scholarly journals The Gasotransmitter Hydrogen Sulfide and the Neuropeptide Oxytocin as Potential Mediators of Beneficial Cardiovascular Effects through Meditation after Traumatic Events

Trauma Care ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 183-194
Author(s):  
Oscar McCook ◽  
Nicole Denoix ◽  
Tamara Merz
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Sulfide ◽  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Cardiovascular Effects ◽  
Psychological Trauma ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Cardiovascular Complications ◽  
Central Regulation ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Cardio Protection

Trauma and its related psychological and somatic consequences are associated with higher cardiovascular morbidity. The regulation of both the gasotransmitter hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) have been reported to be affected during physical and psychological trauma. Both mediators are likely molecular correlates of trauma-induced cardiovascular complications, because they share parallel roles and signaling pathways in the cardiovascular system, both locally as well as on the level of central regulation and the vagus nerve. Meditation can alter the structure of specific brain regions and can have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. This perspective article summarizes the evidence pointing toward the significance of H2S and OT signaling in meditation-mediated cardio-protection.

scholarly journals A Novel Promising Frontier for Human Health: The Beneficial Effects of Nutraceuticals in Cardiovascular Diseases

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (22) ◽  
pp. 8706
Author(s):  
Albino Carrizzo ◽  
Carmine Izzo ◽  
Maurizio Forte ◽  
Eduardo Sommella ◽  
Paola Di Pietro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Diseases ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Cardiovascular Effects ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Significant Public Health ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
The Individual

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and diabetes are a significant public health problem worldwide. Although several novel pharmacological treatments to reduce the progression of CVDs have been discovered during the last 20 years, the better way to contain the onset of CVDs remains prevention. In this regard, nutraceuticals seem to own a great potential in maintaining human health, exerting important protective cardiovascular effects. In the last years, there has been increased focus on identifying natural compounds with cardiovascular health-promoting effects and also to characterize the molecular mechanisms involved. Although many review articles have focused on the individual natural compound impact on cardiovascular diseases, the aim of this manuscript was to examine the role of the most studied nutraceuticals, such as resveratrol, cocoa, quercetin, curcumin, brassica, berberine and Spirulina platensis, on different CVDs.

Cost Comparison of Parenteral Estrogen and Conventional Hormonal Treatment in Patients With Prostatic Cancer

1991 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 220-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Henriksson ◽  
Reinhard Stege
Keyword(s):  
Prostatic Cancer ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Estrogen Therapy ◽  
Hormonal Treatment ◽  
Cardiovascular Effects ◽  
Psychological Trauma ◽  
Cardiovascular Complications ◽  
Cost Comparison ◽  
First Year ◽  
The Cost

AbstractThe present study compares the cost of antitumor therapy and adverse cardiovascular effects during the first year of treatment with oral estrogens, nonoral estrogens, or surgical castration in patients with prostatic cancer. We found a much higher cost for patients treated with orchidectomy and oral estrogens than for patients treated with nonoral estrogens. Twenty-five percent of the patients treated with oral estrogen suffered cardiovascular complications, compared to none of the patients treated by orchidectomy or nonoral estrogens. The initial cost of orchidectomy as compared to nonoral estrogen treatment was shown not to be balanced within the expected survival time of patients with advanced prostatic cancer. Furthermore, surgical castration causes psychological trauma to the patient. We recommend parenteral estrogen therapy as a low-cost therapeutic regimen in patients with prostatic cancer.

scholarly journals Brain angiotensin converting enzyme-2 in central cardiovascular regulation

2020 ◽  
Vol 134 (19) ◽  
pp. 2535-2547
Author(s):  
Mazher Mohammed ◽  
Clara Berdasco ◽  
Eric Lazartigues
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Renin Angiotensin System ◽  
Cardiovascular Effects ◽  
Cardiovascular Regulation ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Ang Ii ◽  
Converting Enzyme ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Neuro Inflammation

