scholarly journals The Abuse of Central Nervous System Stimulants and its Impact on the Youth of Eastern Nigeria

2021 ◽  
pp. 20-33
Author(s):  
M. O. Nwokike ◽  
C. A. Anusiem ◽  
C. O. Arinze ◽  
A. O. Ogbonna
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Brain Disease ◽  
Central Nervous System Stimulants ◽  
Cns Stimulants ◽  
Brain Structure And Function ◽  
The Common ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Cns Stimulant

The class of drugs designated as central nervous system (CNS) stimulants includes the four social drugs that find use among some youth of Eastern Nigeria; caffeine, nicotine, cocaine and marijuana. CNS stimulants increase or enhance the activity of monoamines (such as dopamine and nor epinephrine) in the brain, which leads to increased heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. They also have a high potential for addiction. Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. It is considered a brain disease because these drugs change the brain structure and function. The aim of this review is to answer the following questions: What are the common types of CNS stimulants abused in Eastern Nigeria? What prompts people to start taking these drugs? Why do people become addicted to these drugs? How does CNS stimulant abuse gain foothold in Eastern Nigeria? What are the implications of this drug taking for the users and the development of youth? How does the abuse of these stimulants affect the Eastern Nigerian society? How can the use of CNS stimulants among youth of eastern Nigeria be prevented or discouraged? Is there any treatment available for the youth addicted to CNS stimulants in Eastern Nigeria?

scholarly journals Tumors of the Central Nervous System: An Update

Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2507
Author(s):  
Carla Mucignat-Caretta
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Brain Structure ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Brain Structure And Function ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
And Function ◽  
Different Cell Types ◽  
The Brain

The brain may be affected by a variety of tumors of different grade, which originate from different cell types at distinct locations, thus impacting on the brain structure and function [...]

scholarly journals ROLE OF DRUG DISCOVERY IN CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISORDERS: AN OVERVIEW

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 86-90
Author(s):  
MOHIT GUPTA ◽  
◽  
RAVI SHEKHAR ◽  
JAGDISH K SAHU ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Medical Condition ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Adrenergic Stimulation ◽  
In Vivo Models ◽  
Cns Stimulants ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Cns Stimulant

Central nervous system (CNS) stimulants are drugs, which produce a response that could be used to alleviate a particular medical condition. These are the agents, which speed up to treat conditions characterized by lack of adrenergic stimulation, including narcolepsy and neonatal apnea. The majority of CNS stimulants is chemically similar to the neurohormone norepinephrine and simulates the traditional "fight or flight" syndrome associated with sympathetic nervous system arousal. A small figure of added members of the CNS stimulant class do not fall into definite chemical groups. The review on central nervous system stimulants gives detail study of CNS stimulant drugs, their mechanism of action and in vivo models of CNS stimulants. The brain is a delicate tissue, and advancement built very effective methods to guard it. Unfortunately, the same mechanisms that protect it against intrusive chemicals can also upset therapeutic interventions. Many current medications are rendered unsuccessful in the treatment of cerebral maladies due to our incapability to efficiently deliver and sustain them within the brain. KEYWORDS: CNS Stimulants, Blood brain barrier (BBB), Drug toxicity, Drug Safety

scholarly journals A sart1 Zebrafish Mutant Results in Developmental Defects in the Central Nervous System

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 2340
Author(s):  
Hannah E. Henson ◽  
Michael R. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Cell Death ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Developmental Defects ◽  
Whole Exome ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
And Function ◽  
Upregulated Genes ◽  
The Brain

The spliceosome consists of accessory proteins and small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) that remove introns from RNA. As splicing defects are associated with degenerative conditions, a better understanding of spliceosome formation and function is essential. We provide insight into the role of a spliceosome protein U4/U6.U5 tri-snRNP-associated protein 1, or Squamous cell carcinoma antigen recognized by T-cells (Sart1). Sart1 recruits the U4.U6/U5 tri-snRNP complex to nuclear RNA. The complex then associates with U1 and U2 snRNPs to form the spliceosome. A forward genetic screen identifying defects in choroid plexus development and whole-exome sequencing (WES) identified a point mutation in exon 12 of sart1 in Danio rerio (zebrafish). This mutation caused an up-regulation of sart1. Using RNA-Seq analysis, we identified additional upregulated genes, including those involved in apoptosis. We also observed increased activated caspase 3 in the brain and eye and down-regulation of vision-related genes. Although splicing occurs in numerous cells types, sart1 expression in zebrafish was restricted to the brain. By identifying sart1 expression in the brain and cell death within the central nervous system (CNS), we provide additional insights into the role of sart1 in specific tissues. We also characterized sart1’s involvement in cell death and vision-related pathways.

Microbiota-immune interactions: from gut to brain

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eloisa Salvo-Romero ◽  
Patricia Stokes ◽  
Mélanie G. Gareau
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Brain Development ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Immune System Development ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Brain

The vast diversity of bacteria that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract strongly influence host physiology, not only nutrient metabolism but also immune system development and function. The complexity of the microbiota is matched by the complexity of the host immune system, where they have coevolved to maintain homeostasis ensuring the mutualistic host-microbial relationship. Numerous studies in recent years investigating the gut-brain axis have demonstrated an important role for the gut microbiota in modulating brain development and function, with the immune system serving as an important coordinator of these interactions. Gut bacteria can modulate not only gut-resident immune cells but also brain-resident immune cells. Activation of the immune system in the gut and in the brain are implicated in responses to neuroinflammation, brain injury, as well as changes in neurogenesis and plasticity. Impairments in this bidirectional communication are implicated in the etiopathogenesis of psychiatric and neurodevelopmental diseases and disorders, including autism spectrum disorders, or comorbidities associated with Gastrointestinal diseases, including inflammatory bowel diseases, where dysbiosis is commonly seen. Consequently, probiotics, or beneficial microbes, are being recognized as promising therapeutic targets to modulate behavior and brain development by modulating the gut microbiota. Here we review the role of microbiota-immune interactions in the gut and the brain during homeostasis and disease and their impact on gut-brain communication, brain function, and behavior as well as the use of probiotics in central nervous system alterations. Statement of novelty: The microbiota-gut-brain axis is increasingly recognized as an important physiological pathway for maintaining health and impacting the brain and central nervous system. Increasing evidence suggests that the immune system is crucial for gut-brain signaling. In this review, we highlight the critical studies in the literature that identify the key immune pathways involved.

MR spectroscopy in HIV and stimulant dependence

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
MICHAEL J. TAYLOR ◽  
OMAR M. ALHASSOON ◽  
BRIAN C. SCHWEINSBURG ◽  
JOHN S. VIDEEN ◽  
IGOR GRANT ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Information Processing ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Sexual Transmission ◽  
Motor Functioning ◽  
Speed Of Information Processing ◽  
Cns Stimulants ◽  
Cns Stimulant ◽  
Stimulant Dependence

HIV infection and abuse of central nervous system (CNS) stimulants are both associated with brain damage and dysfunction. CNS stimulant overdose can lead to microinfarction, hemorrhagic lesions, and vasculitis (Bostwick, 1981; Cahill et al., 1981), and may impact frontostriatal systems. Investigations of HIV-infected (HIV+) individuals have demonstrated deficits in attention, speed of information processing, motor functioning, executive functioning, and learning efficiency. These deficits are consistent with frontostriatal involvement (Heaton et al., 1995; Martin, 1994). Given the rise in AIDS cases attributable to drug use at a time when the number of AIDS cases due to sexual transmission is stable or declining, it is critical to determine if drug use, especially CNS stimulants, potentiates HIV-related neuronal injury.

scholarly journals α-Lipoic acid alleviates pentetrazol-induced neurological deficits and behavioral dysfunction in rats with seizures via an Nrf2 pathway

RSC Advances ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 4084-4092 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yahong Cheng ◽  
Fei Luo ◽  
Qianying Zhang ◽  
Ying Sang ◽  
Xiaofang Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Lipoic Acid ◽  
Brain Disease ◽  
Neurological Deficits ◽  
Nrf2 Pathway ◽  
Behavioral Dysfunction ◽  
The Brain

Epilepsy (EP) is a type of chronic brain disease characterized by transient central nervous system malfunction which is the result of neuron paradoxical discharge in the brain.

scholarly journals Repression of lysosomal transcription factors Tfeb and Tfe3 is essential for the development and function of microglia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harini Iyer ◽  
Kimberle Shen ◽  
Ana M. Meireles ◽  
William S. Talbot
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Gtpase Activating Protein ◽  
Phagocytic Cells ◽  
Lysosomal Activity ◽  
Regulatory Circuit ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Macrophage Lineage

SUMMARYAs the primary phagocytic cells of the central nervous system, microglia exquisitely regulate their lysosomal activity to facilitate brain development and homeostasis. However, mechanisms that coordinate lysosomal activity with microglia development, migration, and function remain unclear. Here we show that embryonic macrophages require the lysosomal GTPase RagA and the GTPase-activating protein Folliculin (Flcn) for colonization of the brain. Mutants lacking RagA and Flcn have nearly identical phenotypes, suggesting that RagA and Flcn act in concert in developing microglia. Furthermore, we demonstrate that RagA and Flcn repress the key lysosomal transcription factor Tfeb, and its homologs Tfe3a and Tfe3b, in macrophages. Accordingly, defects in rraga mutants can be restored by simultaneous mutations in tfeb, tfe3a, and tfe3b, and overexpression of tfe3b in the macrophage lineage recapitulates the major defects observed in rraga and flcn mutants. Collectively, our data define a lysosomal regulatory circuit that is essential for early development of microglia.

scholarly journals Pseudoephedrine—Benefits and Risks

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 5146
Author(s):  
Krystyna Głowacka ◽  
Anna Wiela-Hojeńska
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Common Cold ◽  
Structural Similarity ◽  
Doping Agent ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Common ◽  
Legal Restrictions ◽  
Cns Stimulant

Pseudoephedrine (PSE) is a drug with a long history of medical use; it is helpful in treating symptoms of the common cold and flu, sinusitis, asthma, and bronchitis. Due to its central nervous system (CNS) stimulant properties and structural similarity to amphetamine, it is also used for non-medical purposes. The substance is taken as an appetite reducer, an agent which eliminates drowsiness and fatigue, to improve concentration and as a doping agent. Due to its easier availability, it is sometimes used as a substitute for amphetamine or methamphetamine. Pseudoephedrine is also a substrate (precursor) used in the production of these drugs. Time will tell whether legal restrictions on the sale of this drug will reduce the scale of the problem associated with its misuse.

scholarly journals Ferroptosis Mechanisms Involved in Hippocampal-Related Diseases

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (18) ◽  
pp. 9902
Author(s):  
Xintong Wang ◽  
Zixu Wang ◽  
Jing Cao ◽  
Yulan Dong ◽  
Yaoxing Chen
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Peroxidation ◽  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Cell Death ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Glutathione Metabolism ◽  
Intracellular Iron ◽  
System Disease ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Brain

Ferroptosis is a newly recognized type of cell death that is different from traditional forms of cell death, such as apoptosis, autophagy, and necrosis. It is caused by the accumulation of intracellular iron, promoting lipid peroxidation and leading to cell death. Iron is essential as a redox metal in several physiological functions. The brain is one of the organs known to be affected by iron homeostatic balance disruption. An increased concentration of iron in the central nervous system has been associated with oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation of proteins, and cell death. The hippocampus is an important brain region for learning, memory, and emotional responses, and is also a sensitive part of the brain to the dysfunctional homeostasis of transition metals. Damage of hippocampal structure and function are intimately involved in the pathogenic mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases. Currently, ferroptosis is playing an increasingly important role in treatment areas of central nervous system diseases. Thus, we provide an overview of ferroptosis regulatory mechanisms, such as lipid metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and iron metabolism in this review. We also highlight the role of ferroptosis in hippocampal-related diseases and investigate a theoretical basis for further research on the role of ferroptosis in nervous system disease treatment.

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