ABSTRACT
Understanding the neural, metabolic, and psychological mechanisms underlying human altruism and decision-making is a complex and important topic both for science and society. Here, we investigated whether transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) applied to two prefrontal cortex regions, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC, anode) and the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC, cathode) can induce changes in self-reported emotions and to modulate local metabolite concentrations. We employed in vivo quantitative MR Spectroscopy in healthy adult participants and quantified changes in GABA and Glx (glutamate + glutamine) before and after five sessions of tDCS delivered at 2 mA for 20 min (active group) and 1 min (sham group) while participants were engaged in a charitable donation task. In the active group, we observed increased levels of GABA in vmPFC. Glx levels decreased in both prefrontal regions and self-reported happiness increased significantly over time in the active group. Self-reported guiltiness in both active and sham groups tended to decrease. The results indicate that self-reported happiness can be modulated, possibly due to changes in Glx concentrations following repeated stimulation. Therefore, local changes may induce remote changes in the reward network through interactions with other metabolites, previously thought to be unreachable with noninvasive stimulation techniques.
Subject(s)
Emotions , Prefrontal Cortex , Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation , gamma-Aminobutyric Acid , Humans , Male , Female , Prefrontal Cortex/metabolism , Prefrontal Cortex/physiology , Adult , Emotions/physiology , Young Adult , gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/metabolism , Glutamic Acid/metabolism , Altruism , Glutamine/metabolism , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy/methods , Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex/metabolism , Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex/physiologyABSTRACT
Gastrointestinal bleeding related to Kaposis Sarcoma is rare in AIDS patients; the etiology of anemia is usually multifactorial. We describe the case of a HIV infected, 53 year old patient with refractory anemia requiring frequent transfusion support. He was a patient with multiple complications and recent introduction of drugs that could justify myelosuppression and anemia. Due to inconclusive endoscopic examinations, the appearance of melena was the clue of the investigation, which concluded in the diagnosis of duodenal Kaposis Sarcoma. (AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Anemia , HIV , Sarcoma, Kaposi , Gastrointestinal HemorrhageABSTRACT
Walled-off pancreatic necrosis (WOPN) is a rare complication of pancreatitis. We present the case of a woman in her eighties admitted for diffuse abdominal pain. She had a palpable abdominal mass and the CT scan showed necrosis throughout the tail of the pancreas, a peripancreatic and retrogastric hydroaerial collection (19 cm of diameter) and a calculus in the main biliary duct, thus establishing a diagnosis of emphysematous necrotising obstructive pancreatitis. A step-up approach was decided, first with removal of the biliary calculus, followed by a waiting period of 4 weeks in which the patient was under intravenous antibiotics. At re-evaluation, the CT scan showed a smaller and more organised collection, bounded by a wall, defining WOPN. At this stage, transgastric drainage via echoendoscopy was attempted, without success, followed by percutaneous CT-guided drainage, also with little effect. Surgical necrosectomy was then executed, as a final step, with a successful outcome.