Abstract The brain renin–angiotensin system (RAS) plays an important role in the regulation of autonomic and neuroendocrine functions, and maintains cardiovascular homeostasis. Ang-II is the major effector molecule of RAS and exerts most of its physiological functions, including blood pressure (BP) regulation, via activation of AT1 receptors. Dysregulation of brain RAS in the central nervous system results in increased Ang-II synthesis that leads to sympathetic outflow and hypertension. Brain angiotensin (Ang) converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) was discovered two decades ago as an RAS component, exhibiting a counter-regulatory role and opposing the adverse cardiovascular effects produced by Ang-II. Studies using synthetic compounds that can sustain the elevation of ACE2 activity or genetically overexpressed ACE2 in specific brain regions found various beneficial effects on cardiovascular function. More recently, ACE2 has been shown to play critical roles in neuro-inflammation, gut dysbiosis and the regulation of stress and anxiety-like behaviors. In the present review, we aim to highlight the anatomical locations and functional implication of brain ACE2 related to its BP regulation via modulation of the sympathetic nervous system and discuss the recent developments and future directions in the ACE2-mediated central cardiovascular regulation.

Targeting AMPK in Diabetes and Diabetic Complications: Energy Homeostasis, Autophagy and Mitochondrial Health

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (27) ◽  
pp. 5207-5229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y.V. Madhavi ◽  
Nikhil Gaikwad ◽  
Veera Ganesh Yerra ◽  
Anil Kumar Kalvala ◽  
Srinivas Nanduri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diabetic Complications ◽  
Energy Homeostasis ◽  
Cardiovascular Complications ◽  
Living System ◽  
Animal Models Of Disease ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Inflammatory Processes ◽  
Energy Sensing ◽  
Healthy Functioning ◽  
Models Of Disease

Adenosine 5′-monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key enzymatic protein involved in linking the energy sensing to the metabolic manipulation. It is a serine/threonine kinase activated by several upstream kinases. AMPK is a heterotrimeric protein complex regulated by AMP, ADP, and ATP allosterically. AMPK is ubiquitously expressed in various tissues of the living system such as heart, kidney, liver, brain and skeletal muscles. Thus malfunctioning of AMPK is expected to harbor several human pathologies especially diseases associated with metabolic and mitochondrial dysfunction. AMPK activators including synthetic derivatives and several natural products that have been found to show therapeutic relief in several animal models of disease. AMP, 5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide riboside (AICA riboside) and A769662 are important activators of AMPK which have potential therapeutic importance in diabetes and diabetic complications. AMPK modulation has shown beneficial effects against diabetes, cardiovascular complications and diabetic neuropathy. The major impact of AMPK modulation ensures healthy functioning of mitochondria and energy homeostasis in addition to maintaining a strict check on inflammatory processes, autophagy and apoptosis. Structural studies on AMP and AICAR suggest that the free amino group is imperative for AMPK stimulation. A769662, a non-nucleoside thienopyridone compound which resulted from the lead optimization studies on A-592107 and several other related compound is reported to exhibit a promising effect on diabetes and its complications through activation of AMPK. Subsequent to the discovery of A769662, several thienopyridones, hydroxybiphenyls pyrrolopyridones have been reported as AMPK modulators. The review will explore the structure-function relationships of these analogues and the prospect of targeting AMPK in diabetes and diabetic complications.

scholarly journals Aerobic Exercise Induces Alternative Splicing of Neurexins in Frontal Cortex

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
Elisa Innocenzi ◽  
Ida Cariati ◽  
Emanuela De Domenico ◽  
Erika Tiberi ◽  
Giovanna D’Arcangelo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Splicing ◽  
Aerobic Exercise ◽  
Frontal Cortex ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Splice Variants ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Synaptic Function ◽  
Molecular Changes ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
The Impact

