3 research outputs found
SERUM LEVELS OF INTERLEUKIN-6 AND TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR-ALPHA IN EXACERBATION AND REMISSION PHASE OF SCHIZOPHRENIA
Background: The variations in proinflamatory cytokine levels have been associated with schizophrenia (SCH), duration of illness,
psychopathology and treatment. The aim of the study was to investigate serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factoralpha
(TNF-α) in schizophrenic patients during exacerbation and remission, and its association with course of illness and therapy.
Subjects and methods: We measured serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in 43 schizophrenic patients in exacerbation and remission
and compared them to 29 healthy controls, matched by sex, age, body mass index (BMI) and smoking habits. The severity of
psychopathology was assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).
Results: There was no difference in levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in exacerbation compared to remission in schizophrenic patients.
IL-6 was higher and TNF-α was lower in schizophrenic patients in both exacerbation and remission in comparison with healthy
controls. TNF-α in exacerbation was in negative correlation with IL-6 in remission. No statistical significance was found between
levels of cytokines and sex, age, BMI, smoking habits, antipsychotic medication, duration of treatment and duration of illness. IL-6
levels were in positive correlation with the age of onset and the duration of untreated psychosis. In schizophrenic patients on
adjunctive treatment with mood stabilizers, TNF-α levels increased in remission.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that the connection between schizophrenia, cytokines and medication is multifaceted, and not
necessarily linear. Adjunct mood stabilizers not only ameliorate psychopathology, but might convey immunomodulatory effects as
well. Further longitudinal studies could elucidate potential beneficial effect of combined therapy in treatment of SCH
Influence of the Green Tea Leaf Extract on Neurotoxicity of Aluminium Chloride in Rats
Aluminium may have an important role in the
aetiology/pathogenesis/precipitation of Alzheimer's disease. Because
green tea (Camellia sinensis L.) reportedly has health-promoting effects
in the central nervous system, we evaluated the effects of green tea
leaf extract (GTLE) on aluminium chloride (AlCl3) neurotoxicity in rats.
All solutions were injected into the cornu ammonis region 1 hippocampal
region. We measured the performance of active avoidance (AA) tasks,
various enzyme activities and total glutathione content (TGC) in the
forebrain cortex (FbC), striatum, basal forebrain (BFb), hippocampus,
brain stem and cerebellum. AlCl3 markedly reduced AA performance and
activities of cytochrome c oxidase (COX) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE)
in all regions. It decreased TGC in the FbC, striatum, BFb, hippocampus,
brain stem and cerebellum, and increased superoxide dismutase activity
in the FbC, cerebellum and BFb. GTLE pretreatment completely reversed
the damaging effects of AlCl3 on AA and superoxide dismutase activity,
markedly corrected COX and AChE activities, and moderately improved TGC.
GTLE alone increased COX and AChE activities in almost all regions. GTLE
reduces AlCl3 neurotoxicity probably via antioxidative effects and
improves mitochondrial and cholinergic synaptic functions through the
actions of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate and (-)-epicatechin, compounds
most abundantly found in GTLE. Our results suggest that green tea might
be beneficial in Alzheimer's disease. Copyright (c) 2013 John Wiley \&
Sons, Ltd.Ministry of Science of the Republic of Serbia {[}175058]; Ministry of
Defense of the Republic of Serbia {[}MMA/06-10/B.3