Modification of reinforcement learning processes in mood disorders in asthma patients

Az orbitofrontális kortex (OFC) integratív funkciója kiemelkedő jelentőségű a megerősítéses tanulási döntéshozatalban: • a mediális OFC a jel-kontextus kongruencia alapján kontextuskereteket azonosít • a laterális OFC hozzáférést biztosít a cselekvésválasztás-tartományhoz. Az anterior cinguláris kortex (ACC) a cselekvésválasztás fontos szereplője a korábbi művelethez kapcsolódó jutalomtörténet rögzítése révén. A megerősítéses tanulás proaktív modellje lehetőséget ad a kognitív pszichoterápia hatásmechanizmusának értelmezésére. A megerősítéses tanulás rendellenességével járó hangulatzavar az irisin/BDNF tengely működésének módosulásával társul asztmás betegek körében.The integrative function of orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is crucial in the reinforcement learning decision-making: • the medial OFC identifies contextual frames based on cue-context congruence • the lateral OFC provides access to the action selection interval Anterior Cingular Cortex (ACC) has an important role in action selection by recording the reward history associated with the previous actions. The proactive model of reinforcement learning provides an opportunity to interpret the mechanism of action of cognitive psychotherapy. Distress disorders, known to be associated with altered contextual learning (a funamental process underlying reinforcement learning) are linked with changes of thethe irisin/BDNF axis in asthmatic patients.d

Positive correlation of airway resistance and serum asymmetric dimethylarginine level in COPD patients with systemic markers of low-grade inflammation

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The alteration of irisin - brain-derived neurotrophic factor axis parallels severity of distress disorder in bronchial asthma patients

Distress disorder (a collective term for generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder) is a well-known co-morbidity of bronchial asthma. The irisin—brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) axis is a pathway that influences several neurobehavioral mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of distress disorder. Thus, the aim of the present study was to quantify the serum irisin and BDNF concentrations in order to investigate the possible link between the irisin/BDNF axis and distress disorder in an asthma patient cohort. Data of 167 therapy-controlled asthma patients were analyzed. Demographic, anthropometric, and anamnestic data were collected, routine laboratory parameters supplemented with serum irisin and BDNF levels were determined, pulmonary function test was performed using whole-body plethysmography, and quality of life was quantified by means of the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Correlation analysis as well as simple and multiple linear regression were used to assess the relationship between the irisin level and the Impacts score of SGRQ, which latter is indicative of the presence and severity of distress disorder. We have found a significant, positive linear relationship between the Impacts score and the reciprocal of irisin level. This association was stronger in patients whose BDNF level was higher, and it was weaker (and statistically non-significant) in patients whose BDNF level was lower. Our results indicate that higher serum irisin level together with higher serum BDNF level are associated with milder (or no) distress disorder. This finding suggests that alteration of the irisin/BDNF axis influences the presence and severity of distress disorder in asthma patients

Circulating periostin level in asthmatic pregnancy

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Positive correlation of airway resistance and serum asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) in bronchial asthma patients lacking evidence for systemic inflammation

Abstract Background Contribution of nitric-oxide (NO) pathway to the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma (asthma) is ambiguous as NO may confer both protective and detrimental effects depending on the NO synthase (NOS) isoforms, tissue compartments and underlying pathological conditions (e.g. systemic inflammation). Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous inhibitor and uncoupler of NOS with distinct selectivity for NOS isoforms. In a cross-sectional study, we assessed whether ADMA is an independent predictor of airway resistance (Raw) in therapy-controlled asthma. Methods 154 therapy-controlled asthma patients were recruited. ADMA, symmetric dimethylarginine and arginine were quantitated by HPLC with fluorescent detection. Pulmonary function test was done using whole-body plethysmography, quality of life via St. George’s Respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ). Multiple linear regression was used to identify independent determinants of Raw. The final model was stratified based on therapy control. Results Evidence for systemic inflammation indicated by CRP and procalcitonin was lacking in our sample. Log Raw showed significant positive correlation with log ADMA in the whole data set and well-controlled but not in the not well-controlled stratum (Spearman correlation coefficients: 0.27, p < 0.001; 0.30, p < 0.001; 0.12, p = 0.51 respectively). This relationship remained significant after adjusting for confounders by multiple linear regression (β = 0.22, CI 0.054, 0.383 p = 0.01). FEF 25–75% % predicted and SGRQ Total score showed significant negative while SGRQ Activity score showed significant positive correlation with Raw in the final model. Conclusions Positive correlation between Raw and ADMA in the absence of systemic inflammation implies that higher ADMA has detrimental effect on NO homeostasis and can contribute to a poor outcome in asthma