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Objective@#Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and mindfulness practices have been proposed as a potential approach to improve executive functions (EFs) and reduce craving in persons with substance use disorders. Based on the neural mechanisms of action of each of these interventions, the combination of both non-pharmacological interventions might have additive effects. In the current study, the effects of tDCS combined with mindfulness-based substance abuse treatment (MBSAT) to improve EFs and reduce craving were investigated in early abstinent methamphetamine abuse. @*Methods@#Eighty (youths aged between 18 and 21) early-abstinent methamphetamine users were randomly assigned to the research groups (tDCS group [n = 20], mindfulness group [n = 20], combined mindfulness-tDCS group [n =20], and sham group [n = 20]). Active tDCS (1.5 mA,20 min, 12 sessions) or sham tDCS was appliedover the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the MBSAT protocol was used over twelve 50-min sessions. @*Results@#Both in the post-test phase (immediately after the intervention) and follow-up phase (one month after the intervention), performance in most EFs tasks significantly improved in the combination group which received real tDCS ＋ MBSAT, as compared to baseline values and sham stimulation group. Similarly, a significant reduction in craving was observed after intervention inall treatment groups, but not the sham stimulation group. Interestingly, the increase in EFs and the reduction in craving post versus pre tDCS ＋ MBSAT intervention were correlated. @*Conclusion@#Findings from the current study provide initial support for the clinical effectiveness of combination tDCS ＋ MBSAT, possibly influencing cognitive/affective processes.
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Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising method for altering cortical excitability with clinical implications. It has been increasingly used in neurodevelopmental disorders, especially attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but its efficacy (based on effect size calculations), safety, and stimulation parameters have not been systematically examined. In this systematic review, we aimed to (1) explore the effectiveness of tDCS on the clinical symptoms and neuropsychological deficits of ADHD patients, (2) evaluate the safety of tDCS application, especially in children with ADHD, (3) model the electrical field intensity in the target regions based on the commonly-applied and effective versus less-effective protocols, and (4) discuss and propose advanced tDCS parameters. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses approach, a literature search identified 14 empirical experiments investigating tDCS effects in ADHD. Partial improving effects of tDCS on cognitive deficits (response inhibition, working memory, attention, and cognitive flexibility) or clinical symptoms (e.g., impulsivity and inattention) are reported in 10 studies. No serious adverse effects are reported in 747 sessions of tDCS. The left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex are the regions most often targeted, and anodal tDCS the protocol most often applied. An intensity of 2 mA induced stronger electrical fields than 1 mA in adults with ADHD and was associated with significant behavioral changes. In ADHD children, however, the electrical field induced by 1 mA, which is likely larger than the electrical field induced by 1 mA in adults due to the smaller head size of children, was sufficient to result in significant behavioral change. Overall, tDCS seems to be a promising method for improving ADHD deficits. However, the clinical utility of tDCS in ADHD cannot yet be concluded and requires further systematic investigation in larger sample sizes. Cortical regions involved in ADHD pathophysiology, stimulation parameters (e.g. intensity, duration, polarity, and electrode size), and types of symptom/deficit are potential determinants of tDCS efficacy in ADHD. Developmental aspects of tDCS in childhood ADHD should be considered as well.
