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OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship between the neurobehavioral functions of individuals exposed to low-level lead and the levels of serum copper-related proteins glutathione S-transferase M1(GSTM1), hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha(HIF1α), cyclooxygenase 1(COX1) and metallothionein(MT), and to screen biomarkers for changes in neurobehavioral function caused by occupational lead exposure. METHODS: A total of 194 workers who exposed to low-level lead(lead-exposed group) and 120 workers without lead exposure(control group) were selected from a battery factory as the research subjects by judgment sampling method. The inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry was used to determine blood lead levels of the two groups, and the State of Mood Scale(POMS) was investigated to assess the emotional state. The computerized neurobehavioral evaluation system in Chinese version 3(NES-C3) was used to test the neurobehavioral ability index(NAI) of related indicators of learning memory and mental activity. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the levels of copper-related protein in serum. After using principal component analysis to extract the principal components of emotional state, learning memory and mental activity, multiple linear regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of neurobehavioral function. RESULTS: The blood lead level of the lead-exposed group was increased [(57.15±11.12) vs(177.86±80.04) μg/L, P<0.01], and the incidence of symptoms such as dizziness, memory loss, sleep disturbance, fatigue, weakness, cold sweats in extremities, cold extremities, tingling of extremities, tingling sensation in the distal extremities, tetany, instability of holding things, metallic taste in the mouth, nausea and vomiting, anorexia, constipation, abdominal distension, abdominal pain, toothache/tooth loosening were increased(all P<0.01) compared with the control group. Meanwhile, the scores of tension-anxiety, depression-dejection, fatigue-inertia, anger-hostility, confusion-bewilderment of POMS were increased(all P<0.01), and the scores of vigor-activity were decreased(P<0.01). The NAI of the lead-exposed individuals in the NES-C3 test of 6 indicators(series addition and subtraction, visual retention, memory scanning, listening to digital breadth, visual simple reaction time, target tracking) were lower than that of the control group(all P<0.01). The serum levels of GSTM1 and HIF1α of the lead-exposed group decreased(all P<0.01), and the COX1 and MT levels increased(all P<0.01) compared with the control group. The serum GSTM1, HIF1α, COX1 and MT of the lead-exposed group were correlated with their emotional state, learning and memory and mental activity to varying degrees(all P<0.05). The results of multiple stepwise linear regression showed that serum COX1 level was an independent influencing factor of emotional state(P<0.01), serum GSTM1, COX1 and lead working years were independent influencing factor of learning and memory(all P<0.05), and work length with lead exposure and alcohol consumption was an independent influencing factor of mental activity(all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Low-level lead exposure can cause central nervous system symptoms in workers, and the change in neurobehavioral function and serum levels of copper-related proteins GSTM1, HIF1α, COX1 and MT. Serum levels of GSTM1 and COX1 can be used as candidate biomarkers for indicating neurobehavioral function caused by lead exposure.
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OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of liver-soothing and mental-activity-regulating (LSMAR) needling on behavior reactions and contents of serum calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P (SP), interleukin-1 β (IL-1 β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in migraine rats, so as to explore its mechanism underlying relief of migraine. METHODS: Thirty-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control, model, LSMAR needling and conventional needling groups (n=8 rats in each). The migraine model was established by hypodermic injection of glyceryl trinitrate (5 mg/kg) at the napex. Acupuncture preconditioning was conducted once daily for 8 days before modeling. Acupuncture needles were inserted into "Baihui" (GV 20), and bilateral "Fengchi" (GB 20), "Neiguan" (PC 6) and "Taichong" (LR 3), manipulated for a while and retained for 30 min. The rats' behavioral changes (times of head scratching, tail-biting, cage-crawling, and to- and fro-movement in 30 min) were scored (one symptom = one point) before modeling, after modeling, and after intervention. The concentrations of CGRP, SP, IL-1 β, TNF-α in serum were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: After modeling, the behavioral scores were significantly increased in the migraine model rats relevant to the control group (P<0.05). Whereas after the treatment, the behavior scores were considerably decreased during 60-90 min and 120-150 min of the measuring period in both LSMAR and conventional needling groups compared with the model group (P<0.05). The concentrations of CGRP, SP, IL-1 β and TNF-α were significantly higher in the model group than in the control group (P<0.05), and notably lower in both LSMAR and conventional needling groups than in the model group (P<0.05). The therapeutic effect of LSMAR was markedly superior to that of conventional needling in down-regulating the concentrations of CGRP, SP, IL-1 β and TNF-α (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture preconditioning can effectively relieve pain in migraine rats possibly by decreasing the concentrations of CGRP, SP, IL-1 β and TNF-α in the peripheral blood, and the therapeutic effect of LSMAR is evidently superior to that of conventional needling.
