Links between depression and arginine levels

People suffering from major depressive disorder, MDD, have reduced arginine levels, a new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows. Arginine is an amino acid which the body uses to produce nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a nervous system and immune defence mediator, and it also plays a role in vascular regulation.

The global arginine bioavailability ratio, GABR, is an indicator of the body's arginine levels, and the ratio has previously been used to measure the body's capacity to produce nitric oxide. Reduced arginine bioavailability is also known to be an independent risk factor of cardiovascular diseases. The study shows that people suffering from MDD have reduced arginine bioavailability.

"It is possible that depression-induced inflammatory responses lead to reduced arginine levels. This may result in insufficient production of nitric oxide for the needs of the nervous system and circulation. However, we don't know yet what exactly causes reduced arginine bioavailability in people with depression," says Doctoral Student Toni Ali-Sisto, the lead author of the study.

The research carried out by the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital involved 99 adults with diagnosed major depressive disorder and 253 non-depressed controls. The concentrations of three amino acids, namely arginine, citrulline and ornithine, were analysed from their fasting glucose samples, and this data was used to calculate their GABRs. Symmetric and asymmetric dimethylarginine concentrations were also measured, as they both play a role in the production of nitric oxide.

The findings were then compared between the depressed and the non-depressed controls. The study also analysed whether these concentrations changed in people with depression during a follow-up of eight months, and whether remission of depression had an effect on the concentrations. The study shows that people with depression have reduced arginine bioavailability, this doesn't mean that taking an arginine supplement would protect against depression.

People with depression had weaker arginine bioavailability than their non-depressed controls. The study did not find significant differences in the symmetric and asymmetric dimethylarginine concentrations. The use of anti-depressants or anti-psychotics did not affect the concentrations, either. Contrary to the researchers' expectations, there were no clear differences in the concentrations measured from people who had recovered from depression and people who remained depressed. Arginine bioavailability was slightly higher in people who had recovered from depression than in people who remained depressed.
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Amantadine for treating Parkinson's disease

FDA Approves Osmolex ER (amantadine) for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and drug-Induced extrapyramidal reactions. Amantadine is an antiviral medicine that blocks the actions of viruses in the body. It is used to treat or prevent influenza A in adults and children. It may not be effective during every flu season because certain strains of the virus may be resistant to this medicine. It should not be used in place of getting a yearly flu shot.

Amantadine is also used to treat "Parkinson-like" symptoms such as stiffness or tremors, shaking, and repetitive uncontrolled muscle movements that may be caused by the use of certain drugs.

Amantadine side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives ; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have: extreme drowsiness, falling asleep suddenly even after feeling alert; a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out; shortness of breath (even with mild exertion), swelling in your hands or feet;
painful or difficult urination; depression, agitation, aggression, behavior changes, hallucinations, thoughts of hurting yourself; a seizure; or severe nervous system reaction-very stiff (rigid) muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats and tremors.
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Effects of estrogen treatment in multiple sclerosis

A study by UCLA researchers reveals the cellular basis for how the hormone estrogen protects against damage to the central nervous system in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The researchers found that estrogen treatment exerts positive effects on two types of cells during disease -immune cells in the brain and also cells called oligodendrocytes. Complementary actions on these two types provide protection from disease.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune, neurodegenerative disease marked by visual impairment, weakness and sensory loss, as well as cognitive decline. These symptoms emerge when inflammatory immune cells destroy the myelin sheath that surrounds nerve processes called axons. Loss of that protective insulation disrupts electrical communication between nerve cells. The third trimester of pregnancy has been previously shown to reduce relapse rates by approximately 70 percent as compared to before pregnancy, and other studies have shown benefit over the long term due to multiple pregnancies.

An estrogen unique to pregnancy that is made by the fetus and placenta has been proposed by Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl and colleagues to mediate this pregnancy protection in both the MS mouse model as well as in two successfully completed clinical trials of estriol treatment in MS patients. How that happens has remained a critical question. Voskuhl, who led the latest study, reported mouse studies showing that estrogen protected the brain from damage by activating a protein called estrogen receptor beta (ERb). Her new research identifies which cells within the brain are mediating this protective effect.

The researchers first genetically eliminated ERb in either immune cells of the brain or in oligodendrocytes, the cells that make the myelin sheath, as a way of making cells unresponsive to estrogen during the MS like disease in mice. They then treated mice without or with ERb in these cells to ask if disease protection was lost or not. Loss of protection during treatment meant that the treatment was acting on the cell that had the receptor removed. Results showed that the estrogen-like treatment was acting on both immune cells of the brain as well as on oligodendrocytes, together resulting in repair of myelin and less disability.

Drug developers often optimize therapies by targeting only one single cell type. By contrast, this study confirms that this estrogen-like compound can combat MS via complementary effects on two distinct cell types. Voskuhl and other UCLA researchers are in fact now developing a next-generation estrogen-like compound with robust biochemical effects on oligodendrocytes and immune cells in the brain.
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Effects of maternal stress on fetus

Maternal stress during the second trimester of pregnancy may influence the nervous system of the developing child, both before and after birth, and may have subtle effects on temperament, resulting in less smiling and engagement, as well as diminished ability to regulate emotions. Researchers looked at the stress levels of many low-to-middle-income women who were between 12 and 24 weeks pregnant. The researchers followed the women throughout pregnancy and after delivery, and conducted a test to compare their reported stress levels during pregnancy with objective levels of stress in their 6-month-old offspring.

In the test, the infants' cardiac function was monitored while the mothers were instructed to look at the infant's face but not interact with or touch them for two minutes following a brief play session. The mothers reported the number of stressful life events they had experienced during pregnancy, which included illness, relationship problems, housing difficulties and legal issues. The babies of mothers with the highest number of these stressful life events who completed the testing were 22 percent more reactive than the infants of mothers reporting the lowest number of stressful life events. They also recovered less quickly from the stressor, demonstrating lower resilience.

High reactivity, which is assessed by measuring the variability in the heart rate in conjunction with breathing, is indicative of a stronger decrease in parasympathetic nervous system activity in response to challenge, The parasympathetic nervous system enables the body to rest and digest food, by slowing the heart rate and increasing intestinal and glandular activity. Being highly reactive places children at risk for a range of psychopathological problems, particularly anxiety and depression, as well as externalizing problems, such as disruptive behavior, especially if they experience adverse family and school environments.

However, in an optimal environment with few adversities, children with higher stress reactivity don't have their stress response triggered too often and may exhibit better-than-average social skills and emotional and behavioral well-being, because greater reactivity can make them more sensitive to the benefits of positive relationships and experiences in their environments. Those who had higher levels of perceived stress in pregnancy and post-delivery, had babies with temperamental surgency levels that were 8 percent lower than those babies of mothers in the lower third, who reported less perceived stress in pregnancy and post-delivery.

Surgency includes traits such as willingness to approach and engage with the outside world, as well as laughter and smiles. These same babies born to the highly-stressed mothers were also found to have eight percent lower levels of self-regulation, the ability to manage emotions – such as soothing themselves in periods of high stress  compared with the babies of mothers with less perceived stress during pregnancy and post-delivery. This combination of lower surgency and lower self-regulation can place individuals at added risk for depression, anxiety and difficulties with their social relationships.
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Immune cells can repair damaged nerves

Immune cells fight infections, in a new study, scientists have discovered how they also help the nervous system remove debris, clearing the way for nerve regeneration after injury. Some immune cells- neutrophils can clean up nerve debris. Neutrophils are one of the most common types of immune cells and known to engulf microorganisms, but they are not associated with peripheral nerve damage caused by diabetes or trauma.

Damaged nerve cells produce a stream of molecular lures that specifically attract neutrophils to injury sites in mice. Damaged mouse sciatic nerves produced hundreds of times the normal amount of two "chemoattractant" molecules, Cxcl1 and Cxcl2, which attach to the surfaces of neutrophils and draw the immune cells into injured tissue.

Once at the injury site, the neutrophils engulf cellular debris caused by the nerve damage, tidying up the area so the cells can repair themselves. Without the cellular clearance mechanism, nerves can't properly regenerate after injury. The experiments included sorting immune cells found at injury sites by molecules on their cellular surfaces, and many hours looking at mouse cells through the microscope.

Several different cells pick up the slack in the absence of macrophages, it was the neutrophil that emerged as a major contributor to debris removal. We also discovered that when we depleted neutrophils, nerve debris clearance was significantly halted in both normal mice and mice lacking a major population of macrophages.

Without neutrophils, nerve cells could not properly clear debris. This could leads to new therapeutics designed to repair nerve cells damaged by neurodegenerative disease. The clearance of debris after an injury is necessary for effective nerve regeneration. Immunostimulant molecules that target neutrophils at nerve injury location might enhance clean-up and promote nerve cell repair. Immunostimulant molecules are used to treat chronic infections and immunodeficiency.
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Shingrix for preventing shingles

Shingrix has been approved for preventing shingles - herpes zoster in adults. Shingrix is a non-live, recombinant subunit vaccine given intramuscularly in two doses. Shingrix represents a significant scientific advancement in the field of vaccinology.

The vaccine has shown over 90% efficacy across all age groups in the prevention of shingles, a painful and potentially serious disease. The risk and severity of shingles increases with age as the immune system loses the ability to produce effective response to infection. Shingrix was developed specifically to overcome the age-related decline in immunity.

Shingrix demonstrated efficacy against shingles greater than 90% across all age groups, as well as sustained efficacy over a follow-up period of 4 years. It also reduced the overall incidence of postherpetic neuralgia PHN a form of chronic nerve pain and the most common complication associated with shingles.

Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus VZV, the same virus that causes chickenpox some adults have the VZV dormant in their nervous system, waiting to reactivate with advancing age.

As people age, the cells in the immune system lose the ability to maintain a strong and effective response to VZV. Shingles typically presents as a painful, itchy rash that develops on one side of the body and can last for two to four weeks. The pain associated with shingles is often described as burning, shooting or stabbing.

Do not receive Shingrix if you are allergic to any of its ingredients or had an allergic reaction to a previous dose of Shingrix. The most common side effects are pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site, muscle pain, tiredness, headache, shivering, fever, and stomach ache.

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Healthy lifestyle reduces pain in multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis MS is a disabling disease of the brain and central nervous system. In MS, the immune system attacks the protective sheath that covers nerve fibers and causes communication problems between the brain and the remaining parts of the body.

The disease can cause nerves deterioration and leads to permanent damage of the nerves. A healthy lifestyle of regular exercise and healthy diet is associated with lower pain in people with multiple sclerosis MS.

MS causes chronic pain and immobility. The pain is normally treated with painkillers, unhealthy lifestyle of smoking of cigarette, drinking of alcohol and eating of junk foods can increase the pain.

MS can increase the risk of cardiovascular problems and diabetes, maintaining healthy lifestyle can reduce the pain associated with the disease and reduce the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular problems.
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Amphetamine for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Amphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant that affects chemicals in the brain and nerves that contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control. It is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. ADHD
Amphetamine may be habit-forming, and the medicine is a drug of abuse.

Stimulants have caused stroke, heart attack, and sudden death in people with high blood pressure, heart disease, or a heart defect. Do not use amphetamine if you have used an MAO inhibitor in the past two weeks, such as isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, or tranylcypromine.

Amphetamine may cause new or worsening psychosis- unusual thoughts or behavior, especially if you have a history of depression, mental illness, or bipolar disorder. You may have blood circulation problems that can cause numbness, pain, or discoloration in your fingers or toes after using the drug.

Call your doctor if you have: signs of heart problems, feeling light-headed or short of breath; signs of psychosis--paranoia, aggression, new behavior problems, seeing or hearing things that are not real; signs of circulation problems--unexplained wounds on your fingers or toes.

Do not use amphetamine if you are allergic to any stimulant medicine, or if you have: moderate to severe high blood pressure; overactive thyroid;
severe anxiety, tension, or agitation.
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Fluoride levels in pregnancy affects children's IQ

Fluoride in the urine of pregnant women shows a correlation with lower measures of intelligence in their children, the growing fetal nervous system may be adversely affected by higher levels of fluoride exposure, the prenatal nervous system may be more sensitive to fluoride compared to that of toddler.

Some side effects of fluoride are dental defects like mild staining are common among those ingesting recommended levels of fluoride and skeletal fluorosis-excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones.

The researchers analyzed urine samples that had been taken from mothers during pregnancy and from their children between six and twelve years of age to reconstruct personal measures of fluoride exposure for both mother and child.

The researchers then analyzed how levels of fluoride in urine related to the children's verbal, perceptual-performance, quantitative, memory, and motor abilities at age four, six and twelve. They discovered that urinary fluoride levels in pregnant women were higher but within the general range of urinary fluoride levels seen in non-pregnant.
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Dangers of taking excess caffeine

Caffeine is a natural stimulant found in tea, coffee and cacao plants, it stimulates the brain and central nervous system. Regular intake of caffeine lowers the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Taking excess caffeine increases the amount of acid in the stomach and may cause heartburn or upset the stomach. Excess caffeine consumption may raise blood pressure.

An overdose of caffeine may cause rapid or irregular heartbeat and breathing trouble. In rare cases, caffeine overdose can result in death due to convulsions or irregular heartbeat.

Drinking caffeine in large amounts may interfere with absorption and metabolism of calcium, this can cause osteoporosis. Too much caffeine can also cause slowed fetal growth and increased risk of miscarriage.
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Powerful potential pain reliever drug

Pain signals travel from the injured area to spinal cord and to the brain, chronic pain is different from typical pain. Chronic pain is an experience of continuous pain even after an injury heals and it may last for weeks. The pain may be sharp or dull, causing a burning or aching sensation in the affected areas. It may be steady or intermittent.

Chronic pain occurred when nerves in the central nervous system are damaged, it can occur in any part of the body. Some of the most common types of chronic pain are: headache, post-trauma pain, lower back pain, arthritis pain, neurogenic pain and psychogenic pain.

The synthetic compound, called UKH-1114, is effective at relieving neuropathic pain in injured mice as a drug widely used for pain relief called gabapentin, but it works at a much lower dose, with longer duration of action.

UKH1114 binds to a receptor on cells throughout the central nervous system called the sigma 2 receptor. Researchers tested UKH-1114 on mice with nerve damage and found that it alleviated pain at a much lower dose and was effective much longer.
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How your brain keeps you warm

Recent study from Icahn school of medicine at Mount Sinai explained how the body regulates it's production of heat.

Researchers had hypothesized that macrophages is responsible for keeping the body warm, the recent study suggests sympathetic nervous system.

Christoph Buettner, a professor of medicine led the research team. They focused on catecholamines, hormones released by the sympathetic nervous system to activate brown fat tissue.

Brown adipose is a fat tissue that burns energy and produce heat and keep us warm.

Dr Buettner suggested that one of the ways of controlling effects of diabetes and obesity is to regulate the production of heat and metabolism by the brain and the nervous system.