Effect of freedivers training on autonomic nervous system

Rad opisuje metode treninga kojima se može utjecati na aktivnost autonomnog živčanog sustava s ciljem smanjenja potrošnje kisika u organizmu prilikom ronjenja na dah, što u konačnici doprinosi duljem zaronu. Potencijalno najmoćniji refleks autonomnog živčanog sustava je ronilački odgovor koji obuhvaća niz simultanih fizioloških adaptacija poput smanjenja srčane frekvencije, vazokonstrikcije perifernih krvnih žila ili kontrakcije slezene. Iz tog razloga profesionalnim roniocima na dah važno je povećati stupanj njegove aktivacije, a to mogu postići kontinuiranim treniranjem apneje te specifičnim psihofizičkim metodama pripreme. Te metode obuhvaćaju različite tehnike mentalnog treninga, vježbe disanja, joge, meditacije ili relaksacije.This research describes the training methods that can affect the activity of autonomic nervous system with the goal of diminishing oxygen consumption in the organism during breath-hold diving, which in the end contributes to a longer dive. Potentially the most powerful reflex of the autonomic nervous system is a diving response that envelops a series of simultaneous physiological adaptations like decrease of heart frequencies, vasoconstriction of peripheral veins or spleen contraction. Because of that it is important for professional freedivers to increase the level of its activation, and that they can acomplish with continuous apnea practice and specifical psycho-physical preparation methods. These methods envelop multiple different techniques of mental training, breathing exercises, yoga, meditation or relaxation

Automated Blind Control

The objective of this project would be to design and prototype an automated, light and temperature sensing window blinds system. The device would detect temperature, both inside and outside, and incoming sunlight to determine proper window blind position for maximum energy savings. The user would also have the ability to change the settings of the blind from a remote device to a setting that they desire at any given tim

Financial Stress Interacts With CLOCK Gene to Affect Migraine.

Previous studies suggested that both maladaptive stress response and circadian dysregulation might have a role in the background of migraine. However, effects of circadian genes on migraine have not been tested yet. In the present study, we investigated the main effect of rs10462028 of the circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (CLOCK) gene and its interaction with different stress factors on migraine. In our cross-sectional study 2,157 subjects recruited from Manchester and Budapest completed the ID-Migraine questionnaire to detect migraine type headaches (migraineID). Additional stress factors were assessed by a shortened version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the List of Threatening Experiences questionnaire, and a validated questionnaire to identify financial difficulties. Rs10462028 showed no main genetic effect on migraineID. However, chronic stress indexed by financial difficulties showed a significant interaction effect with rs10462028 (p = 0.006 in recessive model) on migraineID. This result remained significant after correction for lifetime bipolar and unipolar depression and was replicated in both subsamples, although only a trend effect was reached after Bonferroni-correction, which is the strictest correction not considering interdependences. Childhood adversity (CHA) and Recent negative life events (RLE) showed no significant gene × stress interaction with rs10462028. In addition, in silico analysis demonstrated that the genetic region tagged by rs10462028 alters the binding of several miRNAs. Our exploratory study suggests that variations in the CLOCK gene, with moderating effect on gene function through miRNA binding, in interaction with financial difficulties might influence the risk of migraine-type headaches. Thus, financial hardship as a chronic stress factor may affect migraine through altering circadian rhythms

A replication study separates polymorphisms behind migraine with and without depression

The largest migraine genome-wide association study identified 38 candidate loci. In this study we assessed whether these results replicate on a gene level in our European cohort and whether effects are altered by lifetime depression. We tested SNPs of the loci and their vicinity with or without interaction with depression in regression models. Advanced analysis methods such as Bayesian relevance analysis and a neural network based classifier were used to confirm findings. Main effects were found for rs2455107 of PRDM16 (OR = 1.304, p = 0.007) and five intergenic polymorphisms in 1p31.1 region: two of them showed risk effect (OR = 1.277, p = 0.003 for both rs11209657 and rs6686879), while the other three variants were protective factors (OR = 0.4956, p = 0.006 for both rs12090642 and rs72948266; OR = 0.4756, p = 0.005 for rs77864828). Additionally, 26 polymorphisms within ADGRL2, 2 in REST, 1 in HPSE2 and 33 mostly intergenic SNPs from 1p31.1 showed interaction effects. Among clumped results representing these significant regions, only rs11163394 of ADGRL2 showed a protective effect (OR = 0.607, p = 0.002), all other variants were risk factors (rs1043215 of REST with the strongest effect: OR = 6.596, p = 0.003). Bayesian relevance analysis confirmed the relevance of intergenic rs6660757 and rs12128399 (p31.1), rs1043215 (REST), rs1889974 (HPSE2) and rs11163394 (ADGRL2) from depression interaction results, and the moderate relevance of rs77864828 and rs2455107 of PRDM16 from main effect analysis. Both main and interaction effect SNPs could enhance predictive power with the neural network based classifier. In summary, we replicated p31.1, PRDM16, REST, HPSE2 and ADGRL2 genes with classic genetic and advanced analysis methods. While the p31.1 region and PRDM16 are worthy of further investigations in migraine in general, REST, HPSE2 and ADGRL2 may be prime candidates behind migraine pathophysiology in patients with comorbid depression

Decreased Openness to Experience Is Associated with Migraine-Type Headaches in Subjects with Lifetime Depression

