Postnatal development: coordination of feeding, digestion, and metabolism

The rat is immature at birth and undergoes major developmental changes at the end of the suckling period. This review deals with the maturation of ingestive behavior, gastrointestinal digestive and absorptive functions, liver metabolism, and brain structure and function. Each aspect of development is physiologically correlated with the dietary transition of weaning. However, it is unlikely that the process of weaning acts as a cue for the ontogenic changes. In contrast, there is strong evidence for an important role of both thyroxine and corticosterone as coordinators of maturational events in various organ systems.

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Brain structure and function related to headache: Brainstem structure and function in headache

Cephalalgia ◽

10.1177/0333102418784698 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 39 (13) ◽

pp. 1635-1660 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Marta Vila-Pueyo ◽

Jan Hoffmann ◽

Marcela Romero-Reyes ◽

Simon Akerman

Keyword(s):

Primary Headache ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Affective Processing ◽

Primary Headaches ◽

Headache Disorders ◽

Primary Headache Disorders ◽

Brain Structure And Function ◽

And Function ◽

The Brain

Objective To review and discuss the literature relevant to the role of brainstem structure and function in headache. Background Primary headache disorders, such as migraine and cluster headache, are considered disorders of the brain. As well as head-related pain, these headache disorders are also associated with other neurological symptoms, such as those related to sensory, homeostatic, autonomic, cognitive and affective processing that can all occur before, during or even after headache has ceased. Many imaging studies demonstrate activation in brainstem areas that appear specifically associated with headache disorders, especially migraine, which may be related to the mechanisms of many of these symptoms. This is further supported by preclinical studies, which demonstrate that modulation of specific brainstem nuclei alters sensory processing relevant to these symptoms, including headache, cranial autonomic responses and homeostatic mechanisms. Review focus This review will specifically focus on the role of brainstem structures relevant to primary headaches, including medullary, pontine, and midbrain, and describe their functional role and how they relate to mechanisms of primary headaches, especially migraine.

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Morphofunctional platform for forming clinical symptoms of celiakia in children with connective tissue dysplasia

Experimental and Clinical Gastroenterology ◽

10.31146/1682-8658-ecg-188-4-129-135 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 129-135

Author(s):

Z. V. Nesterenko

Keyword(s):

Celiac Disease ◽

Connective Tissue ◽

Clinical Manifestations ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Connective Tissue Disorders ◽

Diverse Range ◽

Organ Systems ◽

And Function ◽

The Impact

Review article on the problem of celiac disease, which is widespread with diverse range of clinical manifestations and inadequate diagnosis, is presented. The conciderable prevalence of connective tissue disorders in the pediatric population, the important role of connective tissue in the function of all organ systems, including the gastrointestinal system, necessitates studying the impact of the impaired structure and function of connective tissue on the development of celiac symptoms. The paper describes the historical development of the concept of “celiac disease”, the process of studying the pattern of the onset and development of symptoms of the disease; modern studies explaining the varied complex mechanisms of the disease.The article cites the researchers who studied the role of connective tissue in the structure and function of all body systems with identifying the impact of connective tissue disorders on the development of the gastrointestinal pathology (abnormal motor- tonic activity, reflux disease, dysbiosis, disturbance of autonomic homeostasis) and the manifestation of celiac disease associated with connective tissue disorders.The conclusion stresses the need to consider the problem of celiac disease as a manifestation of the pathology of the whole organism with the obligatory diagnosis of comorbid diseases, including those associated with connective tissue disorders, which will provide a more successful therapy for celiac disease and an improved prognosis.

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Sex Differences in Cognition: The New Rise of Biologism

The Australian Educational and Developmental Psychologist ◽

10.1017/s0816512200026730 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 2-5

Author(s):

Lesley J. Rogers

Keyword(s):

Sex Differences ◽

Brain Structure ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Representation Of Women ◽

Brain Structure And Function ◽

Environmental Stimulation ◽

And Function ◽

The Brain

AbstractCurrently there is an increase in the number of articles published in scientific journals and in the popular scientific media that claim a biological basis for sex differences in cognition and in certain structures in the brain. It can be argued that there is over-emphasis on the differences rather than similarities between the sexes, but it is even more important to question the assumed causation of the differences. This paper discusses recent evidence for an interactive role of early experience and hormonal condition in determining sex differences in brain structure and function. Although early studies using rats were thought to show that the male sex hormone, testosterone, acts on the brain in early life to direct its differentiation into either the male or female form, it is know known that this result comes about indirectly by changing the mother’s behaviour towards the pups. The hormone does not act on the brain directly but rather it alters the environment in which the young animals are rasied and this, in turn, influences the development of the brain. Indeed, the brain is in dynamic register with its environment both during development and in adulthood. Other examples also show that old ideas of rigid biological determination of brain structure and function need to be laid aside.The hypotheses for hormonal causation of sex differences humans rely heavily, if not exclusively, on the earlier interpretation of the experiments with rats, and there seems to be resistance to changing these notions based on the new discoveries. Apparently, there is strong pressure to cling on to biological determinist theories for sex differences in behaviour, and this has profound effects on social and educational policy. For example, biological determinism has been used to justify under representation of women in certain professions. Realisation of the dramatic effects that environmental stimulation and learning can have on the development of brain and behaviour leads us to an optimistic position for social change towards equality for women.

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The role of regulatory peptides in postnatal metabolic adaptation

Acta Endocrinologica ◽

10.1530/acta.0.112s422 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 113 (4_Suppl) ◽

pp. S422-S427

Author(s):

A Aynsley-Green

Keyword(s):

Regulatory Peptides ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Developmental Changes ◽

Metabolic Adaptation ◽

Intravenous Nutrition ◽

Postnatal Environment ◽

And Function ◽

Physiological Systems ◽

Milk Feeding

Abstract Major changes occur after the umbilical cord is cut at birth in the structure and function of several physiological systems which enable the newborn baby to adapt from an intrauterine milieu of continuous intravenous nutrition via the placenta to a postnatal environment of intermittent enteral feeding with milk. The secretion of regulatory peptides from the gut and pancreas in response to enteral milk feeding may have a fundamental role in initiating and regulating the cascade of developmental changes needed for the utilization of food which occur after birth.

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The Role of Brain Structure and Function in the Association Between Inflammation and Depressive Symptoms

Psychosomatic Medicine ◽

10.1097/psy.0000000000000311 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 78 (4) ◽

pp. 389-400 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Michelle L. Byrne ◽

Sarah Whittle ◽

Nicholas B. Allen

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Brain Structure ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Brain Structure And Function ◽

And Function

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The genetics of circulating BDNF: towards understanding the role of BDNF in brain structure and function in middle and old ages

Brain Communications ◽

10.1093/braincomms/fcaa176 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Shuo Li ◽

Galit Weinstein ◽

Habil Zare ◽

Alexander Teumer ◽

Uwe Völker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Genetic Polymorphism ◽

Brain Structure ◽

Mendelian Randomization ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Bdnf Gene ◽

Brain Structure And Function ◽

And Function

Abstract Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in brain development and function. Substantial amounts of BDNF are present in peripheral blood, and may serve as biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease incidence as well as targets for intervention to reduce Alzheimer’s disease risk. With the exception of the genetic polymorphism in the BDNF gene, Val66Met, which has been extensively studied with regard to neurodegenerative diseases, the genetic variation that influences circulating BDNF levels is unknown. We aimed to explore the genetic determinants of circulating BDNF levels in order to clarify its mechanistic involvement in brain structure and function and Alzheimer’s disease pathophysiology in middle-aged and old adults. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis of genome-wide association study of circulating BDNF in 11 785 middle- and old-aged individuals of European ancestry from the Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study (AGES), the Framingham Heart Study (FHS), the Rotterdam Study and the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-Trend). Furthermore, we performed functional annotation analysis and related the genetic polymorphism influencing circulating BDNF to common Alzheimer’s disease pathologies from brain autopsies. Mendelian randomization was conducted to examine the possible causal role of circulating BDNF levels with various phenotypes including cognitive function, stroke, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, physical activity and diet patterns. Gene interaction networks analysis was also performed. The estimated heritability of BDNF levels was 30% (standard error = 0.0246, P-value = 4 × 10−48). We identified seven novel independent loci mapped near the BDNF gene and in BRD3, CSRNP1, KDELC2, RUNX1 (two single-nucleotide polymorphisms) and BDNF-AS. The expression of BDNF was associated with neurofibrillary tangles in brain tissues from the Religious Orders Study and Rush Memory and Aging Project (ROSMAP). Seven additional genes (ACAT1, ATM, NPAT, WDR48, TTC21A, SCN114 and COX7B) were identified through expression and protein quantitative trait loci analyses. Mendelian randomization analyses indicated a potential causal role of BDNF in cardioembolism. Lastly, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis placed circulating BDNF levels in four major networks. Our study provides novel insights into genes and molecular pathways associated with circulating BDNF levels and highlights the possible involvement of plaque instability as an underlying mechanism linking BDNF with brain neurodegeneration. These findings provide a foundation for a better understanding of BDNF regulation and function in the context of brain aging and neurodegenerative pathophysiology.

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