Astrocytic P2X7 receptor in retrosplenial cortex drives electroacupuncture analgesia.

P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) has been found to contribute to the peripheral mechanism of acupuncture analgesia (AA). However, whether it plays an important role in central mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to reveal the role of astrocytic P2X7R in retrosplenial cortex (RSC) in AA and provide new evidence for underlying the central mechanism of AA.

Electroacupuncture prevents astrocyte atrophy to alleviate depression.

Astrocyte atrophy is the main histopathological hallmark of major depressive disorder (MDD) in humans and in animal models of depression. Here we show that electroacupuncture prevents astrocyte atrophy in the prefrontal cortex and alleviates depressive-like behaviour in mice subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Treatment of mice with CUMS induced depressive-like phenotypes as confirmed by sucrose preference test, tail suspension test, and forced swimming test.

Woman diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder became delusional after childbirth: A case report.

Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common mental disorder that varies greatly in manifestation and causes much distress to individuals. We describe a case in which a Chinese woman with OCD became delusional after childbirth, and discuss the possible phenomenological and psychological alterations.

Case Summary: A 27-year-old woman presented to the Psychiatry Department of our hospital with obsessions and compulsions.

Jiaotaiwan increased GABA level in brain and serum, improved sleep via increasing NREM sleep and REM sleep, and its component identification.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Jiaotaiwan (JTW) is good at communicating the heart and kidney. That meets the main mechanism of insomnia in traditional Chinese medicine. But the mechanism of JTW in promoting sleep is not clear.

Salidroside protects PC-12 cells against amyloid β-induced apoptosis by activation of the ERK1/2 and AKT signaling pathways.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most frequent diseases in elderly people and causes high mortality. Its incidence is increasing annually and no effective therapeutic treatment currently exists. In the present study, salidroside, a major active ingredient of Rhodiola rosea, was able to protect PC‑12 cells from the toxicity and apoptosis induced by AD inducer amyloid (A)β1‑42.

Interhemispheric functional connectivity for Alzheimer's disease and amnestic mild cognitive impairment based on the triple network model.

The purpose of this study was to explore the differences in interhemispheric functional connectivity in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) based on a triple network model consisting of the default mode network (DMN), salience network (SN), and executive control network (ECN). The technique of voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC) analysis was applied to explore the aberrant connectivity of all patients. The results showed that: (1) the statistically significant connections of interhemispheric brain regions included DMN-related brain regions (i.

miR-15a and miR-16-1 inhibit the proliferation of leukemic cells by down-regulating WT1 protein level.

Background: miR-15a and miR-16-1(miR-15a/16-1) have been implicated as tumor suppressors in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, multiple myeloma, and acute myeloid leukemic cells. However the mechanism of inhibiting the proliferation of leukemic cells is poorly understood.

Methods: K562 and HL-60 cells were transfected with pRS-15/16 or pRS-E, cell growth were measured by CCK-8 assay and direct cell count.