The Roles of mTOR Signaling in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: From Pathogenesis to Therapy.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an epithelial malignancy caused by cancer of the mucosal epithelial cells of the nasopharynx. Most patients with NPC present with distant metastases and treatment resistance, both of which challenge current anti-tumour drugs. The mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway is one of the most highly activated signalling pathways in NPC and plays an important role in various cellular activities.

Mechanism of metformin regulation in central nervous system: Progression and future perspectives.

Metformin as a first-line drug for type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) treatment is widely studied. Metformin can reduce liver glucose output and improve insulin resistance. Recent evidence from in vivo and in vitro has confirmed that metformin can transport across the blood-brain barrier(BBB) and activate specific neurons and neuroglia to exert neurological actions, however, the specific effect of metformin regulation on CNS is still obscure.

Transcription factors are potential therapeutic targets in epilepsy.

Academics generally believe that imbalance between excitation and inhibition of the nervous system is the root cause of epilepsy. However, the aetiology of epilepsy is complex, and its pathogenesis remains unclear. Many studies have shown that epilepsy is closely related to genetic factors.

Hydrogen sulfide: A new therapeutic target in vascular diseases.

Hydrogen sulfide (HS) is one of most important gas transmitters. HS modulates many physiological and pathological processes such as inflammation, oxidative stress and cell apoptosis that play a critical role in vascular function. Recently, solid evidence show that HS is closely associated to various vascular diseases.

Brain-immune interaction mechanisms: Implications for cognitive dysfunction in psychiatric disorders.

Objectives: Cognitive dysfunction has been identified as a major symptom of a series of psychiatric disorders. Multidisciplinary studies have shown that cognitive dysfunction is monitored by a two-way interaction between the neural and immune systems. However, the specific mechanisms of cognitive dysfunction in immune response and brain immune remain unclear.

Current Evidence and Future Directions of Berberine Intervention in Depression.

A major type of serious mood disorder, depression is currently a widespread and easily overlooked psychological illness. With the low side effects of natural products in the treatment of diseases becoming the pursuit of new antidepressants, natural Chinese medicine products have been paid more and more attention for their unique efficacy in improving depression. In a view from the current study, the positive antidepressant effects of berberine are encouraging.

Berberine: A Promising Treatment for Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Berberine, as a natural alkaloid compound, is characterized by a diversity of pharmacological effects. In recent years, many researches focused on the role of berberine in central nervous system diseases. Among them, the effect of berberine on neurodegenerative diseases has received widespread attention, for example Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and so on.

Stress induced microglial activation contributes to depression.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating neuropsychological disorder, which has caused serious health and socio-economic burdens worldwide. A growing body of evidence indicates that inflated neuroinflammation and aberrant microglial activity are associated with depressive-like symptoms. In the central nervous system (CNS), microglia constantly survey the internal environment, playing crucial roles in injury response and pathogen defense.

GABAergic System Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a series of neurodevelopmental diseases characterized by two hallmark symptoms, social communication deficits and repetitive behaviors. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is one of the most important inhibitory neurotransmitters in the central nervous system (CNS). GABAergic inhibitory neurotransmission is critical for the regulation of brain rhythm and spontaneous neuronal activities during neurodevelopment.

Highly Efficient Modular Construction of Functional Drug Delivery Platform Based on Amphiphilic Biodegradable Polymers via Click Chemistry.

Amphiphilic copolymers with pendant functional groups in polyester segments are widely used in nanomedicine. These enriched functionalities are designed to form covalent conjugates with payloads or provide additional stabilization effects for encapsulated drugs. A general method is successfully developed for the efficient preparation of functional biodegradable PEG-polyester copolymers via click chemistry.

Filamentous Bacteriophage-A Powerful Carrier for Glioma Therapy.

Glioma is a life-threatening malignant tumor. Resistance to traditional treatments and tumor recurrence present major challenges in treating and managing this disease, consequently, new therapeutic strategies must be developed. Crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is another challenge for most drug vectors and therapy medications.

