Recovery from Lesion-Associated Learning Deficits by Fetal Amygdala Transplants

Bilateral lesions of the amygdaloid complex result in elimination or attenuation of the conditioned freezing that is normally seen in the conditioned emotional response (CER) paradigm and the active avoidance (AA) task. We observed the effect of amygdalar tissue transplantation on the ability of lesioned (central nucleus of amygdala, CeA) rats to learn CER and AA. In two groups of adult Wistar rats, sham operation or bilateral lesions of the CeA were produced electrolytically (2mA for 8 sec). In a third group, fetal amygdalar tissue was transplanted at the CeA-lesioned site 2 d postoperatively. All rats were trained on CER and AA from the 6th postoperative day. In comparison with the shamoperated group, bilaterally CeA-lesioned rats showed a significant (p<0.001) increase in all CER scores, indicating an acquisition deficit. After fetal amygdalar tissue transplantation, the CER scores significantly decreased (p<0.05) when compared with the lesioned group. A significant (p<0.01) decrease in the percentage of avoidance in the AA task occurring after CeA lesion returned to control values after amygdalar tissue transplantation. In conclusion, in CeA-lesioned rats a complete behavioral deficit in learning CER and AA was restored by transplanting fetal amygdalar tissue at the lesioned site

Yoga for Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Well-Being: Research Review and Reflections on the Mental Health Potentials of Yoga

Abstract This article discusses yoga as a potential tool for children to deal with stress and regulate themselves. Yoga provides training of mind and body to bring emotional balance. We argue that children and young people need such tools to listen inward to their bodies, feelings, and ideas. Yoga may assist them in developing in sound ways, to strengthen themselves, and be contributing social beings.First, we address how children and young people in today’s world face numerous expectations and constant stimulation through the Internet and other media and communication technologies. One reason why children experience stress and mental health challenges is that globalization exposes the youth all over the world to various new standards and options. There is also increased pressure to succeed in school, partly due to a diverse range of options available for young people in contemporary times than in the past. Our argument also partially rests on the fact that modern society offers plenty of distractions and unwelcome attractions, especially linked to new media technologies. The dominant presence of multimedia devices and the time spent on them by children are clear indicators of the shift in lifestyles and priorities of our new generation. A main concept in our article is that yoga may help children and young people cope with stress and thus contribute positively to mental health. We present research literature suggesting that yoga improves children’s physical and mental well-being. Similarly, yoga in schools helps students improve resilience, mood, and self-regulation skills pertaining to emotions and stress.<br/

Cardiovascular Responses to Tonic Pain in REM Sleep-Deprived Rats Role of Melatonin and Beta Endorphin

Objective: Chronic pain is associated with increased incidence of hypertension. Sleep deprivation, common in patients with chronic pain, is associated with increased blood pressure and heart rate. This study was designed to determine whether sleep deprivation induces increased cardiovascular responses to pain. In addition; we examined the role of melatonin and endorphins in mediating these responses. Method: The study was conducted in Sprague-Dawely rats divided into a control group (n=8) and Rapid Eye Moment sleep deprived (REMSD) group (n=8). REM sleep deprivation was done for three days using the inverted flowerpot technique. Systolic BP and HR were recorded at baseline as well as 5, 10 and 30 minutes after intra-plantar formalin injection. In addition, serum melatonin and endorphin levels were determined. Results: Under basal conditions, BP and HR and following acute pain (1st phase of formalin injection) were comparable with non-sleep deprived (non-SD) state. In contrast, the REMSD rats showed significantly greater increases in HR and BP during the 2nd phase of formalin pain as compared to non-SD state. These changes were associated with significant reductions in serum melatonin and endorphin levels in REMSD rats. Conclusion: These data indicate that exaggerated blood pressure and HR responsiveness to pain in sleep deprivation could be mediated through reductions in melatonin and endorphin.

Cardiovascular Responses to Tonic Pain in REM Sleep-Deprived Rats: Role of Melatonin and Beta Endorphin

Objective: Chronic pain is associated with increased incidence of hypertension. Sleep deprivation, common in patients with chronic pain, is associated with increased blood pressure and heart rate. This study was designed to determine whether sleep deprivation induces increased cardiovascular responses to pain. In addition; we examined the role of melatonin and endorphins in mediating these responses. Method: The study was conducted in Sprague-Dawely rats divided into a control group (n=8) and Rapid Eye Moment sleep deprived (REMSD) group (n=8). REM sleep deprivation was done for three days using the inverted flowerpot technique. Systolic BP and HR were recorded at baseline as well as 5, 10 and 30 minutes after intra-plantar formalin injection. In addition, serum melatonin and endorphin levels were determined. Results: Under basal conditions, BP and HR and following acute pain (1st phase of formalin injection) were comparable with non-sleep deprived (non-SD) state. In contrast, the REMSD rats showed significantly greater increases in HR and BP during the 2nd phase of formalin pain as compared to non-SD state. These changes were associated with significant reductions in serum melatonin and endorphin levels in REMSD rats. Conclusion: These data indicate that exaggerated blood pressure and HR responsiveness to pain in sleep deprivation could be mediated through reductions in melatonin and endorphin.

