Inflammatory bowel disease and laterality: is left handedness a risk?

Is there a link between depression, neurochemical asymmetry and cardiovascular function?

Although at present depression is one of the most disabling disorders in our social environment, the understanding of its pathogenesis and the resources for its treatment are still unsatisfactory. The importance of brain asymmetry in the pathogenesis of disorders in brain function, including mood disorders such as depression, is a highly unexplored, sometimes underrated, and even ignored topic. It is important to note that the basal and pathological functional lateralization must have an underlying neurochemical substrate. It is also necessary to indicate that the brain asymmetry extends to a neurovisceral integration whose behavior may also be lateralized. One of the most studied axis from the functional point of view is the brain-heart connection, in whose operation there are observations that suggest an asymmetric behavior in basal conditions that is modified by central and peripheral changes, as well as by pharmacological treatments. There are evidences that connect cardiovascular function, neurochemical asymmetries, and depression. A deep understanding of the bilateral behavior of the brain following pathophysiological changes in blood pressure as well as pharmacologically induced, can provide us with therapeutic suggestions for the treatment of depression. In this article, we analyze remarkable results of some representative selected contributions, with which we discuss our proposal on the relationship between hypertension, depression and neurochemical asymmetry.

Sense of smell and quality of life in children with diabetes mellitus

INTRODUCTION

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic systemic diseases seen in children. The increasing prevalence of Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) among children is alarming. Although olfaction has been found to be altered in some adult T1DM subjects, it is unknown whether this is the case in children and, if so, whether the dysfunction adversely influences their quality of life (QOL).

METHODS

Using the Pediatric Smell Wheel^® (PSW), we measured the olfactory function of 30 T1DM patients and 30 healthy controls [mean ages = 13.1 & 13.0, respectively]. The Turkish version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) was also administered.

RESULTS

The PSW scores were lower in the T1DM patients than in the controls (9.17 vs 10.37; p < 0.0001), although, in both cases, the scores fell within the normal range for individuals of their age (i.e., at or above 80%). Interestingly, such scores were lower in left-handed than in right-handed patients (8.00 vs 9.46; p = 0.001). Lower QOL indices were also found for the T1DM than for the controls for the domains of Emotional Function (p = 0.02), Social Function (p = 0.014), School Function (p = 0.011), and Psychosocial Status (p = 0.002). No significant associations were evident between PSW scores and disease duration and QOL scales.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrates, for the first time, that modest decrements in smell function are evident in children with TIDM.

The association between handedness and clinicodemographic characteristics in people with multiple sclerosis: a brief report

A relationship between handedness and clinicodemographic profiles of people with multiple sclerosis was sought using data from the Multiple Sclerosis Partners Advancing Technology Health Solutions network of 10 multiple sclerosis centers in the USA and Europe. Handedness data were available for 8888 multiple sclerosis patients, of which 917 (10.3%) were left-handed. Clinicodemographic profiles of right versus left-handed multiple sclerosis patients were similar except for a slightly increased proportion of men who were left-handed, and slightly reduced performance on the manual dexterity test using the non-dominant hand in left-handed patients. We found no evidence to suggest a prognostic implication of handedness in multiple sclerosis.

Bidirectional asymmetry in the neurovisceral communication for the cardiovascular control: New insights

The cardiovascular control involves a bidirectional functional connection between the brain and heart. We hypothesize that this connection could be extended to other organs using endocrine and autonomic nervous systems (ANS) as communication pathways. This implies a neuroendocrine interaction controlling particularly the cardiovascular function where the enzymatic cascade of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays an essential role. It acts not only through its classic endocrine connection but also the ANS. In addition, the brain is functionally, anatomically, and neurochemically asymmetric. Moreover, this asymmetry goes even beyond the brain and it includes both sides of the peripheral nervous and neuroendocrine systems. We revised the available information and analyze the asymmetrical neuroendocrine bidirectional interaction for the cardiovascular control. Negative and positive correlations involving the RAS have been observed between brain, heart, kidney, gut, and plasma in physiologic and pathologic conditions. The central role of the peptides and enzymes of the RAS within this neurovisceral communication, as well as the importance of the asymmetrical distribution of the various RAS components in the pathologies involving this connection, are particularly discussed. In conclusion, there are numerous evidences supporting the existence of a neurovisceral connection with multiorgan involvement that controls, among others, the cardiovascular function. This connection is asymmetrically organized.

Brain asymmetry, immunity, handedness

The principle of symmetry-asymmetry is widely presented in the structural and functional organization of the nonliving and living nature. One of the most complex manifestations of this principle is the left-right asymmetry of the human brain. The present review summarizes previous and contemporary literary data regarding the role of brain asymmetry in neuroimmunomodulation. Some handedness-related peculiarities are outlined additionally. Brain asymmetry is considered to be imprinted in the formation and regulation of the individual’s responses and relationships at an immunological level with the external and internal environment. The assumptions that the hemispheres modulate immune response in an asymmetric manner have been confirmed in experiments on animals. Some authors assume that the right hemisphere plays an indirect role in neuroimmunomodulation, controlling and suppressing the left hemispheric inductive signals.

