were analyzed in mPFC via real-time RT-PCR. Dopamine 2 receptor (D2R) expression was also analyzed via RT-PCR to further explore possible effects of PCPA on dopaminergic transmission. RESULTS Transient 5-HT disruption at G13.5-16.5 reduced Tph2 expression of both male and female mice in mPFC at P23. Notably, female mice also exhibited higher SERT expression and reduced D2R expression in mPFC. Mice derived from 5-HT depleted dams displayed heightened compulsive behavior at P21, when compared to control mice. Alcohol anti-anxiety effects at early adolescence (P28) were exhibited by mice derived from 5-HT depleted dams, but not by control counterparts. No social deficits or stereotyped behaviors were observed. CONCLUSION Transient 5-HT inhibition at gestation resulted in altered expression of genes involved in 5-HT synthesis and reuptake in mPFC at weaning, a period in which the 5-HT system is still developing. These alterations may exert lingering effects, which translate to significant compulsivity and heightened sensitivity to the anxiolytic effects of alcohol at early adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C Fabio
- Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Cordoba, Argentina. .,Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Cordoba, Argentina.
| | - I J C Servin-Bernal
- Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Cordoba, Argentina
| | - A L Degano
- Departamento de Química Biológica Ranwel CaputtoFacultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Cordoba, Argentina.,Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba (CIQUIBIC), CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Cordoba, Argentina
| | - R M Pautassi
- Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Cordoba, Argentina.,Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Cordoba, Argentina
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8
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Metabolomic navigated Citrus waste repurposing to restore amino acids disorder in neural lesion. Food Chem 2022; 387:132933. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.132933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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9
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Tang C, Ren P, Ma K, Li S, Wang X, Guan Y, Zhou J, Li T, Liang X, Luan G. The correspondence between morphometric MRI and metabolic profile in Rasmussen's encephalitis. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 33:102918. [PMID: 34952352 PMCID: PMC8713113 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The GM atrophy located in the insular and temporal cortices of the affected side. Positive correlation was found in the brain region featuring MRI atrophy and FDG-PET. GM atrophy was spatially correlated with dopaminergic and serotonergic mapping in RE.
Volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) atrophy is a hallmark of Rasmussen’s encephalitis (RE). Here, we aim to investigate voxel-wise gray matter (GM) atrophy in RE, and its associations with glucose hypometabolism and neurotransmitter distribution utilizing MRI and PET data. In this study, fifteen RE patients and fourteen MRI normal subjects were included in this study. Voxel-wise GM volume and glucose metabolic uptake were evaluated using structural MRI and FDG-PET images, respectively. Spatial Spearman’s correlation was performed between GM atrophy of RE with FDG uptake alterations, and neurotransmitter distributions provided in the JuSpace toolbox. Compared with the control group, RE patients displayed extensive GM volume loss not only in the ipsilateral hemisphere, but also in the frontal lobe, basal ganglia, and cerebellum in the contralateral hemisphere. Within the RE group, the insular and temporal cortices exhibited significantly more GM atrophy on the ipsilesional than the contralesional side. FDG-PET data revealed significant hypometabolism in areas surrounding the insular cortices in the ipsilesional hemisphere. RE-related GM volumetric atrophy was spatially correlated with hypomebolism in FDG uptake, and with spatial distribution of the dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmitter systems. The spatial concordance of morphological changes with metabolic abnormalities suggest FDG-PET offers potential value for RE diagnosis. The GM alterations associated with neurotransmitter distribution map could provide novel insight in understanding the neuropathological mechanisms and clinical feature of RE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chongyang Tang
- Department of Neurosurgery, SanBo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Peng Ren
- Laboratory for Space Environment and Physical Science, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China; School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Kaiqiang Ma
- Department of Neurosurgery, SanBo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Siyang Li
- Laboratory for Space Environment and Physical Science, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China; School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Xiongfei Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, SanBo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Yuguang Guan
- Department of Neurosurgery, SanBo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Department of Neurosurgery, SanBo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Tianfu Li
- Department of Neurology, SanBo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100093, China; Key Laboratory of Epilepsy, Beijing 100093, China; Center of Epilepsy, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Xia Liang
- Laboratory for Space Environment and Physical Science, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China.
| | - Guoming Luan
- Department of Neurosurgery, SanBo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100093, China; Key Laboratory of Epilepsy, Beijing 100093, China; Center of Epilepsy, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100093, China.
