Objective:To explore the effect of social cognition and interaction training (SCIT) combined with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on intrinsic motivation and social cognition in patients with schizophrenia.Methods:Forty-two stable schizophrenia patients were randomly divided into the SCIT + TMS group( n=22) and the SCIT group( n=20). All the subjects received 20 sessions of SCIT treatment, and the SCIT+ TMS group simultaneously received 15 sessions of intermittent theta burst stimulation(iTBS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex(DLPFC). All the subjects were assessed by intrinsic motivation inventory for schizophrenia research(IMI-SR), Chinese version of the ambiguous intentions hostility questionnaire(AIHQ-C), theory of mind-picture sequencing task(ToM-PST), mentalization scale (MentS), Chinese version of interpersonal reactivity index (IRI-C) and positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) before and after intervention. SPSS 26.0 software was used for data analysis.Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for intra-group comparison before and after treatment, while Mann-Whitney U test and covariance analysis were used for inter-group comparison.Spearman correlation analysis and Logistic regression analyses were used to explore the association between the intrinsic motivation and social cognition. Results:There were no significant differences on IMI-SR scores before and after treatment between the two groups(all P>0.05). In the SCIT+ TMS group, the total score of hostility bias (HB), HB scores in ambiguous scenes, HB scores in intentional scenes, and aggressive bias (AB) scores in ambiguous scenes of AIHQ-C scale after treatment were lower than those befor treatment( Z=-2.044--3.112, all P<0.05), while the total score of ToM-PST(18.50(16.00, 21.00) vs 15.50(11.75, 18.00), Z=-2.598, P=0.009) and IRI-C imagination score (12.18±3.79, 14.41±4.73, t=-2.694, P=0.014) were higher than those before treatment.In the SCIT group, the total score of ToM-PST after treatment was higher than that before treatment(21.00(20.00, 22.00) vs 17.00(14.50, 20.75), Z=-2.518, P=0.012).There was no significant statistical difference in MentS scores between after treatment and before treatment ( P>0.05). The difference in AIHQ-C intentional scenario AB score before and after treatment was higher in the SCIT+ TMS group than in the SCIT group ( Z=-1.996, P=0.046), while there was no statistically significant difference in the difference before and after treatment in social cognitive scores between the two groups (all P>0.05).In the combined two samples, Spearman correlation analysis showed that the total score of IMI-SR before treatment was positively correlated with the primary belief score of ToM-PST understanding, reciprocity score, MentS total score, other person mentalization score, motivation mentalization score, IRI-C total score, viewpoint taking score, and empathy concern score after treatment( r=0.341-0.509, all P<0.05), while negatively correlated with AIHQ-C total score and factor scores ( r=-0.434--0.645, P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that the total score of IMI-SR had negative impact on AIHQ-C total HB score( B=-0.047, OR=0.954, 95% CI=0.917-0.993).The value score had a positive impact on the total score of MentS ( B=0.143, OR=1.154, 95% CI=1.043-1.277), other person mentalization score( B=0.166, OR=1.181, 95% CI=1.058-1.318), motivation mentalization score( B=0.111, OR=1.117, 95% CI=1.021-1.223), IRI-C total score ( B=0.138, OR=1.148, 95% CI=1.038-1.270), and viewpoint taking score( B=0.194, OR=1.214, 95% CI=1.076-1.369). Interest score had a positive impact on IRI-C empathy concern score ( B=0.098, OR=1.103, 95% CI=0.998-1.218) and ToM-PST understanding primary belief score( B=0.130, OR=1.138, 95% CI=1.010-1.283) and reciprocity score( B=0.189, OR=1.208, 95% CI=1.057-1.380). Conclusion:The research results did not confirm the effect of TMS over the DLPFC on enhancing intrinsic motivation, as well as the synergistic effect of SCIT treatment on social cognition. But the correlation results indicates that improving schizophrenia patients' intrinsic motivation level in cognitive training is meaningful for promoting social cognition.

