OBJECTIVES: It is well established that primary insomnia affects the activity of autonomic nervous system. We tried to know how the activity of autonomic nervous system during night sleep changes by analyzing correlation between heart rate variability (HRV) index and the variables related with sleep structure in primary insomnia. METHODS: Thirty three subjects (mean age:36.2+/-14.2 years, male:female=15:18) who were diagnosed with primary insomnia were selected for the study. Nocturnal polysomnography (NPSG) was carried out on each subject and correlation was analyzed between high frequency/low frequency ratio (LF/HF ratio), one of HRV indices and the variables related with sleep structure which were calculated from NPSG. RESULTS: When age and sex were controlled, LF/HF ratio showed negative correlations with slow wave sleep and stage 2 sleep, respectively (r(p)=-0.43, p=0.01;r(p)=-0.37, p=0.04). On the other hands LF/HF ratio showed a positive correlation with arousal index (r(p)=0.65, p<0.001). The activity of autonomic nervous system responded differentially depending on the change of sleep structure in primary insomnia. Especially the increase of arousal index and the decrease of slow wave sleep and stage 2 sleep which are the components of non-REM sleep provoked hyperactivity of sympathetic nervous system. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the typical change of sleep structure in primary insomnia can negatively impact on cardiovascular system.
Arousal ; Autonomic Nervous System ; Cardiovascular System ; Hand ; Heart ; Heart Rate ; Polysomnography ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-activated gene-1 (NAG-1), also known as growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), is associated with cancer, diabetes, and inflammation, while there is limited understanding of the role of NAG-1 in nociception. Here, we examined the nociceptive behaviors of NAG-1 transgenic (TG) mice and wild-type (WT) littermates. Mechanical sensitivity was evaluated by using the von Frey filament test, and thermal sensitivity was assessed by the hot-plate, Hargreaves, and acetone tests. c-Fos, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule-1 (Iba-1) immunoreactivity was examined in the spinal cord following observation of the formalin-induced nociceptive behaviors. There was no difference in mechanical or thermal sensitivity for NAG-1 TG and WT mice. Intraplantar formalin injection induced nociceptive behaviors in both male and female NAG-1 TG and WT mice. The peak period in the second phase was delayed in NAG-1 TG female mice compared with that of WT female mice, while there was no difference in the cumulative time of nociceptive behaviors between the two groups of mice. Formalin increased spinal c-Fos immunoreactivity in both TG and WT female mice. Neither GFAP nor Iba-1 immunoreactivity was increased in the spinal cord of TG and WT female mice. These findings indicate that NAG-1 TG mice have comparable baseline sensitivity to mechanical and thermal stimulation as WT mice and that NAG-1 in female mice may have an inhibitory effect on the second phase of inflammatory pain. Therefore, it could be a novel target to inhibit central nervous system response in pain.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: As peanuts germinate, the content of the components beneficial to health, such as resveratrol, increases within the peanut sprout. This study examined whether the ethanol extract of peanut sprout tea (PSTE) inhibits breast cancer growth and metastasis.MATERIALS/METHODS: After orthotopically injecting 4T1 cells into BALB/c mice to induce breast cancer, 0, 30, or 60 mg/kg body weight/day of PSTE was administered orally.Angiogenesis-related protein expression in the tumors and the degree of metastasis were analyzed. 4T1 and RAW 264.7 cells were co-cultured, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed to measure the crosstalk between breast cancer cells and macrophages. RESULTS: PSTE reduced tumor growth and lung metastasis. In particular, PSTE decreased matrix metalloproteinase-9, platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, vascular endothelial growth factor-A, F4/80, CD11c, macrophage mannose receptor, macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 expression in the tumors. Moreover, PSTE prevented 4T1 cell migration, invasion, and macrophage activity in RAW 264.7 cells. PSTE inhibited the crosstalk between 4T1 cells and RAW 264.7 cells and promoted the macrophage M1 subtype while inhibiting the M2 subtype. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that PSTE blocks breast cancer growth and metastasis to the lungs. This may be because the PSTE treatment inhibits the crosstalk between mammary cancer cells and macrophages and inhibits the differentiation of macrophages into the M2 subtype.

