Neuroplastic and cognitive impairment in substance use disorders: a therapeutic potential of cognitive stimulation

Author manuscriptDrug addiction is a chronic and relapsing disorder in which repeated drug exposure compromises brain neuroplasticity. Brain areas normally involved in learning and goal- directed behaviors become corrupted, which may lead to cognitive deficits that coexist with other addiction symptoms and predict a worse treatment outcome. New learning experiences that are not motivated by drugs may improve both cognitive deficits and drug-induced symptoms by promoting adaptive neuroplastic changes that could alleviate or reverse those involved in addiction. The present review will focus on whether potentiating healthy cognitive function, either by formal cognitive training or non-drug related environmental experiences, could exert beneficial effects in the therapeutics of addiction. Although additional studies are needed, the available clinical and preclinical evidence suggests that cognitive stimulation may provide a valuable adjuvant intervention in drug addiction.This study was funded by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Agencia Estatal de Investigación) co-founded by the European Research Development Fund-AEI/FEDER, UE- (PSI2015-73156-JIN to E.C.O.; PSI2017-82604R to L.J.S.), Red de Trastornos Adictivos (RD16/0017/0001 to F.R.F.), Plan Nacional sobre Drogas, Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad (PNSD2015/047 to J.S.) and the University of Málaga (Plan Propio 2017 – ‘Ayudas para proyectos dirigidos por jóvenes investigadores’, PPIT.UMA.B1.2017/38 to P.S.P). Author P.S.P. holds a ‘Juan de la Cierva-formación’ grant from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (code: FJCI-2015-23925). Author D.L.G.M. holds a ‘FPU’ grant from the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (code: FPU13/04819). Authors J.S., A.S. and F.J.P. hold ‘Miguel Servet’ grants (codes: CPII17/00024, CP14/00173 and CP14/00212, respectively) from the National System of Health-Instituto de Salud Carlos- III co-funded by FEDER, UE. Author E.C.O. holds a ‘Jóvenes Investigadores’ grant (code: PSI2015-73156-JIN) from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Agencia Estatal de Investigación) co-funded by FEDER, UE

Quantum decoherence of excitons in a leaky cavity with quasimode

For the excitons in the quantum well placed within a leaky cavity, the quantum decoherence of a mesoscopically superposed states is investigated based on the factorization theory for quantum dissipation. It is found that the coherence of the exciton superposition states will decrease in an oscillating form when the cavity field interacting with the exciton is of the form of quasimode. The effect of the thermal cavity fields on the quantum decoherence of the superposition states of the exciton is studied and it is observed that the higher the temperature of the environment is, the shorter the decoherence characteristic time is.Comment: 1 figure, 7 page

Is the vascularization percentage of the corpora lutea during the initial luteal phase affected by the dose of pFSH used in the superovulatory treatment of sheep?.

Abstract: The in vivo production of embryos is used to accelerate the multiplication of the herds, but the efficiency of this biotechnology is widely variable in small ruminants. The variability of the superovulatory responses and the production of viable embryos has been related to several factors, including the dose of gonadotrophin used in the hormonal treatment of superovulation, and the occurrence of prematurely regressing corpora lutea. In this context, the present study was performed to evaluate the effect of different doses of pFSH on the superovulatory response and vascularization percentage of the corpora lutea (CLs) formed. In conclusion, the vascularization percentage of the corpora lutea during the initial luteal phase is affected by the dose of pFSH used in the superovulatory treatment of sheep. Despite this, the superovulatory response does not differ between doses of pFSH. Further studies are needed to determine the relationship between the vascularization percentage of the corpora lutea and its functionality. [O percentual de vascularização de corpos lúteos durante a fase luteal inicial é afetado pela dose de pFSH usada no tratamento superovulatório de ovelhas?]Edição dos resumos do XXIII Congresso Brasileiro de Reprodução Animal, Gramado, RS, Brasil, 15 a 17 de maio 2019

Developmental consequences of perinatal cannabis exposure: behavioral and neuroendocrine effects in adult rodents

Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug among pregnant women. Since the endocannabinoid system plays a crucial role in brain development, maternal exposure to cannabis derivatives might result in long-lasting neurobehavioral abnormalities in the exposed offspring. It is difficult to detect these effects, and their underlying neurobiological mechanisms, in clinical cohorts, because of their intrinsic methodological and interpretative issues. The present paper reviews relevant rodent studies examining the long-term behavioral consequences of exposure to cannabinoid compounds during pregnancy and/or lactation. Maternal exposure to even low doses of cannabinoid compounds results in atypical locomotor activity, cognitive impairments, altered emotional behavior, and enhanced sensitivity to drugs of abuse in the adult rodent offspring. Some of the observed behavioral abnormalities might be related to alterations in stress hormone levels induced by maternal cannabis exposure. There is increasing evidence from animal studies showing that cannabinoid drugs are neuroteratogens which induce enduring neurobehavioral abnormalities in the exposed offspring. Several preclinical findings reviewed in this paper are in line with clinical studies reporting hyperactivity, cognitive impairments and altered emotionality in humans exposed in utero to cannabis. Conversely, genetic, environmental and social factors could also influence the neurobiological effects of early cannabis exposure in humans

