1.Combining label-free quantitative proteomics and 2D-DIGE to identify the potential targets of Sini Decoction acting on myocardial infarction.
Fei FENG ; Weiyue ZHANG ; Yan CAO ; Diya LV ; Yifeng CHAI ; Dandan GUO ; Xiaofei CHEN
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2025;23(8):1016-1024
Sini Decoction (SNT) is a traditional formula recognized for its efficacy in warming the spleen and stomach and dispersing cold. However, elucidating the mechanism of action of SNT remains challenging due to its complex multiple components. This study utilized a synergistic approach combining two-dimensional fluorescence difference in gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE)-based drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) with label-free quantitative proteomics techniques to identify the direct and indirect protein targets of SNT in myocardial infarction. The analysis identified 590 proteins, with 30 proteins showing significant upregulation and 51 proteins showing downregulation when comparing the SNT group with the model group. Through the integration of 2D-DIGE DARTS with proteomics data and pharmacological assessments, the findings indicate that protein disulfide-isomerase A3 (PDIA3) may serve as a potential protein target through which SNT provides protective effects on myocardial cells during myocardial infarction.
Myocardial Infarction/genetics*
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Proteomics/methods*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*
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Animals
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Protein Disulfide-Isomerases/genetics*
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Male
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Two-Dimensional Difference Gel Electrophoresis/methods*
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Humans
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Rats
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional
2.Alterations of individual metabolic brain network properties in patients with mild cognitive impairment and their correlations with cognitive function
Hu XU ; Siya WANG ; Fengling XU ; Xingyu LIU ; Zhihong CAO ; Yifeng LUO ; Yuefeng LI
Chinese Journal of Neuromedicine 2025;24(6):572-579
Objective:To investigate the alterations of individual metabolic brain network properties in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and their correlations with cognitive function.Methods:One hundred and five participants from Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database enrolled from March 2012 to February 2016 were chosen, including 61 MCI patients and 44 normal controls (NC). Cognitive assessments, including mini-mental state examination (MMSE), auditory verbal learning test (AVLT), trail making test (TMT), and semantic verbal fluency (SVF) score, were performed in both groups; differences of above scores and clinical data between the participants from the two groups were compared. T1-weighted imaging and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) images were collected in both groups; individual metabolic brain networks were constructed based on differences in effect sizes between brain regions and network properties were calculated. Spatial correlation analysis was used to compare the correlations of metabolic brain networks at the individual and group levels. General linear model was employed to compare the differences in network properties between the two groups. Partial correlation analysis was used to examine the correlations of differential network properties with cognitive function in MCI patients. A support vector machine (SVM) classification model was constructed based on individual metabolic brain network properties, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to explore the diagnostic value of this SVM classification model in MCI.Results:(1) Compared with the NC group, the MCI group had significantly lower MMSE and AVLT-immediate recall scores, and longer TMT-A completion time ( P<0.05). (2) Spatial correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between individual metabolic brain networks and group-level metabolic brain networks in patients of the MCI group ( r=0.825, P<0.001). No significant differences in global network properties were noted between the two groups ( P>0.05). Compared with the NC group, the MCI group significantly decreased degree centrality in the left A8vl, right A39c, and right V5/MT+ regions, increased degree centrality in the left anterior cuneus, decreased nodal efficiency in the left A8vl, right V5/MT+, and right caudal hippocampus regions, increased nodal shortest path length and nodal clustering coefficient in the left A8vl region ( P<0.05). (3) The degree centrality at the A8vl of ventral part of the left middle frontal gyrus and nodal efficiency in right caudal hippocampus region were positively correlated with AVLT-immediate recall scores ( r=0.331, P=0.010; r=0.282, P=0.030), nodal efficiency in the left A8vl region was negatively correlated with TMT-A completion time ( r=-0.470, P<0.001), and nodal efficiency in the left A8vl region was positively correlated with SVF score ( r=0.263, P=0.044). (4) Area under the curve of SVM classification model in diagnosing MCI was 0.880 (95% CI: 0.813-0.945, P<0.001), with an accuracy rate of 0.790. Conclusions:Patients with MCI have alterations in individual metabolic brain network properties, among which the degree centrality and nodal efficiency of some nodes are closely related to cognitive function changes. Models constructed based on individual metabolic brain network properties can help to effectively diagnose MCI.
3.Interactive effects of loss of the only child and childhood trauma on brain structure and function
Jiayan YIN ; Yifeng LUO ; Zhihong CAO ; Yuefeng LI ; Jiyuan GE ; Qingyue LAN ; Rongfeng QI ; Luoan WU ; Li ZHANG ; Guangming LU
Chinese Journal of Neuromedicine 2025;24(10):1025-1035
Objective:To investigate the interactive effects of loss of the only child and childhood trauma on brain structure, function, and structure-function coupling, and to analyze their association with clinical symptom.Methods:A total of 112 parents who lost their only child and participated in the psychological aid project organized by Local Civil Affairs Department in Sunan aear of Jiangsu Province in China from April 2021 to July 2021 and 36 healthy controls recruited from the community during the same period were selected. Based on childhood trauma questionnaire scores, parents who had lost their only child were divided into those with childhood trauma (group A, n=55) and those without childhood trauma (group B, n=57); similarly, the healthy controls were divided into a group with childhood trauma (group C, n=12) and a group without childhood trauma (group D, n=24). All participants were evaluated by clinical scales such as Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). MRI 3D-T1 structural images and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected; gray matter volume (GMV) and degree centrality (DC) were calculated by standardized image preprocessing procedure, and ratio of DC to GMV within each voxel was computed to obtain the structure-function coupling map. A two-factor analysis of variance was used to analyze the independent effect and interactive effect of loss of the only child and childhood trauma on GMV, DC, and DC/GMV coupling value. Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to evaluate the associations of above indicators in brain regions with significant difference in independent effect and interactive effect with clinical scale scores. Results:(1) Compared with the participants without childhood trauma (group B+group D), the participants with childhood trauma (group A+group C) showed significantly reduced GMV in the left middle temporal gyrus and right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus (voxel-level P<0.01, cluster-level P<0.05, Gaussian random field [GRF] corrected). A significant interactive effect of loss of the only child and childhood trauma on GMV in the right precuneus was observed (voxel-level P<0.01, cluster-level P<0.05, GRF corrected). (2) Compared with the healthy controls, parents who had lost their only child exhibited significantly increased DC in the left middle frontal gyrus (voxel-level P<0.01, cluster-level P<0.05, GRF corrected). Compared with participants without childhood trauma, participants with childhood trauma showed significantly increased DC in the right thalamus (voxel-level P<0.01, cluster-level P< 0.05, GRF corrected). A significant interactive effect of loss of the only child and childhood trauma on DC in the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus was observed (voxel-level P<0.01, cluster-level P<0.05, GRF corrected). (3) Compared with the healthy controls, parents who had lost their only child showed significantly decreased DC/GMV coupling value in the left middle frontal gyrus (voxel-level P<0.01, cluster-level P<0.05, GRF corrected). Compared with participants without childhood trauma, participants with childhood trauma showed significantly increased DC/GMV coupling value in the right thalamus (voxel-level P<0.01, cluster-level P<0.05, GRF corrected). A significant interactive effect of loss of the only child and childhood trauma on DC/GMV coupling value in the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus was observed (voxel-level P<0.01, cluster-level P<0.05, GRF corrected). (4) Correlation analysis revealed that GMV in the right precuneus with significant interactive effect of loss of the only child and childhood trauma was positively correlated with MMSE score ( r s=0.317, P=0.010, Bonferroni corrected). GMV in the left middle temporal gyrus with significant independent effect of childhood trauma was positively correlated with both HAMD score and HAMA score ( r s=0.362, P=0.006; r s= 0.349, P=0.008, Bonferroni corrected). Conclusion:Loss of the only child and childhood trauma can interact to jointly affect the brain structure, function, and structure-function coupling; and some of these brain structure alterations are closely associated with clinical symptoms.
4.Alterations in hippocampal subfield volumes and network properties in patients with mild cognitive impairment and their predictive value for cognitive decline
Xu HU ; Siya WANG ; Fengling XU ; Yurun ZHANG ; Zhihong CAO ; Yifeng LUO ; Yuefeng LI
Chinese Journal of Neurology 2025;58(11):1179-1188
Objective:To investigate the differences in hippocampal subfield volumes and structural covariance network properties among patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) exhibiting different cognitive outcomes and normal controls (NCs), and to further evaluate the predictive value of these imaging indicators for cognitive deterioration in MCI patients.Methods:A total of 43 NCs, 65 stable MCI (sMCI), and 26 progressive MCI (pMCI) patients enrolled in the Alzheimer′s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database between December 2012 and May 2016 were included in this study. Baseline demographic information and T 1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans were collected. Hippocampal subfield volumes were extracted using freesurfer software, and structural covariance networks of hippocampal subfields were constructed. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to compare hippocampal subfield volumes among the 3 groups. A general linear model was applied to examine group differences in hippocampal subfield structural covariance network properties. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-Logistic regression was employed to identify imaging predictors associated with conversion to Alzheimer′s disease (AD), based on which structural, network-based, and combined predictive models were constructed. Model discrimination was evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC); internal validation was performed using Bootstrap resampling; model calibration was assessed with the Hosmer-Lemeshow test; and clinical utility was evaluated through decision curve analysis. Results:Significant differences in hippocampal subfield volumes (mm3) were observed among the 3 groups (all P<0.05, Bonferroni-corrected). Specifically, left parasubiculum (65.58±13.30, 61.96±17.56, 49.56±11.82, F=9.900), right parasubiculum (65.92±15.21, 59.45±16.65, 47.69±15.48, F=11.612), left presubiculum (277.09±39.85, 258.15±44.86, 224.05±45.05, F=14.513), right presubiculum (262.85±40.43, 247.41±43.27, 209.97±46.11, F=14.500), left subiculum (399.66±32.19, 374.25±55.83, 306.12±51.62, F=32.923), right subiculum (417.93±48.92, 376.59±51.01, 316.82±70.22, F=28.764), left cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) (592.10±83.87, 561.96±94.72, 490.06±86.89, F=13.352), right CA1 (632.15±100.09, 601.24±88.88, 531.05±110.29, F=10.579), left CA3 (191.58±30.08, 180.47±34.66, 155.08±37.82, F=12.182), right CA3 (210.42±28.92, 203.84±34.80, 176.69±41.47, F=9.597), left CA4 (224.61±28.94, 210.49±35.04, 183.98±36.89, F=16.521), right CA4 (238.49±28.14, 227.43±30.65, 200.23±42.74, F=13.702), left granule cell-molecular layer-dentate gyrus (GC-ML-DG) (259.96±36.76, 239.42±41.17, 207.61±41.84, F=19.831), right GC-ML-DG (273.98±35.12, 258.79±36.82, 227.81±49.07, F=14.204), left molecular layer (505.62±66.16, 468.58±75.17, 402.68±75.47, F=22.293), right molecular layer (527.39±72.39, 493.14±70.39, 423.81±88.09, F=19.588), left hippocampal amygdala transition area (HATA) (54.91±9.99, 49.52±9.93, 43.27±9.59, F=13.571), right HATA (58.43±9.83, 54.55±10.80, 47.12±12.54, F=10.037), left fimbria (69.94±25.04, 56.63±23.74, 40.58±19.83, F=14.846), right fimbria (68.61±26.24, 53.95±23.16, 45.25±17.04, F=10.424), left hippocampal tail (488.37±83.44, 463.54±80.33, 393.83±77.73, F=13.570), and right hippocampal tail (519.78±80.22, 498.84±81.68, 419.75±93.29, F=14.339) all showed significant group differences. Significant group differences were also observed in small-worldness metric γ (0.51±0.10, 0.51±0.08, 0.62±0.14, F=9.317), small-worldness metric λ (0.39±0.02, 0.39±0.02, 0.43±0.04, F=9.925), global efficiency (0.19±0.01, 0.20±0.01, 0.18±0.01, F=3.189), local efficiency (0.26±0.02, 0.26±0.01, 0.27±0.01, F=3.068), clustering coefficient (0.23±0.01, 0.23±0.01, 0.24±0.02, F=4.274), and characteristic path length (0.73±0.06, 0.72±0.06, 0.76±0.07, F=4.477) of the hippocampal subfield structural covariance network (all P<0.05). Specifically, the pMCI group exhibited higher γ ( t=3.773, P<0.001), λ ( t=4.060, P<0.001), local efficiency ( t=2.445, P=0.047), and clustering coefficient ( t=2.849, P=0.015) than the NCs group, and higher γ ( t=4.074, P<0.001), λ ( t=4.068, P<0.001), and characteristic path length ( t=2.986, P=0.010) but lower global efficiency ( t=-2.444, P=0.047) than the sMCI group. The AUC of the structural, network, and combined models based on LASSO-Logistic regression was 0.837, 0.861, and 0.899, respectively. After internal validation, the corrected AUC was 0.835, 0.855, and 0.889, respectively. All models demonstrated good calibration ( P>0.05), and decision curve analysis indicated favorable clinical net benefit across models. Conclusions:Both sMCI and pMCI patients exhibit widespread hippocampal subfield atrophy and altered global properties of hippocampal subfield structural covariance networks compared to NCs. The models constructed based on hippocampal subfield volumes and structural covariance networks show strong potential for predicting cognitive decline in MCI patients.
5.Chinese expert consensus on community-based three-level comprehensive prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease(2025 edition)
Ying WANG ; Liang SUN ; Gang WANG ; Chunbo LI ; Houguang ZHOU ; Yifeng DU ; Yunpeng CAO ; Kai WANG ; Jiewen ZHANG ; Yao YAO ; Shangfeng TANG ; Yurong JING ; Qihua XU ; Xizhe PENG ; Yu HU ; Haimei QI
Chinese Journal of Geriatrics 2025;44(3):227-237
Alzheimer's disease(AD), a neurodegenerative disorder associated with aging, is the most prevalent form of dementia.As the aging population continues to expand, AD presents significant health and caregiving challenges for families and society, making it a pressing international public health concern.In recent years, numerous countries have implemented dementia prevention and treatment strategies that emphasize community-based comprehensive approaches.Currently, the community-based AD prevention and treatment model in China is still in the exploratory phase, with community efforts lacking organization.In alignment with China's action plan for advancing dementia prevention and treatment, and to achieve the strategic objective of "healthy aging, " this consensus is based on the principle of three-level prevention and is tailored to the characteristics of AD disease progression.It aims to develop a comprehensive prevention and treatment strategy for AD that is suitable for communities in China, providing technical guidance and support to establish a scientific basis for formulating community AD prevention and treatment models.
6.Prognostic value of peripheral blood NLR and TrxR expression in ovarian cancer patients receiving immunotherapy
Qiumei JIN ; Xiaoli CAO ; Yifeng GU ; Xiaoxia ZHANG ; Yujie LI
International Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2025;46(6):714-718
Objective To investigate the prognostic value of peripheral blood neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)and thioredoxin reductase(TrxR)in patients with ovarian cancer receiving immunotherapy.Methods A total of 109 patients with advanced ovarian cancer treated in the Tumor Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University from January 2021 to December 2021 were selected as the research objects.The levels of NLR and TrxR in peripheral blood before immunotherapy were detected,and the evaluation value of NLR and TrxR on short-term efficacy,progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival(OS)in ovarian cancer pa-tients receiving immunotherapy was explored.Results The optimal cut-off values of TrxR and NLR were 4.97 U/mL and 2.49%,respectively.According to the optimal cut-off value of TrxR and NLR,the patients were divided into the high level of TrxR group(69 cases,≥4.97 U/mL)and the low level of TrxR group(40 cases,<4.97 U/mL),the high level of NLR group(72 cases,≥2.49%)and the low level of NLR group(37 cases,<2.49%).The objective response rate(ORR)of the high level of NLR group was lower than that of the low level NLR group(P<0.05),and the disease progression rate(DPR)was higher than that of the low NLR group(P<0.05).The high level of TrxR group had a significantly lower ORR and a significantly higher DPR than the low level of TrxR group(P<0.05).The median PFS and OS of the high level of NLR group were 15.0 months and 16.0 months,respectively.The median PFS and OS of the low level of NLR group were 19.0 months and 21.0 months,respectively.The median PFS and OS of the high level of TrxR group were 15.0 months and 17.0 months,respectively.The median PFS was 18.0 months and the median OS was 21.0 months in the low level of TrxR group.NLR and TrxR were the influencing factors of PFS and OS in pa-tients with ovarian cancer immunotherapy(P<0.05).Conclusion The levels of NLR and TrxR in peripheral blood can be used as important prognostic indicators for advanced ovarian cancer patients receiving immuno-therapy.The lower the levels of NLR and TrxR,the better the prognosis of ovarian cancer patients.
7.Expression of circ-UBAP2 and Rac1 in cervical cancer tissues and their relationship with radiotherapy efficacy and prognosis
Lingling YAN ; Xiaoli CAO ; Hongli LIU ; Yifeng GU ; Xiaoxia ZHANG
International Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2025;46(13):1597-1602,1607
Objective To investigate the expression of circular RNA ubiquitin-associated protein 2(circ-UBAP2)and RAS-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1(Rac1)in cervical cancer tissues and their relation-ship with radiotherapy efficacy and prognosis.Methods A total of 96 patients with cervical cancer admitted to the hospital from January 2019 to May 2021 were selected as the research subjects.Detect the expression of circ-UBAP2 and Rac1 in the cancer tissues and adjacent tissues of the patients.The clinical data of the patients were recorded.According to the radiotherapy efficacy,they were divided into patients with effective radiother-apy(n=62)and patients with ineffective radiotherapy(n=34),and the relationship between the expressions of circ-UBAP2 and Rac1 and the radiotherapy efficacy was analyzed.The survival conditions of the patients were followed up for 3 years and they were divided into the survival group(n=81)and the death group(n=15),and the clinical data of the two groups were compared.The relationship between the expressions of circ-UBAP2 and Rac1 and the survival prognosis of patients was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier.The risk factors influ-encing the prognosis of patients were analyzed by Cox regression.Results The circ-UBAP2 expression and the positive rates of Rac1 expression in cancer tissues were both higher than those in adjacent tissues,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).The effective rate of radiotherapy in patients with high ex-pression of circ-UBAP2 and Rac1 in cancer tissues was lower than that in patients with low expression of circ-UBAP2 and Rac1,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).The 3-year overall survival rate and average survival duration of patients with high expression of circ-UBAP2 and Rac1 in cancer tissues were lower than those of patients with low expression of circ-UBAP2 and Rac1,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).There were statistically significant differences in clinical stage,tumor differentiation degree,expressions of circ-UBAP2 and Rac1,and the proportion of lymph node metastasis between the two groups(P<0.05).The results of Cox regression analysis showed that clinical stage Ⅱ B-Ⅲ,poorly differen-tiated tumor degree,high expression of circ-UBAP2 and Rac1,and lymph node metastasis were risk factors af-fecting the prognosis of patients(P<0.05).Conclusion circ-UBAP2 and Rac1 are abnormally highly ex-pressed in cervical cancer tissues and are related to the radiotherapy efficacy and prognosis.
8.Multimodal investigation of stress-induced RNA-brain covariance and its association with depression vulnerability
Yun LIU ; Xijuan XIA ; Kehan YAN ; Yang JI ; Yifeng LUO ; Zhihong CAO ; Yuefeng LI
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science 2025;34(9):790-797
Objective:To explore the RNA expression and alterations in brain structure in individuals who have experienced stressful life events (SLE), as well as the correlation patterns between them and their association with the occurrence of depression.Methods:Prospectively, a total of 80 SLE subjects were recruited from the psychiatry and psychology clinic of the Jiangsu University Affiliated Yixing Hospital between January 2021 and December 2022, with 16 normal controls (NC) enrolled concurrently. The 17 items Hamilton depression scale (HAMD-17) and social readjustment rating scale (SRRS) were used to assess depressive symptoms and stress levels. RNA sequencing information of peripheral blood and imaging data at baseline were collected. Based on whether depression occurred during the 2-year follow-up period, SLE subjects were divided into the SLE-depression group ( n=15) and the SLE-non-depression group ( n=65). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened using differential analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. Fractional anisotropy (FA) of white matter tracts and gray matter volume (GMV) were extracted using tract-based spatial statistics and voxel-based morphometry.Using analysis of variance compared inter-group differences in gene expression, GMV and white matter FA values. Partial correlation analysis was used to explore correlations between DEGs, altered GMV and white matter microstructure. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed on key genes to identify potential biological pathways. Propensity score matching constructed sensitivity subgroups to verify result robustness. Results:The SLE-depression group showed significantly higher SRRS and HAMD-17 scores at baseline and at the end of follow-up compared to the SLE-non-depression group and the NC group ( H=47.773, 35.427, 41.114, all P<0.05). Expression levels of IL-10 (2.12±0.28, 2.43±0.44), EZH2 (2.11±0.43, 2.45±0.51), NCAM1 (3.60±0.30, 3.03±0.39), CD3E (4.95±0.37, 4.57±0.48), CCK (3.29±0.28, 3.02±0.42), and CX3CR1 (5.55±0.40, 5.91±0.34) were significantly different between the SLE-depression group and SLE-non-depression group( F=5.549~28.371, all P<0.05). Compared with the SLE-non-depression group, the SLE-depression group exhibited significantly lower FA values in the genu of the corpus callosum (0.29±0.04, 0.31±0.04) and the left uncinate fasciculus (0.31±0.02, 0.33±0.02), as well as significantly smaller GMV in the right hippocampus (0.29±0.07, 0.33±0.06), bilateral middle frontal gyrus (left: 0.27±0.05, 0.31±0.05; right: 0.28±0.06, 0.32±0.06), right insula (0.36±0.03, 0.38±0.04), and left precentral gyrus (0.19±0.04, 0.24±0.05) ( F=4.593-12.064, all P<0.05, FDR correction). GMV in the right anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri was significantly larger than that in the SLE-non-depression group (0.34±0.05, 0.29±0.06) ( F=6.704, P=0.034, FDR correction). Partial correlation analysis revealed significantly stronger correlations between hub DEGs and altered brain regions in the SLE-depression group ( r=0.017-0.801) compared to the SLE-non-depression group ( r=0.002-0.382), with a statistically significant difference ( U=629, P<0.001; Cliff's Delta=0.454). GSEA indicated that the aforementioned genes were primarily involved in pathways including the ribosome, spliceosome, ribosome biogenesis in eukaryotes, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction. Sensitivity analysis confirmed that the above results remained statistically significant after balancing sample sizes (all P<0.05). Conclusion:The SLE-depression group showed specific RNA expression and brain structure alterations compared to the SLE-non-depression group, and the correlation between RNA and brain structure was significantly enhanced in the SLE-depression group. This suggests that the correlation between genes and brain structure in the SLE population may be related to their susceptibility to depression.
9.Predictive study of brain gray matter volume combined with regional homogeneity on the alleviation of post-traumatic stress disorder in bereaved parents who lost their only child
Chensi LI ; Yifeng LUO ; Zhihong CAO ; Yuefeng LI ; Jiyuan GE ; Qingyue LAN ; Rongfeng QI ; Luo'an WU ; Li ZHANG ; Guangming LU
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science 2025;34(10):879-884
Objective:To investigate the predictive value of multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques in assessing symptom remission of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) of bereaved parents who lost their only child.Methods:In this prospective study, 34 parents with PTSD resulting from the loss of the only child were followed-up for 2 years. Based on the PTSD diagnostic status at the end of the follow-up, participants were divided into the remission group and the persistent group.R 3.6.1 and SPSS 20.0 software were used for statistical analysis.Baseline clinical data and neuroimaging findings were compared between the two groups. Logistic regression and LASSO regression analyses were used to identify independent predictors of PTSD symptom remission. The predictive performance of these factors was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.Results:Initial screening with univariate Logistic regression and LASSO regression revealed that regional homogeneity (ReHo) in the left middle temporal gyrus, the combined predictive value based on ReHo, and the integrated predictive value combining gray matter volume (GMV) and ReHo (GMV-ReHo predictor) were significant factors influencing symptom remission (all P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression further demonstrated that the GMV-ReHo predictor retained independent predictive significance ( P<0.05), with ROC curve analysis showing an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.979 (95% CI=0.935-0.996, P<0.001) for its ability to predict PTSD remission. Notably, a combined model incorporating both the scores of the clinician administered PTSD scale (CAPS) and the GMV-ReHo predictor achieved an enhanced predictive performance, yielding an AUC of 0.984 (95% CI=0.952-0.998, P<0.001). Conclusion:The GMV-ReHo predictor effectively identifies symptom remission in PTSD resulting from the loss of the only child.
10.Correlation of hippocampal subfield volumes and structural covariance network alterations with memory function in individuals with subjective cognitive decline
Chengmin ZHOU ; Ju ZHANG ; Weiyan JIA ; Jinxin WANG ; Yuefeng LI ; Zhihong CAO ; Yifeng LUO
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science 2025;34(6):495-502
Objective:To investigate the differences in hippocampal subfield volumes and structural covariance network between participants with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and healthy individuals, and to analyze the correlations of the volumes of the different subfields and altered covariance brain regions with memory function.Methods:A total of 57 SCD individuals(SCD group) and 44 normal controls(NC group) participants were assessed for memory function using composite scores from the auditory verbal learning test (AVLT) and the Wechsler memory scale visual reproduction (VR) test from June 2022 to October 2023.T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were collected from all participants, and hippocampal subfields, cortical regions, and subcortical nuclei were segmented using FreeSurfer to measure the gray matter volume of each structure. A structural covariance network was constructed based on the correlation of gray matter volumes across regions. Statistical analysis was performed using R 4.3.1 software. Inter-group differences in hippocampal subfield volumes were compared using multivariate analysis of covariance. Differences in structural covariance connectivity between groups were assessed using Z-test, while network topology differences were compared through permutation testing. Finally, partial correlation analysis was used to examine correlation of the volumes of the differential hippocampal subfields and covariance brain regions with memory function. Results:The SCD group exhibited significantly lower years of education, AVLT-immediate score, AVLT-delayed score, VR-immediate score, VR-delayed score, and memory function Z-score compared to the NC group ( t=2.064, 3.888, 2.622, 3.222, 4.761, 5.184, all P<0.05). The volumes of the right subiculum((387.75±55.20)mm 3, (352.70±70.25)mm 3), left presubiculum((263.12±38.52)mm 3, (239.79±46.02)mm 3), left subiculum((388.12±49.34)mm 3, (351.74±67.30)mm 3) and left CA1((571.01±80.01)mm 3, (526.51±98.80)mm 3) in the SCD group were smaller than the corresponding volumes in NC group ( F=9.139, 8.039, 11.207, 7.266, all P<0.05, FDR correction). Differences in structural covariance connectivity were found between the SCD and NC groups in the following pairs: right CA1-right subiculum, right CA1-left subiculum, right CA3-left parasubiculum and right hippocampus-amygdala transition area-left subiculum ( Z=-3.848, -3.896, -3.597, -3.895, all P<0.05, FDR correction).Partial correlation analysis revealed that in the SCD group, the volume of the left subiculum ( r=0.359, P=0.007), left CA1 ( r=0.430, P=0.001), right entorhinal cortex ( r=0.296, P=0.029), right middle temporal gyrus ( r=0.361, P=0.007), right parahippocampal gyrus ( r=0.313, P=0.021)were positively correlated with the total memory function score. Conclusion:Hippocampal subfields atrophy, as well as alterations in structural covariance network, have been found in SCD individuals. Furthermore, the decline in memory function may be closely associated with atrophy in hippocampal subfields and structurally covariant regions.

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