-
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Psychosis, defined as a set of symptoms that results in a distorted sense of reality, is observed in several psychiatric disorders in addition to schizophrenia. This... (Review)
Review
Psychosis, defined as a set of symptoms that results in a distorted sense of reality, is observed in several psychiatric disorders in addition to schizophrenia. This paper reviews the literature relevant to the underlying neurobiology of psychosis. The dopamine hypothesis has been a major influence in the study of the neurochemistry of psychosis and in development of antipsychotic drugs. However, it became clear early on that other factors must be involved in the dysfunction involved in psychosis. In the current review, it is reported how several of these factors, namely dysregulation of neurotransmitters [dopamine, serotonin, glutamate, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)], neuroinflammation, glia (microglia, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes), the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the gut microbiome, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction contribute to psychosis and interact with one another. Research on psychosis has increased knowledge of the complexity of psychotic disorders. Potential new pharmacotherapies, including combinations of drugs (with pre- and probiotics in some cases) affecting several of the factors mentioned above, have been suggested. Similarly, several putative biomarkers, particularly those related to the immune system, have been proposed. Future research on both pharmacotherapy and biomarkers will require better-designed studies conducted on an all stages of psychotic disorders and must consider confounders such as sex differences and comorbidity.
PubMed: 38929148
DOI: 10.3390/antiox13060709 -
Genes May 2024Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a socially significant disease with increasing prevalence worldwide. It is characterized by heterogeneous metabolic disorders and is...
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a socially significant disease with increasing prevalence worldwide. It is characterized by heterogeneous metabolic disorders and is associated with various risk factors, including BMI, abnormal lipid levels, hypertension, smoking, dietary preferences, physical inactivity, sedentary lifestyle, family history of diabetes, prediabetes or gestational diabetes, inflammation, intrauterine environment, age, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Assessing the genetic risk of developing T2DM in specific populations remains relevant. The gene, encoding adiponectin, is directly related to the risk of developing T2DM, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. Our study demonstrated significant associations of gene polymorphisms with the risk of developing T2DM and obesity, as well as with fasting glucose levels and BMI, in the Kazakh population. Specifically, rs266729 was significantly associated with T2DM and obesity in the Kazakh population, while other studied polymorphisms (rs1501299, rs2241766, and rs17846866) did not show a significant association. These findings suggest that gene polymorphisms may influence T2DM risk factors and highlight the importance of genetic factors in T2DM development. However, further research in larger cohorts is needed to confirm these associations.
Topics: Humans; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Female; Adiponectin; Male; Obesity; Middle Aged; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Case-Control Studies; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Adult; Risk Factors; Kazakhstan; Aged
PubMed: 38927605
DOI: 10.3390/genes15060669 -
Biomedicines May 2024Although there is a link between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and atrial fibrillation (AF) and numerous investigations have examined the mechanism of AF development in...
Although there is a link between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and atrial fibrillation (AF) and numerous investigations have examined the mechanism of AF development in OSA patients, which includes cardiac remodeling, inflammation, and gap junction-related conduction disorder, there is limited information regarding the differences between the sexes. This study analyzes the impact of sex differences on the expression of cardiac remodeling, inflammatory cytokines, and gap junctions in patients with OSA and AF. A total of 154 individuals diagnosed with sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBDs) were enrolled in the study and underwent polysomnography and echocardiography. Significant OSA was defined as an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of ≥15 per hour. Exosomes were purified from the plasma of all SRBD patients and incubated in HL-1 cells to investigate their effects on inflammatory cytokines and expression. The differences in cardiac remodeling and expression of these biomarkers in both sexes were analyzed. Of the 154 enrolled patients, 110 patients were male and 44 patients were female. The LA sizes and E/e' ratios of male OSA patients with concomitant AF were greater than those of control participants and those without AF (all < 0.05). Meanwhile, female OSA patients with AF had a lower left ventricular ejection fraction than those OSA patients without AF and control subjects ( < 0.05). Regarding the expression of inflammatory cytokines and , the mRNA expression levels of were lower and those of were higher in those male OSA patients with AF than in those male OSA patients without AF and control subjects ( < 0.05). By contrast, mRNA expression levels of were higher in those female OSA patients with and without AF than in control subjects ( < 0.05). In conclusion, our study revealed sex-specific differences in the risk factors and biomarkers associated with AF development in patients with OSA.
