Effective suppression of nitric oxide production by HX106N through transcriptional control of heme oxygenase-1.

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has been suggested to be a key neuroprotective enzyme because of its widespread distribution in the brain as well as its strong antioxidative effects. HX106N, a water-soluble botanical formulation, has previously been demonstrated to prevent amyloid β-induced memory impairment and oxidative stress in mice by upregulating HO-1 levels. In this study, the underlying molecular mechanisms of HX106N-induced HO-1 expression were investigated using BV-2 cells, a murine microglial cell line, and primary microglia.

Morphometric abnormalities of the lateral ventricles in methamphetamine-dependent subjects.

Background: The presence of morphometric abnormalities of the lateral ventricles, which can reflect focal or diffuse atrophic changes of nearby brain structures, is not well characterized in methamphetamine dependence. The current study was aimed to examine the size and shape alterations of the lateral ventricles in methamphetamine-dependent subjects.

Methods: High-resolution brain structural images were obtained from 37 methamphetamine-dependent subjects and 25 demographically matched healthy individuals.

Morphometric changes in lateral ventricles of patients with recent-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus.

It is becoming increasingly evident that type 2 diabetes mellitus can have effects on global and regional brain morphology. Ventricular enlargement reflecting cerebral atrophy has been reported particularly in elderly type 2 diabetes patients. However, little is known about its timing through the disease course and morphological variability.