Pre- and post-treatment of α-Tocopherol on cognitive, synaptic plasticity, and mitochondrial disorders of the hippocampus in icv-streptozotocin-induced sporadic Alzheimer’s-like disease in male Wistar rat

ObjectiveMost dementia cases in the elderly are caused by Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a complex, progressive neurological disease. Intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of streptozotocin (STZ) in rat’s results in aberrant brain insulin signaling, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction that impair cognition change neural plasticity, and eventually lead to neuronal death. The current study aims to define the neuroprotective action of alpha-tocopherol in enhancing mitochondrial function and the function of synapses in memory-impaired rats brought on by icv-STZ.MethodsMale Wistar rats were pre-treated with (α-Tocopherol 150 mg/kg) orally once daily for 7 days before and 14 days after being bilaterally injected with icv-STZ (3 mg/kg), while sham group rats received the same volume of STZ solvent. After 2 weeks of icv-STZ infusion, rats were tested for cognitive performance using a behaviors test and then were prepared electrophysiology recordings or sacrificed for biochemical and histopathological assays.ResultsThe cognitive impairment was significantly minimized in the behavioral paradigms for those who had taken α-Tocopherol. In the hippocampus of icv-STZ rat brains, α-Tocopherol ocopherol effectively prevented the loss of glutathione levels and superoxide dismutase enzyme activity, lowered mitochondrial ROS and mitochondrial membrane potential, and also brought about a decrease in Aβ aggregation and neuronal death.ConclusionOur findings demonstrated that by lowering neurobehavioral impairments caused by icv-STZ, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction, α-Tocopherol enhanced intracellular calcium homeostasis and corrected neurodegenerative defects in the brain. These findings examine the available approach for delaying AD connected to mitochondrial malfunction and plasticity issues

The Effect of Individual and Group Self-care Education on Quality of Life in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Introduction: Educating Patients diagnosed with cancer about their disease and treatment is a vital component of their nursing care. Management of treatment side effects and maintaining the quality of life could be achievable only by adequate and organized self-care education. With regards to the importance of the concept of cost-effectiveness in health care providing system, this study aimed to assess the effects of patient education on the quality of life in patients receiving chemotherapy and also to compare these effects between individual patient education and group education methods. Methods: One hundred and two patients with breast, esophagus and stomach cancer referred to Chemotherapy Unit in Omid hospital were randomly assined to two groups: Group teaching and Individual teaching methods. Fifty-one received three individual teaching sessions. Three group teaching sessions were conducted for the other fifty-one patients. All subjects were interviewed by the same interviewer three times (before the first chemotherapy, second and third session) using EORTC QLQ-C30 quality-of-life questionnaire. Results: The mean age of the two groups were 46/6± 3/9 and 48/7±1/32 in the individual and group teaching groups, respectivly. Using repeated measure test, we observed a significant difference in the quality of life scores over time between the two groups (p=0.02, F=3.7). However, this effect was only evident after the third chemotherapy course. Conclusion: Group teaching could maintain quality of life better than individual teaching over time. Health care providers could use these two methods interchangeably according to institute condition and the patients' needs and preferences