HnRNPK is involved in stress-induced depression-like behavior via ERK-BDNF pathway in mice.

As a ubiquitous RNA-binding protein, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNPK) interacts with numerous nucleic acids and proteins and is involved in various cellular functions. Available literature indicates that it can regulate dendritic spine density through the extracellular signal-regulating kinase (ERK) - brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) pathway, which is crucial to retain the synaptic plasticity in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and mouse depression models. However, ERK upstream regulatory kinase has not been fully elucidated.

Generation of an induced pluripotent stem cell line, FJMUUHi001-A, from a hereditary Parkinson's disease patient with homozygous mutation of c.189dupA in PARK7.

PARK7 mutations are accountable for the inherited Parkinson's disease. An induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line FJMUUHi001-A was generated by expressing five reprogramming factors, OCT3/4, SOX2, c-MYC, KLF4 and BCL-XL, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a 32-year old patient carrying a homozygous mutation of c.189dupA in PARK7.

Sleep fragmentation as an important clinical characteristic of sleep disorders in Parkinson's disease: a preliminary study.

Background: Sleep disorders are one of the earliest non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). Sleep disorders could, therefore, have value for recognition and diagnosis in PD. However, no unified classification and diagnostic criteria exist to evaluate sleep disorders by polysomnography (PSG).

Increased DJ-1 and α-Synuclein in Plasma Neural-Derived Exosomes as Potential Markers for Parkinson's Disease.

The diagnosis of PD might be in difficulty, especially in the early stages. Therefore, the identification of novel biomarkers is imperative for the diagnosis and monitoring disease progression in PD. DJ-1 and α-synuclein, are two proteins that are critically involved in the pathogenesis of PD, and they have been examined as disease biomarkers in studies.

Abnormal resting-state functional connectivity in posterior cingulate cortex of Parkinson's disease with mild cognitive impairment and dementia.

Objective: To investigate changes in the functional connectivity (FC) pattern in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with mild cognitive impairment and dementia by employing resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI).

Methods: Twenty-seven PD patients with different cognitive status and 9 healthy control subjects (control group) were enrolled for RS-fMRI. The RS-fMRI data were analyzed with DPARSF and REST software.

[Analysis of CLCN1 gene mutations in 2 patients with myotonia congenita].

Objective: To investigate chloride channel 1 (CLCN1) gene mutation and clinical features of 2 Chinese patients with myotonia congenita.

Methods: Clinical data of a patient from a family affected with myotonia congenita in addition with a sporadic patient from Fujian province were analyzed. Exons of CLCN1 gene were amplified and sequenced.

Ginsenoside Rb1 selectively inhibits the activity of L-type voltage-gated calcium channels in cultured rat hippocampal neurons.

Aim: To investigate the effect of ginsenoside Rb1 on voltage-gated calcium currents in cultured rat hippocampal neurons and the modulatory mechanism.

Methods: Cultured hippocampal neurons were prepared from Sprague Dawley rat embryos. Whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique was used to record the voltage-gated calcium currents (VGCCs) from the hippocampal neurons,and the effect of Rb1 was examined.

Microglial phagocytosis induced by fibrillar β-amyloid is attenuated by oligomeric β-amyloid: implications for Alzheimer's disease.

Background: Reactive microglia are associated with β-amyloid (Aβ) deposit and clearance in Alzhiemer's Disease (AD). Paradoxically, entocranial resident microglia fail to trigger an effective phagocytic response to clear Aβ deposits although they mainly exist in an "activated" state. Oligomeric Aβ (oAβ), a recent target in the pathogenesis of AD, can induce more potent neurotoxicity when compared with fibrillar Aβ (fAβ).

A neurofibromatosis type 1 patient with thoracic encapsulated fluid and intracranial hypotension syndrome: a case report.

Introduction: Spinal meningoceles are uncommon entities, mostly associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1). Their intrusion into the thoracic cavity, which compresses lung tissue, is quite often mistaken as a "pleural effusion." The withdrawal of a large amount of "pleural effusion" can lead to the intracranial hypotension syndrome (IHS), herniation, or even death.

Tripchlorolide protects neuronal cells from microglia-mediated beta-amyloid neurotoxicity through inhibiting NF-kappaB and JNK signaling.

Recent research has focused on soluble oligomeric assemblies of beta-amyloid peptides (Abeta) as the proximate cause of neuroinflammation, synaptic loss, and the eventual dementia associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, tripchlorolide (T4), an extract of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. F (TWHF), was studied as a novel agent to suppress neuroinflammatory process in microglial cells and to protect neuronal cells against microglia-mediated oligomeric Abeta toxicity.

[Effect of the oil from ganoderma lucidum spores on pathological changes in the substantia nigra and behaviors of MPTP-treated mice].

Objective: To investigate the oil from the spores of ganoderma lucidum, a rare Chinese herb, on the behaviors and pathological changes in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) in mouse models of Parkinson's disease (PD) induced by MPTP.

Methods: C57BL mice were divided into 3 groups, and the ganoderma spores oil + MPTP group were treated with ganoderma spores oil for 8 days, together with subcutaneous injection of MPTP (30 mg/kg) starting on the third day for 6 days; MPTP group were pretreated with normal saline before subcutaneous MPTP injection, and the normal control group received pretreatment with normal saline before subcutaneous normal saline injection. The behavioral changes of the mice in different groups were observed by pole test, dopamine and its metabolic products in the striatum determined by HPLC, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive cells detected by immunofluorescence method, and expression of TH protein by Western blotting.