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Sourbron J, Lagae L. Serotonin receptors in epilepsy: novel treatment targets? Epilepsia Open 2022; 7:231-246. [PMID: 35075810 PMCID: PMC9159250 DOI: 10.1002/epi4.12580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the availability of over 30 antiseizure medications (ASMs), there is no “one size fits it all,” so there is a continuing search for novel ASMs. There are divergent data demonstrating that modulation of distinct serotonin (5‐hydroxytryptamine, 5‐HT) receptors subtypes could be beneficial in the treatment of epilepsy and its comorbidities, whereas only a few ASM, such as fenfluramine (FA), act via 5‐HT. There are 14 different 5‐HT receptor subtypes, and most epilepsy studies focus on one or a few of these subtypes, using different animal models and different ligands. We reviewed the available evidence of each 5‐HT receptor subtype using MEDLINE up to July 2021. Our search included medical subject heading (MeSH) and free terms of each “5‐HT subtype” separately and its relation to “epilepsy or seizures.” Most research underlines the antiseizure activity of 5‐HT1A,1D,2A,2C,3 agonism and 5‐HT6 antagonism. Consistently, FA, which has recently been approved for the treatment of seizures in Dravet syndrome, is an agonist of 5‐HT1D,2A,2C receptors. Even though each study focused on a distinct seizure/epilepsy type and generalization of different findings could lead to false interpretations, we believe that the available preclinical and clinical studies emphasize the role of serotonergic modulation, especially stimulation, as a promising avenue in epilepsy treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jo Sourbron
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Section Pediatric Neurology, University Hospital KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lieven Lagae
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Section Pediatric Neurology, University Hospital KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Vortioxetine increases absence-like seizures in WAG/Rij rats but decreases penicillin- and pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in Wistar rats. Epilepsy Behav 2021; 116:107797. [PMID: 33561766 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.107797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
AIM Depression is the major psychiatric disorder in patients with epilepsy. Vortioxetine is a novel antidepressant drug for the treatment of major depressive disorders. In the present study, effects of vortioxetine were evaluated in different experimental epilepsy models of rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifty-six adult male Wistar rats and 28 WAG/Rij rats were divided into 12 groups of 7 rats each. Experiments were conducted with penicillin (500 IU, i.c.) and pentylenetetrazole models (50 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.)) in Wistar rats and genetic absence epileptic WAG/Rij rats. The vortioxetine (1, 5, or 10 mg/kg, i.p.) was evaluated in these three models. All groups were compared with their control groups. RESULTS In the penicillin-induced seizure model, 1, 5, or 10 mg/kg vortioxetine administration significantly decreased mean spike frequency. In the pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure model, 1, 5, or 10 mg/kg vortioxetine demonstrated a significant dose-dependent decrease in mean spike frequency, an increase in the latency to minor and major seizures, and a decrease in total duration of major seizure and convulsion stage. In genetic absence epileptic WAG/Rij rats, 1 mg/kg vortioxetine caused no significant alteration in the number and duration of SWDs compared to the controls, while 5 and 10 mg/kg doses of vortioxetine increased the number and duration of SWDs. Amplitude of the epileptiform activity did not change in any of the experimental epilepsy models. CONCLUSION The results of this study suggested that vortioxetine has anticonvulsant activity in penicillin- and pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure models. However, it exhibited proconvulsant activity in the absence epileptic WAG/Rij rats.