Promoting mental health and wellbeing in schools: the impact of yoga on young people's relaxation and stress levels

This study aimed to examine students' experiences with yoga interventions in school. The findings revealed that practicing yoga made young people more aware of their need to relax and positively impacted their mental health and wellbeing. We explored the emphasis on relaxation among our study participants and how relaxation is related to other aspects, such as their experience of stress and sleep habits. This article is based on qualitative data gathered from teenagers in Norway who participated in the Norwegian part of the European research project “Hippocampus: Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing among Young People through Yoga.” The project introduced yoga to young people in schools with an emphasis on those who were disadvantaged, including those with mental health issues and other challenges related to their background. Data were collected from nine individual, semi-structured interviews and 133 logs collected in the spring of 2019.1 The major themes identified through the interviews and log material included becoming more relaxed and aware of the need to unwind. Thus, the focus on relaxation is based on the importance of the participants assigned to this theme. The study results suggest that yoga enhanced the students' awareness and skills and empowered them to make healthier lifestyle choices.2 We viewed the importance of relaxation from a salutogenic perspective, focusing on the factors that contribute to good health in contrast to a pathogenic perspective, where curing diseases is the goal

Foetal amygdalar transplantation facilitates recovery of retention deficit in CeA lesioned rats

1014-1019Neural tissue transplant has come off age as a valuable technique for studying normal development and regeneration. Bilateral lesions of the central nucleus of amygdala (CeA) produce complete retention and acquisition deficit in inhibitory avoidance paradigms. The present study reports recovery of retention deficit in active avoidance task (AA) after amygdalar tissue transplantation in CeA lesioned rats. In a group of adult wistar rats, bilateral lesions of the CeA were produced electrolytically. In a separate group of rats foetal amygdalar tissue was transplanted at the CeA lesioned site 2 days after producing lesion. All the rats were trained on AA task before and after 5 days of lesion. In bilaterally CeA lesioned rats, the percentage of avoidance (%avoidance) decreased significantly (P<0.05) from 85±18% prelesion to 15.5±35% postlesion. However, no change in the % avoidance was observed after amygdalar tissue transplantation. The results indicate that the transplanted rats are capable of retaining the learnt information in contrast to the lesion alone group of rats

Effect of tonic pain on schedule specific feeding behaviour

834-836Food deprivation produces analgesia. This response is reversed i.e. pain sensitivity is lowered, when the food deprived rats are fed. In the present study the effect of chronic pain on the motivation to get food, in food deprived rats, was observed. In ten rats the effect of formalin and morphine plus formalin on the motivation to get food was studied. Injection of formalin significantly (P < 0.01) decreased the number of lever presses from 450 ±-30 to 225 ±-25. However, after injecting morphine the effect was reversed. The present study shows reduced internal drive to procure food by the food deprived animals, when they were under chronic pain. The effect was blocked by morphine, suggesting the role of opioids in modulating the motivation for getting food

Serum leptin and insulin levels during chronic diurnal fasting

Ramadan fasting is a unique model that is associated with restriction of the timing of food and fluid intake food from dawn to sunset and reduction in meal frequency and sleep duration. Leptin levels are thought to play a role in long-term regulation of caloric intake and fat deposition. However, the long-term changes in leptin levels during this pattern of fasting are not known. The study was conducted on lean (N=26, BMI = 22.5 ± 0.4) and obese (N=18, BMI=33.1±1.0) healthy female volunteers. Fasting serum levels of leptin, insulin and glucose were estimated at baseline (day 1), days 14 and 28 of the month of Ramadan and 2 weeks after Ramadan. Baseline serum levels of leptin were significantly higher in obese (13.5 ± 1.96μg/L, P&lt;0.05) compared with lean subjects (9.60 ± 0.80 μg/L) and correlated positively with body fat (r = 0.82, P = 0.0004). Serum leptin levels exhibited a significant and comparable increase by 39% and 37% throughout the month in lean and obese subjects, respectively. In addition, a significant correlation (r = 0.52, P = 0.003)) was found between changes in serum leptin and serum insulin levels. We conclude that chronic diurnal fasting is associated with significant elevations in serum leptin. These elevations appear to be mediated by changes in serum levels of insulin. These data support the role of insulin in the long-term regulation of leptin secretion during chronic diurnal fasting followed by nocturnal eating during the month of Ramadan. Key Words: leptin, insulin, Ramadan fasting, obesity, Bahrain Introduction Leptin, the product of the ob gene, appears to play a key role in long-term regulation of body weight and energy homeostasis. It coveys information to the brain about the size of energy stores and stimulates the hypothalamic centers responsible for regulation of energy intake and expenditure. 1,2 Plasma leptin levels are elevated in obese humans and are positively correlated with the indices of body fatness. 3-5 Previous studies indicated that short-term total fasting 6 or chronic reduction in caloric intake 7,8 results in reduction of leptin down to 30-66 % of its basal levels. However, the reduction of leptin levels in these studies did not correlate with the changes in body fat mass. On the other hand, chronic overfeeding is associated with significantly elevated levels of leptin than would be expected by the increase in body mass index or percentage of body fat

Global perspectives on children’s digital opportunities: an emerging research and policy agenda

Diverse international perspectives show that children can benefit greatly from digital opportunities. Despite widespread optimism about the potential of digital technologies, especially for information and education, the research reveals an insufficient evidence base to guide policy and practice across all continents of the world, especially in middle- and low-income countries. Beyond revealing pressing and sizeable gaps in knowledge, this cross- national review also reveals the importance of understanding local values and practices regarding the use of technologies. This leads us to stress that future researchers must take into account local contexts and existing inequalities and must share best practices internationally so that children can navigate the balance between risks and opportunities. This article documents the particular irony that while the world’s poorer countries look to research to find ways to increase access and accelerate the fair distribution of digital educational resources, the world’s wealthier countries look to research for guidance in managing excessive screen time, heavily commercial content, and technologies that intrude on autonomy and privacy. We conclude by recommending that digital divides should be carefully bridged with contextual sensitivity to avoid exacerbating existing disparities; that the provision of technological resources is complemented by a focus on skills enhancement, for teachers as well as students; that a keen eye is needed to ensure the balance of children’s protection and participation rights, with protection now including data abuses as well as safety considerations; and that we forge collaborations among all stakeholders in seeking to enhance children’s digital opportunities worldwide.Peer reviewe