Depression and anxiety in patients with multiple sclerosis treated with interferon-beta or fingolimod: Role of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase and pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Depression/anxiety (D/A) occurs in up to 50% of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Proinflammatory cytokines induce classical symptoms of depression. Activation of the inflammatory response also triggers production of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), which catabolizes tryptophan, the amino acid precursor of serotonin and melatonin.

The impact of physical functions on depressive symptoms in people with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disease that affects the central nervous system. The impact of MS transcends physical functions and extends to psychological impairment. Approximately 50% of people with MS develop depressive symptoms during their lifetime and depressive symptoms may predict impairment of physical functions.

From Charcot's descriptions to the current understanding of neuropsychiatric symptoms in multiple sclerosis.

Neuropsychiatric disorders in multiple sclerosis have been known since the original clinicopathological description by Charcot in the late nineteenth century. Charcot, in the last decades of his life, became involved in the field of neuropsychiatry. This produced a battle between rival schools in the era that still echoes to this day.

Clinical and MRI correlates of CSF neurofilament light chain levels in relapsing and progressive MS.

Backgound: A major aim in MS field has been the search for biomarkers that enable accurate detection of neuronal damage. Besides MRI, recent studies have shown that neuroaxonal damage can also be tracked by neurofilament detection. Nevertheless, before widespread implementation, a better understanding of the principal contributors for this biomarker is of paramount importance.

A spring to summer shift of pro-inflammatory cytokine production in multiple sclerosis patients.

Higher MS relapse frequency is observed during warmer months in different regions, but evidence for an underlying immunological variation is lacking. Therefore, we investigated seasonal variations of cytokine production in relapsing-remitting MS patients. Twenty-one patients and eight controls had blood samples drawn in each season, evaluating for IL-10, IL-6, TNF-α and IFN-γ.

Disruption of melatonin circadian rhythm production is related to multiple sclerosis severity: A preliminary study.

Sunlight can influence the immune system independently of vitamin D, such as through melatonin production in the pineal gland. Inflammatory disorders can suppress nocturnal melatonin production, but only a few studies have investigated melatonin status in multiple sclerosis (MS). We aimed to study melatonin production in association with clinical and immunological data in MS patients.

Impact of pregabalin treatment on synaptic plasticity and glial reactivity during the course of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune and neurodegenerative disease that affects young adults. It is characterized by generating a chronic demyelinating autoimmune inflammation in the central nervous system. An experimental model for studying MS is the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), induced by immunization with antigenic proteins from myelin.

Chloroquine treatment enhances regulatory T cells and reduces the severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Background: The modulation of inflammatory processes is a necessary step, mostly orchestrated by regulatory T (Treg) cells and suppressive Dendritic Cells (DCs), to prevent the development of deleterious responses and autoimmune diseases. Therapies that focused on adoptive transfer of Treg cells or their expansion in vivo achieved great success in controlling inflammation in several experimental models. Chloroquine (CQ), an anti-malarial drug, was shown to reduce inflammation, although the mechanisms are still obscure.

Uncaria tomentosa extract increases the number of myeloid progenitor cells in the bone marrow of mice infected with Listeria monocytogenes.

In this study, we demonstrated that Uncaria tomentosa extract (UTE) protects mice from a lethal dose of Listeria monocytogenes when administered prophylactically at 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg/kg for 7 days, with survival rates up to 35%. These doses also prevented the myelosuppression and the splenomegaly caused by a sublethal infection with L. monocytogenes, due to increased numbers of granulocyte-macrophage progenitors (CFU-GM) in the bone marrow.