scholarly journals Neurobiology of Impulsivity and Aggression as Substrates of Suicidal Behavior: A Narrative Focus on the Involvement of Serum Lipids

Author(s):  
Hasan Gokcay ◽  
Yasin Hasan Balcioglu

Previous incidental findings of an increase of suicidal risk among subjects with low cholesterol levels have drawn attention to the role of lipids in suicidal behavior. To date, multiple lines of evidence acquired from clinical studies have confirmed an association between low cholesterol levels and suicidal behavior, but the involvement of dimensional traits including impulsivity and aggression in this association remains elusive. In this narrative review, we aimed to address and synthesize the literature regarding the involvement of lipids in the neurobiology of suicidal behavior and its underlying psychological substrates, impulsivity and aggression. An electronic database search was performed using different combinations of relevant keywords. Both preclinical and clinical studies matching the scope of this article were reviewed and filtered through an inspection of the abstracts to recruit the most suitable articles that contributed essential and substantial findings to the literature. Although subject characteristics and study designs vary across studies, current research has demonstrated that impulsivity and aggression might have shared neurobiologic substrates involved in altered serotonergic neurotransmission. Despite the association between low serum lipid levels and suicidal behavior being well documented, the involvement of lipid subtypes in the pathophysiology of impulsive and aggressive traits remains elusive. Further work is warranted to recognize the roles of lipids in neuronal membrane functions and serotonin metabolism, promote a greater appreciation of identifying biomarkers that could be used to determine at-risk individuals, and develop potential interventions to disrupt the pathogenesis of behavioral phenotypes of suicide.

1960 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. S. BOYD ◽  
M. F. OLIVER

SUMMARY 1. Certain analogues of thyroxine have been administered to twenty-six hypothyroid patients and 132 euthyroid hypercholesterolaemic men with coronary heart disease. The analogues studied were d-thyroxine, 3:5:3′:5′-tetraiodothyroformic acid, 3:5:3′:5′-tetraiodothyronamine, 3:5:3′-triiodo-l-thyronine, 3:5:3′-triiodo-d-thyronine, 3:5:3′-triiodothyroacetic acid, 3:5-diiodo-l-thyronine, 3:5-diiodo-d-thyronine and 3:5-diiodothyroacetic acid. 2. In both hypothyroid and euthyroid patients, most of these analogues reduced the serum cholesterol without necessarily elevating the basal metabolic rate (b.m.r.). Nevertheless, in euthyroid patients with coronary heart disease several produced angina in the absence of any change in b.m.r. and this has been regarded as a sign of increased myocardial metabolism insufficient to be reflected in the overall measure of b.m.r. of all tissues. The possible differential effect of these analogues on the oxygen requirements of various tissues is discussed. 3. Although it has been possible to maintain low cholesterol levels for periods up to 3 months during the administration of several of these analogues, the dose required for this purpose was often so close to the dose which provoked angina that most cannot be recommended for widespread administration for the reduction of the hypercholesterolaemia frequently found in patients who have coronary heart disease. d-Thyroxine may prove to be an exception and requires further clinical assessment.


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 1591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarai Quirante-Moya ◽  
Paula García-Ibañez ◽  
Francisco Quirante-Moya ◽  
Débora Villaño ◽  
Diego A. Moreno

Brassica vegetables and their components, the glucosinolates, have been suggested as good candidates as dietary coadjutants to improve health in non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Different preclinical and clinical studies have been performed in the last decade; however, some concerns have been posed on the lack of established and standardized protocols. The different concentration of bioactive compounds used, time of intervention or sample size, and the lack of blinding are some factors that may influence the studies’ outcomes. This review aims to analyze the critical points of the studies performed with Brassica-related biomolecules and propose some bases for future trials in order to avoid biases.


CNS Spectrums ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Funda Akkus ◽  
Sylvia Terbeck ◽  
Connor J. Haggarty ◽  
Valerie Treyer ◽  
Janan J. Dietrich ◽  
...  

Abstract This review summarizes the evidence for the potential involvement of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) in the development of nicotine addiction. Nicotine is consumed worldwide and is highly addictive. Previous research has extensively investigated the role of dopamine in association with reward learning and addiction, which has provided strong evidence for the involvement of dopaminergic neuronal circuitry in nicotine addiction. More recently, researchers focused on glutamatergic transmission after nicotine abuse, and its involvement in the reinforcing and rewarding effects of nicotine addiction. A number of robust preclinical and clinical studies have shown mGluR5 signaling as a facilitating mechanism of nicotine addiction and nicotine withdrawal. Specifically, clinical studies have illustrated lower cortical mGluR5 density in smokers compared to nonsmokers in the human brain. In addition, mGluR5 might selectively regulate craving and withdrawal. This suggests that mGluR5 could be a key receptor in the development of nicotine addiction and therefore clinical trials to examine the therapeutic potential of mGluR5 agents could help to contribute to reduce nicotine addiction in society.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gioacchino Calapai ◽  
Carmen Mannucci ◽  
Ioanna Chinou ◽  
Luigi Cardia ◽  
Fabrizio Calapai ◽  
...  

Background. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a major chemical compound present in Cannabis sativa. CBD is a nonpsychotomimetic substance, and it is considered one of the most promising candidates for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Objective. The aim of this review is to illustrate the state of art about scientific research and the evidence of effectiveness of CBD in psychiatric patients. Methods. This review collects the main scientific findings on the potential role of CBD in the psychiatric field, and results of clinical trials carried out on psychiatric patients are commented. A research was conducted in the PUBMED, SCOPUS, and ScienceDirect databases using combinations of the words cannabidiol, psychiatry, and neuropsychiatric. Results. Preclinical and clinical studies on potential role of CBD in psychiatry were collected and further discussed. We found four clinical studies describing the effects of CBD in psychiatric patients: two studies about schizophrenic patients and the other two studies carried out on CBD effects in patients affected by generalized social anxiety disorder (SAD). Conclusion. Results from these studies are promising and suggest that CBD may have a role in the development of new therapeutic strategies in mental diseases, and they justify an in-depth commitment in this field. However, clinical evidence we show for CBD in psychiatric patients is instead still poor and limited to schizophrenia and anxiety, and it needs to be implemented with further studies carried out on psychiatric patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 150 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 2538S-2547S
Author(s):  
Gerdien C Ligthart-Melis ◽  
Mariëlle P K J Engelen ◽  
Sunday Y Simbo ◽  
Gabrie A M Ten Have ◽  
John J Thaden ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The central position of methionine (Met) in protein metabolism indicates the importance of this essential amino acid for growth and maintenance of lean body mass. Therefore, Met might be a tempting candidate for supplementation. However, because Met is also the precursor of homocysteine (Hcy), a deficient intake of B vitamins or excessive intake of Met may result in hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy), which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This review discusses the evidence generated in preclinical and clinical studies on the importance and potentially harmful effects of Met supplementation and elaborates on potential clinical applications of supplemental Met with reference to clinical studies performed over the past 20 y. Recently acquired knowledge about the NOAEL (no observed adverse effect level) of 46.3 mg · kg-1 · d-1 and the LOAEL (lowest observed adverse effect level) of 91 mg · kg-1 · d-1 of supplemented Met will guide the design of future studies to further establish the role of Met as a potential (safe) candidate for nutritional supplementation in clinical applications.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
pp. 174480692110066
Author(s):  
Amrita Prasad, MD ◽  
Krishnan Chakravarthy, MD

Background Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a progressive and painful disease of the extremities that is characterized by continuous pain inconsistent with the initial trauma. CRPS is caused by a multi-mechanism process that involves both the peripheral and central nervous system, with a prominent role of inflammation in CRPS pathophysiology. This review examines what is currently known about the CRPS inflammatory and pain mechanisms, as well as the possible impact of neurostimulation therapies on the neuroimmune axis of CRPS. Study design A narrative review of preclinical and clinical studies provided an overview of the pain and inflammatory mechanisms in CRPS and addressed the effect of neurostimulation on immunomodulation. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted based on the PRISMA guidelines between September 2015 to September 2020. Data sources included relevant literature identified through searches of PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Results Sixteen preclinical and eight clinical studies were reviewed. Preclinical studies identified different mechanisms of pain development in the acute and chronic CRPS phases. Several preclinical and clinical studies investigating inflammatory mechanisms, autoimmunity, and genetic profiles in CRPS, supported a role of neuroinflammation in the pathophysiology of CRPS. The immunomodulatory effects of neurostimulation therapy is still unclear, despite clinical improvement in the CRPS patients. Conclusions Increasing evidence supports a role for inflammation and neuroinflammation in CRPS pathophysiology. Preliminary neurostimulation findings, together with the role of (neuro)inflammation in CRPS, seems to provide a compelling rationale for its use in CRPS pain treatment. The possible immunomodulatory effects of neurostimulation opens new therapeutic possibilities, however further research is needed to gain a better understanding of the working mechanisms.


Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1325
Author(s):  
Ilenia Cirilli ◽  
Elisabetta Damiani ◽  
Phiwayinkosi Vusi Dludla ◽  
Iain Hargreaves ◽  
Fabio Marcheggiani ◽  
...  

The present review focuses on preclinical and clinical studies conducted in the last decade that contribute to increasing knowledge on Coenzyme Q10’s role in health and disease. Classical antioxidant and bioenergetic functions of the coenzyme have been taken into consideration, as well as novel mechanisms of action involving the redox-regulated activation of molecular pathways associated with anti-inflammatory activities. Cardiovascular research and fertility remain major fields of application of Coenzyme Q10, although novel applications, in particular in relation to topical application, are gaining considerable interest. In this respect, bioavailability represents a major challenge and the innovation in formulation aspects is gaining critical importance.


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 1194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugenio Cavalli ◽  
Rosella Ciurleo ◽  
Maria Cristina Petralia ◽  
Paolo Fagone ◽  
Rita Bella ◽  
...  

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most frequent extracranial pediatric tumor. Despite the current available multiple therapeutic options, the prognosis for high-risk NB patients remains unsatisfactory and makes the disease a clear unmet medical need. Thus, more tailored therapeutic approaches are warranted to improve both the quality of life and the survival of the patients. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pleiotropic cytokine that plays a key role in several diseases, including cancer. Preclinical and clinical studies in NB patients convergently indicate that MIF exerts pro-tumorigenic properties in NB. MIF is upregulated in NB tumor tissues and cell lines and it contributes to NB aggressiveness and immune-escape. To date, there are only a few data about the role of the second member of the MIF family, the MIF homolog d-dopachrome tautomerase (DDT), in NB. Here, we review the preclinical and clinical studies on the role of the MIF family of cytokines in NB and suggest that MIF and possibly DDT inhibitors may be promising novel prognostic and therapeutic targets in NB management.


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