IntroductionMigraine and depression frequently occur as comorbid conditions, and it has been hypothesized that migraine with and without depression may have a different genetic background. A distinct personality trait constellation has been described in migraineurs. Less attention, however, was paid to personality differences in migraineurs with and without depression which may also shed light on differences in the neurobiological, background. The aim of our study was to investigate big five personality traits, headaches, and lifetime depression (DEP) in a large European general population sample.MethodsRelationship between DEP, Big Five Inventory personality traits, and headaches identified by the ID-Migraine Questionnaire were investigated in 3,026 individuals from Budapest and Manchester with multivariate and logistic regression analyses.ResultsBoth DEP and migraine(ID) showed differences in personality traits. Neuroticism was an independent risk factor for both conditions while a significant interaction effect appeared between the two in the case of openness. Namely, subjects with migraine(ID) and without DEP scored higher on openness compared to those who had depression.ConclusionWhile we confirmed previous results that high neuroticism is a risk factor for both depression and migraine, openness to experience was significantly lower in the co-occurrence of migraine and depression. Our results suggest that increased openness, possibly manifested in optimal or advantageous cognitive processing of pain experience in migraine may decrease the risk of co-occurrence of depression and migraine and thus may provide valuable insight for newer prevention and intervention approaches in the treatment of these conditions

Genome-wide association analysis reveals KCTD12 and miR-383-binding genes in the background of rumination

Ruminative response style is a passive and repetitive way of responding to stress, associated with several disorders. Although twin and candidate gene studies have proven the genetic underpinnings of rumination, no genome-wide association study (GWAS) has been conducted yet. We performed a GWAS on ruminative response style and its two subtypes, brooding and reflection, among 1758 European adults recruited in the general population of Budapest, Hungary, and Manchester, United Kingdom. We evaluated single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based, gene-based and gene set-based tests, together with inferences on genes regulated by our most significant SNPs. While no genome-wide significant hit emerged at the SNP level, the association of rumination survived correction for multiple testing with KCTD12 at the gene level, and with the set of genes binding miR-383 at the gene set level. SNP-level results were concordant between the Budapest and Manchester subsamples for all three rumination phenotypes. SNPlevel results and their links to brain expression levels based on external databases supported the role of KCTD12, SRGAP3, and SETD5 in rumination, CDH12 in brooding, and DPYSL5, MAPRE3, KCNK3, ATXN7L3B, and TPH2 in reflection, among others. The relatively low sample size is a limitation of our study. Results of the first GWAS on rumination identified genes previously implicated in psychiatric disorders underscoring the transdiagnostic nature of rumination, and pointed to the possible role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum in this cognitive process

Genes Linking Mitochondrial Function, Cognitive Impairment and Depression are Associated with Endophenotypes Serving Precision Medicine

Mitochondria densely populate cells in central nervous system providing essential energy for neurons and influencing synaptic plasticity. Harm to these organelles can impair cognitive performance through damaged neurotransmission and altered Ca2+ homeostasis. Impaired cognition could be one underlying factor which can characterize major depressive disorder, a huge burden for society marked by depressed mood and anhedonia. A growing body of evidence binds mitochondrial dysfunctions with the disease. Cognitive disturbances with different severity are also observable in several patients, suggesting that damage or inherited alterations of mitochondria may have an important role in depression. Since several different biological and environmental factors can lead to depression, mitochondrial changes may represent a significant subgroup of depressive patients although cognitive correlates can remain undiscovered without a specific focus. Hypothesis driven studies instead of GWAS can pinpoint targets relevant only in a subset of depressed population. This review highlights results mainly from candidate gene studies on nuclear DNA of mitochondrion-related proteins, including TOMM40, MTHFD1L, ATP6V1B2 and MAO genes, also implicated in Alzheimer's disease, and alterations in the mitochondrial genome to argue for endophenotypes where impaired mitochondrial function may be the leading cause for depressive symptomatology and parallel cognitive dysfunction

A Simple Macro-Fiscal Model for Policy Analysis: An Application to Cambodia

Macroeconomic management in many developing countries is often heavily dependent on fiscal policies. This paper develops a semi-structural macro-fiscal model for simulating and forecasting macroeconomic policies in Cambodia. The model is calibrated to capture key characteristics of Cambodia’s economy and serves as a tool for scenario analysis. We demonstrate its application with an illustrative scenario of the macroeconomic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The model’s results conform with past empirical analyses of the Cambodian economy and generate intuitive and easy-to-understand policy scenarios. Complemented with near-term forecasting tools and expert judgment, the dynamics of the model help to inform policymakers about medium-term transmission channels and thus guide policy advice. In particular, the results could serve as an input for the country’s medium-term fiscal framework and debt sustainability analysis

Effect of freedivers training on autonomic nervous system

Rad opisuje metode treninga kojima se može utjecati na aktivnost autonomnog živčanog sustava s ciljem smanjenja potrošnje kisika u organizmu prilikom ronjenja na dah, što u konačnici doprinosi duljem zaronu. Potencijalno najmoćniji refleks autonomnog živčanog sustava je ronilački odgovor koji obuhvaća niz simultanih fizioloških adaptacija poput smanjenja srčane frekvencije, vazokonstrikcije perifernih krvnih žila ili kontrakcije slezene. Iz tog razloga profesionalnim roniocima na dah važno je povećati stupanj njegove aktivacije, a to mogu postići kontinuiranim treniranjem apneje te specifičnim psihofizičkim metodama pripreme. Te metode obuhvaćaju različite tehnike mentalnog treninga, vježbe disanja, joge, meditacije ili relaksacije.This research describes the training methods that can affect the activity of autonomic nervous system with the goal of diminishing oxygen consumption in the organism during breath-hold diving, which in the end contributes to a longer dive. Potentially the most powerful reflex of the autonomic nervous system is a diving response that envelops a series of simultaneous physiological adaptations like decrease of heart frequencies, vasoconstriction of peripheral veins or spleen contraction. Because of that it is important for professional freedivers to increase the level of its activation, and that they can acomplish with continuous apnea practice and specifical psycho-physical preparation methods. These methods envelop multiple different techniques of mental training, breathing exercises, yoga, meditation or relaxation