scholarly journals Clocks in the clinic: circadian rhythms in health and disease

2018 ◽  
Vol 94 (1117) ◽  
pp. 653-658 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachael M Kelly ◽  
Ultan Healy ◽  
Seamus Sreenan ◽  
John H McDermott ◽  
Andrew N Coogan

Circadian rhythms are endogenously generated recurring patterns of around 24 hours with well-established roles in physiology and behaviour. These circadian clocks are important in both the aetiology and treatment of various psychiatric and metabolic diseases. To maintain physiological homeostasis and optimal functioning, living life synchronised to these clocks is desirable; modern society, however, promotes a ‘24/7’ lifestyle where activity often occurs during the body’s ‘biological night’, resulting in mistimed sleep and circadian misalignment. This circadian desynchrony can increase the risk of disease and can also influence treatment response. Clinicians should be aware of the influence that circadian desynchrony can have on health and disease, in order to potentially develop new therapeutic strategies and to incorporate chronotherapeutics into current treatment strategies to enhance their utility.

2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 1902295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silke Ryan ◽  
Eoin P. Cummins ◽  
Ramon Farre ◽  
Alex Gileles-Hillel ◽  
Jonathan C. Jun ◽  
...  

In January 2019, a European Respiratory Society research seminar entitled “Targeting the detrimental effects of sleep disturbances and disorders” was held in Dublin, Ireland. It provided the opportunity to critically review the current evidence of pathophysiological responses of sleep disturbances, such as sleep deprivation, sleep fragmentation or circadian misalignment and of abnormalities in physiological gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, which occur frequently in respiratory conditions during sleep. A specific emphasis of the seminar was placed on the evaluation of the current state of knowledge of the pathophysiology of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Identification of the detailed mechanisms of these processes is of major importance to the field and this seminar offered an ideal platform to exchange knowledge, and to discuss pitfalls of current models and the design of future collaborative studies. In addition, we debated the limitations of current treatment strategies for cardiometabolic complications in OSA and discussed potentially valuable alternative approaches.


2016 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 549-603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jude S. Morton ◽  
Christy-Lynn Cooke ◽  
Sandra T. Davidge

The developmental origins of health and disease theory is based on evidence that a suboptimal environment during fetal and neonatal development can significantly impact the evolution of adult-onset disease. Abundant evidence exists that a compromised prenatal (and early postnatal) environment leads to an increased risk of hypertension later in life. Hypertension is a silent, chronic, and progressive disease defined by elevated blood pressure (>140/90 mmHg) and is strongly correlated with cardiovascular morbidity/mortality. The pathophysiological mechanisms, however, are complex and poorly understood, and hypertension continues to be one of the most resilient health problems in modern society. Research into the programming of hypertension has proposed pharmacological treatment strategies to reverse and/or prevent disease. In addition, modifications to the lifestyle of pregnant women might impart far-reaching benefits to the health of their children. As more information is discovered, more successful management of hypertension can be expected to follow; however, while pregnancy complications such as fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia, preterm birth, etc., continue to occur, their offspring will be at increased risk for hypertension. This article reviews the current knowledge surrounding the developmental origins of hypertension, with a focus on mechanistic pathways and targets for therapeutic and pharmacologic interventions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 412
Author(s):  
Katrien Van Dyck ◽  
Rita M. Pinto ◽  
Durgasruthi Pully ◽  
Patrick Van Dijck

Fungal and bacterial species interact with each other within polymicrobial biofilm communities in various niches of the human body. Interactions between these species can greatly affect human health and disease. Diseases caused by polymicrobial biofilms pose a major challenge in clinical settings because of their enhanced virulence and increased drug tolerance. Therefore, different approaches are being explored to treat fungal–bacterial biofilm infections. This review focuses on the main mechanisms involved in polymicrobial drug tolerance and the implications of the polymicrobial nature for the therapeutic treatment by highlighting clinically relevant fungal–bacterial interactions. Furthermore, innovative treatment strategies which specifically target polymicrobial biofilms are discussed.


VASA ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 313-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernemann ◽  
Bender ◽  
Melms ◽  
Brechtel ◽  
Kobba ◽  
...  

Interventional therapies using angioplasty and stenting of symptomatic stenosis of the proximal supraaortic vessels have evolved as safe and effective treatment strategies. The aim of this paper is to summarize the current treatment concepts for stenosis in the subclavian and brachiocephalic artery with regard to clinical indication, interventional technique including selection of the appropriate vascular approach and type of stent, angiographic and clinical short-term and long-term results and follow-up. The role of hybrid interventions for tandem stenoses of the carotid bifurcation and brachiocephalic artery is analysed. A systematic review of data for angioplasty and stenting of symptomatic extracranial vertebral artery stenosis is discussed with a special focus on restenosis rate.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (40) ◽  
pp. 5089-5099 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene Simonetta ◽  
Antonino Tuttolomondo ◽  
Mario Daidone ◽  
Salvatore Miceli ◽  
Antonio Pinto

