Brain, behavior, & immunity - health最新文献

{"title":"Impact of a 10-week multimodal stress management and lifestyle modification program on stress response and immune function in Crohn’s disease: a mixed-methods approach using the Trier Social Stress Test","authors":"Özlem Öznur ,&nbsp;Sandra Utz ,&nbsp;Christoph Schlee ,&nbsp;Jost Langhorst","doi":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.101006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.101006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>One of the major factors for deterioration and relapse in inflammatory bowel diseases is chronic (psychological) stress. Aim of the present study was to compare the reaction of N = 33 patients with Crohn’s disease that either participated in a multimodal stress management and lifestyle modification program (n = 19) or not (n = 14) to the induction of acute stress after the day-clinic by using the validated instrument of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). A mixed-methods approach using self-reported stress perception (questionnaire, qualitative interviews), diary records, and blood samples was applied. Immune and endocrine measures of stress were collected before and repeatedly after stress exposure. Analysis of the blood samples indicated changes in leucocyte and platelet levels only in the intervention group. Differences in the reaction to acute stress might be explained by a significant reduction in perceived (chronic) stress levels in the intervention group compared to baseline (p = .004), whereas there was no change in the control group (p = .472). Diary records (during the day-clinic) showed a notable increase in the number of relaxation techniques (p &lt; .001) and meditative movements (p &gt; .001) performed in the intervention group compared to the control group. In the qualitative interviews (of the intervention group), patients reported a reduction in stress in their daily lives and in acute stressful situations as a result of using the newly learned specific stress management techniques. The observed improvements in stress management (questionnaire, qualitative interviews), indicated by the reduction in perceived stress, and immune function, suggested by the blood sample results, highlight the potential of integrating multimodal stress management and lifestyle changes into the treatment approach for Crohn’s disease patients. Further research is warranted to explore the long-term effects and the multiple mechanisms underlying these observed changes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72454,"journal":{"name":"Brain, behavior, & immunity - health","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 101006"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143902074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in patients with severe COVID-19 neurological outcomes and Alzheimer’s disease","authors":"Fernanda G.Q. Barros-Aragão ,&nbsp;Thaís L. Pinheiro ,&nbsp;Talita P. Pinto ,&nbsp;Bart Vanderborgh ,&nbsp;Nathane B.S. Rezende ,&nbsp;Guilherme B. de Freitas ,&nbsp;Gabriel R. de Freitas ,&nbsp;Fernando A. Bozza ,&nbsp;Andrea S. Souza ,&nbsp;Erika C. Rodrigues ,&nbsp;Carlos O. Brandão ,&nbsp;Paulo Mattos ,&nbsp;Felipe K. Sudo ,&nbsp;Fernanda F. Tovar-Moll ,&nbsp;Fernanda G. De Felice","doi":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.101007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.101007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>COVID-19 induces acute and long-term neurological symptoms. Links between COVID-19 neurological disturbance and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have been hypothesized because neuroinflammation plays a significant role in both diseases. However, it is unknown if COVID-19 patients with neurological disturbance present molecular alterations related to AD pathology. A better understanding of possible molecular links between COVID-19-induced neurological disease and AD would lead to improved patient follow-up and late-onset disease prevention. Here, we analyze early AD biomarkers in a Brazilian cohort of COVID-19 patients with neurological symptoms. We compared COVID-19 patients’ neuroinflammatory and AD biomarker levels to controls, amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and AD.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We analyzed cerebrospinal (CSF) biomarkers of neuroinflammation (interleukin-6 (IL6)), amyloid-beta (Aβ) proteinopathy (Aβ42/40), phosphorylated Tau (pTau181), and the neurodegeneration-associated biomarker total Tau in controls (n = 36), COVID-19 patients presenting neurological alterations (n = 35), aMCI (n = 19), and AD patients (n = 20). Comparisons were corrected by possible sex, age, and comorbidities confounding effects. CSF biomarkers were correlated with systemic and neuro-inflammation markers.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We found that severe COVID-19 patients presented higher CSF Tau than controls, comparable to alterations observed in AD patients. However, we did not find changes in CSF Aβ42/40, pTau-181/Aβ42, or Tau/Aβ42 ratios. Severe COVID-19 patients presented higher Tau, Tau/Aβ42, and pTau181/Aβ42 than mild patients. In COVID-19 patients, CSF pro-inflammatory cytokine IL6 and AD biomarkers correlated with systemic inflammatory index (SII).