Brain research
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Exposure to chronic hypercortisolism has multiple adverse effects on brain biology in humans. Cushing's disease (CD) represents a unique and natural human model for examining the effects of hypercortisolism on the brain. This cross-sectional study used Diffusional Kurtosis Imaging (DKI) to investigate the microstructure alterations in both white matter (WM) and gray matter (GM) of CD patients and to determine the relationship of these changes with clinical characteristics. ⋯ Additionally, we also found altered kurtosis parameters in the cerebellum and frontal lobe. DKI imaging of CD patients could represent complementary information in both white matter and gray matter. The impairment of the left MTL might explain some part of the memory and cognition impairments in CD patients.
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Facial allodynia is a migraine symptom that is generally considered to represent a pivotal point in migraine progression. Treatment before development of facial allodynia tends to be more successful than treatment afterwards. As such, understanding the underlying mechanisms of facial allodynia may lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying migraine. ⋯ Pretreatment with either of two compounds broadly used as putative glial/immune inhibitors (minocycline, ibudilast) prevented the development of facial allodynia, as did treatment after supradural inflammatory soup but prior to the expression of facial allodynia. Lastly, the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) antagonist (+)-naltrexone likewise blocked development of facial allodynia after supradural inflammatory soup. Taken together, these exploratory data support that activated glia and/or immune cells may drive the development of facial allodynia in response to supradural inflammatory soup in unanesthetized male rats.
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Paradoxical sleep is closely associated with depression, and brain monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) plays an important role in depression. However, the precise relationship between sleep and depression and the role of MAOA in this process remains unknown. Therefore, we established a paradoxical sleep deprivation model using the "multiple small platforms over water" protocol. ⋯ In addition, the levels of the MAOA protein and mRNA in the amygdala and hippocampus significantly increased. Furthermore, the immobility time and sucrose preference rate of P5d mice recovered when the mice were injected with phenelzine. The P5d mice displayed depressive-like behaviors, which were likely modulated by the MAOA levels in the amygdala and hippocampus.