Investigation of the Relationships Between Beck Depression/Anxiety Scores and Neuropsychological Tests Scores with Lifestyle Behaviors in the Context of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenesis Approach

In this study, the relationships between lifestyle behaviors within the scope of neuroplasticity and neu-rogenesis approach and depression, anxiety and neuropsychological test scores were examined. As this study aimed to reveal the relationships between events or variables, it was designed using the descriptive cross-sectional study method, one of descriptive and relational research methods, was used. The data were collected from 117 students by the researchers using the O center dot sion Inventory, Beck Anxiety Scale and Lifestyle Behaviors Survey. According to the results, the quality of sport/ exercise and the quality of life showed a significant difference in the depression model, while social support demonstrated a significant difference in the anxiety model. It was seen that those with high scores in life quality and in perceived social support had significantly lower depression and anxiety scores. Moreover, those with good levels of sleep quality, social interaction and nutrition had significantly lower depression scores. Both depression and anxiety scores of those who did sport/exercise, which was among the lifestyle behaviors, were found to be significantly lower. Lastly, the correlations between the neuropsychological test scores and the depression and anxiety scores were examined, and a significant positive correlation was found between both depression and anxiety scores and the failure to maintain set scores.(c) 2023 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. ktem Verbal Memory Test, WCST, Digit Span Test, Beck Depres

Cocaine and amphetamine regulated transcript (CART) and the stress response

WOS: 000239673100009PubMed ID: 16822586CART is expressed abundantly in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus and locus coeruleus, major corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) and noradrenaline sources, respectively. There is a bidirectional relation between CART and hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis activity. CART stimulates CRF, adrenocorticotropic hormone and glucocorticoid secretion, whereas CRF and glucocorticoids increase the transcriptional activity of the CART gene; adrenalectomy declines CART expression in the hypothalamus. Stress exposure modulates CART expression in hypothalamus and amygdala in rat brain in a region and sex specific manner. CART may be a mediator peptide in the interaction between stress, drug abuse, and feeding. The review discusses the established role of CART as it relates to the stress response. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier Inc.NCRR NIH HHSUnited States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USANIH National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) [RR00165]; NIDA NIH HHSUnited States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USANIH National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) [DA00418, 3 R01 DA010732-05S1

The epigenetic effect of nicotine on dopamine D1 receptor expression in rat prefrontal cortex

WOS: 000321894000001PubMed ID: 23447334Nicotine is a highly addictive drug and exerts its effect partially through causing dopamine release, thereby increasing intrasynaptic dopamine levels in the brain reward systems. Dopaine D1 receptor (DRD1) mRNAs and receptors are localized in reward-related brain regions, which receive cholinergic input. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether nicotine administration affects the expression of DRD1s, and if so, whether epigenetic mechanisms, such as histone acetylation, are involved. Twenty Male Sprague Dawley rats received nicotine (0.4 mg/kg/day, s.c.) or saline injections for 15 days. After nicotine/saline treatment, rats were perfused with saline; prefrontal cortex (PFC), corpus striatum (STR), and ventral tegmental area (VTA) were dissected. Homogenates were divided into two parts for total RNA isolation and histone H4 acetylation studies. DRD1 mRNA expression was significantly higher in the PFC of the nicotine-treated group compared with controls; similar trends were observed in the VTA and STR. To study epigenetic regulation, the 2kb upstream region of the DRD1 gene promoter was investigated for histone H4 acetylation in PFC samples. After chromatin immunoprecipitation with anti-acetyl histone H4 antibody, we found an increase in histone acetylation by two different primer pairs which amplified the -1365 to -1202 (P<0.005) and -170 to +12 (P<0.05) upstream regions of the DRD1 promoter. Our results suggest that intermittent subcutaneous nicotine administration increases the expression of DRD1 mRNA in the PFC of rats, and this increase may be due to changes in histone H4 acetylation of the 2kb promoter of the DRD1 gene. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Ege UniversityEge University [2010-BAUM-001]Contract grant sponsor: Ege University Research Fund Grant; Contract grant number: 2010-BAUM-001

Region- and sex-specific changes in CART mRNA in rat hypothalamic nuclei induced by forced swim stress