PubMed: 38927368
DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12061160 -
BMC Public Health Jun 2024Illicit drug and high-risk alcohol use among adolescents leads to poor health outcomes. We enrolled adolescents from urban slums in Kampala, Uganda, to assess baseline...
BACKGROUND
Illicit drug and high-risk alcohol use among adolescents leads to poor health outcomes. We enrolled adolescents from urban slums in Kampala, Uganda, to assess baseline prevalence and factors associated with illicit drug and high-risk alcohol consumption.
METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional study using data collected in a cohort that enrolled 14-19-year-old male and female participants from 25 March 2019 to 30 March 2020. Data was collected on social demographics, sexual behavior, and reproductive health using interviewer-administered questionnaires. The main outcomes were illicit drug use and high-risk alcohol use. Data on alcohol use was collected using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT); results were dichotomized. Factors associated with each outcome were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression.
RESULTS
We enrolled 490 participants (60.6% female) with a median age of 18 (IQR 17-18) years, 84.9% had less than secondary education, 48.4% had their sexual debut before 15 years, 47.1% reported paid sex in the past 3 months and 22.8% had a sexually transmitted infection (chlamydia, gonorrhea, and active syphilis) baseline characteristics associated with illicit drug use in the past 3 months were male gender (aOR 12.45; 95% CI 7.21-21.50) being married (aOR 2.26; 95%CI 1.03-4.94) 10 or more paying sexual partners (aOR 2.45; 95%CI 1.05-5.69) and high-risk alcohol use (aOR 3.94; 95%CI 2.10-7.40), baseline characteristics associated with high-risk alcohol use were male gender (aOR 0.29; 95% CI 0.13-0.63) emotional violence from sexual partners (aOR 2.35; 95%CI 1.32-418) illicit drug users com (aOR 3.94; 95% CI 2.10-7.40).
CONCLUSION
Illicit drug and high-risk alcohol use are prevalent among male adolescents and adolescents involved in high-risk sexual behavior living in the urban slums of Kampala.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Male; Uganda; Female; Cross-Sectional Studies; Poverty Areas; Prevalence; Substance-Related Disorders; Illicit Drugs; Young Adult; Risk Factors; Sexual Behavior; Urban Population; Alcohol Drinking
PubMed: 38926824
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19250-x -
BMC Endocrine Disorders Jun 2024Advanced maternal age may affect the intrauterine environment and increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring. Thyroid hormones are critical for fetal...
BACKGROUND
Advanced maternal age may affect the intrauterine environment and increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring. Thyroid hormones are critical for fetal neurological development but whether maternal age influences fetal thyroid hormone levels in euthyroid mothers is unknown.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated the association between cord blood thyroid hormones and maternal age, fetal sex, maternal thyroid function, and other perinatal factors.
METHODS
The study population consisted of 203 healthy women with term singleton pregnancies who underwent elective cesarean section. Maternal levels of free T3 (fT3), free T4 (fT4) and TSH before delivery, and cord levels of fT3, fT4 and TSH were measured. Spearman's correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to determine the correlation between cord thyroid hormone parameters and maternal characteristics.
RESULTS
There were no significant differences in maternal serum or cord blood thyroid hormone levels between male and female births. In multivariate linear regression analysis, maternal age and maternal TSH values were negatively associated with the cord blood levels of fT3 in all births, after adjusting for confounding factors. Maternal age was more closely associated with the cord blood levels of fT3 in female than in male births.