ABSTRACT
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising method for altering cortical excitability with clinical implications. It has been increasingly used in neurodevelopmental disorders, especially attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but its efficacy (based on effect size calculations), safety, and stimulation parameters have not been systematically examined. In this systematic review, we aimed to (1) explore the effectiveness of tDCS on the clinical symptoms and neuropsychological deficits of ADHD patients, (2) evaluate the safety of tDCS application, especially in children with ADHD, (3) model the electrical field intensity in the target regions based on the commonly-applied and effective versus less-effective protocols, and (4) discuss and propose advanced tDCS parameters. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses approach, a literature search identified 14 empirical experiments investigating tDCS effects in ADHD. Partial improving effects of tDCS on cognitive deficits (response inhibition, working memory, attention, and cognitive flexibility) or clinical symptoms (e.g., impulsivity and inattention) are reported in 10 studies. No serious adverse effects are reported in 747 sessions of tDCS. The left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex are the regions most often targeted, and anodal tDCS the protocol most often applied. An intensity of 2 mA induced stronger electrical fields than 1 mA in adults with ADHD and was associated with significant behavioral changes. In ADHD children, however, the electrical field induced by 1 mA, which is likely larger than the electrical field induced by 1 mA in adults due to the smaller head size of children, was sufficient to result in significant behavioral change. Overall, tDCS seems to be a promising method for improving ADHD deficits. However, the clinical utility of tDCS in ADHD cannot yet be concluded and requires further systematic investigation in larger sample sizes. Cortical regions involved in ADHD pathophysiology, stimulation parameters (e.g. intensity, duration, polarity, and electrode size), and types of symptom/deficit are potential determinants of tDCS efficacy in ADHD. Developmental aspects of tDCS in childhood ADHD should be considered as well.
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Background: Royal jelly [RJ] is a complementary diet widely prescribed by traditional medicine specialists for treatment of in- fertility. The aim of present study was to evaluate the effects of RJ on a set of reproductive parameters in immature female rats
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, thirty two immature female rats [30-35 g] were divided into four groups [n=8/group]: three experimental groups and one control. The experimental groups received 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg/body weight doses of RJ daily for 14 days, and the control group received 0.5 ml distilled water interaperitonealy [i.p]. The treated rats were sacrificed and their ovaries were dissected for histological examination. The serum levels of ovarian hormones, nitric oxide [NO] and ferric reducing antioxidant power [FRAP] were evaluated, and the ratios of the ovarian and uterine weight to body weight were calculated. One-way ANOVA was used for data analysis
Results: The body weights were significantly different [P=0.002] among the rat groups, with an increase in all RJ treated animals. Uterine and ovarian weights and the serum levels of progesterone [P=0.013] and estradiol [P=0.004] were significantly increased in experimental groups compared to the control group. In addition, a significant increase in the number of mature follicles and corpora lutea [P=0.007] was seen in RJ recipients compared to the controls. A significant increase in the serum levels of FRAP [P=0.009] and a significant decrease in NO level [P=0.013] were also observed
Conclusion: RJ promotes folliculogensis and increases ovarian hormones. This product can be considered as a natural growth stimulator for immature female animals
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Background: Tissue protective effect of compounds with antioxidant properties has been demonstrated. The alkaloids found in barberry root are considered as antioxidants
Objective:According to barberry protective effects in different tissues, in this study, the protective effect of Berberis integerrima Bge. root [MEBIR] was evaluated against CCl4-induced testicular damages in Wistar rats
Materials and Methods:40 mature male rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: 1: Normal control, 2: Sham: received CCl4 diluted in olive oil [50% v/v; 1ml/kg bw], intraperitoneally, twice a week for 4 weeks, 3 and 4: Sham rats treated with MEBIR [250 and 500 mg/kg bw] for 28 days, 5: Sham rats treated with silymarin [50 mg/kg bw] for 28 days. After 28 days, serum testosterone level, absolute testis weight, catalase activity, malondialdehyde level, and histological parameters were investigated
