OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Tiaoshu Anshen (regulating the hinge and calming the mind) acupuncture on sleep quality and serum levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) in patients with chronic insomnia. METHODS: A total of 58 patients with chronic insomnia were randomly divided into an acupuncture group and a medication group, 29 cases in each group. Tiaoshu Anshen acupuncture was applied at Baihui (GV20) and bilateral Shenmen (HT7), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Benshen (GB13) in the acupuncture group, once a day, 1-day interval was taken after 6 consecutive days of treatment. Estazolam tablet was given orally before bed in the medication group, 1 mg each time. The 4-week treatment was required in both groups. Before and after treatment, the sleep quality was assessed by Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and polysomnography (PSG), the serum levels of 5-HT and DA were detected by ELISA. RESULTS: After treatment, the item scores and total scores of PSQI were decreased compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05); in the acupuncture group, the scores of sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep time, sleep efficiency, sleep disorders and total score of PSQI were lower than those in the medication group (P<0.05). After treatment, the total sleep time (TST) was prolonged (P<0.05), the sleep latency (SL) and wake after sleep onset (WASO) were shortened (P<0.05), the sleep efficiency (SE%), percentage of non-rapid eye movement stage 3 (N3%), percentage of rapid eye movement stage (REM%) and serum levels of 5-HT were increased (P<0.05) compared with those before treatment; the percentage of non-rapid eye movement stage 1 (N1%), percentage of non-rapid eye movement stage 2 (N2%) and serum levels of DA were decreased (P<0.05) compared with those before treatment in the two groups. After treatment, in the acupuncture group, TST was longer, while SL and WASO were shorter than those in the medication group (P<0.05), SE%, N3%, REM% and serum level of 5-HT were higher, while N1%, N2% and serum level of DA were lower than those in the medication group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Tiaoshu Anshen acupuncture may improve the sleep quality by regulating the serum neurotransmitter levels i.e. 5-HT and DA in patients with chronic insomnia.
Humans ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/physiopathology* ; Male ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Serotonin/blood* ; Sleep Quality ; Acupuncture Points ; Dopamine/blood* ; Aged ; Neurotransmitter Agents/blood* ; Young Adult

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of a novel sleep-aid decoction in treating elderly insomnia patients with different traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitutional types, and its effects on neurotransmitter and inflammatory factor levels. Methods A total of 200 patients with four different TCM constitutions-peaceful, Qi-deficient, Yin-deficient, and Yang-deficient-were recruited. Peripheral blood neurotransmitter and inflammatory factor levels were measured for variations among insomnia patients across different constitutions. These patients were treated using the novel sleep-aid decoction, the effects of which were evaluated based on changes in neurotransmitters and inflammatory factors. Results Compared to the peaceful constitution group, insomnia patients with Qi-deficient, Yin-deficient, and Yang-deficient constitutions exhibited significantly elevated baseline levels of neurotransmitters (5-HT, GABA) and inflammatory factors (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β, CRP). Following the treatment, the Qi-deficient and Yin-deficient groups showed a marked increase in 5-HT levels, restored balance of Glu, GABA, and melatonin, and significant reductions in IL-6 and TNF-α levels. The overall effective rate was 83.5%, with optimal efficacy observed in the Qi-deficient (97.72%) and Yin-deficient (95.34%) groups. Conclusion The novel sleep-aid decoction is effective in treating insomnia in elderly patients, with the best results observed in the Qi-deficient and Yin-deficient constitution groups.
Humans ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/blood* ; Aged ; Male ; Female ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood* ; Sleep Aids, Pharmaceutical/therapeutic use* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use* ; Interleukin-6/blood* ; Interleukin-1beta/blood* ; Neurotransmitter Agents/blood* ; Aged, 80 and over ; C-Reactive Protein/metabolism*