Objective:To explore the effect of social cognition and interaction training (SCIT) combined with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on intrinsic motivation and social cognition in patients with schizophrenia.Methods:Forty-two stable schizophrenia patients were randomly divided into the SCIT + TMS group( n=22) and the SCIT group( n=20). All the subjects received 20 sessions of SCIT treatment, and the SCIT+ TMS group simultaneously received 15 sessions of intermittent theta burst stimulation(iTBS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex(DLPFC). All the subjects were assessed by intrinsic motivation inventory for schizophrenia research(IMI-SR), Chinese version of the ambiguous intentions hostility questionnaire(AIHQ-C), theory of mind-picture sequencing task(ToM-PST), mentalization scale (MentS), Chinese version of interpersonal reactivity index (IRI-C) and positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) before and after intervention. SPSS 26.0 software was used for data analysis.Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for intra-group comparison before and after treatment, while Mann-Whitney U test and covariance analysis were used for inter-group comparison.Spearman correlation analysis and Logistic regression analyses were used to explore the association between the intrinsic motivation and social cognition. Results:There were no significant differences on IMI-SR scores before and after treatment between the two groups(all P>0.05). In the SCIT+ TMS group, the total score of hostility bias (HB), HB scores in ambiguous scenes, HB scores in intentional scenes, and aggressive bias (AB) scores in ambiguous scenes of AIHQ-C scale after treatment were lower than those befor treatment( Z=-2.044--3.112, all P<0.05), while the total score of ToM-PST(18.50(16.00, 21.00) vs 15.50(11.75, 18.00), Z=-2.598, P=0.009) and IRI-C imagination score (12.18±3.79, 14.41±4.73, t=-2.694, P=0.014) were higher than those before treatment.In the SCIT group, the total score of ToM-PST after treatment was higher than that before treatment(21.00(20.00, 22.00) vs 17.00(14.50, 20.75), Z=-2.518, P=0.012).There was no significant statistical difference in MentS scores between after treatment and before treatment ( P>0.05). The difference in AIHQ-C intentional scenario AB score before and after treatment was higher in the SCIT+ TMS group than in the SCIT group ( Z=-1.996, P=0.046), while there was no statistically significant difference in the difference before and after treatment in social cognitive scores between the two groups (all P>0.05).In the combined two samples, Spearman correlation analysis showed that the total score of IMI-SR before treatment was positively correlated with the primary belief score of ToM-PST understanding, reciprocity score, MentS total score, other person mentalization score, motivation mentalization score, IRI-C total score, viewpoint taking score, and empathy concern score after treatment( r=0.341-0.509, all P<0.05), while negatively correlated with AIHQ-C total score and factor scores ( r=-0.434--0.645, P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that the total score of IMI-SR had negative impact on AIHQ-C total HB score( B=-0.047, OR=0.954, 95% CI=0.917-0.993).The value score had a positive impact on the total score of MentS ( B=0.143, OR=1.154, 95% CI=1.043-1.277), other person mentalization score( B=0.166, OR=1.181, 95% CI=1.058-1.318), motivation mentalization score( B=0.111, OR=1.117, 95% CI=1.021-1.223), IRI-C total score ( B=0.138, OR=1.148, 95% CI=1.038-1.270), and viewpoint taking score( B=0.194, OR=1.214, 95% CI=1.076-1.369). Interest score had a positive impact on IRI-C empathy concern score ( B=0.098, OR=1.103, 95% CI=0.998-1.218) and ToM-PST understanding primary belief score( B=0.130, OR=1.138, 95% CI=1.010-1.283) and reciprocity score( B=0.189, OR=1.208, 95% CI=1.057-1.380). Conclusion:The research results did not confirm the effect of TMS over the DLPFC on enhancing intrinsic motivation, as well as the synergistic effect of SCIT treatment on social cognition. But the correlation results indicates that improving schizophrenia patients' intrinsic motivation level in cognitive training is meaningful for promoting social cognition.

OBJECTIVETo determine the expression pattern of Slc26a3 gene in reproductive tract of male rodents to clarify whether the expression pattern is related to the subfertility observed in congenital chloride diarrhea (CLD) disease.

METHODSThe expression of Slc26a3 in mouse and rat epididymis has been studied with immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Its developmental expression pattern in rat testis was detected by Western blotting, while both of immunofluorescence and Western blotting were used to localize the expression of Slc26a3 in mouse sperms. The potential change of Slc26a3 expression in CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) knockout mice and CFTR mutant mice was also detected with Western blotting.

RESULTSThe expression level of Slc26a3 gradually decreased along epididymis from its caput to corpus, then to its cauda part. This gradually decreasing expression pattern was also found in rat testis during development. Slc26a3 was localized mainly on the trunk of mouse sperm tail. In the testis and epididymis of CFTR knockout mice and CFTR mutant mice, no significant change of Slc26a3 expression was found.

CONCLUSIONSlc26a3 is expressed in male reproductive tract, and its expression pattern is related to the function. Thus, the subfertility observed in CLD disease may be related to the important role of SLC26A3 in acid-base regulation of epididymis.

Animals ; Antiporters ; genetics ; metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator ; genetics ; metabolism ; Diarrhea ; congenital ; genetics ; metabolism ; Epididymis ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Metabolism, Inborn Errors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice, Inbred CFTR ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Mice, Knockout ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spermatozoa ; metabolism ; Testis ; growth & development ; metabolism