Brain, behavior, and immunity
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Brain Behav. Immun. · May 2018
Human dorsal root ganglion pulsed radiofrequency treatment modulates cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytes and neuroinflammatory markers in chronic radicular pain.
Radicular pain is a common cause of disability. Traditionally treatment has been either epidural steroid injection providing short-term relief or surgery with associated complications. Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) applied to the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) is a minimally invasive day-care treatment, which is gaining significant clinical acceptance in a selective group of patients with pure radicular pain. ⋯ Our data revealed significant reductions in CD56+, CD3-, NK cell frequencies (p = 0.03) and IFN-γ levels (p = 0.03) in treatment responders, while CD8+ T cell frequencies (p = 0.02) and IL-6 levels were increased (p = 0.05). IL-17 inversely correlated with post-treatment pain severity score (p = 0.01) and pre and post-treatment pain interference scores (p = 0.03, p = 0.01). These results support the concept that chronic radicular pain is a centrally mediated neuroimmune phenomenon and the mechanism of action of DRG PRF treatment is immunomodulatory.
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Brain Behav. Immun. · May 2018
Cognitive benefits of lithium chloride in APP/PS1 mice are associated with enhanced brain clearance of β-amyloid.
Epidemiological evidence suggests that people with bipolar disorder prescribed lithium exhibit a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) relative to those prescribed other mood-stabilizing medicines. Lithium chloride (LiCl) reduces brain β-amyloid (Aβ) levels, and the brain clearance of Aβ is reduced in AD. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess whether the cognitive benefits of LiCl are associated with enhanced brain clearance of exogenously-administered Aβ. ⋯ While LiCl did not affect plaque-associated Aβ42, soluble Aβ42 levels were reduced by 49.9% in APP/PS1 mice receiving LiCl. The brain clearance of 125I-Aβ42 decreased by 27.8% in APP/PS1 mice, relative to WT mice, however, LiCl treatment restored brain 125I-Aβ42 clearance in APP/PS1 mice to a rate similar to that observed in WT mice. These findings suggest that the cognitive benefits and brain Aβ42 lowering effects of LiCl are associated with enhanced brain clearance of Aβ42, possibly via brain microvascular LRP1 upregulation and increased CSF bulk-flow, identifying a novel mechanism of protection by LiCl for the treatment of AD.