The interest is twofold - why do SSRI's increase cytokine levels and - is this in any way relevant to their effects ? and why should blocking inflammation stop antidepressants working ?
Antidepressant effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are attenuated by antiinflammatory drugs in mice and humans
This study found that frontal cortical levels of certain cytokines (TNF alpha and Interferon gamma ) were increased by antidepressant serotonin reuptake inhibitors and that these effects were inhibited by antiinflammatory agents. Furthermore a retrospective analysis of patient data suggested that this antagonistic effect was also seen in the clinic. i.e. anti-inflammatories block the effects of antidepressants.
The interest is twofold - why do SSRI's increase cytokine levels and - is this in any way relevant to their effects ? and why should blocking inflammation stop antidepressants working ?
The interest is twofold - why do SSRI's increase cytokine levels and - is this in any way relevant to their effects ? and why should blocking inflammation stop antidepressants working ?
New treatment dissolves blood clots in brain tissue
This procedure for clot removal was developed for patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. Using techniques akin to micro GPS, surgeons were able to inject the clotbuster tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) directly into the relevant area of brain.
Researchers establish link between obesity, vitamin D levels - FierceBiotech Research
Obesity can lead to a reduction in vitamin D levels, and Vitamin D deficiency can be associated with a large number of diseases. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin , and may be locked up in the fat reserves of the obese population. Losing weight dramatically increased vitamin D levels.
Other Vitamin D posts
Other Vitamin D posts
Polypill 'halves risk of stroke and heart attack' - Health News - NHS Choices
The polypill is a mixture of aspirin and statins: This improved blood pressure and reduced levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol over a 12 week period.As these are risk factors in a variety of diseases, this type of cost-effective approach may be very useful.
Child sleeping hours 'linked to weight gain'
This study, although limited by a small sample size, suggested that children who slept for an hour less in their earlier years had a later body mass index that was slightly higher.
Childhood obesity risk factors:
Childhood obesity risk factors:
Immunological abnormalities as potential biomarkers in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.
This study documented clear evidence for immune activation in chronic fatigue syndrome, including increases in interleukin-10, interferon-gamma, TNF-alpha and CD4+CD25+ T cells ( a result of viruses and other pathogens implicated in this disorder ?)
Chronic fatigue risk factors:
Chronic fatigue risk factors:
β-Hexachlorocyclohexane levels in serum and risk of Parkinson's disease.
β-Hexachlorocyclohexane levels in serum are associated with the risk of developing Parkinson's disease. This is a by-product of the insecticide, lindane. Although its use has been banned, its traces can still be found in soil and water, and its effects evidently linger on in terms of risks such as these. Several other studes have linked pesticide use to this disorder.
Parkinson's disease risk factors
Kegg pathways Parkinson's
Parkinson's disease risk factors
Kegg pathways Parkinson's
Charting the peptide crossreactome between HIV-1 a... [Front Biosci (Elite Ed). 2011] - PubMed result
The HIV-1 proteome shares extensive homology with human proteins, including those involved in AIDS, or with the comorbid conditions associated with AIDS (psychosis, myopathy, cardiovascular disorders, hypertension, corneal diseases, diarrhea, lymphoma, and bladder cancer).
The findings are relevant to HIV-1 escape from immune surveillance, adjuvant-induced HIV-1 immunogenicity, and autoimmune cross-reactivity following human hyperimmune responses against HIV-1, and AIDS.
This phenomenon is also common to other viruses and bacteria, whose proteins resemble those relevant to the pathologies of the diseases in which they are implicated - for example herpes simplex and Alzheimer's disease, or diverse pathogens and schizophrenia.
Can stress increase the risk of multiple sclerosis?