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Transient serotonin depletion at adolescence, but not at early infancy, reduced subsequent anxiety-like behavior and alcohol intake in female mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:215-225. [PMID: 33011817 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05670-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Serotonin (5-HT) plays an important role in the organization of the central nervous system and in the development of social interaction deficits and psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, depression, and addiction disorders. Notably, disruption of the 5-HT system during sensitive periods of development exerts long-term consequences, including altered anxiety response and problematic use of alcohol. OBJECTIVE we analyzed, in mice, the effects of transient 5-HT depletion at infancy or adolescence on subsequent anxiety-like behavior and alcohol intake during adolescence. METHODS C57/BL6 male and female mice were administered a 5-HT synthesis inhibitor (PCPA; 4-chloro-DL-phenylalanine methyl ester hydrochloride) at infancy (postnatal days 14-16 [PD14-16]) or adolescence (PD40-42). Eleven (± 1) days after treatment, mice were assessed for ethanol intake in daily two-bottle choice tests and for anxiety response via the elevated plus maze. RESULTS Female, but not male, mice transiently depleted of 5-HT at adolescence (but not those depleted at the perinatal stage) exhibited a significant reduction in anxiety response, which was accompanied by a significant reduction on alcohol intake. CONCLUSION Transient 5-HT inhibition at adolescence may act, in females, as a protective factor for the emergence of anxiety disorders and problematic use of alcohol during adolescence.
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Miziak B, Czuczwar S. Advances in the design and discovery of novel small molecule drugs for the treatment of Dravet Syndrome. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2020; 16:579-593. [PMID: 33275464 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2021.1857722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Dravet syndrome (severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy) begins in the first year of life characterized by generalized or unilateral clonic seizures that are frequently triggered by high fever. A subsequent worsening stage occurs (in years 1-4 of life) and seizure activity is accompanied by disturbed psychomotor development. The third stage of the disease, known as the 'stabilization phase,' is associated with seizures and intellectual impairment. Of note, a mutation in the voltage-gated sodium-channel gene α 1 subunit (SCN1A) has been found in around 85% of patients with Dravet syndrome.Areas covered: The authors review the current treatment strategies as well as potential drugs in the initial stages of clinical evaluation. The authors also review drugs with protective activity in mice models of Dravet syndrome.Expert opinion: Experimental data and results from initial clinical studies have brought attention to several drugs with various mechanisms of action including: ataluren (a suppressant of premature stop codons; under clinical evaluation), EPX-100, EPX-200, fenfluramine (serotonin modulators), soticlestat (an 24-hydroxylase cholesterol enzyme inhibitor), SPN-817 (an inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase), verapamil (a voltage-dependent calcium channel inhibitor) and STK-001 (an antisense oligonucleotide). The latter is scheduled for clinical evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Miziak
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Stanisław Czuczwar
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
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Kopeikina E, Dukhinova M, Yung AWY, Veremeyko T, Kuznetsova IS, Lau TYB, Levchuk K, Ponomarev ED. Platelets promote epileptic seizures by modulating brain serotonin level, enhancing neuronal electric activity, and contributing to neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Prog Neurobiol 2020; 188:101783. [PMID: 32142857 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2020.101783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The drugs currently available for treating epilepsy are only partially effective in managing this condition. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate new pathways that induce and promote epilepsy development. Previously, we found that platelets interact with neuronal glycolipids and actively secrete pro-inflammatory mediators during central nervous system (CNS) pathological conditions such as neuroinflammation and traumatic brain injury (TBI). These factors increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which may create a predisposition to epileptic seizures. In this study, we demonstrated that platelets substantially enhanced epileptic seizures in a mouse model of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) -induced seizures. We found that platelets actively secreted serotonin, contributed to increased BBB permeability, and were present in the CNS parenchyma during epileptic seizures. Furthermore, platelets directly stimulated neuronal electric activity and induced the expression of specific genes related to early neuronal response, neuroinflammation, and oxidative phosphorylation, leading to oxidative stress in neurons. The intracranial injection of physiological numbers of platelets that mimicked TBI-associated bleeding was sufficient to induce severe seizures, which resembled conventional PTZ-induced epileptic activity. These findings highlight a conceptually new role of platelets in the development of epileptic seizures, and indicate a potential new therapeutic approach targeting platelets to prevent and treat epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Kopeikina
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong
| | - Marina Dukhinova
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong
| | - Amanda W Y Yung
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong
| | - Tatyana Veremeyko
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong
| | - Inna S Kuznetsova
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong
| | - Thomas Y B Lau
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong
| | - Kseniia Levchuk
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong
| | - Eugene D Ponomarev
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong.
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