The present study compared the actigraphic indices between both wrist actigraphies (WATGs), and the sleep estimates between each WATG and nocturnal polysomnography (NPSG) to assess their differences and consistencies. We studied 22 right-handed subjects (mean age 43.9+/-13.3 years, M:F=14:8) with untreated primary sleep disorders (primary insomnia=8, simple snorer=2, obstructive sleep apnea=12) undergone by overnight both WATGs and NPSG, simultaneously. Comparison and correlation were analyzed between right and left wrist actigraphic data. In the sleep estimates of both WATGs and NPSG, each WATG was compared and correlated with NPSG in sleep period time (SPT), total sleep time (TST), sleep latency (SL), sleep efficiency (SE) and wake time (WT). Sleep indices between both WATGs showed significant positive correlations with no correlations in SL and fragmentation index (FI). There were no differences in sleep indices between both WATGs. SPTs of both WATGs, SL of left WATG, and TST of right WATG showed positively significant correlations, and SE of right WATG did negatively significant correlation in sleep indices between each WATG and NPSG. As each WATG was compared to PSG, SPTs of both WATGs and WT of right WATG were decreased, and TST and SE of right WATG and SL of left WATG were increased. Inconsistent SL and FI between both WATGs indicate that the activities between both WATGs can differentially happen during wake or arousal. Inconsistent sleep estimates between each WATG and NPSG may indicate the limited usefulness in measuring and analyzing one-night sleep by using WATG.
Arousal ; Functional Laterality ; Polysomnography* ; Sleep Wake Disorders ; Wrist*

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to determine the intracellular action of the antidepressant, venlafaxine, in C6 glioma cells using heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) immunocytochemistry and HSP70 Western blots; HSP70 is known to be associated with stress and depression. METHODS: The extent of HSP70 expression was measured after rat C6 glioma cells were treated with 1) dexamethasone only, 2) venlafaxine only, 3) simultaneous venlafaxine and dexamethasone, or 4) dexamethasone after venlafaxine pretreatment. Dexamethasone (10 microM, 6 hours) did not affect the level of HSP70 expression relative to control. RESULTS: Short-term (1 hour) venlafaxine treatment significantly increased the level of HSP 70 expression. Simultaneous long-term (72 hours) venlafaxine and dexamethasone treatment significantly reduced the level of HSP70 expression. Dexamethasone treatment administered following long-term (24 and 72 hours) pretreatment with venlafaxine also significantly reduced the level of HSP70 expression. CONCLUSION: Short-term treatment with venlafaxine increases the expression of HSP70, but prolonged treatment with dexamethasone suppresses the venlafaxine-induced expression of HSP70. These findings suggest that HSP70 and dexamethasone play a significant role in the pathophysiology of depression.
Animals ; Cyclohexanols ; Depression ; Dexamethasone ; Glioma ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; Immunohistochemistry ; Rats ; Venlafaxine Hydrochloride

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to assess the change of heart rate variability (HRV) at resting, upright, and psychological stress states in depressive disorder patients. METHODS: HRV was measured at resting, upright, and psychological stress states in 62 depressive disorder patients. We used visual analogue scale (VAS) score to assess tension and stress severity. Beck depression inventory (BDI) and state trait anxiety inventories I and II (STAI-I and II) were used to assess depression and anxiety severity, respectively. Differences between HRV indices and VAS score were evaluated using paired t-tests. Gender difference analysis was conducted with ANCOVA. RESULTS: SDNN (standard deviation of normal to normal intervals), LF/HF (low frequency/high frequency), and VLF (very low frequency) were significantly increased, while NN50 and pNN50 were significantly decreased in the upright position compared to resting state. SDNN, RMSSD (root mean square of the differences of successive normal to normal intervals), and VLF were significantly increased, while pNN50 was significantly decreased in the psychological stress state compared to resting state. SDNN, NN50, and pNN50 were significantly lower in an upright position compared to a state of psychological stress, and LF, HF, and LF/HF showed no significant differences CONCLUSION: The LF/HF ratio was significantly increased after physical stress in depressive disorder. However, the LF/HF ratio was not significantly increased after psychological stress, and the change in LF/HF ratio after physical stress and psychological stress did not significantly differ from each other. Significant increase in SDNN, NN50, and pNN50 in an upright posture compared to psychological stress suggests that depressive patients react more sensitively to physical stress than psychological stress.
Anxiety ; Autonomic Nervous System ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder ; Equipment and Supplies ; Heart Rate ; Heart ; Humans ; Posture ; Stress, Psychological

