The relationship between oxidative stress markers and 1H-Magnetic resonance spectroscopy findings in obsessive compulsive disorder.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to examine N-acetyl aspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) and glutamate, glutamine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid complex (Glx)/Cr levels in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and healthy controls' orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and caudate nucleus (CN) by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) method and to investigate their relationship with oxidative stress markers glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). METHODS: This study included patients with OCD (n = 25) and healthy controls (n = 25) ranging in age from 18 to 65. We used the ELISA method to evaluate serum SOD and GPx levels. Levels of NAA/Cr and Glx/Cr in the orbitofrontal cortex and caudate nucleus were measured using the 1H-MRS method. RESULTS: Our study did not detect statistically significant differences in the orbitofrontal cortex Glx/Cr and NAA/Cr levels between the OCD patients and the control group. OCD patients exhibited a decrease in NAA/Cr levels, consistent with impaired neuronal integration, and an increase in Glx/Cr levels, consistent with hyperactivation, in the caudate nucleus compared to the control group. We observed a negative correlation between NAA/Cr levels in the caudate nucleus and the levels of SOD and GPx. CONCLUSIONS: Our study is the first to assess CN and OFC together in OCD patients using 3 T MR, investigating the relationship between neurometabolite concentrations and oxidative stress parameters. The negative correlation we observed between NAA/Cr levels and SOD and GPx in the caudate nucleus suggests that increased oxidative stress in this brain region in OCD patients may contribute to impaired neuronal integration and functionality.

Relationship of the HLA-DRB1 alleles and seropositivity, anti-MCV, functional status and radiological damage in Turkish patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: The HLA-DRB1 gene plays an important role in the genetic predisposition to rheumatoid arthritis. The anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) is known to be associated with the susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as well as the severity of the disease. The aim of this study is to determine the HLA genes that are associated with the severity of the RA measured by seropositivity, functional status, radiological damage and the anti-modified citrullinated vimentin (MCV) levels. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Ninety-six patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and a control group consisting of 84 healthy individuals were enrolled in the study. The HLA-DRB1 type and subtypes were specified using the polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP). The association of the HLA-DRB1 type and subtypes with seropositivity, anti-MCV levels, functional status and anatomical joint damage were explored using the modified Larsen scoring method. RESULTS: The DRB1*01, DRB1*04, DRB1*07, DRB1*10, DRB1*11 and DRB1*15 alleles were found to be related with higher anti-MCV levels (p< 0.05). The DRB1*11 type and the DRB1*1001 subtype were observed to be associated with poor functional status (Stages 3-4). The DRB1*0801 subtype was associated with lower anti MCV levels (OR=8.35, p=0.02). DRB1*04 type and DRB1*0405 subtypes were related with radiological damage (OR=0.52 and 0.25; p=0.04 and 0.03, respectively). No significant relationship was observed between the RF seropositivity and the HLA-DRB1 alleles. CONCLUSION: This study revealed the association between the HLA alleles and seropositivity, functional status, anti-MCV levels and radiological damage in patients in the Southeast Anatolian region of Turkey.