CONCLUSION
The inverse association between maternal age and cord blood levels of fT3 in euthyroid pregnant women suggested an impact of maternal aging on offspring thyroid function.
Topics: Humans; Female; Maternal Age; Adult; Male; Pregnancy; Fetal Blood; Infant, Newborn; Triiodothyronine; Sex Factors; Thyroid Function Tests; Thyrotropin
PubMed: 38926806
DOI: 10.1186/s12902-024-01631-3 -
Journal of Child Psychology and... Jun 2024Whether emotional problems during childhood and adolescence are longitudinally associated with adult alcohol use behaviors is unclear. This study examined associations...
BACKGROUND
Whether emotional problems during childhood and adolescence are longitudinally associated with adult alcohol use behaviors is unclear. This study examined associations between developmental trajectories of emotional problems and early adult alcohol use behaviors, while considering co-occurring conduct problems, developmental change/timing, sex differences, and potential confounds.
METHODS
Participants were from the Twins Early Development Study (analytic N = 19,908 individuals). Emotional and conduct problems were measured by parent reports at child ages 4, 7, and 9 years and via self-reports at ages 9, 11, and 16 years on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Alcohol use behaviors (alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems) were self-reported by the twins on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test at age 22 years. Piecewise latent growth curve models described nonlinear developmental trajectories of emotional and conduct problems from ages 4 to 16. At age 22, alcohol use was regressed on emotional and conduct problems' intercepts and slopes from piecewise latent growth curve model and sex differences in regression coefficients were tested. Using twin modeling, Cholesky decompositions and direct path models were compared to test whether significant phenotypic associations were best explained by direct phenotypic influences or correlated genetic and environmental influences.
RESULTS
Emotional problems had different associations with alcohol-related problems versus alcohol consumption. After accounting for direct influences from conduct problems, emotional problems were not associated with alcohol-related problems, while emotional problems at age 9 were negatively associated with alcohol consumption in males.
CONCLUSIONS
Overall, findings did not support emotional problems as prospective risk factors for severe alcohol use above and beyond risks associated with conduct problems. Sex- and age-specific links between emotional problems and alcohol consumption in early adulthood may be worthy of further exploration, particularly as twin analyses improved our confidence that such links may be underpinned by causal mechanisms.
PubMed: 38924525
DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.14034 -
Human Brain Mapping Jun 2024The corpus callosum (CC) is a large white matter fiber bundle in the brain and is involved in various cognitive, sensory, and motor processes. While implicated in...
The corpus callosum (CC) is a large white matter fiber bundle in the brain and is involved in various cognitive, sensory, and motor processes. While implicated in various developmental and psychiatric disorders, much is yet to be uncovered about the normal development of this structure, especially in young children. Additionally, while sexual dimorphism has been reported in prior literature, observations have not necessarily been consistent. In this study, we use morphometric measures including surface tensor-based morphometry (TBM) to investigate local changes in the shape of the CC in children between the ages of 12 and 60 months, in intervals of 12 months. We also analyze sex differences in each of these age groups. We observed larger significant clusters in the earlier ages between 12 v 24 m and between 48 v 60 m and localized differences in the anterior region of the body of the CC. Sex differences were most pronounced in the 12 m group. This study adds to the growing literature of work aiming to understand the developing brain and emphasizes the utility of surface TBM as a useful tool for analyzing regional differences in neuroanatomical morphometry.