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 8 weeks of resistance circuit training in people with paraplegia due to spinal cord injury. Methods: Participants were randomized into experimental and control groups. Although the intensity and sequence of movements of the exercise programs were identical in both groups, the resting time between sets was limited to 1 minute in the experimental group. In the control group, the participants were allowed to rest until they were comfortable. Both groups received 8 weeks of training twice per week. Before and after the program, muscle mass, body fat percentage, fat mass, blood pressure, heart rate, muscle strength and muscular endurance were evaluated, and 6-minute propulsion test was conducted. Additionally, the safety of the program was assessed. Results: Twenty-two individuals with paraplegia were enrolled (11 in each group). After the training program, the experimental group showed a significant decrease in the resting blood pressure and improvement in the upper extremity muscle mass, strength, and endurance (p<0.05). Each variable showed significant inter-group differences (p<0.05). Furthermore, none of the participants showed autonomic adverse events, musculoskeletal side effects, or discomfort. Conclusion The results show that resistance circuit training programs with short resting intervals are superior to the usual resistance exercise programs in improving the blood pressure and physical strength and are safe for people with upper thoracic level injuries at T6 or higher.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to clarify the characteristics of patients with dementia using long-term care hospitals and the demands of their caregivers. It will provide a perspective for establishing the specialized dementia hospital and appropriate dementia services in the future. METHODS: The survey was performed to the caregivers of the dementia inpatients of 71 public long-term care hospitals and outpatients from local hospitals. We distributed the questionnaires to 3,600 caregivers. Of these, 1,572 returned and then included in the analysis. RESULTS: High number of both inpatients (85.7%) and outpatients (61.5%) were diagnosed with dementia in psychiatric or neurologic department. Time laps from onset of symptoms thought as dementia to actual diagnosis was about a year. Caregivers of dementia inpatients wanted mostly dementia related welfare and care products (85.5%), physical and exercise program (84.0%), specialized dementia ward (83.1%), behavioral management (82.1%), and cognitive rehabilitation (80.5%). CONCLUSION: It is important to provide adequate management to both the patients with dementia and the caregivers. Thus, specialized institutional arrangements and medical service improvement supported by government is needed to reduce the psychological and financial burden of caregivers. We hope these results will be used to establish the principals and standards of specialized dementia hospital.
Caregivers* ; Dementia* ; Diagnosis ; Hope ; Hospitals, General* ; Humans ; Inpatients* ; Long-Term Care* ; Outpatients* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rehabilitation

OBJECTIVE: Low-income adults are considered to be a group at high risk for suicide. We sought to examine the effect of type D personality and other socio-demographic factors on suicidality in low-income, middle-aged Koreans. METHODS: In total, 306 low-income, middle-aged Koreans [age: 49.16+/-5.24 (40-59) years, 156 males, 150 females] were enrolled from the Korean National Basic Livelihood Security System. Socio-demographic data, including employment status, income, health, marital status, and educational attainment, were gathered. Beck's 19-item Scale for Suicidal Ideation (SSI) was applied to evaluate suicidality, and the DS14 was used to assess type D personality. RESULTS: Unemployment (p<0.01) and absence of spouse (p=0.03) predicted higher SSI scores independent of other socioeconomic factors. All type D personality scores [i.e., negative affectivity (NA), social inhibition (SI), and total score] predicted higher SSI scores independent of all socioeconomic factors (all, p<0.001). Subjects with type D personality had higher SSI scores (p<0.001), and the association between suicidality and socio-demographic factors (employment or physical health) could be found only in subjects without type D personality. CONCLUSION: Type D personality was a risk factor for suicide in low-income Koreans, independently from socio-economic factors. In addition, the socio-demographic factors were less prominently associated with suicidality in those with type D personality.
Adult* ; Employment ; Humans ; Male ; Marital Status ; Risk Factors ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Spouses ; Suicidal Ideation ; Suicide ; Type D Personality* ; Unemployment