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Collectively, our findings reveal that CSF tau levels are comparably elevated in COVID-19 neurological patients and AD, suggesting ongoing neurodegeneration in COVID-19 neurological disease, but no biomarker alterations related to AD pathology. Furthermore, CNS AD-related biomarker levels in COVID-19 patients change in association with disease severity and systemic inflammation. Considering that inflammation may persist post-COVID, our findings urge the assessment of possible AD-related biomarker changes in COVID-19 survivors with lingering symptoms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72454,"journal":{"name":"Brain, behavior, & immunity - health","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 101007"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143902075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sex differences in the mediating role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor between inflammation and memory in cirrhotic patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy","authors":"Daniela Batallas ,&nbsp;Juan José Gallego ,&nbsp;Franc Casanova-Ferrer ,&nbsp;Adriá López-Gramaje ,&nbsp;Pablo Rivas-Diaz ,&nbsp;Javier Megías ,&nbsp;Desamparados Escudero-García ,&nbsp;Lucía Durbán ,&nbsp;Salvador Benlloch ,&nbsp;Amparo Urios ,&nbsp;Vanesa Hidalgo ,&nbsp;Alicia Salvador ,&nbsp;Carmina Montoliu","doi":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.100998","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.100998","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) affects attention, visuo-motor coordination, and visual perception, with mixed evidence on its impact on memory. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is associated with memory dysfunction, and plays a crucial role in modulating neuroplasticity. This study investigates the mediating role of BDNF in the relationship between pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-15, IL-18), and declarative memory performance, and the moderating effects of sex. Sixty-eight cirrhotic patients and 22 healthy volunteers performed the Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score for MHE diagnosis and logical memory subtest (Wechsler Memory Scale-III). Moderated mediation analysis using bias-corrected bootstrapping and multiple regression was performed. Results showed that increased levels of IL-18 and IL-15 were significantly associated with lower BDNF levels (<em>p</em> = 0.03 and <em>p</em> = 0.02 respectively). However, no direct effect was observed between IL-18 and IL-15 and memory. The conditional effects of BDNF on memory were significant only for women with and without MHE, and lower BDNF levels were associated with lower memory performance (without MHE: <em>p</em> = 0.002; MHE: <em>p</em> = 0.001). Moreover, BDNF mediated indirectly the relationship between pro-inflammatory cytokines and memory. IL-18 and IL-15 impacted memory through reduced BDNF levels only in women with and without MHE, whereas IL-6 showed no significant effect on BDNF or memory across groups. These findings underscore the important role of BDNF in memory in cirrhotic patients, especially women with MHE, by mediating the IL-18 and IL-15 effects. The study highlights the role of IL-18 and IL-15 cytokines in neuroplasticity-related memory decline, positioning BDNF as a key biomarker for inflammation-associated cognitive impairment in this population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72454,"journal":{"name":"Brain, behavior, & immunity - health","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 100998"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143869201","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The relationship between self-reported adverse experiences and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly individuals: A longitudinal study based on the CHARLS database","authors":"Feng Jiang ,&nbsp;Xifei Guan ,&nbsp;Zhixin Zhu ,&nbsp;Nawen Liu ,&nbsp;Hua Gu ,&nbsp;Xiuyang Li","doi":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.101001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.101001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Adverse experiences are critical determinants of late-life depressive symptomatology. Understanding how these experiences influence later-life health outcomes remains a research priority. This study examines the longitudinal associations between self-reported adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and adverse adult experiences (AAEs) with depressive symptoms in older adults, as well as the underlying mechanisms.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A sample of 3941 adults aged ≥45 years from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) was analyzed. K-means for Longitudinal Data (KML), Logistic regression, and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) models were employed to assess the effects of adverse experiences. Subgroup and mediation analyses were also performed.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The high depressive symptomatology cluster (n = 1432) demonstrated significant associations with six ACEs: childhood hunger (OR = 1.23, 95%CI:1.03–1.47), dangerous growth environments (OR = 1.34, 95%CI:1.09–1.65), childhood loneliness (OR = 1.45, 95%CI:1.20–1.74), bullying (OR = 1.2, 95%CI:1.01–1.43), parental depression (OR = 1.80, 95%CI:1.50–2.16), and parental disability (OR = 1.44, 95%CI:1.03–2.02). Comprehensive effect estimation of ACEs indicated an 85.9% probability of a high depression score for those with all adverse experiences. AAEs like prolonged bed rest (OR = 1.39, 95%CI:1.08–1.79), and lifetime discrimination (OR = 1.37, 95%CI:1.12–1.66) independently predicted symptom severity. Effect modification analysis revealed stronger ACE impacts among individuals with higher cognitive reserve (OR = 3.32, 95%CI:2.34–4.70). Mediation analysis identified arthritis or rheumatism as a partial mediator of the ACE-depression pathway (natural indirect effect = 1.04, 95%CI:1.02–1.05).