: Fabry disease is an X-linked disorder of glycosphingolipid metabolism that results in progressive accumulation of neutral glycosphingolipids, predominantly globotriaosylsphingosine (Gb3) in lysosomes, as well as other cellular compartments of several tissues, causing multi-organ manifestations (acroparesthesias, hypohidrosis, angiokeratomas, signs and symptoms of cardiac, renal, cerebrovascular involvement). Pathogenic mutations lead to a deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme alpha-galactosidase A (GLA). In the presence of high clinical suspicion, a careful physical examination and specific laboratory tests are required. Finally, the diagnosis of Fabry’s disease is confirmed by the demonstration of the absence of or reduced alpha-galactosidase A enzyme activity in hemizygous men and gene typing in heterozygous females. Measurement of the biomarkers Gb3 and Lyso Gb3 in biological specimens may facilitate diagnosis. The current treatment of Anderson-Fabry disease is represented by enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) and oral pharmacological chaperone. Future treatments are based on new strategic approaches such as stem cell-based therapy, pharmacological approaches chaperones, mRNA therapy, and viral gene therapy. : This review outlines the current therapeutic approaches and emerging treatment strategies for Anderson-Fabry disease.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 495-521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline A. Murphy ◽  
Atul K. Garg ◽  
Joana Silva-Correia ◽  
Rui L. Reis ◽  
Joaquim M. Oliveira ◽  
...  

The treatment of meniscus injuries has recently been facing a paradigm shift toward the field of tissue engineering, with the aim of regenerating damaged and diseased menisci as opposed to current treatment techniques. This review focuses on the structure and mechanics associated with the meniscus. The meniscus is defined in terms of its biological structure and composition. Biomechanics of the meniscus are discussed in detail, as an understanding of the mechanics is fundamental for the development of new meniscal treatment strategies. Key meniscal characteristics such as biological function, damage (tears), and disease are critically analyzed. The latest technologies behind meniscal repair and regeneration are assessed.


Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 341
Author(s):  
Priusha Ravipati ◽  
Bice Conti ◽  
Enrica Chiesa ◽  
Karine Andrieux

Dermatillomania or skin picking disorder (SPD) is a chronic, recurrent, and treatment resistant neuropsychiatric disorder with an underestimated prevalence that has a concerning negative impact on an individual’s health and quality of life. The current treatment strategies focus on behavioral and pharmacological therapies that are not very effective. Thus, the primary objective of this review is to provide an introduction to SPD and discuss its current treatment strategies as well as to propose biomaterial-based physical barrier strategies as a supporting or alternative treatment. To this end, searches were conducted within the PubMed database and Google Scholar, and the results obtained were organized and presented as per the following categories: prevalence, etiology, consequences, diagnostic criteria, and treatment strategies. Furthermore, special attention was provided to alternative treatment strategies and biomaterial-based physical treatment strategies. A total of six products with the potential to be applied as physical barrier strategies in supporting SPD treatment were shortlisted and discussed. The results indicated that SPD is a complex, underestimated, and underemphasized neuropsychiatric disorder that needs heightened attention, especially with regard to its treatment and care. Moreover, the high synergistic potential of biomaterials and nanosystems in this area remains to be explored. Certain strategies that are already being utilized for wound healing can also be further exploited, particularly as far as the prevention of infections is concerned.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1311
Author(s):  
Xiuqin Chen ◽  
Eric Banan-Mwine Daliri ◽  
Akanksha Tyagi ◽  
Deog-Hwan Oh

The initiation and development of cariogenic (that is, caries-related) biofilms are the result of the disruption of homeostasis in the oral microenvironment. There is a daily accumulation of dental biofilm on the surface of teeth and its matrix of extracellular polymers supports the host in its defense against invading microbes, thus helping to achieve oral microbial homeostasis. However, the homeostasis can be broken down under certain circumstances such as during long-term exposure to a low pH environment which results in the dominance of acidogenic and acid-tolerating species in the dental biofilm and, thus, triggers the shift of harmless biofilm to an acidic one. This work aims to explore microbial diversity and the quorum sensing of dental biofilm and their important contributions to oral health and disease. The complex and multispecies ecosystems of the cariogenic biofilm pose significant challenges for the modulation of the oral microenvironment. Promising treatment strategies are those that target cariogenic niches with high specificity without disrupting the balance of the surrounding oral microbiota. Here, we summarized the recent advances in modulating cariogenic biofilm and/or controlling its pathogenic traits.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
pp. 4241
Author(s):  
Revathy Carnagarin ◽  
Kearney Tan ◽  
Leon Adams ◽  
Vance B. Matthews ◽  
Marcio G. Kiuchi ◽  
...  

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is the most common liver disease affecting a quarter of the global population and is often associated with adverse health outcomes. The increasing prevalence of MAFLD occurs in parallel to that of metabolic syndrome (MetS), which in fact plays a major role in driving the perturbations of cardiometabolic homeostasis. However, the mechanisms underpinning the pathogenesis of MAFLD are incompletely understood. Compelling evidence from animal and human studies suggest that heightened activation of the sympathetic nervous system is a key contributor to the development of MAFLD. Indeed, common treatment strategies for metabolic diseases such as diet and exercise to induce weight loss have been shown to exert their beneficial effects at least in part through the associated sympathetic inhibition. Furthermore, pharmacological and device-based approaches to reduce sympathetic activation have been demonstrated to improve the metabolic alterations frequently present in patients with obesity, MetSand diabetes. Currently available evidence, while still limited, suggests that sympathetic activation is of specific relevance in the pathogenesis of MAFLD and consequentially may offer an attractive therapeutic target to attenuate the adverse outcomes associated with MAFLD.


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