Synaptic Pruning by Microglia: Lessons from Genetic Studies in Mice.

Background: Neural circuits are subjected to refinement throughout life. The dynamic addition and elimination (pruning) of synapses are necessary for maturation of neural circuits and synaptic plasticity. Due to their phagocytic nature, microglia have been considered as the primary mediators of synaptic pruning.

Awareness and Attitudes of Secondary School Students about Physiology Discipline in Southwest Region, Nigeria.

Physiology remains one of the core disciplines on which all biological and medical sciences were founded. In Nigeria, it is known that most students study Physiology at the undergraduate level by chance and not by choice and end up performing poorly, which could be mainly due to low awareness and knowledge of the discipline, its opportunities, and prospects. Therefore, this study investigated the awareness, attitude, and knowledge about physiology among senior secondary school students in Southwest Nigeria.

Nanodelivery of antiretroviral drugs to nervous tissues.

Despite the development of effective combined antiretroviral therapy (cART), the neurocognitive impairments associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remain challenging. The presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCFB) impedes the adequate penetration of certain antiretroviral drugs into the brain. In addition, reports have shown that some antiretroviral drugs cause neurotoxicity resulting from their interaction with nervous tissues due to long-term systemic exposure.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy-silver nanoparticle conjugate interacts with neuronal and glial cells and alleviates anxiety-like behaviour in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

The inception of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has changed the management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patients, with an improvement in life expectancy. However, neurological complications associated with high dosage and chronic administration of HAART have not been fully addressed. Therefore, this study evaluated the potential benefits of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) conjugated-HAART (HAART-AgNPs) and its interaction with neuronal and glial cells in type-2 diabetic rats.

Testicular ultrastructure and hormonal changes following administration of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-loaded silver nanoparticle in type-2 diabetic rats.

Reproductive dysfunctions (RDs) characterized by impairment in testicular parameters, and metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are on the rise among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients under tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). These adverse effects require a nanoparticle delivery system to circumvent biological barriers and ensure adequate ARVDs to viral reservoir sites like testis. This study aimed to investigate the effect of TDF-loaded silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), TDF-AgNPs on sperm quality, hormonal profile, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and testicular ultrastructure in diabetic rats, a result of which could cater for the neglected reproductive and metabolic dysfunctions in HIV therapeutic modality.

Trauma-like exposure alters neuronal apoptosis, Bin1, Fkbp5 and NR2B expression in an amyloid-beta (1-42) rat model of Alzheimer's disease.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a risk factor in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), with unclear underlying mechanisms. Recently, we provided data showing the effect of trauma-like stress on Bin1 and Fkbp5 expression in the prefrontal cortex of Aβ lesioned animals. This present work sought to expand the study by examining the involvement of the amygdala and hippocampus, in addition to highlighting the role of NR2B in the co-occurrence of trauma-like stress and an Aβ AD-like pathology.

Silver Nanoparticles Conjugate Attenuates Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy-Induced Hippocampal Nissl Substance and Cognitive Deficits in Diabetic Rats.

Background: The application of nanomedicine to antiretroviral drug delivery holds promise in reducing the comorbidities related to long-term systemic exposure to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). However, the safety of drugs loaded with silver nanoparticles has been debatable. This study is aimed at evaluating the effects of HAART-loaded silver nanoparticles (HAART-AgNPs) on the behavioural assessment, biochemical indices, morphological, and morphometric of the hippocampus in diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats.

Inescapable footshocks induce molecular changes in the prefrontal cortex of rats in an amyloid-beta-42 model of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects several brain areas, including the prefrontal cortex (PFC) involved in execution, working memory, and fear extinction. Despite these critical roles, the PFC is understudied in AD pathology. People with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have twice the risk of developing AD, and the underlying mechanisms linking these two diseases are less understood.

Exposure to footshock stress downregulates antioxidant genes and increases neuronal apoptosis in an Aβ(1-42) rat model of Alzheimer's disease.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder that develops from exposure to trauma, mostly when normal psychological mechanisms fail. Studies have shown that people who have PTSD are susceptible to developing dementia, mostly Alzheimer's disease (AD), suggesting common underlying risk factors in the comorbidity. However, data elucidating links between these conditions is scarce.

Exposure to prolonged unpredictable light impairs spatial memory via induction of oxidative stress and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in rats.

Objectives: The human body physiology rapidly changes and adapt to several environmental stimuli, including light. Abnormal artificial light exposures have been shown to affect sleep cycle, cognition, and mood. Although studies have reported inconsistent effects of short-term or constant long-term light exposures, human exposures to artificial lights occur at varying, unpredictable times and duration daily.