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Self-reported ACEs and AAEs demonstrate persistent associations with depressive symptoms in later life, mediated by chronic morbidity and moderated by cognitive reserve.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72454,"journal":{"name":"Brain, behavior, & immunity - health","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 101001"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143887776","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identifying leading anti-inflammatory dietary determinants of depression and loneliness in older adults","authors":"Yujia Zhang ,&nbsp;Eleonora Iob ,&nbsp;Thamara Tapia Munoz","doi":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.101000","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.101000","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>The study aims to explore the association between anti-inflammatory dietary variables and prevalence of depression and loneliness in older adults.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>A cross-sectional secondary data analysis was performed using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), targeting adults aged 50 and over.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Data from wave 9 of ELSA were utilised. Binary logistic regression was employed to estimate the Odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between participants’ intake of fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts and seeds, legumes, and wholegrains, and the prevalence of depression and loneliness. Two sets of regressions were conducted: the first set examined each dietary component individually, while the second considered all variables simultaneously. Both models were tested with and without adjusting for covariates, including age, gender, ethnicity, self-rated weight, marital status, education, socio-economic status, and activity-limiting long-standing illnesses.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Of 4254 participants included in the analysis, 355 participants (8 %) had depression, and 623 (15 %) reported experiencing loneliness. An association was observed between higher intakes of fruits and lower prevalence of depression (OR = 0.89, 95 % CI: 0.79–1.00, p = 0.05), and between higher intakes of vegetables and lower prevalence of loneliness (OR = 0.91, 95 % CI: 0.83–1.00, p = 0.05). However, these associations lost statistical significance after adjustment for confounders. Similarly, the second model, which included all anti-inflammatory dietary variables, failed to show a significant association with depression and loneliness.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The study does not support the hypothesis that anti-inflammatory variables are associated with prevalence of depression and loneliness in older adults.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72454,"journal":{"name":"Brain, behavior, & immunity - health","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 101000"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143863351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Salivary lactoferrin levels in Down Syndrome: a case-control study","authors":"Desireé Antequera ,&nbsp;Lucía Sande ,&nbsp;Eliane García Mato ,&nbsp;Deborah Romualdi ,&nbsp;Laura Carrero ,&nbsp;Cristina Municio ,&nbsp;Pedro Diz ,&nbsp;Eva Carro","doi":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.100999","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.100999","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Individuals with Down Syndrome (DS) have a high age-dependent risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition to genetic causes, this high risk involves dysregulated immune-inflammatory system. Low lactoferrin levels, one of the main antimicrobial proteins present in saliva, has been associated with AD. Here, we evaluated whether salivary lactoferrin levels change across the life span of individuals with DS. The study included 152 participants, 72 subjects with DS and 80 euploid individuals, and were divided into those under and over 45 years of age, accordingly with the age-dependent risk of AD. Median of salivary lactoferrin were higher among DS individual, in parallel to salivary total protein, but there were no differences in the ratio of lactoferrin to total protein in saliva between groups. Only DS individuals had higher median salivary lactoferrin levels in the age group under 45 years. Meanwhile non-significant differences were detected for the ratio salivary lactoferrin levels to total salivary protein between groups under 45 years, those levels were lower in DS subjects over 45 years old compared with the age-matched control group. Furthermore, the ratio of salivary lactoferrin levels to total protein in DS was associated with cognitive decline being lower in demented groups compared with mild and moderate cognitive impairment groups. In summary, this study indicates that salivary lactoferrin was dysregulated in DS, with significant lower ratio of salivary lactoferrin levels to total salivary proteins in individuals with DS over 45 years old, a population with a gradually increasing risk of AD.