Results: In the treated rats with MEBIR [250 and 500 mg/kg bw] or silymarin [50 mg/kg bw], there was a significant increase in the absolute testis weight, testosterone level, seminiferous tubules diameter [p<0.001], thickness of the epithelium, tubule differentiation index [p<0.001], spermiogenesis index [p<0.001], the activity of catalase, and a significant decrease in interstitial tissue thickness [p<0.001] and malondialdehyde level in comparison with CCl4-treated group. The effect of the MEBIR at dose of 500 mg/kg bw is more than that of the standard drug, silymarin [50 mg/kg bw]
Conclusion:From the results, it is suggested that the protective effects of MEBIR is possibly due to antioxidant effects of its bioactive compounds
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Background: The present study was carried out to investigate the possible protective effects of royal jelly [RJ] on oxymetholone [OXM]-induced oxidative liver injuries in mice
Methods: In total, 32 adult male NMRI mice were divided into four groups of eight mice each. Mice in groups 1 and 2 were orally administered 5 mg/kg/day OXM for 30 days. At the same time, mice in group 3 received RJ at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day. Saline control and RJ control groups were also included in this study
Results: Administration of 5 mg/kg OXM resulted in a significant decrease in total antioxidant capacity and catalase activity, as well as a significant increase in malondialdehyde [P<0.05]. In addition, OXM-administrated mice showed a slight increase in liver enzymes, including alanine amino transferase, aspartate amino transferase, and alkaline phosphatase. Although OXM caused histopathological changes in the liver, RJ could significantly improve all of the above-mentioned parameters at a dose of 100 mg/kg
Conclusion: The results of the present study indicated that RJ has a partially protective effect on OXM-induced liver toxicity in mice
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Objective: this study aimed to evaluate the effects of royal jelly [RJ] on serum biochemical alterations and oxidative stress status in liver and pancreas of streptozotocin [STZ]-induced diabetic rats
Materials and Methods: in this experimental study, thirty two male Wistar rats were divided into the following four groups [n=8/group]: i. Control [C], ii. Diabetic [D], iii. Royal jelly [R], and iv. Royal jelly-treated diabetic [D/R] groups. Diabetes was induced by single intraperitoneal [IP] injection of STZ [60 mg/kg]. The RJ [100 mg/kg body weight [BW]] was administered orally for 42 days. Blood samples were used to determine serum levels of insulin, high density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-c], total protein [TP], albumin, alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alkaline phosphatase [ALP], and fasting blood glucose [FBG]. Also, the antioxidant status was evaluated by determining the levels of malondialdehyde [MDA], catalase [CAT] and ferric reducing antioxidant power [FRAP] in liver and pancreas. Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance [ANOVA] with P<0.05 as the significant level
Results: STZ-induced diabetic rats showed a significant elevation in the serum levels of AST, ALT, ALP and FBG, whereas there was a significant decrease in serum levels of insulin, albumin, HDL-c and TP [P<0.05]. Treatment of the diabetic rats with RJ restored the changes of the above parameters to their normal levels [P<0.05]. In addition, RJ significantly improved reduced levels of FRAP and CAT as well as high MDA level in liver and pancreas [P<0.05]
Conclusion: RJ improves oxidative damage induced by STZ in the liver and pancreas of rats; therefore, it can be considered as an effective and alternative treatment for diabetes
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Background: it is reasonable to think that some biochemical characteristics of follicular fluid [FF] surrounding the oocyte may play a critical role in determining the quality of oocyte and the subsequent potential needed to achieve fertilization and embryo development
Objective: this study was carried out to evaluate the levels of FF homocysteine [Hcy] in IVF candidate polycystic ovary syndrome [PCOS] women and any relationships with FF glucose and estradiol [E[2]] levels
Materials and Methods: in this case control study which was performed in Dr. Tizro Day Care and IVF Center 70 infertile patients were enrolled in two groups: comprising 35 PCOS and 35 non PCOS women. Long protocol was performed for all patients. FF Hcy, glucose and E[2] levels were analyzed at the time of oocyte retrieval
Results: it was observed that FF Hcy level was significantly higher in PCOS patients compared with non PCOSs [p<0.01]. Observations demonstrated that in PCOS group, the Hcy level increased independent to E[2], glucose levels, BMI and age, while the PCOS group showed significantly higher BMI compared with non-PCOS group [p=0.03]. However, no significant differences were revealed between groups for FF glucose and E[2] levels
Conclusion: present data showed that although FF glucose and E[2] levels were constant in PCOS and non PCOS patients, but the FF Hcy levels in PCOS were significantly increased [p=0.01]
ABSTRACT
Background: diabetes is the most common endocrine disease. It has adverse effects on male reproductive function. Royal Jelly [RJ] has antioxidant and anti-diabetic effects and show protective effects against diabetes
Objective: this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of RJ on histopathological alterations of the testicular tissue in streptozotocin [STZ]-induced diabetic rats
Materials and Methods: in this experimental study, 28 adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into control [C], royal jelly [R], diabetic [D] and RJ-treated diabetic [D+R] groups. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ at 50 mg/kg body weight [BW]. The rats from the R and D+R groups received daily RJ [100 mg/kg BW] for 6 wks orally. Hematoxylin-Eosin staining was used to analyze histopathological changes including: tunica albuginea thickness [TAT], seminiferous tubules diameter [STsD], Johnsen's score, tubular differentiation index [TDI], spermiogenesis index [SPI], Sertoli cell index [SCI], meiotic index [MI], and mononuclear immune cells [MICs] in testes. The antioxidant status was examined by evaluating testicular levels of ferric reducing antioxidant power [FRAP] and catalase [CAT] activity
Results: histological results of the testis from diabetic rats showed significant decrease in STsD, Johnsen's score, TDI, SPI, SCI and MI, and significant increase in TAT and MICs, while administration of RJ significantly reverted these changes [p<0.05]. RJ treatment markedly increased activity of CAT and FRAP. There were significant differences in FRAP levels among C [13.0+/-0.5], RJ [13.4+/-0.3], D [7.8+/-0.6] and D+R [12.4+/-0.7] groups [p<0.05]
Conclusion: RJ improved diabetes-induced impairment in testis, probably through its antioxidant property
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Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of royal jelly [RJ] on catalase, total antioxidant capacity and embryo development in adult mice treated with oxymetholone [OXM]
Materials and Methods: In this exprimental study, 32 male and 96 female adult Naval Medical Research Institute [NMRI] mice [7-9 weeks of age] with a ratio of 1:3 for fertilization purposes were randomly divided into 4 groups as follows: i. Control group [n=8] receiving 0.1 ml/mice saline daily by gavage for 30 day, ii. RJ group [n=8] treated with RJ at a dose of 100 mg/kg daily by gavage for 30 days, iii. OXM group [n=8] receiving OXM at the dose of 5 mg/kg daily by gavage for 30 days and iv. RJ+OXM group [n=8] receiving RJ at the dose of 100 mg/kg daily by gavage concomitant with 100 mg/kg OXM administration for 30 days
Results: Analysis revealed a significant reduction in catalase, total antioxidant, as well as embryo development in OXM group [P<0.05]. However, RJ group showed a salient recovery in the all of the above mentioned parameters and embryo toxicity
Conclusion: The results of this study indicated a partially protective effect of RJ against OXM-induced embryo toxicity
ABSTRACT
Diabetes mellitus has a variety of structural and functional effects on the male reproductive system. Diabetes results in reduced sperm parameters and libido. The present study aims to investigate the effects of royal jelly [RJ] on reproductive parameters of testosterone and malondialdehyde [MDA] production in diabetic rats. This experimental study was conducted on adult male Wistar rats. The animals were divided into four groups [n=8 per group]: control, RJ, diabetic and diabetic treated with RJ. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 60 mg/kg body weight [BW] of streptozotocin [STZ]. RJ, at a dose of 100 mg/kg BW was given by gavage. The duration of treatment was six weeks. After the treatment period the rats were sacrificed. The testes were weighed and changes in sperm count, motility, viability, deformity, DNA integrity and chromatin quality were analyzed. Serum testosterone and MDA concentrations of testicular tissue were determined. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA with p<0.05 as the significant level. STZ-induced diabetes decreased numerous reproductive parameters in rats. Testicular weight, sperm count, motility, viability and serum testosterone levels increased in the diabetic group treated with RJ. There was a significant decrease observed in sperm deformity, DNA integrity, chromatin quality, and tissue MDA levels in diabetic rats treated with RJ compared to the diabetic group [p<0.05]. RJ improved reproductive parameters such as testicular weight, sperm count, viability, motility, deformity, DNA integrity, chromatin quality, serum testosterone and testicular tissue MDA levels in diabetic rats
Subject(s)
Reproduction , Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental , Streptozocin , Rats, Wistar , Spermatozoa , Testosterone , MalondialdehydeABSTRACT
1, 2-Dimethylhydrazine [DMH] enhances lipid peroxidation rate by tumor mitochondria than normal tissue counterpart and causes many disorders in antioxidant system in liver. It also increases the level of enzymes that metabolize toxin in liver and colon. The aim of this study was to evaluate the alteration of liver and its enzymes after DMH injection and evaluate protective effect of cell wall and cytoplasmic fractions of Saccharomyces cereviseae enriched with selenium [Se] on these tissues. Forty eight female rats were prepared and acclimatized to the laboratory conditions for two weeks, and all animals received 1, 2- dimethyl hydrazine chloride [40 mg/kg body weight] twice a week for 4 weeks except healthy control. At first colon carcinoma [aberrant crypt foci] confirmed by light microscope. Then the changes resulting from injection of DMH on liver of animals in initial and advanced stages of colon cancer were examined. In addition, the protective effect of cell wall and cytoplasmic fractions of Selenium-enriched S. cerevisiae were investigated in two phases. First phase in initial stage and second phase in advanced stage of colon cancer were performed respectively. Forty weeks following the first DMH injection, all survived animals were sacrificed. Then, colon and liver removed and exsanguinated by heart puncture. For measuring the levels of enzymes [AST, ALT, and ALP], a commercial kit [Parsazmoon, Iran] and an autoanalyzer [BT 3000 Pluse, Italy] were used. The results showed that subcutaneous injection of DMH increased the ALT, AST, and ALP levels up to 78.5, 161.38, and 275.88 U/L compared to the control, respectively. Moreover, statistical analysis in both phases of experiment revealed that the enzyme levels were decreased in the treated groups in comparison with the DMH-injected group, while the levels of these enzymes were lower in the control group. It should be concluded that administration of cell wall and cytoplasmic fraction prepared from Se-enriched S. cerevisiae could reduce the tissue damages in the livers DMH-injected rats. This beneficial effect would warrant further study on the clinical application of Se-enriched yeast
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The Use of medicinal plants in the treatment of diabetesis of particular clinical importance. Reproductive changes has been reported in Diabetic males. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Descurainia sophia seed on serum testosterone concentration, histology, and sperm parameters of testis tissue. In this experimental study, 24 male rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: Healthy control [C] Diabetic control [D], and under treatment diabetic group that received extract of Descurainia sophia [DK] at a dose of 100mg/kg.bw. Diabetic groups became diabetic with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin, [65mg/kg.bw] and after completion of the treatment period, Heart blood sampling for determining the testosterone level was done for 42 days. Then, all rats were sacrificed and after dissection, sperms were collected from cauda epididymis, and their parameters, including count and morphology were evaluated. Testis samples were transferred into formalin and stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Sudan Black B. Released spermatozoa were used to analyze sperm parameters such as sperm number and morphology. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and post hoc Tukey test. Significance level was considered p
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Stuttering is a common disorder among children and adolescents. The purpose of this study is to draw semantic and phonemic verbal fluency comparison between children and adolescents with developmental stuttering, and their normal peers. This is a cross-sectional comparison study in which 30 students with developmental stuttering and 30 students, as normal peers, were selected from the schools within Shahriar, using convenience sampling method and getting help from an expert speech therapist in making diagnosis. The subjects completed semantic and phonemic verbal fluency tests. In these tests, in a given time interval, the subject should mention words that phonemically begin with a certain phoneme or semantically belong to a certain group. All gathered data were analyzed using t-test. The findings showed a significant difference between the two groups in terms of phonemic-verbal fluency, but not regarding verbal-semantic fluency. Due to the dependence of verbal fluency task on cognitive functions, the research findings suggest inclusion of stutterers' cognitive deficits in their treatment programs
