Positive psychological effects of seated acupressure massage are associated with a rise in plasma oxytocin without affecting CGRP levels or circulating IL-6.

International audienceWork-related stress is a major public health issue. Given the relationship between acute stress responses and health, finding strategies to deal with the unpleasant symptoms brought on by stress is essential. Massage therapy is a popular stress-reduction technique, but its effectiveness has yet to be shown. In that matter, this study investigates the effects of a 17-minute session of seated Amma massage on young healthy people. Subjective stress perception, anxiety and self-confidence were assessed before and after the massage using the Spielberger State Anxiety Scale (STAI-Y, Spielberger et al., 1983) and the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory (EEAC, Cury et al., 1999), together with cardiovascular parameters. Cortisol, CGRP, IL-6, and oxytocin plasma levels were measured before and after the massage to investigate its possible mode of action. This study enrolled 59 people: 33 receiving the massage, and 26 controls only seated on the massage chair.Interaction Time x Group demonstrates significant differences for all psychological measurements (STAI, EEAC) before and after the Amma massage, showing a beneficial effect of this treatment, in particular on perceived anxiety and self-confidence. No evidence was found of any correlation between cortisol plasma levels and psychological outcomes. No relationship was shown between the decrease of perceived stress and measured CGRP or IL-6 release, but the data demonstrated that heart frequency could be slightly decreased. The oxytocin plasma levels were significantly increased by the massage and could be responsible for the recovery of psychological outcomes.We conclude that seated acupressure Amma massage could be a useful tool to ameliorate quality of life at work

Positive psychological effects of seated acupressure massage are associated with a rise in plasma oxytocin without affecting CGRP levels or circulating IL-6

Work-related stress is a major public health issue. Given the relationship between acute stress responses and health, finding strategies to deal with the unpleasant symptoms brought on by stress is essential. Massage therapy is a popular stress-reduction technique, but its effectiveness has yet to be shown. In that matter, this study investigates the effects of a 17-minute session of seated Amma massage on young healthy people. Subjective stress perception, anxiety and self-confidence were assessed before and after the massage using the Spielberger State Anxiety Scale (STAI-Y, Spielberger et al., 1983) and the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory (EEAC, Cury et al., 1999), together with cardiovascular parameters. Cortisol, CGRP, IL-6, and oxytocin plasma levels were measured before and after the massage to investigate its possible mode of action. This study enrolled 59 people: 33 receiving the massage, and 26 controls only seated on the massage chair.Interaction Time x Group demonstrates significant differences for all psychological measurements (STAI, EEAC) before and after the Amma massage, showing a beneficial effect of this treatment, in particular on perceived anxiety and self-confidence. No evidence was found of any correlation between cortisol plasma levels and psychological outcomes. No relationship was shown between the decrease of perceived stress and measured CGRP or IL-6 release, but the data demonstrated that heart frequency could be slightly decreased. The oxytocin plasma levels were significantly increased by the massage and could be responsible for the recovery of psychological outcomes.We conclude that seated acupressure Amma massage could be a useful tool to ameliorate quality of life at work

Evidence for constitutive microbiota-dependent short-term control of food intake in mice: Is there a link with inflammation, oxidative stress, endotoxemia, and Glp-1?

International audienceAIMS: Although prebiotics, probiotics, and fecal transplantation can alter the sensation of hunger and/or feeding behavior, the role of the constitutive gut microbiota in the short-term regulation of food intake during normal physiology is still unclear. RESULTS: An antibiotic-induced microbiota depletion study was designed to compare feeding behavior in conventional and microbiota-depleted mice. Tissues were sampled to characterize the time profile of microbiota-derived signals in mice during consumption of either standard or high-fat food for 1 hour. Pharmacological and genetic tools were used to evaluate the contribution of postprandial endotoxemia and inflammatory responses in the short-term regulation of food intake. We observed constitutive microbial and macronutrient-dependent control of food intake at the time scale of a meal, i.e., within 1 hour of food introduction. Specifically, microbiota depletion increased food intake and the microbiota-derived anorectic effect became significant during the consumption of high-fat but not standard food. This anorectic effect correlated with a specific postprandial microbial metabolic signature and did not require postprandial endotoxemia or an NLRP3 (NOD-, LRR- and Pyrin domain-containing protein 3)-inflammasome mediated inflammatory response. Innovation and Conclusion: These findings show that the gut microbiota controls host appetite at the time scale of a meal under normal physiology. Interestingly, a microbiota-derived anorectic effect develops specifically with a high-fat meal, indicating that gut microbiota activity is involved in the satietogenic properties of foods

Determinants of recovery from severe posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Few outcome data are available about posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES). We studied 90-day functional outcomes and their determinants in patients with severe PRES. DESIGN: 70 patients with severe PRES admitted to 24 ICUs in 2001-2010 were included in a retrospective cohort study. The main outcome measure was a Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) of 5 (good recovery) on day 90. MAIN RESULTS: Consciousness impairment was the most common clinical sign, occurring in 66 (94%) patients. Clinical seizures occurred in 57 (81%) patients. Median mean arterial pressure was 122 (105-143) mmHg on scene. Cerebral imaging abnormalities were bilateral (93%) and predominated in the parietal (93%) and occipital (86%) white matter. Median number of brain areas involved was 4 (3-5). Imaging abnormalities resolved in 43 (88%) patients. Ischaemic and/or haemorrhagic complications occurred in 7 (14%) patients. The most common causes were drug toxicity (44%) and hypertensive encephalopathy (41%). On day 90, 11 (16%) patients had died, 26 (37%) had marked functional impairments (GOS, 2 to 4), and 33 (56%) had a good recovery (GOS, 5). Factors independently associated with GOS<5 were highest glycaemia on day 1 (OR, 1.22; 95%CI, 1.02-1.45, p = 0.03) and time to causative-factor control (OR, 3.3; 95%CI, 1.04-10.46, p = 0.04), whereas GOS = 5 was associated with toxaemia of pregnancy (preeclampsia/eclampsia) (OR, 0.06; 95%CI, 0.01-0.38, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: By day 90 after admission for severe PRES, 44% of survivors had severe functional impairments. Highest glycaemia on day 1 and time to causative-factor control were strong early predictors of outcomes, suggesting areas for improvement. Erratum in "PLoS One. 2013;8(11):e44534

Multivariable analysis: Independent predictors of poor functional outcome on day 90.

<p>Values of <i>p</i> in bold are significant (<i>p</i><0.05).</p><p>Goodness of fit (Hosmer-Lemeshow) chi-square <i>p</i> value = 0.27.</p><p>Area under the ROC curve estimated by the c statistic = 0.31.</p><p>The following variables were entered into the model: age, pre-existing co-morbidity, epileptic seizure, status epilepticus, GCS score at ICU admission, headache, acute hypertension, mean arterial pressure on scene, highest glycaemia value, grey matter involvement, brainstem involvement, ganglia involvement, total number of brain areas involved, haemorrhagic complication at first imaging, time from PRES onset to causative-factor control (hours), SAPS II score, duration of mechanical ventilation, mechanical ventilation, refractory status epilepticus, length of ICU stay, length of hospital stay, toxaemia of pregnancy, and exposure to toxic agent.</p><p>95%CI, 95% confidence interval; PRES, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome.</p

Systemic secondary brain insults on day 1 of ICU management of patients with severe posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) (n = 70).

*<p><i>p</i><0.05.</p

Causes of severe posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) (n = 70).

a<p>Some patients had more than one cause.</p