Deciphering and Targeting the ESR2-miR-10a-5p-BDNF Axis in the Prefrontal Cortex: Advancing Postpartum Depression Understanding and Therapeutics.

Postpartum depression (PPD) represents a important emotional disorder emerging after childbirth, characterized by its complex etiology and challenging management. Despite extensive preclinical and clinical investigations underscoring the role of estrogen fluctuations and estrogen receptor genes in PPD, the precise mechanisms underpinning this condition have remained elusive. In our present study, animal behavioral studies have elucidated a tight link between the aberrant expression of ESR2, miR-10a-5p, and BDNF in the prefrontal cortex of mice exhibiting postpartum depressive-like behavior, shedding light on the potential molecular pathways involved.

Differences of regional homogeneity and cognitive function between psychotic depression and drug-naïve schizophrenia.

Background: Psychotic depression (PD) and schizophrenia (SCZ) share overlapping symptoms yet differ in etiology, progression, and treatment approaches. Differentiating these disorders through symptom-based diagnosis is challenging, emphasizing the need for a clearer understanding of their distinct cognitive and neural mechanisms.

Aim: This study aims to compare cognitive impairments and brain functional activities in PD and SCZ to pinpoint distinguishing characteristics of each disorder.

Dysregulation of Serum Exosomal Lipid Metabolism in Schizophrenia: A Biomarker Perspective.

Exosomes, crucial extracellular vesicles, have emerged as potential biomarkers for neurological conditions, including schizophrenia (SCZ). However, the exploration of exosomal lipids in the context of SCZ remains scarce, necessitating in-depth investigation. Leveraging ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), this study aimed to characterize the lipidomic profile of serum exosomes from SCZ patients, assessing their potential as novel biomarkers for SCZ diagnosis through absolute quantitative lipidomics.

Impact of high-frequency rTMS combined with pharmacotherapy on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in treating major depressive disorder: A real-world study.

Background: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with pharmacotherapy is a promising treatment method for depression. However, its treatment mechanism needs further research.

Methods: This study recruited 38 healthy individuals (HC) and 52 patients with severe depression (MDD) and divided patients into two treatment groups: the rTMS combined antidepressant (rTMS+ADP) group and the single antidepressant (ADP) group.

Alterations in amygdala subregions-Default mode network connectivity after treatment in patients with schizophrenia.

Disrupted connectivity in the default mode network (DMN) during resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) is well-documented in schizophrenia (SCZ). The amygdala, a key component in the neurobiology of SCZ, comprises distinct subregions that may exert varying effects on the disorder. This study aimed to investigate variations in functional connectivity (FC) between distinct amygdala subregions and the DMN in SCZ individuals and explore the effects of treatment on these connections.

Comparison of cognitive performance in first-episode drug-naïve schizophrenia, bipolar II disorder, and major depressive disorder patients after treatment.

Background: Cognitive impairment is a recognized fundamental deficit in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia (SZ), bipolar II disorder (BD II), and major depressive disorder (MDD), among other psychiatric disorders. However, limited research has compared cognitive function among first-episode drug-naïve individuals with SZ, BD II, or MDD.

Methods: This study aimed to address this gap by assessing the cognitive performance of 235 participants (40 healthy controls, 58 SZ patients, 72 BD II patients, and 65 MDD patients) using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) before and after 12 weeks of treatment in SZ, BD II, and MDD patients.

Unraveling the Prefrontal Cortex-Basolateral Amygdala Pathway's Role on Schizophrenia's Cognitive Impairments: A Multimodal Study in Patients and Mouse Models.

Background And Hypothesis: This study investigated the role of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC)-basolateral amygdala (BLA) pathway in schizophrenia (SCZ)-related cognitive impairments using various techniques.

Study Design: This study utilized clinical scales, magnetic resonance imaging, single-cell RNA sequencing, and optogenetics to investigate the mPFC-BLA pathway in SCZ patients. In the mouse model, 6-week-old methylazoxymethanol acetate-induced mice demonstrated significant cognitive deficits, which were addressed through stereotaxic injections of an adeno-associated viral vector to unveil the neural connection between the mPFC and BLA.

Differences in fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and cognitive function between untreated major depressive disorder and schizophrenia with depressive mood patients.

Background: Distinguishing untreated major depressive disorder without medication (MDD) from schizophrenia with depressed mood (SZDM) poses a clinical challenge. This study aims to investigate differences in fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and cognition in untreated MDD and SZDM patients.

Methods: The study included 42 untreated MDD cases, 30 SZDM patients, and 46 healthy controls (HC).

Observational study on obesity: Insights from middle-aged and elderly college staff in Beijing.

Obesity poses a serious global public health challenge, particularly among middle-aged, and elderly college staff. This study aims to explore the associated factors of obesity by analyzing the metabolic indicators of 1756 university staff from Minzu University of China, Beijing. Venous blood samples were collected, and blood metabolic indicators were analyzed.

Distinguishing functional and structural MRI abnormalities between bipolar and unipolar depression.

Background: This study aims to investigate the underlying characteristics of spontaneous brain activity by analyzing the volumes of the hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus, as well as the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo), in order to differentiate between bipolar disorder (BD) and unipolar depressive disorder.