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Bleomycin [BL] is a glycopeptide antibiotic obtained from the bacterium Streptomyces verticillus which is routinely used for treatment of human cancers. Royal jelly [RJ] is a production from the hypo pharyngeal, mandibular and post cerebral glands of nurse bees. RJ consists of 66% water, 15% sugars, 5% lipids, and 13% proteins, essential amino acids and vitamins. The aim of present study was to evaluate protective effect of royal jelly on sperm parameters and malondialdehyde [MDA] production in rat. Forty adult male wistar rats [220 +/- 20gr] were randomly divided into 4 groups [n=10]. Control group [CG] received normal saline 10 ml/kg twice a week with Intraperitoneal [I.P] for 48 days [0.3 ml/rat]. Royal Jelly group [RJG] received jelly [100 mg/kg daily] for 48 days orally. Bleomycin group [BLG] received BL [10 mg/kg twice a week] with I.P for 48 days. Royal Jelly+ Bleomycin group [RJ+BLG] received royal Jelly [100 mg/kg /day] orally concomitant with BL administration. Sperm count, motility, and viability were investigated and chromatin quality and DNA integrity were also analyzed. Serum testosterone and MDA concentrations were measured as well. BL caused decline significantly [p<0.05] sperm count, sperm viability, motility as well as testosterone concentration compared to control group while significant [p<0.05] increases in immature sperm, sperm with damaged DNA and MDA concentration were announced in BL in comparison with CG and RJ+BLG. Royal jelly improved Bleomycin-induced toxicity on sperm parameters and testosterone and MDA concentrations. The present results support the idea that BL adversely affects sperm parameters and MDA and the RJ with antioxidant properties has positive effects on these parameters
Subject(s)
Fertility Agents, Male , Bleomycin/adverse effects , Fatty Acids/pharmacology , Rats, Wistar , Treatment Outcome , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Evaluation Studies as TopicABSTRACT
Polycystic ovary syndrome [PCOS] is one of the common Clinical disorders, which is observed in 5-10% of women in their reproductive age. Its Clinical characteristics include anovulation, hyperandrogenism, hirsutism, and resistance to insulin. This study was carried out aiming at determining the protective effect of royal jelly on liver tissue in polycystic rats. In this experimental study, 32 adult female Wistar rats were randomly divided into four 8-rat groups: 1] control group, which received just normal food and water; 2] experimental polycystic ovary syndrome [PCO] group, in them the syndrome was induced through intramuscular injection of a single dose of estradiol valerate, 4mg [0/4mL] per rat; 3] control royal Jell group, which orally received 90mg/kg royal Jelly daily, and 4] PCOS-royal Jelly group, in them PCOS was induced similar to the second group, and treated with royal Jelly similar to the third group. The treatment period was 63 days [9 weeks]. At the end of the treatment period, blood samples were collected from all rats for biochemical analysis, then, their liver tissue were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and sudan black stains. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's test. Significance level was considered p<0.05. In this study, royal jelly decreased lipid reserves of liver cells and decreased the destructive effects of oxidative stress due to PCOS in liver tissue in the group of rats treated with royal jelly. According to the findings of this study, royal jelly has a protective effect on liver tissue of polysictic rats
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Use of medicinal plants for attenuation of hyperglycemia and restoration of lipids disorder to normal level is clinically very important. The aim of present study was to evaluate the effects of Berberis integerrima Bge. fruit aqueous extract [BIFAE] on blood glucose and lipid profile in streptozotocin [STZ] - induced diabetic rats. The STZ-induced diabetic rats were treated by fruit aqueous extract of Berberis integerrima Bge. at doses [250 and 500 mg/Kg bw] and glibenclamide [0.6 mg/Kg bw] for 42 days by gavage. Blood glucose levels and body weights of rats were measured on weeks 0, 2, 4 and 6. Total lipid levels were determined in normal and STZ-induced diabetic rats after administration of the BIFAE and glibenclamide for 42 days. STZ-induced diabetic rats showed a significant [P<0.001] increases in the levels of blood glucose, triglycerides [TG], total cholesterol [TC], low density lipoprotein LDL-cholesterol [LDL-C] while body weight and high density lipoprotein HDL-cholesterolan [HDL-C] were significantly [P<0.001] decreased compared to normal rats. Daily administration of BIFAE did not possess the hypoglycemic and hypolipidaemic activity in STZ- diabetic rats during 6-week treatment period. Results indicate the usage of BIFAE in traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes may need more investigation