Multi-Wavelength Observations of the Blazar 1ES 1011+496 in Spring 2008

The BL Lac object 1ES 1011+496 was discovered at Very High Energy gamma-rays by MAGIC in spring 2007. Before that the source was little studied in different wavelengths. Therefore a multi-wavelength (MWL) campaign was organized in spring 2008. Along MAGIC, the MWL campaign included the Metsahovi radio observatory, Bell and KVA optical telescopes and the Swift and AGILE satellites. MAGIC observations span from March to May, 2008 for a total of 27.9 hours, of which 19.4 hours remained after quality cuts. The light curve showed no significant variability. The differential VHE spectrum could be described with a power-law function. Both results were similar to those obtained during the discovery. Swift XRT observations revealed an X-ray flare, characterized by a harder when brighter trend, as is typical for high synchrotron peak BL Lac objects (HBL). Strong optical variability was found during the campaign, but no conclusion on the connection between the optical and VHE gamma-ray bands could be drawn. The contemporaneous SED shows a synchrotron dominated source, unlike concluded in previous work based on nonsimultaneous data, and is well described by a standard one zone synchrotron self Compton model. We also performed a study on the source classification. While the optical and X-ray data taken during our campaign show typical characteristics of an HBL, we suggest, based on archival data, that 1ES 1011+496 is actually a borderline case between intermediate and high synchrotron peak frequency BL Lac objects.Comment: 13 pages, accepted for publication in MNRA

Investigating the peculiar emission from the new VHE gamma-ray source H1722+119

The MAGIC (Major Atmospheric Gamma-ray Imaging Cherenkov) telescopes observed the BL Lac object H1722+119 (redshift unknown) for six consecutive nights between 2013 May 17 and 22, for a total of 12.5 h. The observations were triggered by high activity in the optical band measured by the KVA (Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien) telescope. The source was for the first time detected in the very high energy (VHE, $E > 100$ GeV) $\gamma$-ray band with a statistical significance of 5.9 $\sigma$. The integral flux above 150 GeV is estimated to be $(2.0\pm 0.5)$ per cent of the Crab Nebula flux. We used contemporaneous high energy (HE, 100 MeV $< E < 100$ GeV) $\gamma$-ray observations from Fermi-LAT (Large Area Telescope) to estimate the redshift of the source. Within the framework of the current extragalactic background light models, we estimate the redshift to be $z = 0.34 \pm 0.15$. Additionally, we used contemporaneous X-ray to radio data collected by the instruments on board the Swift satellite, the KVA, and the OVRO (Owens Valley Radio Observatory) telescope to study multifrequency characteristics of the source. We found no significant temporal variability of the flux in the HE and VHE bands. The flux in the optical and radio wavebands, on the other hand, did vary with different patterns. The spectral energy distribution (SED) of H1722+119 shows surprising behaviour in the $\sim 3\times10^{14} - 10^{18}$ Hz frequency range. It can be modelled using an inhomogeneous helical jet synchrotron self-Compton model.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, 2 table

Cognitive impairment induced by delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol occurs through heteromers between cannabinoid CB1 and serotonin 5-HT2A receptors

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound of marijuana, induces numerous undesirable effects, including memory impairments, anxiety, and dependence. Conversely, THC also has potentially therapeutic effects, including analgesia, muscle relaxation, and neuroprotection. However, the mechanisms that dissociate these responses are still not known. Using mice lacking the serotonin receptor 5-HT2A, we revealed that the analgesic and amnesic effects of THC are independent of each other: while amnesia induced by THC disappears in the mutant mice, THC can still promote analgesia in these animals. In subsequent molecular studies, we showed that in specific brain regions involved in memory formation, the receptors for THC and the 5-HT2A receptors work together by physically interacting with each other. Experimentally interfering with this interaction prevented the memory deficits induced by THC, but not its analgesic properties. Our results highlight a novel mechanism by which the beneficial analgesic properties of THC can be dissociated from its cognitive side effects

First broadband characterization and redshift determination of the VHE blazar MAGIC J2001+439

We aim to characterize the broadband emission from 2FGL J2001.1+4352, which has been associated with the unknown-redshift blazar MG4 J200112+4352. Based on its gamma-ray spectral properties, it was identified as a potential very high energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) gamma-ray emitter. The source was observed with MAGIC first in 2009 and later in 2010 within a multi-instrument observation campaign. The MAGIC observations yielded 14.8 hours of good quality stereoscopic data. The object was monitored at radio, optical and gamma-ray energies during the years 2010 and 2011. The source, named MAGIC J2001+439, is detected for the first time at VHE with MAGIC at a statistical significance of 6.3 {\sigma} (E > 70 GeV) during a 1.3-hour long observation on 2010 July 16. The multi-instrument observations show variability in all energy bands with the highest amplitude of variability in the X-ray and VHE bands. We also organized deep imaging optical observations with the Nordic Optical Telescope in 2013 to determine the source redshift. We determine for the first time the redshift of this BL Lac object through the measurement of its host galaxy during low blazar activity. Using the observational evidence that the luminosities of BL Lac host galaxies are confined to a relatively narrow range, we obtain z = 0.18 +/- 0.04. Additionally, we use the Fermi-LAT and MAGIC gamma-ray spectra to provide an independent redshift estimation, z = 0.17 +/- 0.10. Using the former (more accurate) redshift value, we adequately describe the broadband emission with a one-zone SSC model for different activity states and interpret the few-day timescale variability as produced by changes in the high-energy component of the electron energy distribution.Comment: 17 pages, 15 figures, Accepted for publication in A&