Vitamin D levels and olfactory dysfunction in multiple sclerosis patients.

Objective: The objective was to explore the possible relationship between the serum vitamin D level and olfactory impairment in a population of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in Guizhou, China.

Methods: We included 25 patients with MS and 18 healthy controls (HCs) who were recruited from the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University from February 2021 to September 2021. The University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) was used to test the patients' sense of smell, and the level of serum 25-hydroxyethylene polyprotein D was measured.

Lactobacillus plantarum-derived extracellular vesicles protect against ischemic brain injury via the microRNA-101a-3p/c-Fos/TGF-β axis.

Currently, the reported source of extracellular vesicles (EVs) for the treatment of ischemic stroke（IS）is limited to mammals. Moreover, these EVs are restricted to clinical translation by the high cost of cell culture. In this respect, Lactobacillus plantarum culture is advantaged by low cost and high yield.

miR-155-5p in Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Choroid Plexus Epithelial Cells Promotes Autophagy and Inflammation to Aggravate Ischemic Brain Injury in Mice.

Ischemic stroke is a common disease of the central nervous system, and ischemic brain injury (IBI) is its main manifestation. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been strongly related to the diagnosis and treatment of IBI. However, the underlying mechanism of their effects remains enigmatic.

Relationship Between Hematoma Expansion Induced by Hypertension and Hyperglycemia and Blood-brain Barrier Disruption in Mice and Its Possible Mechanism: Role of Aquaporin-4 and Connexin43.

We aimed to select an optimized hematoma expansion (HE) model and investigate the possible mechanism of blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage in mice. The results showed that HE occurred in the group with hypertension combined with hyperglycemia (HH-HE) from 3 to 72 h after intracerebral hemorrhage; this was accompanied by neurological deficits and hardly influenced the survival rate. The receiver operating characteristic curve suggested the criterion for this model was hematoma volume expansion ≥ 45.

Microglia Polarization and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Chronic Social Defeat Stress Induced Depression Mouse.

Inflammation recently has been considered to be participated in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the detailed mechanism of inflammation in depression has not been completely understood yet. In the present study, depression mice model was established by chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) method and confirmed by behavior examinations including forced swimming test and sucrose preference test.

Risk factors of cerebral microbleeds in young and middle-aged patients with hypertension.

Objective This study aimed to investigate the incidence and related risk factors of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) in young and middle-aged patients with hypertension. Methods The study included 232 young and middle-aged (18-59 years-old) patients with hypertension from September 2014 to December 2016 in the Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, China. The data were recorded which included demographics, vascular risk factors, medication history, and imaging data of patients.

Reduction of Ischemic Brain Edema by Combined use of Paeoniflorin and Astragaloside IV via Down-Regulating Connexin 43.

Paeoniflorin (PF) and astragaloside IV (AS-IV) have protective effects on cerebral ischemia. We aimed to test the effects of combined use of PF and AS-IV on ischemic brain edema and investigate whether the effects were dependent on connexin43 (Cx43). We detected the expression of Cx43 induced by PF and AS-IV after cerebral ischemia.

Apelin-13 Protects against Ischemic Blood-Brain Barrier Damage through the Effects of Aquaporin-4.

Background: Apelin-13 has been found to have protective effects on many neurological diseases, including cerebral ischemia. However, whether Apelin-13 acts on blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption following cerebral ischemia is largely unknown. Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) has a close link with BBB due to the high concentration in astrocyte foot processes and regulation of astrocytes function.

Aquaporin-4 and Cerebrovascular Diseases.

Cerebrovascular diseases are conditions caused by problems with brain vasculature, which have a high morbidity and mortality. Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is the most abundant water channel in the brain and crucial for the formation and resolution of brain edema. Considering brain edema is an important pathophysiological change after stoke, AQP4 is destined to have close relation with cerebrovascular diseases.