OBJECTIVE: Impairment of spermatogenesis has been identified as an inevitable side effect of cancer treatment. Although estrogen treatment stimulates spermatogenic recovery from the impaired spermatogenesis by suppressing the intra-testicular testosterone (ITT) level, side effects of estrogen are still major impediments to its clinical application in humans. Soybeans are rich in genistein, which is a phytoestrogen that binds to estrogen receptors and has an estrogenic effect. We investigated the effects of genistein administration on ITT levels, testis weight, and recovery of spermatogenesis in rats treated with a chemotherapeutic agent, busulfan. METHODS: Busulfan was administered intraperitoneally to rats, and then a GnRH agonist was injected subcutaneously into the back, or genistein was administered orally. RESULTS: The weight of the testes was significantly reduced by the treatment with busulfan. The testis weight was partially restored after busulfan treatment by additional treatment with either the GnRH agonist or genistein. Busulfan also induced atrophy of a high percentage of the seminiferous tubules, but this percentage was decreased by additional treatment with either the GnRH agonist or genistein. Treatment with genistein was effective at suppressing and maintaining ITT levels comparable to that in the GnRH agonist group. CONCLUSION: Genistein effectively suppressed ITT levels and stimulated the recovery of spermatogenesis in rats treated with a chemotherapeutic drug. This suggests that genistein may be a substitute for estrogens, for helping humans to recover fertility after cancer therapy without the risk of side effects.
Animals ; Atrophy ; Busulfan ; Estrogens ; Fertility ; Genistein ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Humans ; Phytoestrogens ; Rats ; Receptors, Estrogen ; Seminiferous Tubules ; Soybeans ; Spermatogenesis ; Testis ; Testosterone

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to identify the neuroimaging marker for prediction of the use of atypical antipsychotics (AAP) in dementia patients. METHODS: From April 2010 to March 2013, 31 patients who were diagnosed as dementia at the psychiatric department of Soonchunhyang University Hospital, completed the brain magnetic resonance imaging scan and cognitive test for dementia. Ten patients were treated with AAP for the improvement of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and the other 21patients were not. Using T1 weighted and Fluid Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR) images of brain, areas of white matter (WM), gray matter (GM), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and white matter hyperintensities (WMH) have been segmented and measured. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied for assessment of association between AAP use and the GM/WM ratio, the WMH/whole brain (GM + WM + CSF) ratio. RESULTS: There was a significant association between AAP use and the GM/WM ratio (odds ratio, OR = 1.18, 95% confidence interval, CI 1.01-1.38, p = 0.037), while there was no association between AAP use and the WMH/whole brain ratio (OR = 0.82, 95% CI 0.27-2.48, p = 0.73). CONCLUSIONS: The GM/WM ratio could be a biological marker for the prediction of AAP use and BPSD in patients with dementia. It was more likely to increase as dementia progress since atrophy of WM was more prominent than that of GM over aging.
Aging ; Antipsychotic Agents* ; Atrophy ; Biomarkers ; Brain* ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Dementia* ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Neuroimaging

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to explore the influence of depression on working memory in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. METHODS: Clinical and neuropsychological data of 43 subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (n=17) and dementia (n=26) who had visited Department of Psychiatry at Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, were collected. The subjects were divided into depressed (n=18) and non-depressed (n=25) groups based on the Korean version of Short Geriatric Depression Scale. Two-way analysis of variance test was conducted to evaluate the influence of diagnosis (MCI and dementia), the presence of depression and their interaction on working memory which was measured by digit forward and backward span test. RESULTS: Among the patients with MCI, test score of digit backward span test in depressed group was significantly lower than in non-depressed group. However, among the patients with dementia, there was no significant difference in digit backward span test between depressed and non-depressed groups. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the depression could deteriorate working memory measured by digit backward span test in patients with MCI, relative to in patients with dementia and it also implicates the diagnostic assessment for depression has clinically importance in patients with MCI.
Dementia* ; Depression* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Memory, Short-Term* ; Mild Cognitive Impairment* ; Seoul