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72454,"journal":{"name":"Brain, behavior, & immunity - health","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 100999"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143869200","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinological and neuroanatomical basis of suicidal behavior: potential therapeutic strategies with a focus on transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)","authors":"Hesed Virto-Farfan ,&nbsp;Gustavo E. Tafet","doi":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.101002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.101002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Suicidal behavior is a complex phenomenon influenced by psychological, environmental, and biological factors. It affects a significant portion of the global population, with more than 720,000 deaths annually and millions of individuals experiencing suicidal ideation. Among those who attempt suicide, only a fraction progresses to a fatal outcome, emphasizing the importance of understanding individual vulnerabilities. This review explores the neuroanatomical basis of suicidal behavior, focusing on key brain regions and potential pathways for neuromodulation therapies, particularly Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) plays a central role in cognitive control and emotional regulation, with extensive connections to the anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, hippocampus, and thalamus. Dysfunctions in these circuits contribute to heightened impulsivity, impaired decision-making, and emotional dysregulation in individuals with suicidal behavior. Structural and functional abnormalities in the DLPFC, coupled with altered neurotransmitter systems and inflammatory markers, have been consistently linked to suicidality. TMS, targeting the left DLPFC, has shown promise in reducing suicidal ideation by modulating frontostriatal connectivity, enhancing neuroplasticity, and improving cortical excitability. High-frequency TMS and accelerated theta-burst stimulation protocols demonstrate rapid therapeutic effects, though further research is needed to establish standardized treatment guidelines. Understanding the anatomical circuits implicated in suicidal behavior provides valuable insights for early risk assessment and the development of targeted neuromodulation interventions aimed at reducing the burden of suicide across diverse psychiatric populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72454,"journal":{"name":"Brain, behavior, & immunity - health","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 101002"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143874853","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acute serum protein biomarker profile and prevalence of persistent (>6 months) neuropsychiatric symptoms in a cohort of SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive patients in Cape Town, South Africa","authors":"Inette van Niekerk ,&nbsp;Monica Panieri ,&nbsp;Talitha Müller ,&nbsp;Lovemore Mapahla ,&nbsp;Sonwabile Dzanibe ,&nbsp;Cascia Day ,&nbsp;Dan J. Stein ,&nbsp;Jonny Peter","doi":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.100990","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.100990","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>SARS-CoV-2 is a neurotrophic and pro-inflammatory virus, with several acute and more persistent neuropsychiatric sequelae reported. There are limited data from African cohorts and few acute illness biomarkers of persistent neuropsychiatric symptoms.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To examine the association of neuropsychiatric outcomes with clinical illness severity, systemic inflammation, cardiovascular and renin-angiotensin-system (RAS) biomarkers. Second, to determine the prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in a cohort of South African SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive patients at least six months following infection/hospitalization.</div></div><div><h3>Methodology</h3><div>SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive patients were recruited prospectively from Cape Town, South Africa, including hospitalized patients from ancestral, beta and delta-dominant COVID-19 waves (pre-vaccine rollout); and asymptomatic/mild SARS-CoV-2 positive patients. The 96-protein O-link inflammation and cardiovascular panels, RAS fingerprinting, and antibody responses were measured in serum samples collected at peak severity and recovery (&gt;3 months post-infection). Telephonic interviews were conducted at least six months post infection/hospitalization. Validated measures employed were: WHO Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFS-11) and Telephonic Montreal Cognitive Assessment (T-MoCA).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Ninety-seven participants completed telephonic interviews. The median (IQR) age was 48 (37–59) years, and 54 % were female. There were no significant associations between neuropsychiatric outcomes and illness severity, systemic inflammation, cardiovascular and/or renin-angiotensin-system (RAS) biomarkers from either peak illness or recovery samples. More than half of this SA COVID-19 cohort had one or more persistent neuropsychiatric symptoms &gt;6 months post vaccine-naïve infection. On the T-MoCA, 44 % of participants showed evidence of cognitive and/or memory impairments.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The high prevalence of persistent neuropsychiatric symptoms in this African cohort supports ongoing attention to long COVID. Acute and early serum protein biomarkers were not associated with persistent neuropsychiatric outcomes post-COVD-19.