Well, as with so many risk factors, yes and no. Stress does not seem to be involved as a cause of multiple sclerosis, although several studies have previously shown to increase the risk of multiple sclerosis relapses: Again this is a thorny subject , partly due to the difficulty of defining "stress". See refs
Multiple sclerosis risk factors Kegg pathways of multiple sclerosis genes
Multiple sclerosis risk factors Kegg pathways of multiple sclerosis genes
New Super Sticky Cholesterol In Individuals With High Heart Disease Risk Discovered
This form of low density lipoprotein is created by adding sugar residues to LDL (glycation). It adheres better to arterial walls and is more likely to form the fatty plaques that lead to atherosclerosis. The sugar/lipoprotein link ties diabetes and atherosclerosis together explaining their common involvement in heart disease and other related disorders e.g.Alzheimer's disease.
Women Who Start Prenatal Vitamins Early Are Less Likely To Have Children With Autism
The effects were attributed to folic acid, the synthetic form of folate aka vitamin B9, and the other B vitamins which may protect against deficits in early foetal brain development.
Risk factors: Autism risk factors : Kegg pathways of autism genes
Risk factors: Autism risk factors : Kegg pathways of autism genes
Data Mining Reveals Dangerous Side Effect Of Common Antidepressant / Cholesterol-Lowering Drug Combination
The two drugs involved are the antidepressant Paxil, (paroxetine) and the cholesterol-lowering medication Pravachol (Pravastatin) which together cause increases in blood glucose levels - an unexpected finding as neither drug alone shows such an effect. The auhors used bioinformatics data mining methods to dig out these interactions and this is likely to be useful for other potentially dangerous drug interactions.
High risk of Parkinson's disease for people exposed to pesticides near workplace / UCLA Newsroom
These effects were not restricted to the farmers spraying the fields but also extended to neighbours in the vicinity - probably relating to spray drift in windy conditions. This link has long been suspected and paraquat and rotenone and maneb are known to kill dopamine neurones in animal models, via inhibition of mitochondrial respiration, as for MPTP. Combined exposure to ziram , maneb (fungicides) and paraquat (herbicide) near any workplace increased the risk of Parkinson's disease threefold, while combined exposure to ziram and paraquat alone was associated with an 80 percent increase in risk.These risk effects are much larger than for most susceptibility genes.
Other risk factors in Parkinson's disease
Genetic pathways in Parkinson's disease
Data Links Anesthesia Use And Learning Disabilities, ADHD
Children younger than 4 years who were exposed to anaesthesia for 120 min and longer at least twice are at higher risk.
Other ADHD risk factors
Other ADHD risk factors
Factors Affecting Duration of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in Pediatric Patients.
Image via WikipediaOther chronic fatigue risk factors:
Fecal bacteriotherapy for ulcerative colitis: Patients are ready, are we?
Faecal transplants were perhaps the first successful clinical application of the microbiome. Clearly the idea is not compelling - but it works and patient and clinical education is important.
Transcriptomic analysis of autistic brain reveals convergent molecular pathology.
Autism incidence increase: Image via WikipediaAutism risk factors :
KEGG pathways of autism susceptibility genes
Extensive protein interaction network controls gene regulation
Ateam of scientists at Baylor College of Medicine has identified and classified virtually all the transcriptional coregulators in a human cells.
See the nuclear receptor signalling atlas
See the nuclear receptor signalling atlas
Regenocyte Successfully Treats Cystic Fibrosis Using Patients' Own Adult Stem Cells
This successful stem cell treatment had impressive effects in a cystic fibrosis patient - who is now up and running - an incredible success.
Cystic fibrosis CFTR interactome
Cystic fibrosis CFTR interactome
The membrane-spanning 4-domains, subfamily A (MS4A) gene cluster contains a common variant associated with Alzheimer's disease.
This cluster contains a number of immune related genes and this study homed in on MS4A2 an immunoglobulin E receptor involved in allergy. refs
Alzheimer's disease Risk factors, including atopy and allergy : Alzheimer's :
Kegg Alzheimer's gene pathways, including many immune pathways
See also
Alzheimer's disease Risk factors, including atopy and allergy : Alzheimer's :
Kegg Alzheimer's gene pathways, including many immune pathways
See also
Alzheimer's disease: a pathogenetic autoimmune disorder caused by herpes simplex in a gene-dependent manner.
