Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) mainly affects the academic performance of children and adolescents. In addition to bringing physical and mental health benefits, physical activity has ...been used to prevent and improve ADHD comorbidities; however, its effectiveness has not been quantified. In this study, the effect of physical activity on children's attention was measured using a computer game. Intense physical activity was promoted by a relay race, which requires a 5-min run without a rest interval. The proposed physical stimulus was performed with 28 volunteers: 14 with ADHD (GE-EF) and 14 without ADHD symptoms (GC-EF). After 5 min of rest, these volunteers accessed the computer game to accomplish the tasks in the shortest time possible. The computer game was also accessed by another 28 volunteers: 14 with ADHD (GE) and 14 without these symptoms (GC). The response time to solve the tasks that require attention was recorded. The results of the four groups were analyzed using D'Agostino statistical tests of normality, Kruskal-Wallis analyses of variance and post-hoc Dunn tests. The groups of volunteers with ADHD who performed exercise (GE-EF) showed improved performance for the tasks that require attention with a difference of 30.52% compared with the volunteers with ADHD who did not perform the exercise (GE). The (GE-EF) group showed similar performance (2.5% difference) with the volunteers in the (GC) group who have no ADHD symptoms and did not exercise. This study shows that intense exercise can improve the attention of children with ADHD and may help their school performance.
Proper functioning of all organs, including the brain, requires iron. It is present in different forms in biological fluids, and alterations in its distribution can induce oxidative stress and ...neurodegeneration. However, the clinical parameters normally used for monitoring iron concentration in biological fluids (i.e., serum and cerebrospinal fluid) can hardly detect the quantity of circulating iron, while indirect measurements, e.g., magnetic resonance imaging, require further validation. This review summarizes the mechanisms involved in brain iron metabolism, homeostasis, and iron imbalance caused by alterations detectable by standard and non-standard indicators of iron status. These indicators for iron transport, storage, and metabolism can help to understand which biomarkers can better detect iron imbalances responsible for neurodegenerative diseases.
One of the most challenging goals in pharmacological research is overcoming the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) to deliver drugs to the Central Nervous System (CNS). The use of physical means, such as ...steady and alternating magnetic fields to drive nanocarriers with proper magnetic characteristics may prove to be a useful strategy. The present review aims at providing an up-to-date picture of the applications of magnetic-driven nanotheranostics agents to the CNS. Although well consolidated on physical ground, some of the techniques described herein are still under investigation on in vitro or in silico models, while others have already entered in-or are close to-clinical validation. The review provides a concise overview of the physical principles underlying the behavior of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) interacting with an external magnetic field. Thereafter we describe the physiological pathways by which a substance can reach the brain from the bloodstream and then we focus on those MNP applications that aim at a nondestructive crossing of the BBB such as static magnetic fields to facilitate the passage of drugs and alternating magnetic fields to increment BBB permeability by magnetic heating. In conclusion, we briefly cite the most notable biomedical applications of MNPs and some relevant remarks about their safety and potential toxicity.
Migraine is a common neurovascular disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of headache and associated neurological symptoms. At present, a significant portion of patients do not obtain a ...satisfactory response to acute pain-relieving therapies, including NSAIDs and triptans. In this context, pharmacogenetics plays a key role in the understanding of such a diverse response. In order to investigate whether functional polymorphisms in proinflammatory cytokine genes (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-1RN; IL-6 and TNF-α) may influence the response to acute treatment, 313 consecutive patients with episodic migraine without aura were enrolled. Pain relief by administration of NSAIDs or triptans for three consecutive migraine attacks was evaluated. We found a significant association between A allele of the TNF-α promoter (−308 A/G) and a lack of efficacy after NSAID administration (p < 0.01, OR 2.51, 95% CI: 1.33 < OR < 4.75 compared to the G allele). Remaining polymorphisms had no significant effect on pain relief. Our study showed that a functional polymorphism in the TNF-α gene significantly modulates the clinical response to NSAID administration in acute attacks. Patients with higher production of the active cytokine during stress showed a significantly lower anti-migraine effect. Our results further support a role for TNF-α in the pathophysiological mechanisms of migraine attack.
