Nerve Growth Factor Serum Levels Are Associated With Regional Gray Matter Volume Differences in Schizophrenia Patients

Numerous neuroimaging studies have revealed structural brain abnormalities in schizophrenia patients. There is emerging evidence that dysfunctional nerve growth factor (NGF) signaling may contribute to structural brain alterations found in these patients. In this pilot study, we investigated whether there was a correlation between NGF serum levels and gray matter volume (GMV) in schizophrenia patients. Further, we investigated whether there was an overlap between the correlative findings and cross-sectional GMV differences between schizophrenia patients (n = 18) and healthy controls (n = 19). Serum NGF was significantly correlated to GMV in the left prefrontal lobe, the left midcingulate cortex, and the brainstem in schizophrenia patients. However, we did not find any correlations of NGF serum levels with GMV in healthy controls. Schizophrenia patients showed smaller GMV than healthy controls in brain regions located in the bilateral limbic system, bilateral parietal lobe, bilateral insula, bilateral primary auditory cortex, left frontal lobe, and bilateral occipital regions. In a conjunction analysis, GMV in the left midcingulate cortex (MCC) appears negatively correlated to NGF serum levels in the group of schizophrenia patients and also to be reduced compared to healthy controls. These results suggest an increased vulnerability of schizophrenia patients to changes in NGF levels compared to healthy controls and support a role for NGF signaling in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. As our pilot study is exploratory in nature, further studies enrolling larger sample sizes will be needed to further corroborate our findings and to investigate the influence of additional covariates

Mobile Media Use : Structure and Order - Three Project Reports

In diesem Band werden drei empirische Forschungsprojekte zur Nutzung von mobilen Medien im öffentlichen Raum dokumentiert. Projekt I: "Einsteigen mit Medien. Eine Studie zur Nutzung mobiler Medien im öffentlichen Stadtverkehr am Beispiel der Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart" / Projekt II: "Angst vor der Langeweile? Nutzung mobiler Medien in Wartesituationen" / Projekt III: "Musica Mobilis. Unterwegs mit der schwerelosen Musiksammlung. Eine Studie über die Auswirkungen des mobilen Musikkonsums auf die Wertschätzung von Musik

Stable population structure in Europe since the Iron Age, despite high mobility

Ancient DNA research in the past decade has revealed that European population structure changed dramatically in the prehistoric period (14,000–3000 years before present, YBP), reflecting the widespread introduction of Neolithic farmer and Bronze Age Steppe ancestries. However, little is known about how population structure changed from the historical period onward (3000 YBP - present). To address this, we collected whole genomes from 204 individuals from Europe and the Mediterranean, many of which are the first historical period genomes from their region (e.g. Armenia and France). We found that most regions show remarkable inter-individual heterogeneity. At least 7% of historical individuals carry ancestry uncommon in the region where they were sampled, some indicating cross-Mediterranean contacts. Despite this high level of mobility, overall population structure across western Eurasia is relatively stable through the historical period up to the present, mirroring geography. We show that, under standard population genetics models with local panmixia, the observed level of dispersal would lead to a collapse of population structure. Persistent population structure thus suggests a lower effective migration rate than indicated by the observed dispersal. We hypothesize that this phenomenon can be explained by extensive transient dispersal arising from drastically improved transportation networks and the Roman Empire’s mobilization of people for trade, labor, and military. This work highlights the utility of ancient DNA in elucidating finer scale human population dynamics in recent history

Nerve Growth Factor Serum Levels Are Associated With Regional Gray Matter Volume Differences in Schizophrenia Patients

Numerous neuroimaging studies have revealed structural brain abnormalities in schizophrenia patients and there is emerging evidence that dysfunctional nerve growth factor (NGF) signaling may contribute to structural brain alterations found in these patients. In this pilot study, we investigated whether there was a correlation between NGF serum levels and gray matter volume (GMV) in schizophrenia patients. Further, we investigated whether there was an overlap between the correlative findings and cross-sectional GMV differences between schizophrenia patients (n = 18) and healthy controls (n = 19) carrying out whole brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis. In schizophrenia patients, serum NGF levels were found to be positively correlated with GMV in the pons. Resorting to the BrainMap data base, functional characterization revealed a prominent conjunction between the cluster and functions of pain monitoring and pain discrimination. Two clusters were negatively correlated between NGF serum levels and GMV, one cluster located in the left mid orbital gyrus extending into the right hemisphere, and the other in the left MCC. Both clusters were found to be associated with reward related tasks. However, we did not find any correlations of NGF serum levels with GMV in healthy controls. Schizophrenia patients showed smaller GMV than healthy controls in brain regions located in the bilateral limbic system, bilateral parietal lobe, bilateral insula, bilateral primary auditory cortex, left frontal lobe, and bilateral occipital regions. The clusters showing reduced GMV in schizophrenia patients were associated with social cognition, reasoning, action execution and language-related processes. We did not find any increase in GMV in schizophrenia patients compared to healthy controls. In a conjunction analysis, GMV in the left midcingulate cortex (MCC) appears negatively correlated to NGF serum levels in the group of schizophrenia patients and also to be reduced compared to healthy controls. In conclusion, this pilot study offered hints about the influence of serum NGF on the brain structure of several regions in schizophrenia patients, while no comparable results had been found in healthy controls. Remarkably, changes correlated with NGF serum levels manifested also in the cingulate cortex, a region that also showed volume reductions our group comparison between patients and controls and has been repeatedly implicated in the literature as morphologically altered in schizophrenia. These results suggest an increased vulnerability of schizophrenia patients to changes in NGF levels compared to healthy controls and support a role for NGF signaling in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia

Nerve Growth Factor Serum Levels Are Associated With Regional Gray Matter Volume Differences in Schizophrenia Patients

Numerous neuroimaging studies have revealed structural brain abnormalities in schizophrenia patients and there is emerging evidence that dysfunctional nerve growth factor (NGF) signaling may contribute to structural brain alterations found in these patients. In this pilot study, we investigated whether there was a correlation between NGF serum levels and gray matter volume (GMV) in schizophrenia patients. Further, we investigated whether there was an overlap between the correlative findings and cross-sectional GMV differences between schizophrenia patients (n = 18) and healthy controls (n = 19) carrying out whole brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis. In schizophrenia patients, serum NGF levels were found to be positively correlated with GMV in the pons. Resorting to the BrainMap data base, functional characterization revealed a prominent conjunction between the cluster and functions of pain monitoring and pain discrimination. Two clusters were negatively correlated between NGF serum levels and GMV, one cluster located in the left mid orbital gyrus extending into the right hemisphere, and the other in the left MCC. Both clusters were found to be associated with reward related tasks. However, we did not find any correlations of NGF serum levels with GMV in healthy controls. Schizophrenia patients showed smaller GMV than healthy controls in brain regions located in the bilateral limbic system, bilateral parietal lobe, bilateral insula, bilateral primary auditory cortex, left frontal lobe, and bilateral occipital regions. The clusters showing reduced GMV in schizophrenia patients were associated with social cognition, reasoning, action execution and language-related processes. We did not find any increase in GMV in schizophrenia patients compared to healthy controls. In a conjunction analysis, GMV in the left midcingulate cortex (MCC) appears negatively correlated to NGF serum levels in the group of schizophrenia patients and also to be reduced compared to healthy controls. In conclusion, this pilot study offered hints about the influence of serum NGF on the brain structure of several regions in schizophrenia patients, while no comparable results had been found in healthy controls. Remarkably, changes correlated with NGF serum levels manifested also in the cingulate cortex, a region that also showed volume reductions our group comparison between patients and controls and has been repeatedly implicated in the literature as morphologically altered in schizophrenia. These results suggest an increased vulnerability of schizophrenia patients to changes in NGF levels compared to healthy controls and support a role for NGF signaling in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia

Neurologic manifestations of COVID-19 in critically ill patients: results of the prospective multicenter registry PANDEMIC

Background Neurologic manifestations are increasingly reported in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Yet, data on prevalence, predictors and relevance for outcome of neurological manifestations in patients requiring intensive care are scarce. We aimed to characterize prevalence, risk factors and impact on outcome of neurologic manifestations in critically ill COVID-19 patients. Methods In the prospective, multicenter, observational registry study PANDEMIC (Pooled Analysis of Neurologic DisordErs Manifesting in Intensive care of COVID-19), we enrolled COVID-19 patients with neurologic manifestations admitted to 19 German intensive care units (ICU) between April 2020 and September 2021. We performed descriptive and explorative statistical analyses. Multivariable models were used to investigate factors associated with disorder categories and their underlying diagnoses as well as to identify predictors of outcome. Results Of the 392 patients included in the analysis, 70.7% (277/392) were male and the mean age was 65.3 (SD +/- 3.1) years. During the study period, a total of 2681 patients with COVID-19 were treated at the ICUs of 15 participating centers. New neurologic disorders were identified in 350 patients, reported by these centers, suggesting a prevalence of COVID-19-associated neurologic disorders of 12.7% among COVID-19 ICU patients. Encephalopathy (46.2%; 181/392), cerebrovascular (41.0%; 161/392) and neuromuscular disorders (20.4%; 80/392) were the most frequent categories identified. Out of 35 cerebrospinal fluid analyses with reverse transcriptase PCR for SARS-COV-2, only 3 were positive. In-hospital mortality was 36.0% (140/389), and functional outcome (mRS 3 to 5) of surviving patients was poor at hospital discharge in 70.9% (161/227). Intracerebral hemorrhage (OR 6.2, 95% CI 2.5-14.9, p < 0.001) and acute ischemic stroke (OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.9-8.2, p < 0.001) were the strongest predictors of poor outcome among the included patients. Conclusions Based on this well-characterized COVID-19 ICU cohort, that comprised 12.7% of all severe ill COVID-19 patients, neurologic manifestations increase mortality and morbidity. Since no reliable evidence of direct viral affection of the nervous system by COVID-19 could be found, these neurologic manifestations may for a great part be indirect para- or postinfectious sequelae of the infection or severe critical illness. Neurologic ICU complications should be actively searched for and treated

Chroman-4-one- and Chromone-Based Sirtuin 2 Inhibitors with Antiproliferative Properties in Cancer Cells

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