Genes and risk factors in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
This page details several of the environmental risk factors (infections, allergies, pesticides and pollutants) and susceptibility genes that have been implicated in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Autism changes molecular structure of the brain, study finds
Autism gene expression studies in post mortem brains revealed reduced expression of genes responsible for neuronal function and communication. and an increase in the levels of genes involved in immune function and inflammation
The role of bacteria in asthma and the potential for antibiotic treatment
A subset of asthma patients have a high level of C. pneumoniae in their lungs and of antibodies to the bacterium. The authors suggest that some types of asthma might be cured by antibiotics.
Scientists: Smallpox vaccine slowed spread of HIV - FierceVaccines
There is a lot of debate about whether or not to destroy the two remaining reserves of smallpox in Russia and the USA : Perhaps here is one of the reasons why not: You never know when it might be useful.
See Medical News today story
See Medical News today story
Lab Samples Of Live Smallpox Should Not Be Destroyed To Ensure Critical Research Continues
View point: Etiology in Parkinson's disease. Dual hit or spreading intoxication
Lewy bodies and alpha-synuclein accumulation are first found in the enteric nervous system of the gut and in the olfactory bulb in Parkinson's disease and only later in the brain. This supports the idea that the disease may start by the ingestion of a toxin or pathogen, and is in agreement with the recent implication of Helicobacter pylori in the disease.
Risk factors: Parkinson's disease Kegg pathways Parkinson's
Risk factors: Parkinson's disease Kegg pathways Parkinson's
Vitamin D Levels Low In African-Americans With Multiple Sclerosis
Several studies have now linked vitamin D deficency to multiple sclerosis and vitamin D related genes are among the many that contribute to risk.
Other multiple sclerosis posts
Risk factors: Multiple sclerosis
Childhood Developmental Disability Rate Rose From 12.84% To 15.04% In 12 Years In USA
Many disorders are covered here but one startling result was that autism prevalence rose from 0.19% in 1997-1999 to 0.74% in 2006-2008 - a near 4 fold increase. This can not be due to genes, so what are the environmental factors that are causing this near epidemic ? What has been added (or taken away) over the last few decades ?
See Autism risk factors.
See Autism risk factors.
EEffects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatments on cognitive decline vary by phase of pre-clinical Alzheimer disease:
Naproxen slowed cognitive decline in slow decliners while accelerating decline in fast decliners. Celecoxib appeared to have similar effects at first but then slowed the change in fast decliners.
Whether or not these drugs have an effect depends on the time of administration, and on the disease state.
Whether or not these drugs have an effect depends on the time of administration, and on the disease state.
Using a pan-viral microarray assay (virochip) to screen clinical samples for viral pathogens.
Image via WikipediaSee this microbiome page for an illustration of the many viruses (and bacteria) associated with human diseases.
The plant sterol brassicasterol as additional CSF biomarker in Alzheimer's disease.
Image via WikipediaLower CSF levels of the plant sterol brassicasterol were observed in Alzheimer's disease patients. Brassicasterol is a product of oilseed rape , a margarine ingredient, that contains omega-3 and omega-6 unsaturated fatty acids (the good ones also present in fish). High levels of polyunsaturated fats, or fish consumption, have been associated with a lower incidence of Alzheimer's disease while saturated fats (e.g. from red meat) have been associated with high incidence.See Alzheimer's disease risk and protective factors
Welcome to Sequilab Research Portal - Setting the trend in bioinformatics research
Image via Wikipedia
Cells may stray from 'central dogma' : Nature News
The central dogma: DNA makes RNA makes protein: Still true, but sometimes the RNA is not that predicted by the DNA , and has been edited: The protein is copied from the RNA and in these edited cases the protein sequence reflects the RNA and not the original DNA sequence. It is of course the proteins that provide the function, so what does this mean in terms of gene association and other studies ? Identical genes in different individuals need not necessarily make an identical protein. Look out for a flurry of RNA polymorphisms ?
Apolipoprotein E ε4 prevalence in Alzheimer's disease patients varies across global populations: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis.
Alzheimer's patients from Asian and southern European/Mediterranean communities had significantly lower APOE4 carrier status estimates than those recruited in North America or northern Europe;
This also appears to be the case for a number of polymorphic genes in schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease See this page
This also appears to be the case for a number of polymorphic genes in schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease See this page
Randomized Study Combining L-Methylfolate With Antidepressant Shows Significant Boost In Patient Response
L-Methylfolate is an active form of folic acid and is used , among other uses , to recycle homocysteine back to methionine: Elevated homocysteine levels are a risk factor in multiple medical conditions.
Infections and ‘Friendly fire’ may be at the root of Parkinson-like diseases » Health Science Center News & Communications - University of Florida
Interferon gamma, which is an immune controlling cytokine released in response to infections, kills substantia nigra neurones.Several infections, notably influenza, have been implicated in Parkinson's disease.
Risk factors: Parkinson's disease Kegg pathways Parkinson's Schizophrenia
Risk factors: Parkinson's disease Kegg pathways Parkinson's Schizophrenia
Toxoplasma Infection and Later Development of Schizophrenia in Mothers.
Conclusions: Women with high levels of T. gondii-specific IgG antibodies have a significantly elevated risk of developing schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
Risk factors: Schizophrenia Kegg pathways (includes toxoplasmosis) Schizophrenia
Risk factors: Schizophrenia Kegg pathways (includes toxoplasmosis) Schizophrenia
Human oral, gut, and plaque microbiota in patients with atherosclerosis.
Image via WikipediaGum disease has also been associated with atherosclerosis and P.Gingivalis antibodies (an oral pathogen) are also found in many atherosclerotic plaques Choi et al, 2011
Gum disease, and atherosclerosis are also implicated in Alzheimer's disease
Neglect shortens kid telomeres - The Scientist - Magazine of the Life Sciences
Researchers Find De Novo Autism Mutations Using Exome Sequencing | GenomeWeb Daily News |
The mutations found by exome sequencing were in the FOXP1 (Forkhead box transcription factor), GRIN2B (NMDA receptror) , SCN1(Sodium channel) , and LAMC3 ( a laminin extracellular matrix glycoprotein) genes.
Risk factors: Autism risk factors and KEGG pathways :
Risk factors: Autism risk factors and KEGG pathways :
In search of cellular immunophenotypes in the blood of children with autism.
The absolute number of B cells was over 20% higher for children with autism and the absolute number of natural killer cells was about 40% higher, supporting the idea of immune dysfunction in autism.
Autism risk factors and KEGG pathways
Autism risk factors and KEGG pathways
A potential link between autoimmunity and neurodegeneration in immune-mediated neurological disease (multiple sclerosis).
Multiple sclerosis patients make autantibodies to heterogeneous nuclear ribonuclear protein A1, which cause neuronal damage when injected into neurones.
The chemical oxytocin may be linked to postnatal depression - Health News - NHS Choices
Oxytocin is involved in lactation and uterine contraction during childbirth: It also produces feelings of contentment, and reduced anxiety
Rochester Autism Researchers Present New Findings At IMFAR
Findings from this conference include:-
Two-thirds of children with autism are taking dietary supplement supplements, twice the rate in the general pediatric population: Several nutrients in these supplements - folate, niacin and vitamin A exceed recommended levels. Such self- or parentally administered vitamins or supplements could in fact be harmful.
Food dyes had little effect on atutism risk, although yellow dyes were associated with sleep disorders.
Two-thirds of children with autism are taking dietary supplement supplements, twice the rate in the general pediatric population: Several nutrients in these supplements - folate, niacin and vitamin A exceed recommended levels. Such self- or parentally administered vitamins or supplements could in fact be harmful.
Food dyes had little effect on atutism risk, although yellow dyes were associated with sleep disorders.
Simpler Genome Sequencing - Technology Review
Image via Wikipedia
Discovery Of 'Master Switch' Gene For Obesity And Diabetes
Very little is known about this imprinted gene, the transcription factor Kruppel-like factor 14 KLF14 : It does repress TGF beta receptor 2 expression and now seems to be important in regulating diabetes. obesity and cholesterol
"Remembering Ritalin," Dr. Lawrence Diller Revisits Former Patients 15 Years Later
Dr Diller argued, some years ago, that Ritalin overprescription and an overwillingness to attribute normal aberrant behaviour as a disease, led to children's conversion to lifelong patients, forever dependent on treatment. This review, 15 years on, is interesting reading.
Homocysteine-lowering by B vitamins slows the rate of accelerated brain atrophy in mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial.
Risk factors: Alzheimer's : Kegg pathways Alzheimer's
Further details from Oxford University
See also
Vitamin A deficiency, herpes simplex reactivation and other causes of Alzheimer’s disease
Further details from Oxford University
See also
Vitamin A deficiency, herpes simplex reactivation and other causes of Alzheimer’s disease
Artemisinin reduces the level of antibodies to gliadin in schizophrenia
Artemisinin is an antimalarial that also has activity against T.Gondii: It reduces the level of antibodies to gliadin, but not to T.Gondii in schizophrenia, but was without effect on symptoms in neuroleptic treated patients.
Risk factors: Schizophrenia
Kegg pathways Schizophrenia gene pathways, including Toxoplasmosis
Risk factors: Schizophrenia
Kegg pathways Schizophrenia gene pathways, including Toxoplasmosis
TNF-alpha and antibodies to periodontal bacteria discriminate between Alzheimer's disease patients and normal subjects.
Many are searching for biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease: perhaps antibodies to pathogens are the answer:
See also:-
See also:-
Seropositivity to herpes simplex virus antibodies and risk of Alzheimer's disease: a population-based cohort study. Letenneur et al, 2008
Alzheimer's disease risk factors, including pathogens.
Why sons inherit their mother’s curse | Not Exactly Rocket Science | Discover Magazine
This relates to the selective inheritance of all mitochondria from the maternal line.
Estrogen Receptors Play Anti-Inflammatory Role In The Brain
This may have important implications for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases where oestrogen and gender influence pathology - for example Alzheimer's disease. They might also help to explain why women are three times more susceptible than men in developing multiple sclerosis. The receptor involved is oestrogen receptor beta found in microglia and astrocytes.
Study Suggests Digestive Problems Early In Life May Increase Risk For Depression
Depression and anxiety and may result from short-term digestive irritation early in life, according to a study of laboratory rats by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Childhood Morbidity and Health in Early Adulthood:.
Childhood morbidity is also associated with poorer health subsequently in adulthood. Infections in childhood associate with a low level of high density lipoprotein, and higher level of triglycerides, plasma glucose, waist circumference, and obesity (but not hypertension) in adult life. Childhood morbidity is associated with increased morbidity and mortality at older ages. However, diarrheal disease in later childhood was associated with lower levels of some risk factors, as measured by triglycerides and plasma glucose, suggesting that exposure to bacteria after infancy may be beneficial for some measures of adult health.
Childhood diseases thus seem to have a major influence on subsequent health in adult life.
Childhood diseases thus seem to have a major influence on subsequent health in adult life.
Celiac disease vaccine shows promising results in Phase I trial
This is a vaccine against gluten, which has also been implicated in a number of other diseases, including autism, bipolar disorder. multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia . Perhaps the vaccine could have a wider use than in coeliac disease.
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