Activated dendritic cells (DC) induce and polarize T-cell responses by expression of distinct maturation markers and cytokines. This study systematically investigated the capacity of different ...biotechnically relevant yeast species and strains including
Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Kluyveromyces lactis, Pichia pastoris, Hansenula polymorph
a,
Yarrowia lipolytica
, and
Candida glabrata
to initiate maturation of human DC. As important prerequisite for T-cell activation, all yeasts were shown to effectively induce, though to a different extent, the expression of the activation marker CD83, the co-stimulatory molecules CD80, CD86, CD54, CD58, and CD40, as well as the antigen-presenting molecules MHCs I and II. Furthermore, yeast-activated DC secreted various cytokines including inflammatory TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-1β or T-cell polarizing IL-12, IL-10, IL-23, and IL-27. Variability was observed in the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, and IL-10 in response to the tested yeasts, whereas expression levels of IL-12, IL-23, and IL-27 were similar. Interestingly, maturation marker expression and cytokine secretion were not negatively affected after application of yeast mutants with altered cell wall mannoprotein structure (Δ
mnn11
) or defective in protein N-glycosylation (Δ
ost3
), indicating that elongated cell wall mannoproteins at the outer yeast cell surface are not a prerequisite for the observed yeast-mediated DC maturation. Thus, our data provide a valuable basic knowledge for the future design of effective yeast-based delivery approaches.
Common genetic risk factors are associated with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Intermediate repeat expansions at the Ataxin-2 locus (ATXN2) are a risk factor ...for ALS and influence the phenotype. We assessed whether ATXN2 is a risk factor for FTD or modify clinical features in a data set of Italian patients. Three hundred sixty-eight unrelated FTD cases and 342 controls were enrolled. The frequency of intermediate CAG repeats in ATXN2 gene was not different comparing patients and controls. CAG repeats were interrupted by CAA in all patients carrying intermediate repeats. Interestingly, patients with an increased number of CAG repeats had an earlier onset of the disease than those without expansions (p = 0.011), and presented more frequently with parkinsonism (p = 0.010), and psychotic symptoms (p = 0.013) at disease onset. Our study does not support a major role of ATXN2 intermediate CAG expansions in predisposing to FTD but suggests that ATXN2 may act as a phenotype modifier.
Abstract The grip movement is essential for performing daily activities. However, the assessment of this movement is currently made subjectively, due to the lack of appropriate quantification ...equipment. The objective of this study was to develop, validate and test a virtual environment controlled by five trigger devices used to analyse cylindrical, spherical and hook grips as well as tip-to-tip pinch and pulp-to-side movements. Sensors and electronic circuits that detect the correct grip, the threshold of grip strength and the range of motion were inserted into the devices. To validate this system, tests were conducted with 20 children while being evaluated by three physical therapists, all specialists in neurology. The results from the evaluators and the system agreed to an extent of 86.6%. Following validation, the system was used by 35 children with no motor impairment and by 10 children with mild motor abnormalities in an upper limb; these assessments provided efficient and reliable results. The developments presented in this study may help to assess grip and pinch movements and facilitate the choice of strategies in therapeutic processes.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, characterized by a complex etiology that makes therapeutic strategies still not effective. A true understanding of key pathological ...mechanisms and new biomarkers are needed, to identify alternative disease-modifying therapies counteracting the disease progression. Iron is an essential element for brain metabolism and its imbalance is implicated in neurodegeneration, due to its potential neurotoxic effect. However, the role of iron in different stages of dementia is not clearly established. This study aimed to investigate the potential impact of iron both in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and in serum to improve early diagnosis and the related therapeutic possibility. In addition to standard clinical method to detect iron in serum, a precise quantification of total iron in CSF was performed using graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry in patients affected by AD, mild cognitive impairment, frontotemporal dementia, and non-demented neurological controls. The application of machine learning techniques, such as clustering analysis and multiclassification algorithms, showed a new potential stratification of patients exploiting iron-related data. The results support the involvement of iron dysregulation and its potential interaction with biomarkers (Tau protein and Amyloid-beta) in the pathophysiology and progression of dementia.
Aim:
The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempts in patients with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), evaluating possible risk factors ...for suicidality.
Methods:
Risk of suicide was assessed using the Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI) in 35 patients with bvFTD and 25 controls.
Results:
According to SSI, 40% of patients with bvFTD had suicidal ideation in comparison to 8% of controls (P = .009). Four patients with bvFTD have attempted suicide versus none control (P = .006). Patients with bvFTD with suicide risk showed higher levels of anxiety, depression, stress, and hopelessness than patients without suicide risk (P < .001). Patients who attempted suicide were younger and had a longer disease duration than those with only suicide ideation. Intriguingly, 40% of patients with parkinsonism presented high level of suicide ideation.
Conclusions:
Our findings show that patients with bvFTD have a high risk of suicide. Additional studies in larger populations are needed to confirm our results.
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