Basic and Clinical Neuroscience
Year:2017 | Volume:8 | Issue:3|Papers Count:9

Introduction: Apoptosis dysregulation plays a substantial role in the pathophysiology of chronic inflammation and its related symptoms such as edema. Regulation of NF-kB activation is involved in apoptosis pattern change. The current study aimed at verifying the effects of local inflammation on edema and changes in apoptotic markers, and investigating the possible role of NF-kB in apoptosis pattern change during different stages of complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) - induced knee arthritis in rats.Methods: A total of 96 male Wistar rats were divided into different experimental groups. Arthritis was evoked into the right knee articular joint. Changes made in knee edema were assessed by caliper on the days 0, 7, 14, and 21 of the study. Synovial NF-kB and levels of apoptotic markers were evaluated during different stages of the study using Western blot technique.Results: CFA injection caused intense edema during the whole study period. Synovial NF-kB level increased during the whole study period. The level of apoptotic markers increased during the acute phase of study. But during chronic phase, the apoptosis level decreased. Inh-NF-kB administration increased synovial apoptosis during the whole study period.Conclusion: It seems that apoptosis pattern change plays an important role in the progression and modulation of CFA-induced inflammation and its related symptoms. Also, it can be concluded that synovial NF-kB had a crucial role in synovial apoptosis change during the study period.

Introduction: Studies suggest that ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels are a potential pharmacotherapeutic target for neuroprotection in neurodegenerative diseases. The current study aimed at evaluating the effect of pretreatment with glibenclamide (Glib) and B vitamins supplement on the severity of behavioral symptoms in 6-hydroxydopamine (OHDA) -induced Parkinsonism. Also malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration was measured in the blood and brain suspensions to find probable neuroprotective mechanism of Glib.Methods: The 6-OHDA was injected into striatum of rats by stereotaxic surgery. Treatment with Glib and B vitamins was started before the surgery and continued up to 3 weeks after that. Development and severity of Parkinsonism were evaluated by conventional behavioral tests. MDA values were measured spectrophotometrically using thiobarbituric acid and MDA standard curve.Results: Pretreatments with Glib, at both doses of 1 and 5 mg/kg or B vitamins significantly ameliorated severity of the behavioral symptoms. Pretreatment with a combination of Glib and B vitamins was more effective than pretreatment with Glib or B vitamins alone. Also, pretreatment with B vitamins, Glib, or a combination of them reduced MDA concentration in the brain suspensions. Decrease in MDA concentration in the group of rats that received a combination of B vitamins and Glib was more prominent than that of the Glib groups.Conclusion: As severity of the behavioral symptoms in the 6-OHDA-induced Parkinsonism reflects the degree of the lesion in Substantia Nigra (SN) dopaminergic neurons, it is suggested that Glib pretreatment has neuroprotective effect against 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity. The current study data also showed that this effect may be mediated by antioxidant effect of Glib.

Introduction: The current study aimed at investigating the existence of the cross state-dependent learning between morphine and scopolamine (SCO) in mice by passive avoidance method, pointing to the role of CA1 area.Methods: The effects of pre-training SCO (0.75, 1.5, and 3 mg, Intra-CA1), or morphine (1, 3, and 6 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (i.p.) was evaluated on the retrieval of passive avoidance learning using step-down task in mice (n=10). Then, the effect of pretest administration of morphine (1.5, 3, and 6 mg/kg, i.p.) was examined on passive avoidance retrieval impairment induced by pre-training SCO (3 mg/mice, Intra-CA1). Next, the effect of pretest Intra-CA1 injection of scopolamine (0.75, 1.5, and 3 mg/mice) was evaluated on morphine (6 mg/kg, i.p.) pre-training deficits in this task in mice.Results: The pre-training Intra-CA1 injection of scopolamine (1.5 and 3 mg/mouse), or morphine (3 and 6 mg/kg, i.p.) impaired the avoidance memory retrieval when it was tested 24 hours later. Pretest injection of both drugs improved its pre-training impairing effects on mice memory. Moreover, the amnesia induced by the pre-training injections of scopolamine (3 mg/mice) was restored significantly (P<0.01) by pretest injections of morphine (3 and 6 mg/kg, i.p.). Similarly, pretest injection of scopolamine (3 mg/mice) restored amnesia induced by the pre-training injections of morphine (6 mg/kg, i.p.), significantly (P<0.01).Conclusion: The current study findings indicated a cross state-dependent learning between SCO and morphine at CA1 level. Therefore, it seems that muscarinic and opioid receptors may act reciprocally on modulation of passive avoidance memory retrieval, at the level of dorsal hippocampus, in mice.

Introduction: Although the effect of educational methods on executive function (EF) is well known, training this function by a playful method is debatable. The current study aimed at investigating if a play-based intervention is effective on metacognitive and behavioral skills of EF in students with specific learning disabilities.Methods: In the current randomized, clinical trial, 49 subjects within the age range of 7 to 11 years with specific learning disabilities were randomly assigned into the intervention (25 subjects; mean age 8.5±1.33 years) and control (24 subjects; mean age 8.7±1.03 years) groups. Subjects in the intervention group received EF group training based on playing activities; subjects in the control group received no intervention. The behavior rating inventory of executive function (BRIEF) was administered to evaluate the behavioral and cognitive aspects of EF. The duration of the intervention was 6 hours per week for 9 weeks. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to compare mean changes (before and after) in the BRIEF scores between the groups.Results: The assumptions of multivariate analysis of covariance were examined. After controlling pre-test conditions, the intervention and control groups scored significantly differently on both the metacognition (P=0.002; effect size=0.20) and behavior regulation indices (P=0.01; effect size=0.12) of BRIEF.Conclusion: Play-based therapy is effective on the metacognitive and behavioral aspects of EF in students with specific learning disabilities. Professionals can use play-based therapy rather than educational approaches in clinical practice to enhance EF skills.