Aerobic exercise (AE) is known to produce beneficial effects on brain health by improving plasticity, connectivity, and cognitive functions, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still limited. Neurexins (Nrxns) are a family of presynaptic cell adhesion molecules that are important in synapsis formation and maturation. In vertebrates, three-neurexin genes (NRXN1, NRXN2, and NRXN3) have been identified, each encoding for α and β neurexins, from two independent promoters. Moreover, each Nrxns gene (1–3) has several alternative exons and produces many splice variants that bind to a large variety of postsynaptic ligands, playing a role in trans-synaptic specification, strength, and plasticity. In this study, we investigated the impact of a continuous progressive (CP) AE program on alternative splicing (AS) of Nrxns on two brain regions: frontal cortex (FC) and hippocampus. We showed that exercise promoted Nrxns1–3 AS at splice site 4 (SS4) both in α and β isoforms, inducing a switch from exon-excluded isoforms (SS4−) to exon-included isoforms (SS4+) in FC but not in hippocampus. Additionally, we showed that the same AE program enhanced the expression level of other genes correlated with synaptic function and plasticity only in FC. Altogether, our findings demonstrated the positive effect of CP AE on FC in inducing molecular changes underlying synaptic plasticity and suggested that FC is possibly a more sensitive structure than hippocampus to show molecular changes.

Cardiovascular effects of opioid antagonist naloxone in rostral ventrolateral medulla of rabbits

1990 ◽  
Vol 258 (2) ◽  
pp. R325-R331 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. Morilak ◽  
G. Drolet ◽  
J. Chalmers
Keyword(s):  
Pressor Response ◽  
Cardiovascular Effects ◽  
Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla ◽  
Endogenous Opioids ◽  
Opioid Antagonist ◽  
Ventrolateral Medulla ◽  
Inhibitory Influence ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Arterial Blood ◽  
Depressor Effect

We have examined the influence of endogenous opioids on the basal and reflex control of arterial blood pressure in the pressor region of the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) of chloralose-anesthetized rabbits. We tested basal effects both in intact animals and after hypotensive hemorrhage. Bilateral administration of the opiod antagonist naloxone (20 nmol, 100 nl) directly into the RVLM induced a gradual and prolonged increase in mean arterial pressure (MAP) (+17 +/- 2 mmHg). This was preceded by a brief and mild depressor effect (-9 +/- 3 mmHg), which was attributable to a transient reduction in excitability immediately after naloxone injection. When naloxone was administered into the RVLM after hemorrhage (20 ml/kg), it improved recovery of MAP relative to saline controls, again producing a gradual, prolonged pressor response (+29 +/- 5 mmHg). The effect of naloxone on a baroreflex in intact animals was only transient, with a brief, nonsignificant attenuation of the reflex depressor response to aortic nerve stimulation. We conclude that endogenous opioids exert a tonic inhibitory influence on RVLM pressor neurons and that this input remains active after hemorrhage. The RVLM may thus be one site for the beneficial effects of naloxone in preventing circulatory decompensation after hemorrhage. In contrast, opioid neurons are not an essential component of baroreflex-mediated sympathoinhibition in the RVLM.

Omentin-1 attenuates glucocorticoid-induced cardiac injury by phosphorylating GSK3β

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 273-283
Author(s):  
Zhousheng Jin ◽  
Fangfang Xia ◽  
Jiaojiao Dong ◽  
Tingting Lin ◽  
Yaoyao Cai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Cardiac Hypertrophy ◽  
Cardiac Injury ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Chronic Administration ◽  
Cardiovascular Complications ◽  
Rat Serum ◽  
Cardiac Side Effects ◽  
Beneficial Effects

Glucocorticoid excess often causes a variety of cardiovascular complications, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, and cardiac hypertrophy. To abrogate its cardiac side effects, it is necessary to fully disclose the pathophysiological role of glucocorticoid in cardiac remodelling. Previous clinical and experimental studies have found that omentin-1, one of the adipokines, has beneficial effects in cardiovascular diseases, and is closely associated with metabolic disorders. However, there is no evidence to address the potential role of omentin-1 in glucocorticoid excess-induced cardiac injuries. To uncover the links, the present study utilized rat model with glucocorticoid-induced cardiac injuries and clinical patients with abnormal cardiac function. Chronic administration of glucocorticoid excess reduced rat serum omentin-1 concentration, which closely correlated with cardiac functional parameters. Intravenous administration of adeno-associated virus encoding omentin-1 upregulated the circulating omentin-1 level and attenuated glucocorticoid excess-induced cardiac hypertrophy and functional disorders. Overexpression of omentin-1 also improved cardiac mitochondrial function, including the reduction of lipid deposits, induction of mitochondrial biogenesis, and enhanced mitochondrial activities. Mechanistically, omentin-1 phosphorylated and activated the GSK3β pathway in the heart. From a study of 28 patients with Cushing’s syndrome and 23 healthy subjects, the plasma level of glucocorticoid was negatively correlated with omentin-1, and was positively associated with cardiac ejection fraction and fractional shortening. Collectively, the present study provided a novel role of omentin-1 in glucocorticoid excess-induced cardiac injuries and found that the omentin-1/GSK3β pathway was a potential therapeutic target in combating the side effects of glucocorticoid.

scholarly journals One-year Risks and Burdens of Incident Cardiovascular Disease in COVID-19: Cardiovascular Manifestations of Long COVID

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziyad Al-Aly ◽  
Benjamin Bowe ◽  
Yan Xie ◽  
Evan Xu
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Acute Infection ◽  
Cerebrovascular Disorders ◽  
Cardiovascular Complications ◽  
Department Of Veterans Affairs ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
One Year ◽  
Incident Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract The cardiovascular complications of acute COVID-19 are well described; however, a comprehensive characterization of the post-acute cardiovascular manifestations of COVID-19 at one year has not been undertaken. Here we use the US Department of Veterans Affairs national healthcare databases to build a cohort of 151,195 people with COVID-19, 3,670,087 contemporary and 3,656,337 historical controls to estimate risks and 1-year burdens of a set of pre-specified incident cardiovascular outcomes. We show that beyond the first 30 days of infection, people with COVID-19 are at increased risk of incident cardiovascular disease spanning several categories including cerebrovascular disorders, dysrhythmias, ischemic and non-ischemic heart disease, pericarditis, myocarditis, heart failure, and thromboembolic disease. The risks and burdens were evident among those who were non-hospitalized during the acute phase of the infection and increased in a graded fashion according to care setting of the acute infection (non-hospitalized, hospitalized, and admitted to intensive care). Taken together, our results provide evidence that risk and 1-year burden of cardiovascular disease in survivors of acute COVID-19 are substantial. Care pathways of people who survived the acute episode of COVID-19 should include attention to cardiovascular health and disease.

scholarly journals Does non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation affect heart rate variability? A living and interactive Bayesian meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinzent Wolf ◽  
Anne Kühnel ◽  
Vanessa Teckentrup ◽  
Julian Koenig ◽  
Nils B. Kroemer
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Brain Stimulation ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Non Invasive

AbstractNon-invasive brain stimulation techniques, such as transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), have considerable potential for clinical use. Beneficial effects of taVNS have been demonstrated on symptoms in patients with mental or neurological disorders as well as transdiagnostic dimensions, including mood and motivation. However, since taVNS research is still an emerging field, the underlying neurophysiological processes are not yet fully understood, and the replicability of findings on biomarkers of taVNS effects has been questioned. Here, we perform a living Bayesian random effects meta-analysis to synthesize the current evidence concerning the effects of taVNS on heart rate variability (HRV), a candidate biomarker that has, so far, received most attention in the field. To keep the synthesis of evidence transparent and up to date as new studies are being published, we developed a Shiny web app that regularly incorporates new results and enables users to modify study selection criteria to evaluate the robustness of the inference across potential confounds. Our analysis focuses on 17 single-blind studies comparing taVNS versus sham in healthy participants. These newly synthesized results provide strong evidence for the null hypothesis (g = 0.011, CIshortest = [−0.103, 0.125], BF01 = 25.587), indicating that acute taVNS does not alter HRV compared to sham. To conclude, based on a synthesis of the available evidence to date, there is no support for the hypothesis that HRV is a robust biomarker for acute taVNS. By increasing transparency and timeliness, we believe that the concept of living meta-analyses can lead to transformational benefits in emerging fields such as non-invasive brain stimulation.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document