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing worldwide without an effective therapeutic strategy. Sympathetic nerve activation is implicated in CKD progression, as well as cardiovascular dysfunction. Renal denervation is beneficial for controlling blood pressure (BP) and improving renal function through reduction of sympathetic nerve activity in patients with resistant hypertension and CKD. Sympathetic neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE) via adrenergic receptor (AR) signaling has been implicated in tissue homeostasis and various disease progressions, including CKD. Increased plasma NE level is a predictor of survival and the incidence of cardiovascular events in patients with end-stage renal disease, as well as future renal injury in subjects with normal BP and renal function. Our recent data demonstrate that NE derived from renal nerves causes renal inflammation and fibrosis progression through alpha-2 adrenergic receptors (α₂-AR) in renal fibrosis models independent of BP. Sympathetic nerve activation-associated molecular mechanisms and signals seem to be critical for the development and progression of CKD, but the exact role of sympathetic nerve activation in CKD progression remains undefined. This review explores the current knowledge of NE-α₂-AR signaling in renal diseases and offers prospective views on developing therapeutic strategies targeting NE-AR signaling in CKD progression.
Blood Pressure ; Denervation ; Disease Progression ; Fibrosis ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Inflammation ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Norepinephrine ; Plasma ; Prospective Studies ; Receptors, Adrenergic ; Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2 ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Reperfusion Injury

The high mortality rates associated with acute kidney injury are mainly due to extra-renal complications that occur following distant-organ involvement. Damage to these organs, which is commonly referred to as multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, has more severe and persistent effects. The brain and its sub-structures, such as the hippocampus, are vulnerable organs that can be adversely affected. Acute kidney injury may be associated with numerous brain and hippocampal complications, as it may alter the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. Although the pathogenesis of acute uremic encephalopathy is poorly understood, some of the underlying mechanisms that may contribute to hippocampal involvement include the release of multiple inflammatory mediators that coincide with hippocampus inflammation and cytotoxicity, neurotransmitter derangement, transcriptional dysregulation, and changes in the expression of apoptotic genes. Impairment of brain function, especially of a structure that has vital activity in learning and memory and is very sensitive to renal ischemic injury, can ultimately lead to cognitive and functional complications in patients with acute kidney injury. The objective of this review was to assess these complications in the brain following acute kidney injury, with a focus on the hippocampus as a critical region for learning and memory.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Brain Diseases ; Brain* ; Hippocampus* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Learning ; Memory ; Mortality ; Multiple Organ Failure ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Permeability ; Uremia

Carbon monoxide (CO) is well-known as toxic gas and intrinsic signaling molecule such as neurotransmitter and blood vessel relaxant. Recently, it has been reported that low concentration of CO exerts therapeutic actions under various pathological conditions including liver failure, heart failure, gastric cancer, and cardiac arrest. However, little has been known about the effect of CO in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease (PD). To test whether CO could exert a beneficial action during oxidative cell death in PD, we examined the effects of CO on 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced cell death in C6 glioma cells. Treatment of CO-releasing molecule-2 (CORM-2) significantly attenuated 6-OHDA-induced apoptotic cell death in a dose-dependent manner. CORM-2 treatment decreased Bax/Bcl2 ratio and caspase-3 activity, which had been increased by 6-OHDA. CORM-2 increased phosphorylation of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) which is a transcription factor regulating antioxidant proteins. Subsequently, CORM-2 also increased the expression of heme oxygenase-1 and superoxide dismutases (CuZnSOD and MnSOD), which were antioxidant enzymes regulated by Nrf2. These results suggest that CO released by CORM-2 treatment may have protective effects against oxidative cell death in PD through the potentiation of cellular adaptive survival responses via activation of Nrf2 and upregulation of heme oxygenase-1, leading to increasing antioxidant defense capacity.
Blood Vessels ; Carbon Monoxide* ; Carbon* ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Death* ; Glioma* ; Heart Arrest ; Heart Failure ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; Liver Failure ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Neuroprotection ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2 ; Oxidopamine ; Phosphorylation ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Superoxides ; Transcription Factors ; Up-Regulation

OBJECTIVESTo explore the effects of Chinese medicine prescription Zuogui Pill (, ZGP) on monoamine neurotransmitters and sex hormones in climacteric rats with induced panic attacks.

METHODSForty-eight climacteric female rats were randomized into 6 groups with 8 rats in each group: the control group, the model group, the low-, medium- and high-dose ZGP groups and the alprazolam group. Rats in the low-, medium- and high-dose ZGP groups were administered 4.725, 9.45, or 18.9 g/kg ZGP by gastric perfusion, respectively. The alprazolam group was treated by gastric perfusion with 0.036 mg/kg alprazolam. The control and model groups were treated with distilled water. The animals were pretreated once daily for 8 consecutive weeks. The behaviors of rats in the open fifield test and the elevated T-maze (ETM) were observed after induced panic attack, and the levels of brain monoamine neurotransmitters and the plasma levels of sex hormones were measured.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the mean ETM escape time and the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and noradrenalin (NE) of the model group were signifificantly reduced (P<0.05), Compared with the model group, the mean ETM escape time and the 5-HT and NE levels of all the ZGP groups increased signifificantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01). However, no signifificant difference was observed in the levels of sex hormones between the groups.