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72454,"journal":{"name":"Brain, behavior, & immunity - health","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 100990"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143892190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Obesity accelerates age-related memory deficits and alters white matter tract integrity in Ldlr-/-.Leiden mice","authors":"Florine Seidel ,&nbsp;Martine C. Morrison ,&nbsp;Ilse Arnoldussen ,&nbsp;Vivienne Verweij ,&nbsp;Joline Attema ,&nbsp;Christa de Ruiter ,&nbsp;Wim van Duyvenvoorde ,&nbsp;Jessica Snabel ,&nbsp;Bram Geenen ,&nbsp;Ayla Franco ,&nbsp;Maximilian Wiesmann ,&nbsp;Robert Kleemann ,&nbsp;Amanda J. Kiliaan","doi":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.100991","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.100991","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Obesity in mid-adulthood has been suggested to promote brain aging and is associated with progressive cognitive impairment later in life. However, the structural and functional alterations that underlie obesity-related cognitive dysfunction are still poorly understood, partly owing to the lack of translational models replicating age- and obesity-related brain pathology.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The effect of age and high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity was investigated in adult Ldlr-/-.Leiden mice, an established translational model for obesity and its comorbidities. During mid-adulthood, from three to eight months of age, brain structure and function (hippocampal volume, cortical thickness, white matter integrity, cerebral blood flow (CBF), resting-state functional connectivity) were monitored with brain magnetic resonance imaging, and cognitive function was evaluated using cognitive tests. Brain pathology was further examined with histopathological and gene expression analyses.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Ldlr-/-.Leiden mice showed age-related decreases in cortical thickness, CBF, brain connectivity, and neurogenesis along with the development of neuroinflammation and (short-term) memory impairments. On HFD feeding, Ldlr-/-.Leiden mice exhibited similar features, but memory deficits started at a younger age than in chow-fed mice. HFD-fed mice additionally showed a rise in CBF with concomitant decline in fractional anisotropy in white matter tracts. Analyses of hippocampal gene expression further revealed an age-related suppression of processes related to metabolic and neuronal function while HFD feeding strongly activated neuroinflammatory pathways.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Ldlr-/-.Leiden mice show similar critical age-related changes in brain structure and function as observed in humans. In this mouse model, HFD feeding particularly trigger disturbances in brain blood perfusion and white matter tract integrity, which may underlie an accelerated cognitive decline in obesity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72454,"journal":{"name":"Brain, behavior, & immunity - health","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100991"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143848349","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mental distress and inflammation in bladder cancer: The nerve makes things less vague","authors":"Iveta Mikolaskova ,&nbsp;Yori Gidron ,&nbsp;Vladimira Durmanova ,&nbsp;Magda Suchankova ,&nbsp;Maria Bucova ,&nbsp;Luba Hunakova","doi":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.100995","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bbih.2025.100995","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study aimed to explore the interaction between perceived stress, life satisfaction, heart rate variability (HRV), and immune-inflammatory markers in bladder cancer patients. We investigated how HRV moderates the relationship between psychological distress and levels of TNF-α and TGF-β cytokines. We hypothesized that high vagal nerve activity, as indicated by higher HRV, mitigates the impact of perceived stress and life dissatisfaction on inflammation.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The study included 73 patients with bladder cancer. HRV was determined from a 5-min ECG recording, focusing on the standard deviation of normal-to-normal interbeat intervals (SDNN). Psychological distress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and life satisfaction was evaluated with the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LSQ). Serum concentrations of TNF-α and plasma levels of TGF-β were determined using sandwich ELISA.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We found evidence that HRV modulates the relation between perceived stress and inflammation. In patients with low HRV (SDNN &lt;20 ms), PSS was positively correlated with serum level of TNF-α and negatively with the level of TGF-β, while life satisfaction was positively correlated with TGF-β. These relationships were not significant in patients with high HRV (SDNN ≥20 ms).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our findings suggest that high vagal activity, as indicated by higher HRV, may mitigate the adverse effects of psychological distress on immune-inflammatory responses in patients with bladder cancer. Stress-related inflammation took place under conditions of low HRV, highlighting the potential role of autonomic regulation in cancer prognosis. Future research should further explore these relationships to develop interventions aimed at improving patient outcomes through stress management and enhanced vagal nerve activity to regulate inflammation in cancer.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72454,"journal":{"name":"Brain, behavior, & immunity - health","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 100995"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143874852","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}