Glimepiride Prevents 1-Methyl-4-Phenyl-1,2,3,6-Tetrahydropyridine Induced Dopamine Neurons Degeneration Through Attenuation of Glia Activation and Oxidative Stress in Mice.

It is well established that there is a link between type 2 diabetes mellitus and Parkinson's disease (PD) evidenced in faster progression and more severe phenotype in patients living with diabetes suggestive of shared cellular pathways; hence, antidiabetic drugs could be a possible treatment options for disease modification. This study evaluated the effect of glimepiride (GMP), a third generation sulphonylurea, on 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced PD in mice. Sixty mice were divided randomly into six individual groups of 10 mice each and dose orally as follows: group 1: vehicle (10 ml/kg, p.o.); group 2: MPTP (20 mg/kg, i.p. × 4 at 2-h interval); groups 3-5: GMP (1, 2, or 4 mg/kg, p.o.) + MPTP (20 mg/kg, i.p. × 4 at 2-h interval); and group 6: GMP (4 mg/kg, p.o.). Effect of glimepiride on motor activities were appraised with the use of open-field test and rotarod performance while non-motor activity was evaluated using force swim test (FST; depression) and Y-maze test (working memory). MPTP induced significant decrease in latency to fall on rotarod, distance covered/rearing in open field, mean speed and climbing in FST, and percentage alternation behavior in Y-maze suggestive of motor and non-motor dysfunction. However, MPTP-induced motor and non-motor dysfunction were ameliorated with glimepiride post-treatment. In addition, MPTP-induced increase in oxidative stress parameters and cholinergic neurotransmission was attenuated by glimepiride. In addition, MPTP-induced nigral dopamine neuron loss (decrease in tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neuron (TH)) and neuroinflammation (activation of glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (iba-1)) were ameliorated by GMP administration. This study showed that glimepiride ameliorates MPTP-induced PD motor and non-motor deficits through enhancement of antioxidant defense signaling and attenuation of neuroinflammatory markers. Thus, this could be useful as a disease-modifying therapy in the management of PD.

Prevalence of oral mucosal lesions and oral health related quality of life among adolescents in a rural Nigerian population

Background: Oral mucosal lesions affect people of all age groups, and vary in presentation; from asymptomatic to severely debilitating. Studies reporting the prevalence and effects of these lesions in adolescents are generally few compared to those describing the demography of dental caries and other oral diseases. Objective: To determine the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions, factors that contribute to the prevalence, and the association with the oral-health related quality of life (OHRQoL) of adolescents in the population. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was done on 240 secondary school students aged 10-19 from three secondary schools selected using multi-stage cluster random sampling. A pre-designed questionnaire was used to collect demographic information, presence of systemic illness, and oral habits. Oral-health related quality of life was assessed using the oral-health impact profile (OHIP-14), and intraoral examination was performed within the school premises by a single trained investigator. Results: A total of 33 participants (13.7%) had oral mucosal lesions. Overall, commissural lip pits (5.0%) were the most prevalent, while geographic tongue and irritation fibroma (0.4% each) were the least prevalent lesions. The mean OHIP-14 score of the participants in this study was 7.17+8.64. Participants with systemic diseases and cheek biting habits had statistically significant worse scores than those without either. Conclusion: The most prevalent oral mucosal lesions in the adolescent age group are those of developmental origin. Quality of life was negatively impacted by the presence of systemic diseases as well as cheek biting habit.