CONCLUSIONPretreatment with ZGP in climacteric rats may improve the behavior of panic attack, which may be related to increased 5-HT and NE in the brain.

Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Biogenic Monoamines ; metabolism ; Climacteric ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; blood ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; metabolism ; Panic Disorder ; blood ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVESystemic mechanism of neurohumoral control and regulation for human is limited.

METHODSWe used the new theory of holistic integrative physiology and medicine to approach the mechanism and pattern of neurohumoral control and regulation for life.

RESULTSAs the core of human life, there are two core axes of functions. The first one is the common goal of respiration and circulation to transport oxygen and carbon dioxide for cells, and the second one is the goal of gastrointestinal tract and circulation to transport energy material and metabolic product for cells. These two core axes maintain the metabolism. The neurohumoral regulation is holistically integrated and unified for all functions in human body. We simplified explain the mechanism of neurohumoral control and regulation life (respiration and circulation) as the example pattern of sound system.

CONCLUSIONBased upon integrated regulation of life, we described the neurohumoral pattern to control respiration and circulation.

Blood Circulation ; physiology ; Holistic Health ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Metabolism ; physiology ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; physiology ; Respiration ; Respiratory Physiological Phenomena

Studies have demonstrated that electromagnetic waves, as the one of the most important physical factors, may alter cognitive and non-cognitive behaviors, depending on the frequency and energy. Moreover, non-ionizing radiation of low energy waves e.g. very low frequency waves could alter this phenomenon via alterations in neurotransmitters and neurohormones. In this study, short, medium, and long-term exposure to the extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) (1 and 5 Hz radiation) on behavioral, hormonal, and metabolic changes in male Wistar rats (250 g) were studied. In addition, changes in plasma concentrations for two main stress hormones, noradrenaline and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were evaluated. ELF-EMF exposure did not alter body weight, and food and water intake. Plasma glucose level was increased and decreased in the groups which exposed to the 5 and 1Hz wave, respectively. Plasma ACTH concentration increased in both using frequencies, whereas noradrenaline concentration showed overall reduction. At last, numbers of rearing, sniffing, locomotor activity was increased in group receiving 5 Hz wave over the time. In conclusions, these data showed that the effects of 1 and 5 Hz on the hormonal, metabolic and stress-like behaviors may be different. Moreover, the influence of waves on stress system is depending on time of exposure.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Blood Glucose ; Body Weight ; Corticosterone ; Drinking ; Electromagnetic Fields ; Electromagnetic Radiation* ; Epinephrine ; Humans ; Male ; Motor Activity ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Norepinephrine ; Plasma ; Radiation, Nonionizing ; Rats, Wistar*

Glioma is the most common form of brain cancer. Despite recent advances in the treatment of solid tumors, there are few effective treatments for malignant gliomas due to its infiltrative nature. It has important significance to improve the treatment of glioma through in-depth understanding the intracerebral metabolic characteristics and pharmacokinetics of chemotherapeutics. Brain microdialysis (B-MD), an effective method to monitor central nervous system anticancer drug disposition, conditions of drugs through the blood-brain barrier, basic pathophysiologic metabolism, bioactive compounds and the changes of neurotransmitter in brain, provides the unique opportunity to allow the simultaneous determination of unbound concentrations of drugs in several tissues, and directly measure gliomas biochemistry continuously. B-MD has been able to monitor the change of brain drugs, metabolites and neurotransmitters, dynamic analysis of the drug concentration and pharmacological effect after administration, pharmacodynamic interaction between drugs, receptor mechanism of drug transport, as well as feedback information of internal environment. B-MD is expected to provide reference for clinical individual chemotherapy of glioma, but also provide powerful tools for the evaluation of new anticancer drugs in vivo. In this review, a comprehensive overview of B-MD for studies on glioma is elucidated with special emphasis on its application to neurochemistry and pharmacokinetic studies.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacokinetics ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Brain Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Glioma ; metabolism ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Metabolomics ; methods ; Microdialysis ; methods ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; pharmacokinetics ; Pharmaceutical Preparations ; metabolism ; Positron-Emission Tomography

Adult ; Humans ; Methylene Chloride ; adverse effects ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; blood ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects