Claustral MeCP2 Regulates Methamphetamine-induced Conditioned Place Preference in Cynomolgus Monkey

The claustrum, a brain nucleus located between the cortex and the striatum, has recently been highlighted in drug-related reward processing. Methyl CpG-binding protein-2 (MeCP2) is a transcriptional regulator that represses or activates the expression of the target gene and has been known to have an important role in the regulation of drug addiction in the dopaminergic reward system. The claustrum is an important region for regulating reward processing where most neurons receive dopamine input; additionally, in this region, MeCP2 is also abundantly expressed. Therefore, here, we hypothesized that MeCP2 would be involved in drug addiction control in the Claustrum as well and investigated how claustral MeCP2 regulates drug addiction. To better understand the function of human claustral MeCP2, we established a non-human primate model of methamphetamine (METH) - induced conditioned place preference (CPP). After a habituation of two days and conditioning of ten days, the CPP test was conducted for three days. Interestingly, we confirmed that virus-mediated overexpression of MECP2 in the claustrum showed a significant reduction of METH-induced CPP in the three consecutive days during the testing period. Moreover, they showed a decrease in visit scores (frequency for visit) for the METH-paired room compared to the control group although the scores were statistically marginal. Taken together, we suggest that the claustrum is an important brain region associated with drug addiction, in which MeCP2 may function as a mediator in regulating the response to addictive drugs.

Oral rehabilitation with magnetic overdentures for an old patient with complex systemic diseases / 대한치과보철학회지

As dental implant treatment becomes popular for both partial and complete edentulous patients, old people with complex systemic diseases also tend to prefer implant-assisted-overdenture or implant-supported-fixed prostheses to conventional complete denture. In this case, 77-year-old female who was on medication for hypertension and osteoporosis and paralyzed on right side due to stroke visited for implant-assisted-overdenture on lower jaw. After oral and radiographic examination, root-assisted magnet overdenture on upper jaw and implant-assisted magnet overdenture on lower jaw are planned. Consequently, overdentures using self-adjusting magnetic attachment(SA) system on both jaws resulted in recovering satisfying function and retention, which is enable to insert and remove with only one hand.

Erratum: Oral rehabilitation with magnetic overdentures for an old patient with complex systemic diseases / 대한치과보철학회지

The author names were mistakenly given as Richard Sungbok Lee in the original article. It should be corrected as Richard Leesungbok.