2.Shared and distinct abnormalities of brain magnetization transfer ratio in schizophrenia and major depressive disorder: a comparative voxel-based meta-analysis.
Huan LAN ; Xueling SUO ; Chao ZUO ; Weishi NI ; Song WANG ; Graham J KEMP ; Qiyong GONG
Chinese Medical Journal 2023;136(23):2824-2833
BACKGROUND:
Patients with schizophrenia (SCZ) and major depressive disorder (MDD) share significant clinical overlap, although it remains unknown to what extent this overlap reflects shared neural profiles. To identify the shared and specific abnormalities in SCZ and MDD, we performed a whole-brain voxel-based meta-analysis using magnetization transfer imaging, a technique that characterizes the macromolecular structural integrity of brain tissue in terms of the magnetization transfer ratio (MTR).
METHODS:
A systematic search based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, International Scientific Index (ISI) Web of Science, and MEDLINE for relevant studies up to March 2022. Two researchers independently screened the articles. Rigorous scrutiny and data extraction were performed for the studies that met the inclusion criteria. Voxel-wise meta-analyses were conducted using anisotropic effect size-signed differential mapping with a unified template. Meta-regression was used to explore the potential effects of demographic and clinical characteristics.
RESULTS:
A total of 15 studies with 17 datasets describing 365 SCZ patients, 224 MDD patients, and 550 healthy controls (HCs) were identified. The conjunction analysis showed that both disorders shared higher MTR than HC in the left cerebellum ( P =0.0006) and left fusiform gyrus ( P =0.0004). Additionally, SCZ patients showed disorder-specific lower MTR in the anterior cingulate/paracingulate gyrus, right superior temporal gyrus, and right superior frontal gyrus, and higher MTR in the left thalamus, precuneus/cuneus, posterior cingulate gyrus, and paracentral lobule; and MDD patients showed higher MTR in the left middle occipital region. Meta-regression showed no statistical significance in either group.
CONCLUSIONS
The results revealed a structural neural basis shared between SCZ and MDD patients, emphasizing the importance of shared neural substrates across psychopathology. Meanwhile, distinct disease-specific characteristics could have implications for future differential diagnosis and targeted treatment.
Humans
;
Depressive Disorder, Major/drug therapy*
;
Schizophrenia/pathology*
;
Brain/pathology*
;
Prefrontal Cortex
;
Frontal Lobe
;
Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods*
3.Definition, prediction, prevention and management of patients with severe ischemic stroke and large infarction.
Xing HUA ; Ming LIU ; Simiao WU
Chinese Medical Journal 2023;136(24):2912-2922
Severe ischemic stroke carries a high rate of disability and death. The severity of stroke is often assessed by the degree of neurological deficits or the extent of brain infarct, defined as severe stroke and large infarction, respectively. Critically severe stroke is a life-threatening condition that requires neurocritical care or neurosurgical intervention, which includes stroke with malignant brain edema, a leading cause of death during the acute phase, and stroke with severe complications of other vital systems. Early prediction of high-risk patients with critically severe stroke would inform early prevention and treatment to interrupt the malignant course to fatal status. Selected patients with severe stroke could benefit from intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular treatment in improving functional outcome. There is insufficient evidence to inform dual antiplatelet therapy and the timing of anticoagulation initiation after severe stroke. Decompressive hemicraniectomy (DHC) <48 h improves survival in patients aged <60 years with large hemispheric infarction. Studies are ongoing to provide evidence to inform more precise prediction of malignant brain edema, optimal indications for acute reperfusion therapies and neurosurgery, and the individualized management of complications and secondary prevention. We present an evidence-based review for severe ischemic stroke, with the aims of proposing operational definitions, emphasizing the importance of early prediction and prevention of the evolution to critically severe status, summarizing specialized treatment for severe stroke, and proposing directions for future research.
Humans
;
Ischemic Stroke/pathology*
;
Brain Edema/surgery*
;
Stroke/prevention & control*
;
Brain/pathology*
;
Brain Infarction/pathology*
;
Treatment Outcome
4.Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease With Slow Progression:Report of One Case.
Jia-Hua ZHAO ; Lei WU ; Wei JIN ; Qiu-Ping GUI ; Jia-Tang ZHANG ; De-Hui HUANG
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2023;45(5):859-862
Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease(sCJD)is a prion-caused degenerative disease of the central nervous system,with the typical clinical manifestation of rapidly progressive dementia.The course of disease is less than 1 year in most patients and more than 2 years in only 2% to 3% patients.We reported a case of sCJD with expressive language disorder and slow progression in this paper.By summarizing the clinical manifestations and the electroencephalograhpy,MRI,and pathological features,we aimed to enrich the knowledge about the sCJD with slow progression.
Humans
;
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome/pathology*
;
Brain/pathology*
;
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
;
Central Nervous System/pathology*
5.Nilotinib-loaded gelatin methacryloyl microneedles patch for the treatment of cardiac dysfunction after myocardial infarction.
Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2023;40(5):996-1004
The study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of nilotinib-loaded biocompatible gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) microneedles patch on cardiac dysfunction after myocardial infarction(MI), and provide a new clinical perspective of myocardial fibrosis therapies. The GelMA microneedles patches were attached to the epicardial surface of the infarct and peri-infarct zone in order to deliver the anti-fibrosis drug nilotinib on the 10th day after MI, when the scar had matured. Cardiac function and left ventricular remodeling were assessed by such as echocardiography, BNP (brain natriuretic peptide) and the heart weight/body weight ratio (HW/BW). Myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis were examined by WGA (wheat germ agglutinin) staining, HE (hematoxylin-eosin staining) staining and Sirius Red staining. The results showed that the nilotinib-loaded microneedles patch could effectively attenuate fibrosis expansion in the peri-infarct zone and myocardial hypertrophy, prevent adverse ventricular remodeling and finally improve cardiac function. This treatment strategy is a beneficial attempt to correct the cardiac dysfunction after myocardial infarction, which is expected to become a new strategy to correct the cardiac dysfunction after MI. This is of great clinical significance for improving the long-term prognosis of MI patients.
Humans
;
Myocardial Infarction/drug therapy*
;
Cardiomegaly
;
Natriuretic Peptide, Brain/therapeutic use*
;
Fibrosis
;
Myocardium/pathology*
6.A Comprehensive Overview of the Role of Visual Cortex Malfunction in Depressive Disorders: Opportunities and Challenges.
Fangfang WU ; Qingbo LU ; Yan KONG ; Zhijun ZHANG
Neuroscience Bulletin 2023;39(9):1426-1438
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a highly heterogeneous mental disorder, and its complex etiology and unclear mechanism are great obstacles to the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Studies have shown that abnormal functions of the visual cortex have been reported in MDD patients, and the actions of several antidepressants coincide with improvements in the structure and synaptic functions of the visual cortex. In this review, we critically evaluate current evidence showing the involvement of the malfunctioning visual cortex in the pathophysiology and therapeutic process of depression. In addition, we discuss the molecular mechanisms of visual cortex dysfunction that may underlie the pathogenesis of MDD. Although the precise roles of visual cortex abnormalities in MDD remain uncertain, this undervalued brain region may become a novel area for the treatment of depressed patients.
Humans
;
Depressive Disorder, Major/pathology*
;
Brain/pathology*
;
Antidepressive Agents/therapeutic use*
;
Visual Cortex/pathology*
7.Advances and Applications of Brain Organoids.
Yang LI ; Peng-Ming ZENG ; Jian WU ; Zhen-Ge LUO
Neuroscience Bulletin 2023;39(11):1703-1716
Understanding the fundamental processes of human brain development and diseases is of great importance for our health. However, existing research models such as non-human primate and mouse models remain limited due to their developmental discrepancies compared with humans. Over the past years, an emerging model, the "brain organoid" integrated from human pluripotent stem cells, has been developed to mimic developmental processes of the human brain and disease-associated phenotypes to some extent, making it possible to better understand the complex structures and functions of the human brain. In this review, we summarize recent advances in brain organoid technologies and their applications in brain development and diseases, including neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, psychiatric diseases, and brain tumors. Finally, we also discuss current limitations and the potential of brain organoids.
Animals
;
Mice
;
Humans
;
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
;
Brain/pathology*
;
Disease Models, Animal
;
Neurodegenerative Diseases/pathology*
;
Organoids/pathology*
8.Spatial Distribution of Parvalbumin-Positive Fibers in the Mouse Brain and Their Alterations in Mouse Models of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and Parkinson's Disease.
Changgeng SONG ; Yan ZHAO ; Jiajia ZHANG ; Ziyi DONG ; Xin KANG ; Yuqi PAN ; Jinle DU ; Yiting GAO ; Haifeng ZHANG ; Ye XI ; Hui DING ; Fang KUANG ; Wenting WANG ; Ceng LUO ; Zhengping ZHANG ; Qinpeng ZHAO ; Jiazhou YANG ; Wen JIANG ; Shengxi WU ; Fang GAO
Neuroscience Bulletin 2023;39(11):1683-1702
Parvalbumin interneurons belong to the major types of GABAergic interneurons. Although the distribution and pathological alterations of parvalbumin interneuron somata have been widely studied, the distribution and vulnerability of the neurites and fibers extending from parvalbumin interneurons have not been detailly interrogated. Through the Cre recombinase-reporter system, we visualized parvalbumin-positive fibers and thoroughly investigated their spatial distribution in the mouse brain. We found that parvalbumin fibers are widely distributed in the brain with specific morphological characteristics in different regions, among which the cortex and thalamus exhibited the most intense parvalbumin signals. In regions such as the striatum and optic tract, even long-range thick parvalbumin projections were detected. Furthermore, in mouse models of temporal lobe epilepsy and Parkinson's disease, parvalbumin fibers suffered both massive and subtle morphological alterations. Our study provides an overview of parvalbumin fibers in the brain and emphasizes the potential pathological implications of parvalbumin fiber alterations.
Mice
;
Animals
;
Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe/pathology*
;
Parvalbumins/metabolism*
;
Parkinson Disease/pathology*
;
Neurons/metabolism*
;
Interneurons/physiology*
;
Disease Models, Animal
;
Brain/pathology*
9.Alterations of Audiovisual Integration in Alzheimer's Disease.
Yufei LIU ; Zhibin WANG ; Tao WEI ; Shaojiong ZHOU ; Yunsi YIN ; Yingxin MI ; Xiaoduo LIU ; Yi TANG
Neuroscience Bulletin 2023;39(12):1859-1872
Audiovisual integration is a vital information process involved in cognition and is closely correlated with aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this review, we evaluated the altered audiovisual integrative behavioral symptoms in AD. We further analyzed the relationships between AD pathologies and audiovisual integration alterations bidirectionally and suggested the possible mechanisms of audiovisual integration alterations underlying AD, including the imbalance between energy demand and supply, activity-dependent degeneration, disrupted brain networks, and cognitive resource overloading. Then, based on the clinical characteristics including electrophysiological and imaging data related to audiovisual integration, we emphasized the value of audiovisual integration alterations as potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis and progression of AD. We also highlighted that treatments targeted audiovisual integration contributed to widespread pathological improvements in AD animal models and cognitive improvements in AD patients. Moreover, investigation into audiovisual integration alterations in AD also provided new insights and comprehension about sensory information processes.
Animals
;
Humans
;
Alzheimer Disease/pathology*
;
Brain/pathology*
;
Aging/physiology*
;
Cognition

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