Methods: A total of 46 healthy controls, 58 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), and 61 patients with BD participated in the study and underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scans. The researchers calculated the differences in volume, fALFF, and ReHo values among the three groups.

Upregulation of NF-κB by USP24 aggravates ferroptosis in diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Recent investigations have proposed a potential causal association between the occurrence of ferroptosis, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and ubiquitin-specific protease 24 (USP24). Nevertheless, the mechanism of USP24 and NF-κB regulation of ferroptosis in the context of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) remain unclear.

Methods: In this study, a high-fat diet and a streptozotocin-induced mouse DCM model were established, and high glucose and palmitic acid treatment of H9c2 cells and neonatal mouse primary cardiomyocytes (NMPCs) was used as an in vitro DCM models.

The association of SOD and HsCRP with the efficacy of sulforaphane in schizophrenia patients with residual negative symptoms.

Objectives: Emerging evidence indicates a connection between oxidative stress, immune-inflammatory processes, and the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. In addition to possessing potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, sulforaphane (SFN) has shown promise in enhancing cognitive function among individuals with schizophrenia. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of combined treatment with SFN in patients with schizophrenia who experience negative symptoms and its effect on the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the inflammatory marker, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HsCRP).

Deviant spontaneous neural activity as a potential early-response predictor for therapeutic interventions in patients with schizophrenia.

Objective: Previous studies have established significant differences in the neuroimaging characteristics between healthy controls (HCs) and patients with schizophrenia (SCZ). However, the relationship between homotopic connectivity and clinical features in patients with SCZ is not yet fully understood. Furthermore, there are currently no established neuroimaging biomarkers available for the diagnosis of SCZ or for predicting early treatment response.

Automatic depression diagnosis through hybrid EEG and near-infrared spectroscopy features using support vector machine.

Depression is a common mental disorder that seriously affects patients' social function and daily life. Its accurate diagnosis remains a big challenge in depression treatment. In this study, we used electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and measured the whole brain EEG signals and forehead hemodynamic signals from 25 depression patients and 30 healthy subjects during the resting state.

Abnormalities of the Amygdala in schizophrenia: a real world study.

Background: Amygdala plays an important role in schizophrenia (SC), but its mechanisms are still unclear. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between the resting-state magnetic resonance imaging (rsMRI) signals of the amygdala and cognitive functions, providing references for future research in this area.

Methods: We collected 40 drug-naïve SC patients and 33 healthy controls (HC) from the Third People's Hospital of Foshan.

Abnormal blood lipid and electrocardiogram characteristics in common mental disorders.

Background: At present, there is not enough evidence to prove the relationship between blood lipid and electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities in common mental disorders (CMD). This study aimed to explore the relationship between them, to detect and prevent arrhythmia or sudden death.

Methods: We collected 272 CMD patients (maintained a fixed drug dose pattern for 1 year or more), including 95 schizophrenias (SC), 90 bipolar disorders (BD) and 87 major depressive disorders (MDD), and 78 healthy controls (HC) from the Third People's Hospital of Foshan, China.

Differences and correlations of biochemical index levels in patients with bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder during a stable period.

The differences and correlation of biochemical indexes between bipolar disorder (BPD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) in stable stage were analyzed and discussed. Patients diagnosed with BPD and MDD in the Third People's Hospital of Foshan from January 2019 to December 2021 were selected as the research subjects, with 200 cases in each. Fasting serum was collected from patients and then detected regarding TC, TG, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), aspartate aminotransferase, lactic dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, creatine kinase-MB, urea, creatinine, uric acid, alanine aminotransferase, glucose (GLU), hemoglobin A1c, prolactin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, homocysteine.

Amygdala signal abnormality and cognitive impairment in drug-naïve schizophrenia.

Background: Recently studies had showed that the amygdala may take part in the cognitive impairment in schizophrenia (SC). However, the mechanism is still unclear, so we explored the relationship between the amygdala resting state magnetic resonance imaging (rsMRI) signal and cognitive function, to provide a reference for the follow-up study.

Methods: We collected 59 drug-naïve SCs and 46 healthy controls (HCs) from the Third People's Hospital of Foshan.

Disrupted interhemispheric coordination of sensory-motor networks and insula in major depressive disorder.

Objective: Prior researches have identified distinct differences in neuroimaging characteristics between healthy controls (HCs) and patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the correlations between homotopic connectivity and clinical characteristics in patients with MDD have yet to be fully understood. The present study aimed to investigate common and unique patterns of homotopic connectivity and their relationships with clinical characteristics in patients with MDD.

Multiple examinations indicated associations between abnormal regional homogeneity and cognitive dysfunction in major depressive disorder.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between regional neural activity and multiple related indicators in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Methods: Forty-two patients and 42 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. Pearson/Spearman correlation analyses were applied to examine the associations between abnormal regional homogeneity (ReHo) and different indicators in the patients.

Associations between abnormal spontaneous neural activity and clinical variables, eye movements, and event-related potential indicators in major depressive disorder.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the correlations between abnormal spontaneous neural activity measured with fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and clinical variables, eye movements, and event-related potential indicators in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Methods: We recruited 42 patients with MDD and 42 healthy controls (HCs) and collected their clinical variables, eye movement, event-related potential, and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data. The fALFF, support vector machine (SVM), and correlation analysis were used to analyze the data.