WOS: 000310414300006PubMed ID: 22960117Cocaine and amphetamine regulated transcript (CART) mRNA and peptides are highly expressed in the paraventricular (PVN), dorsomedial (DMH) and arcuate (ARC) nuclei of the hypothalamus. It has been suggested that these nuclei regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, autonomic nervous system activity, and feeding behavior. Our previous studies showed that forced swim stress augmented CART peptide expression significantly in whole hypothalamus of male rats. In another study, forced swim stress increased the number of CART-immunoreactive cells in female PVN, whereas no effect was observed in male PVN or in the ARC nucleus of either sex. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of forced swim stress on CART mRNA expression in PVN, DMH and ARC nuclei in both male and female rats. Twelve male (stressed and controls, n=6 each) and 12 female (stressed and controls, n=6 each) Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Control animals were only handled, whereas forced swim stress procedure was applied to the stressed groups. Brains were dissected and brain sections containing PVN, DMH and ARC nuclei were prepared. CART mRNA levels were determined by in situ hybridization. In male rats, forced swim stress upregulated CART mRNA expression in DMH and downregulated it in the ARC. In female rats, forced swim stress increased CART mRNA expression in PVN and DMH, whereas a decrease was observed in the ARC nucleus. Our results show that forced swim stress elicits region- and sex-specific changes in CART mRNA expression in rat hypothalamus that may help in explaining some of the effects of stress. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.NIHUnited States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA [3 R01 DA010732-05S1]; National Center for Research ResourcesUnited States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USANIH National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) [P51RR165]; Office of Research Infrastructure Programs/OD [P51OD11132]This study was supported by NIH Grant no. 3 R01 DA010732-05S1 and by the National Center for Research Resources (P51RR165) and is currently supported by the Office of Research Infrastructure Programs/OD (P51OD11132)

Nicotinic cholinergic and dopaminergic receptor mRNA expression in male and female rats with high or low preference for nicotine

<p><i>Background</i>: Nicotine exerts its central actions through nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), which in turn regulate major neurotransmitter systems including dopamine. Nicotinic and dopaminergic systems play significant roles in physiological functions, neuropsychiatric disorders, and addiction. <i>Objectives</i>: To evaluate possible differences in the expression of nAChR subunit and dopamine receptor (DR) mRNAs following voluntary nicotine intake. <i>Methods</i>: Male and female rats (<i>n</i> = 67) were exposed to long-term free-choice oral nicotine (24 hours/day, 6 weeks); rats with maximum and minimum nicotine preference/intake were selected. The mRNA levels of genes encoding α4,β2,α5, and α7 nAChR subunits and DR Drd1and Drd2 subtypes were evaluated in the striatum (STR), prefrontal cortex (PFC), and hippocampus using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in selected rats (<i>n</i> = 30) and their control groups (<i>n</i> = 15). <i>Results</i>: In addition to baseline differences, expression changes were observed in the mRNA levels of evaluated genes in rats exposed to voluntary oral nicotine in a brain region-, sex-, and preference-related manner. Nicotine intake is correlated negatively with <i>Chrnb2, Chrna7</i> and positively with <i>Drd1</i> expression. In the cholinergic system, regional differences in <i>Chnrb2</i> and <i>Chrna5</i>, sex differences in <i>Chrna4</i> and <i>Chrna5</i>, and nicotine preference effects in the expression of all subunits except α4 were observed. <i>Chrna5</i> was lower in maximum than in minimum preferring, and in male than female rats, supporting the inhibitory role of the α5 subunit in nicotine dependence. Nicotine increased <i>Drd2</i> mRNA expression only in minimum preferring female rats in STR and PFC. <i>Conclusion</i>: Modulation of nAChR and DR gene expression by nicotine may have clinical implications and aid drug development. Pharmaceuticals targeting the nicotinic cholinergic and dopaminergic systems might be expected to have differential efficacy that varies with the patient’s sex or smoking status.</p

CART expression in limbic regions of rat brain following forced swim stress: Sex differences

WOS: 000238162000004PubMed ID: 16644010Our previous studies showed the modulation of cocaine and amphetamine regulated transcript (CART) positive neurons and CART mRNA by adrenalectomy and corticosterone replacement in hypothalamic nuclei of male rat brain. More recently, we have shown by CART immunohistochemistry that restraint and forced swim (FS) stress have sexually dimorphic and regionally specific effects on CART expression in the hypothalamic nuclei of male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of FS stress on CART peptide expression in hypothalamus, amygdala and hippocampus of male and female (in or near estrus) Sprague-Dawley rats. Initially basal CART levels in regions of interest were determined in male and female rats; no sex differences were observed. In FS test, rats were forced to swim on two consecutive days, in a Plexiglas cylinder for 15 and 6 min, respectively. Rats were decapitated on the second day, 10 min after the stress procedure. Hypothalami, amygdalae and hippocampi were dissected and homogenized. CART peptide expression in these regions was measured by Western blotting. In males, FS increased CART expression in hypothalamus and amygdala. On the other hand, in females, FS lowered CART expression in amygdala. CART expression in hippocampus was not affected by the stress procedure in either sex. Our results suggest sexually dimorphic modulation of CART expression in hypothalamus and amygdala by FS procedure. Although modulation of the CART peptide by glucocorticoids and gonadal hormones appears likely, future studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms in the involvement of CART peptide in stress response. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.NCRR NIH HHSUnited States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USANIH National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) [RR00165]; NIDA NIH HHSUnited States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USANIH National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) [DA00418, 3 R01 DA010732-05S1