Interconnection between Mixed-Handedness, Digit Ratios and Hand and Foot Minor Anomalies in Predicting Schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: According to the neurodevelopmental theory, brain structuring early markers could be seen in different body parts as minor physical anomalies. Alongside minor physical anomalies, handedness and index to ring finger ratio are brain development indicators, specifically brain lateralization. Studies are consentient about the association of these findings with schizophrenia, though there is inconsistency about individual anatomical regions' contribution. We proposed that handedness in combination with morphological indicators of early brain development could be sensitive and specific in predicting schizophrenia status. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Within the list for the assessment of schizophrenia patients and normal controls of the Caucasian race were seven categorical minor physical anomalies of hand and feet, handedness, and index to ring finger ratio. In this cross-sectional study the examinees were recruited from January 2012 to December 2015. RESULTS: Forced-entry binary logistic regression model correctly classified 86.5% of patients and 99.2% of the comparison subjects with a 92.8% overall accuracy. Mixed-handedness, hyperconvex fingernails, big gap between 1st and 2nd toe, and partial syndactyly of 2nd and 3rd toe made a significant independent contribution to the patient-control prediction group status. Furthermore, these items showed a significant correlation with the predictors of the head from the previous study. CONCLUSION: Briefly, the limb components, assessed independently of other body regions, proved to be worthy as schizophrenia predictors.

[Expression of neuropeptideY in rat brain ischemia].

INTRODUCTION: The immunohistochemical method was used to follow the expression ofneuropeptide Y in the course of pre ischemia of the rat brain. The aim of the study was to define all the areas of expression of this protein, show their localization, their map of distribution and histological types. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All the sections of telencephalon, diencephalon and midbrain were studied in resistant, and transitory ischemia, which enabled us to observe the reaction of neurons to an ischemic attack or to repeated attacks. The mapping was done for all three proteins by introducing our results into the maps of rat brain atlas, George Paxinos, Charles Watson. Photographing and protein expression was done using Analysis program. RESULTS: The results of this research show that there is a differens in reaction between the resistant and transitory ischemia groups of rats, especially in the caudoputamen, gyrus dentatus, corpus amygdaloideum, particularly in the medial nucleus. The mapping shows the reaction in caudoputamen, gyrusdentatus, corpus amygdaloideum- especially in the central nucleus, then in the sensitive and secondary auditory cortex, mostly in the laminae V/VI, but less in neuron groups CA1, CA2, CA3 of hippocampus. DISCUSSION: The phylogenetically older parts of the brain-rhinencephalon, also showed reaction, which lead us to conclude that both newer and older brain structures reacted immunohistochemically. Histological data have shown that small neurons are most commonly found while the second most common ones are big pyramidal cells of multipolar and bipolar type, with a different body shape. CONCLUSION: Our findings have confirmed the results obtained in some rare studies dealing with this issue, and offered a precise and detailed map of cells expressing neuropeptide Y in the rat brain following ischemic attack.