The Healing Effect of Teucrium polium in Acetic Acid-Induced Ulcerative Colitis in the Dog as an Animal Model

BACKGROUND Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which include ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), are debilitating and chronic disorders with unpredictable courses and complicated treatment measures. Therefore, an efficient treatment protocol seems necessary as therapeutic prophylaxis for these disorders.This study aims to determine the healing effect of Teucrium polium (T. polium) in acetic acid-induced UC in an experimental dog model. METHODS From September to December 2010, eight male (20-25 kg) crossbred dogs were used for induction of UC by 6% acetic acid, transrectally. After one week, three biopsies (10, 20 and 30 cm proximal to the anal verge) were taken from the colon of each animal for histological studies. In the presence of UC, 400 mg/kg/day of T. polium extract was administered orally and transrectally (via enema) for 30 days in six of the dogs. The remaining two dogs were used as controls and did not receive T. polium. Multiple biopsies were taken 7, 14, and 30 days after discontinuation of T. polium in the same manner as before treatment. RESULTS After administration of acetic acid, we noted the presence of multiple ulcers, diffuse inflammation, PMN infiltration in the lamina propria, glandular destruction and goblet cell depletion. Treatment with T. polium restored the colonic architecture with an increased number of healthy cells and a reduction in inflammatory cells. Damage of the surface epithelial cells and mucosal layer of the lumen were reversed, which lead to faster ulcer healing. CONCLUSION T. polium may be a treatment choice for UC and can broaden the current therapy options for UC.

The effect of calendula officinalis in therapy of acetic Acid induced ulcerative colitis in dog as an animal model

BACKGROUND

In patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), the repeated cycle of injury and repair of intestinal mucosa has been reported to increase the risk of colon cancer. So, a safe and efficient therapy is required for the treatment and prophylaxis for the disease.This study aims to investigate the efficacy of Calendula officinalis extract in treatment of experimentally induced ulcerative colitis in dog animal model.

METHODS

During fall 2010, 10 out-bred female German dogs (1-2 years old; weighs of 20-25 kg) were enrolled. Ulcerative colitis was induced with 6% acetic acid as enema and method of treatment was retrograde (via enema) too by C. officinalis.

RESULTS

Loose stools, diarrhea, gross bleeding and loss of body weight happened after administration of acetic acid and crypt damage, loss of epithelium, infiltration of inflammatory cells and depletion of goblet cells were noticed histologically. C. officinalis could successfully resolve the damages of UC.

CONCLUSION

Treatment with C. officinalis can broaden the current therapy options for UC.

The relationship between handedness and risk of multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND

Left-handedness has been studied as a marker for in-utero exposure to sex steroid hormones, and an increased risk of autoimmune and immune disorders among left-handed individuals has been suggested.

OBJECTIVE

This study examines the relationship between hand preference and risk of multiple sclerosis, a presumed autoimmune disorder of unknown etiology.

METHODS

The study population comprised participants in the Nurses' Health Study, an ongoing prospective cohort study of 121,701 female nurses in the United States with followup from 1976 to 2002. The nurses were asked to report their natural hand preference (right, left, ambidextrous, forced to change).

RESULTS

During followup 210 incident cases with multiple sclerosis were confirmed. A 62% increased risk of multiple sclerosis was observed among women who were naturally left handed as compared to those who were naturally right handed (95% CI: 1.04-2.53).

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests a modest increase in risk of multiple sclerosis among left-handed women. Further investigation of this relationship is suggested in other populations including both males and females. While the current results suggest that prenatal exposure to sex hormones may play a role in multiple sclerosis risk, direct examination of the relationship between in-utero hormone exposure and hand preference is necessary before any conclusions can be drawn.

Is there a link between Irritable Bowel Syndrome and left-handedness?: An exploratory study

Recent research has found that people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and those with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) show a relative deficit in verbal IQ, compared to their own performance IQ, and the IQ of a healthy comparison group. It has been suggested that the elevated prevalence of left-handedness shown in previous studies investigating people with IBD is due to compromised left-hemisphere development. This may be associated with a decrement in certain cognitive functions such as verbal IQ. A shift in brain dominance from left to right has been found in many atopic and immunological diseases as well as in autonomic dysfunctions. It was uncertain whether this would apply to people with IBS, a functional disorder in which the cause or causes remain unclear. Therefore, the aim of this preliminary study was to investigate whether people with IBS have an increased prevalence of left-handedness. It was found that there was an association between IBS and left-handedness, showing that further research on this association both in IBS and other functional disorders (as well as on the similarities between IBS and IBD) is warranted.