Introduction: Cognitive impairment is commonly associated with pain. The modulatory role of orexin 1 receptor (OX1R) in pain pathways as well as learning and memory processes is reported in several studies. The current study was designed to investigate the possible role of CA1-hippocampal OX1R on spatial learning and memory of rats following capsaicin-induced orofacial pain.Methods: Orofacial pain was induced by subcutaneous intra lip injection of capsaicin (100 mg). CA1 administration of orexin A and its selective antagonist (SB-334867-A) were performed 20 minutes prior to capsaicin injection. Learning and spatial memory performances were assessed by Morris Water Maze (MWM) task.Results: Capsaicin treated rats showed impairment in spatial learning and memory. In addition, pretreatment with orexin A (20 and 40 nM/rat) significantly attenuated learning and memory impairment in capsaicin-treated rats. Conversely, blockage of OX1R via SB-334867-A (40 and 80 nM/rat) significantly exaggerated learning and memory loss in capsaicin-treated rats.Conclusion: The obtained results indicated that CA1 OX1R may be involved in modulation of capsaicin –induced spatial learning and memory impairment.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate and compare the executive functions of students with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms with those functions in healthy ones.Methods: This study was a comparative and non-clinical analysis. The study population comprised all students of Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. A total of 448 students were recruited using convenience sampling method. They were also screened using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) test comprising 21 items. Of study participants, 30 people were depressed, 27 had anxiety, and 15 suffered from stress. Then, 50 control people were matched with them. Next, both groups were compared using the Stroop test, Wisconsin card sorting, and cognitive ability test.Results: Using MANOVA test, data analysis revealed no significant differences among 4 groups with regard to selective attention and shifting attention. Depressed group reacted rapidly as opposed to the anxiety group with regard to measures of shifting attention and cognitive abilities; it was observed that the memory, inhibition control, planning, and flexibility of the healthy group were better than those of the 3 other groups.Conclusion: The findings of this research raised specific issues in relation to the role of depression, anxiety, and stress in the disruption of the executive functions of sufferers. Selective and shifting attention and cognitive abilities are specifically affected in this regard. Meanwhile, the role of stress in impairing decision making and the major role of anxiety in impairing sustained attention was shown to be considerable.

Introduction: Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a complex and heterogeneous neuropsychiatric syndrome. Contamination obsessions and washing/cleaning compulsions are the most frequent clinical OCD subtypes. The current study aimed at examining the neuropsychological impairments in drug-naive obsessive-compulsive (OC) washers without depressive symptoms and their association with the severity of symptoms.Methods: In the current causal-comparative study, 35 patients with diagnostic and statistical mental disorders class (DSM) -IV diagnosed with washing-subtype OCD and 35 healthy subjects were selected by the convenience sampling method and evaluated by computerized neuropsychology battery and clinical tests as Stroop Color-Word Test (SCWT), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Go/No-Go Test, Digits Forward (DF), Digits Backward (DB), Yale-Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) -28. The patients were matched to the comparison group with regard to age, gender, intelligence quotient (IQ), education, and handedness. All the tests were standardized in Iran. SPSS version 20.00 was used for descriptive and analytical data analysis.Results: There was no statistically significant different between the OCD washing and the control groups regarding socio-demographic variables or IQ. There were significant differences between the OC washer and the healthy control groups on the neuropsychological functioning. The obtained results suggested that OC washers performed significantly worse on neuropsychological measures than the controls. There was no significant association between the severity of OC symptoms and the neuropsychological functions in the OCD washing group.Conclusion: It was concluded that executive function impairment, which is a core feature in OC washers was trait-like in nature.

Introduction: The Alzheimer Disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia that leads to memory impairment. As the oxidative stress plays an important role in AD pathogenesis, the current study aimed at examining the protective effects of Cyperus Rotundus as an antioxidant on amyloid b (Ab) -induced memory impairment.Methods: Twenty-eight Wistar male rats received intrahippocampal (IHP) injection of the Ab (1- 40) and C. rotundus (400 mg/kg, intraperitoneally). Spatial memory was assessed by the Morris water-maze (MWM) task.Results: In the MWM, Ab (1-40) significantly increased escape latency and traveled distance (P<0.001). The administration of C. rotundus attenuated the Ab-induced memory impairment in the MWM task.Conclusion: The current study findings showed that C. Rotundus could improve the learning impairment, following the Aβ treatment, and it may lead to an improvement of AD-induced cognitive dysfunction.

Hemangiomas of the median nerve are extremely rare; only 12 cases have been reported in the literature. We discuss a patient who presented with paresthesia and pain along the distribution of the left median nerve secondary to a cavernoma of the proximal part of the nerve as suspected on MRI scan. Total removal of the mass was achieved with immediate relief of the symptoms and no neurologic deficit. We conclude that despite being quite rare, the diagnosis of occult vascular lesions of peripheral nerves such as the median nerve, should be considered, especially when other common pathologies are excluded.