Gut microbiota and neuropsychiatric disorders: Implications for neuroendocrine-immune regulation.

Recently, increasing evidence has shown gut microbiota dysbiosis might be implicated in the physiological mechanisms of neuropsychiatric disorders. Altered microbial community composition, diversity and distribution traits have been reported in neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the exact pathways by which the intestinal microbiota contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders remain largely unknown.

Gender Differences in Depression: Evidence From Genetics.

Compared with men, female accounts for a larger proportion of patients with depression. Behavioral genetics researches find gender differences in genetic underpinnings of depression. We found that gender differences exist in heritability and the gene associated with depression after reviewing relevant research.

Optogenetics: What it has uncovered in potential pathways of depression.

Optogenetics is a biological technique, which involves controlling the biological functions of target cells using light. In recent years, optogenetics has become one of the most advanced experimental techniques in neuroscience. It provides precise control on target cells in addition to rapidly and specifically altering the neuronal activity both in vivo and ex vivo.

Leptin in depression: a potential therapeutic target.

Leptin, produced and secreted by white adipose tissue, plays a critical role in regulating body weight, food intake, and energy metabolism. Recently, several studies have identified an underlying role for leptin in regulation of mood and cognition via regulation of synaptic changes in the brain that have been associated with antidepressant-like actions. Brain neural plasticity occurs in response to a range of intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli, including those that may mediate the effects of antidepressants.

Preclinical evidence of ghrelin as a therapeutic target in epilepsy.

Ghrelin, an orexigenic peptide synthesized by endocrine cells of the gastric mucosa, plays a major role in inhibiting seizures. However, the underlying mechanism of ghrelin's anticonvulsant action is still unclear. Nowadays, there are considerable evidences showing that ghrelin is implicated in various neurophysiological processes, including learning and memory, neuroprotection, neurogenesis, and inflammatory effects.

The mechanism of acute fasting-induced antidepressant-like effects in mice.

Acute fasting induced antidepressant-like effects. However, the exact brain region and mechanism of these actions are still largely unknown. Therefore, in this study the antidepressant-like effects of acute fasting on c-Fos expression and BDNF levels were investigated.

Long-Term Plasticity in Amygdala Circuits: Implication of CB1-Dependent LTD in Stress.

The amygdala mediates many forms of emotional learning, during which the central nucleus of amygdala (CeA) functions as a major output of the amygdala by converging inputs from the basolateral nucleus (BLA) and other amygdalar subregions. However, the contribution of BLA-CeA synaptic transmission and plasticity of this transmission after exposure to emotional stimuli remains to be completely understood. Using paired recording, we simultaneously recorded BLA and CeA neurons, and observed that BLA-CeA transmission was glutamatergic.

Berberine produces antidepressant-like effects in ovariectomized mice.

Berberine has been reports to have antidepressant-like effects. However, it is seldom known whether berberine produces antidepressant-like effects in ovariectomized mice, which exhibit depressive-like responses. To examine the antidepressant-like effects of berberine in ovariectomized mice, behavioral tests were conducted, including the forced swimming test and the open field test.

The effects of herbal medicine on epilepsy.

Traditional herbal medicine plays a significant role in the treatment of epilepsy. Though herbal medicine is widely used in antiepileptic treatment, there is a lack of robust evidence for efficacy and toxicity of most herbs. Besides, the herbal medicine should be subject to evidence-based scrutiny.

The Role of Neural Plasticity in Depression: From Hippocampus to Prefrontal Cortex.

Neural plasticity, a fundamental mechanism of neuronal adaptation, is disrupted in depression. The changes in neural plasticity induced by stress and other negative stimuli play a significant role in the onset and development of depression. Antidepressant treatments have also been found to exert their antidepressant effects through regulatory effects on neural plasticity.

The role of 5-HT receptor on corticosterone-mediated food intake.

Corticosterone plays an important role in feeding behavior. However, its mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of corticosterone on feeding behavior.