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Explicit and implicit memories have different cerebral origins and learning approaches. Defective emotional words processing in children with autism may affect the memory allocated to such words. The aim of this study was comparing two types of [explicit and implicit] memories during processing the two types of [emotional and non-emotional] words in autistic children and their healthy counterparts. The present cross sectional study was conducted on 14 autistic children, who had referred to Autism Medical Treatment Center on Tehran, and 14 healthy children in kindergartens and schools across Tehran. For the explicit memory, a list of words was presented to the subjects of our study and they were asked to repeat the words they heard one time immediately and one time with delay. For implicit memory, the subjects were asked to identify the heard words among the presented words. Statistical analysis was performed using two-way analysis of variance. The results showed that the normal children have higher efficiency in explicit and implicit memory than the children with autism [p<0.01]. The two-way analysis of memory type and word type showed that the former affects memory significantly [p<0.05] while word type had no significant effect. Autistic children suffer from impaired memory. This defect is higher in implicit memory than in the explicit memory. It is recommended to apply rehabilitation, training, learning approaches and also explicit memory for interventions of autistic children
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Use of medicinal plants in treating diabetes is of particular clinical importance. This study was carried out with the aim of assessing the effect of aqueous extract of berberis integerrima on testosterone level and changes of testicular tissue in diabetic rats. In this study, 40 male rats were divided into 5 groups as follows: 1- Control group [N], 2- Normal +barberry [N+B], group 3- Diabetic group [D] received Stereptozotocine [65 mg/kg bw, i.p.], 4- Diabetic+barberry group, 5- Diabetic+glibenclamide [0.6 mg/kg bw] group. The treatment groups daily received Barberry root extract [500 mg/kg bw] or glibenclamide intra gastric by gavage for 6 weeks, and the experimental period for each rat were 6 weeks. After finishing the treatment period, the animals were anesthetized and their testes were removed and transferred to 10% formalin. After fixing the samples, tissue sectioning, and staining by H and E technique, histological studies were performed by an optical microscope. The one-way analysis of variance [ANOVA] followed by Tukey's post-hoc test was used for analysis of the data. The Statistical significance level was considered p<0.05. In this study, diabetes caused a significant decrease in testosterone level, diameter of seminiferous tubules, spermiogenesis coefficient, thickness of the epithelium, significant increases in interstitial tissue thickness and blood glucose in diabetic group compared to other groups. Administration of barberry root extract in diabetic rats restored these changes towards normal level. The results of this study showed that aqueous extract of Berberis Integerrima root has a desirable effect on the testosterone level, blood glucose, and histological changes of testes during the course of diabetes
Subject(s)
Male , Animals, Laboratory , Plant Extracts , Plant Roots , Testis/drug effects , Testosterone , Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental , Streptozocin , RatsABSTRACT
Cerebral hemispheres functioning have been found to be abnormal in children with ASD. The role of lateralization in implicit and explicit motor learning has received little attention in ASD researches. The main goal of this study is investigating the differences between two hands implicit and explicit motor learning in children with ASD and typical matched group. In the present random clinical trial study, 30 boys with ASD aged 7-11 were compared with 32 typical matched boys. Typical group and the ASDs, which were screened with ASSQ, were selected from elementary schools in Najafabad [Isfahan, Iran]. Participants performed a serial reaction time task [10 blocks] with each hand in implicit and explicit group with random allocation. Learning comparison between two groups showed significant difference which means explicit learning deficit in the ASDs with right [p=0.009] and left hand [p=0.004]. Results also indicated no significant difference in implicit learning between ASDs and typical matched group in right [p=0.385] and left hand [p=0.18]. Hands differences also showed speeded right hand in implicit learning in children with ASD [p=0.028] while no differences was seen in explicit learning and typical children. Explicit learning of right and left hand was impaired in children with ASD while implicit learning of both hands maintained intact and a right hand preference in implicit motor learning was observed in children with ASD due to left striatal system abnormality