Topics: Humans; Corpus Callosum; Male; Female; Infant; Child, Preschool; Sex Characteristics; Diffusion Tensor Imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
PubMed: 38924235
DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26693 -
Annals of the New York Academy of... Jun 2024Infants born with severe central disorders of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis leading to gonadotropin deficiency not only lack pubertal development in... (Review)
Review
Infants born with severe central disorders of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis leading to gonadotropin deficiency not only lack pubertal development in adolescence, but also lack infantile mini-puberty. This period of mini-puberty, where infants have gonadotropin and sex steroid concentrations up into the adult range, is vital for future reproductive capacity, particularly in boys. At present, there is no consensus on the diagnosis or management of infants with gonadotropin deficiency due to congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism or multiple pituitary hormone deficiency. Case series suggest that gonadotropin treatment in male infants with absent mini-puberty is effective in promoting both testicular descent in those with undescended testes and also facilitating increased penile size. Moreover, replacement with follicle-stimulating hormone increases the testicular Sertoli cell population, measurable as an increase in testicular volume and inhibin B, thus hypothetically increasing the capacity for spermatogenesis in adult life for these patients. However, long-term follow-up data is limited for both outcomes pertaining to fertility and nonreproductive sequelae, including neurodevelopment and psychological well-being. The use of international registries for patients with gonadotropin deficiency is a key element in the collection of high-quality, geographically widespread data to inform best-practice management from birth to adulthood.
PubMed: 38924109
DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15177 -
PloS One 2024Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a highly prevalent neuropsychiatric disorder. Recently, there has been a growing interest in investigating the association between...
BACKGROUND
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a highly prevalent neuropsychiatric disorder. Recently, there has been a growing interest in investigating the association between pro-inflammatory cytokines and the pathogenesis of OCD. However, studies targeting interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in OCD are limited. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the potential role of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6 in the pathophysiology and development of OCD.
METHODS
This study recruited 58 OCD patients and 30 age-sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). A qualified psychiatrist diagnosed OCD patients and assessed HCs based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Health Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) criteria. We measured the severity of OCD using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). Serum IL-1β and IL-6 levels were measured using ELISA kits following the appropriate methods.
RESULTS
The results showed that serum IL-1β levels were significantly elevated in OCD patients compared to HCs (23.68±1.65 pg/ml vs. 15.75±1.02 pg/ml; p = 0.002). Similarly, OCD patients exhibited significantly higher serum IL-6 levels than HCs (44.97±0.73 pg/ml vs. 37.04±0.35 pg/ml; p<0.001). We observed both cytokines were positively correlated with the Y-BOCS scores in OCD patients (IL-1β: r = 0.380, p = 0.015; IL-6: r = 0.324, p = 0.026) which indicates their role in disease pathophysiology.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that serum IL-1β and IL-6 levels may be associated with the pathophysiology of OCD. Also, these cytokines levels in blood samples can serve as early risk assessment tools for the development of OCD. We recommend further studies in a large and homogeneous population to support these findings.
Topics: Humans; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Interleukin-1beta; Interleukin-6; Female; Male; Adult; Case-Control Studies; Young Adult; Middle Aged
PubMed: 38924009
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306125 -
The British Journal of Clinical... Jun 2024Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental condition and is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity....
OBJECTIVES
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental condition and is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Research suggests that some populations, such as females and individuals with high intelligence quotients may be a risk for late ADHD diagnosis and subsequent treatment. Our goal is to advance our understanding of ADHD diagnosis, by examining (1) how child sex and cognitive abilities together are related to the age of diagnosis and (2) whether symptom presentation, current internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and demographic factors are related to age of diagnosis.
METHODS
Our analyses contained children who completed the required tests (N = 568) from a pre-existing dataset of 1380 children with ADHD from the Province of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Disorders (POND) Network (pond-network.ca). First, we conducted a moderation analysis with sex as the predictor, cognitive abilities as the moderator, and age of diagnosis as the outcome. Second, we conducted correlation analyses examining how symptom presentation, current internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and demographic factors are related to age of diagnosis.
RESULTS
Higher IQ was related to a later age of diagnosis. Higher hyperactive-impulsive symptoms and externalizing symptoms were related to an earlier age of diagnosis. Internalizing symptoms were trend associated with a later age of diagnosis in girls. Higher socioeconomic status and non-White maternal ethnicity were related to later age of diagnosis.
CONCLUSIONS
IQ, sex, ADHD symptomology, internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and socio-demographic factors affect the age of diagnosis.
PubMed: 38923582
DOI: 10.1111/bjc.12485