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OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of liver-soothing and mental-activity-regulating (LSMAR) needling on the expression of receptor activity-modifying protein 1 (RAMP 1, receptor of calcitonin gene-related peptide), 5-hydroxytryptamine 1 D receptor(5-HT 1 DR) in the spinal trigeminal nucleus (STN) and midbrain in migraine rats, so as to explore its underlying mechanism in relieving migraine. METHODS: A total of 40 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control, model, LSMAR and conventional needling groups (n=10 rats in each). The migraine model was established by subcutaneous injection of nitroglycerin at the posterior neck. LSMAR was applied to "Baihui" (GV 20), bilateral "Fengchi" (GB 20), "Neiguan" (PC 6) and "Taichong" (LR 3) in the LSMAR group and conventional needling was applied to "Baihui" (GV 20) and bilateral "Fengchi" (GB 20) in the conventional acupuncture group for 30 min, once a day for 8 days before modeling. The expression levels of RAMP 1 and 5-HT 1 DR proteins and mRNAs in the STN and mesencephalon were detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR and Western blot, separately. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the expression levels of RAMP 1 protein and mRNA in STN and mesencephalon were significantly increased (P<0.05) and those of 5-HT 1 DR protein and mRNA considerably decreased (P<0.05) in the model group. After the acupuncture treatment, the increased levels of RAMP 1 protein and mRNA and the decreased levels of 5-HT 1 DR protein and mRNA in the STN and midbrain were obviously reversed in the LSMAR and conventional needling groups relevant to the model group (P<0.05). The effect of LSMAR needling was significantly superior to that of conventional needling in down-regulating the expression levels of RAMP 1 mRNA and protein in the STN and mesencephalon (P<0.05) and in up-regulating the expression levels of 5-HT 1 DR mRNA and protein in the two brain regions (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Manual acupuncture stimulation of GV 20, GB 20, etc. can inhibit the expression of RAMP 1 protein and mRNA in the STN and midbrain, and up-regulate the expression of 5-HT 1 DR in the two brain regions of migraine rats, which may be related to its effect in relieving migraine.
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OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to describe the status of mental activity participation in community-dwelling elderly and to evaluate the association between mental activity and cognitive function after adjustment for depression and anxiety. METHODS: This study was based on the Suwon Project, which was a cohort comprising of nonrandom convenience samples of ethnic Koreans aged 60 years and above. All the subjects completed the study questionnaire including their demographic characteristics, current and past illnesses history, drug history, Korean version-Mini Mental State Examination (K-MMSE), Korean version of Short Form Geriatric Depression Scale (SGDS-K), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). We checked how many hours per day are used for each items of 11 mental activities through the checklist. RESULTS: Total time spent in 11 mental activities was 237.4+/-152.4 minutes per day. On multiple regression analysis, total time spent in 11 mental activities (MA-total), and time spent by watching television and reading book/newspaper showed statistically significant association with K-MMSE score after adjustment with age, sex, education, chronic medical illness, depression and anxiety. CONCLUSION: Our result suggested that mental activity may be associated with cognitive function in the elderly without cognitive impairment in the community after adjusting age, sex, education, chronic medical illness, depression and anxiety.
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Aged , Humans , Anxiety , Cognition , Cohort Studies , Depression , Surveys and Questionnaires , Television , PeriodicalABSTRACT
Seven emotions generation relates to the interaction between individual and external objective matters,which is accompanied with interaction between internal desire and external matters.The activity of seven emotions bases on essence of zang-fu organs,being regulated by five zang viscera.Heart is the upstream controller,liver is the key organ to maintain normal emotionds,spleen and stomach is the hub of emotional activities,lung is the auxiliary organ, kidney is origin of emotional generation.Five zang viscera's cooperation and interaction generate the seven emotions.
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The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of walking exercise on the mental activity of 44 elderly patients with slight, long-term cerebral infarction. Walking exercise, mental activity and brain morphology were determined by the number of steps taken per day, modified Hasegawa's dementia scales-R and computed tomography, respectively.<BR>The results are as follows : The average number of steps taken per day for the group of normal mental activity was 3489±1692, for subnormal 2073±980, pre-dementia 1458±1241, and dementia 570±1132. Sylvian fissures enlargement ratio in the normal group was 4.3±1.7%, subnormal was 4.1±0.8%, predementia 6.0±2.3%, dementia 6.3±1.8%.<BR>The difference between the right and left sylvian fissure enlargement ratio in the normal group was 1.8±0.9% (right) vs. 2.5±1.3% (left), subnormal: 1.7±0.4% (right) vs. 2.5±0.5% (left), predementia : 2.6±0.9% (right) vs. 3.4±1.5% (left), dementia: 3.0±1.2% (right) vs. 3.2±0.9% (left) . Cerebrum-cranial cavity ratio in the normal group was 80.6±5.0%, subnormal 78.6±5.0%, predementia 74.6±4.8%, dementia 72.7±3.4%.<BR>The lateral ventricles-cranial cavity ratio for normal was 14.3±4.5%, subnormal 14.7±3.1%, predementia 17.3±3.6%, dementia 16.8±4.7%. The difference between good walking patients (over 1000steps/day) and poor walking patients (less than 1000steps/day) concerning the sylvian fissures-cranial cavity ratio (A), cerebrum-cranial cavity ratio (B) and lateral ventricles-cranial cavity ratio (C) was as follows: (A) 4.4±1.5% vs. 6.4±1.9% (p<0.001), (B) 78.4±6.7% vs. 74.0±3.4% (p<0.05), (C) 15.2±3.9% vs. 16.5±4.5% (ns) .<BR>The above data indicates that there is an interrelationship among walking exercise, mental activity and brain morphology.
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Objective: To compare sleep condition and mental ac tivity among short sleeper, insomniacs and normal sleeper Method: Subjects were grouped as normal sleeper, short sleeper (according to ICSD cri teria) and insomniacs All of them were measured with MMPI, self-made questionn a ire on emotion at bedtime Psychophysiological arousal and polysomnogram over n i ght were also recorded Results: Sleep latency was longer in sh o rt sleeper than normal The total spent asleep and sleep efficiency of short sl e eper had no different from those of insomniacs The awake time, A/TSA and funct i on of daytime of short sleeper were as good as normal The result of MMPI showe d , short sleeper had lower scores in Hypochondria, Depression, Conversion Hysteri a and Psychasthenia than insomniacs, higher scores in Hypomania than insomniacs or normal control They were also less anxious than insomniacs at bedtime, had s maller correlation coefficient between daytime psychophysiological arousal and s leep condition than insomniacs had Conclusion: Short sleeper h a s longer sleep latency, but quality of their sleep, their personality and emotio n at bedtime are more close to normal sleeper