Marginal Maternal Zinc Deficiency Produces Liver Damage and Altered Zinc Transporter Expression in Offspring Male Rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate how zinc deficiency and supplementation affect liver markers including autotaxin, kallistatin, endocan, and zinc carrier proteins ZIP14 and ZnT9 in rats exposed to maternal zinc deficiency. Additionally, the study aimed to assess liver tissue damage through histological examination. A total of forty male pups were included in the research, with thirty originating from mothers who were given a zinc-deficient diet (Groups 1, 2, and 3), and the remaining ten born to mothers fed a standard diet (Group 4). Subsequently, Group 1 was subjected to a zinc-deficient diet, Group 2 received a standard diet, Group 3 received zinc supplementation, and Group 4 served as the control group without any supplementation. Upon completion of the experimental phases of the study, all animals were sacrificed under general anesthesia, and samples of liver tissue were obtained. The levels of autotaxin, kallistatin, endocan, ZIP 14, and ZnT9 in these liver tissue samples were determined using the ELISA technique. In addition, histological examination was performed to evaluate tissue damage in the liver samples. In the group experiencing zinc deficiency, both endocan and autotaxin levels increased compared to the control group. With zinc supplementation, the levels of endocan and autotaxin returned to the values observed in the control group. Similarly, the suppressed levels of kallistatin, ZIP14, and ZnT9 observed in the zinc deficiency group were reversed with zinc supplementation. Likewise, the reduced levels of kallistatin, ZIP14, and ZnT9 seen in the zinc deficiency group were rectified with zinc supplementation. Moreover, the application of zinc partially ameliorated the heightened liver tissue damage triggered by zinc deficiency. This study is the pioneering one to demonstrate that liver tissue dysfunction induced by a marginal zinc-deficient diet in rats with marginal maternal zinc deficiency can be alleviated through zinc supplementation.

Zinc Ameliorates Nogo-A Receptor and Osteocalcin Gene Expression in Memory-Sensitive Rat Hippocampus Impaired by Intracerebroventricular Injection of Streptozotocin.

Metabolic dysfunction is a critical step in the etiopathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. In this progressive neurological disorder, impaired zinc homeostasis has a key role that needs to be clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of zinc deficiency and administration on hippocampal Nogo-A receptor and osteocalcin gene expression in rats injected with intracerebroventricular streptozotocin (icv-STZ). Forty male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups in equal numbers: Sham 1 group received icv artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF); Sham 2 group received icv a CSF and i.p. saline; STZ group received 3 mg/kg icv STZ; STZ-Zn-deficient group received 3 mg/kg icv STZ and fed a zinc-deprived diet; STZ-Zn-supplemented group received 3 mg/kg icv STZ and i.p. zinc sulfate (5 mg/kg/day). Hippocampus tissue samples were taken following the cervical dislocation of the animals under general anesthesia. Nogo-A receptor and osteocalcin gene expression levels were determined by real-time-PCR method. Zinc supplementation attenuated the increase in hippocampal Nogo-A receptor gene expression, which was significantly increased in zinc deficiency. Again, zinc supplementation upregulated the intrinsic protective mechanisms of the brain by activating osteocalcin-expressing cells in the brain. The results of the study show that zinc has critical effects on Nogo-A receptor gene expression and hippocampal osteocalcin gene expression levels in the memory-sensitive rat hippocampus that is impaired by icv-STZ injection. These results are the first to examine the effect of zinc deficiency and supplementation on hippocampal Nogo-A receptor and osteocalcin gene expression in icv-STZ injection in rats.

The effects of resveratrol and melatonin on biochemical and molecular parameters in diabetic old female rat hearts.

The roles of melatonin and resveratrol-enhanced activation of SIRT1 (silent information regulator 1), GLUT4 (glucose transporter type 4), and PGC-1α (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha) in mediating the protective effects on the heart in aged female rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes were investigated. 16-month-old 48 Wistar female rats were separated into 8 groups with equal numbers. Group 1: Control, Group 2: Resveratrol Control, Group 3: Melatonin Control, Group 4: Resveratrol and Melatonin Control, Group 5: Diabetes, Group 6: Diabetes Resveratrol, Group 7: Diabetes Melatonin, Group 8: Diabetes Resveratrol and Melatonin. A single dose of 40 mg/kg intraperitoneal streptozotocin was injected into the rats of Groups 5, 6, 7, and 8 to induce experimental diabetes. Blood glucose levels were measured from the tail veins of the animals six days after the injections, using a diagnostic glucose kit. Rats with a blood glucose levels ≥300 mg/dl were considered diabetic. 5 mg/kg/day of resveratrol (intraperitoneal) and melatonin (subcutaneous) were administered for four weeks. At the end of the applications, SIRT1, GLUT4, PGC-1α gene expression as well as MDA and GSH levels in the heart tissues were determined by the PCR method from heart tissue samples taken under general anesthesia. The findings of our study show that suppressed antioxidant activity and decreased GLUT4, SIRT1, and PGC-1α gene expression in heart tissue can be reversed by the combination of resveratrol, melatonin, and resveratrol + melatonin in a diabetic aged female rat model. Resveratrol and melatonin supplementation may have a protective effect on cardiac functions in the diabetic aged female rat model.

The Role of Zinc Status on Spatial Memory, Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity, and Insulin Signaling in icv-STZ-Induced Sporadic Alzheimer's-Like Disease in Rats.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), especially its sporadic form (sAD), is of multifactorial nature. Brain insulin resistance and disrupted zinc homeostasis are two key aspects of AD that remain to be elucidated. Here, we investigated the effects of dietary zinc deficiency and supplementation on memory, hippocampal synaptic plasticity, and insulin signaling in intracerebroventricular streptozotocin (icv-STZ)-induced sAD in rats. The memory performance was evaluated by Morris water maze. The expression of hippocampal protein and mRNA levels of targets related to synaptic plasticity and insulin pathway was assessed by Western blot and real-time quantitative PCR. We found memory deficits in icv-STZ rats, which were fully recovered by zinc supplementation. Western blot analysis revealed that icv-STZ treatment significantly reduced hippocampal PSD95 and p-GSK3ß, and zinc supplementation restored the normal protein levels. mRNA levels of BDNF, PSD95, SIRT1, GLUT4, insulin receptor, and ZnT3 were found to be reduced by icv-STZ and reestablished by zinc supplementation. Our data suggest that zinc supplementation improves cognitive deficits and rescues the decline in key molecular targets of synaptic plasticity and insulin signaling in hippocampus caused by icv-STZ induced sAD in rats.

The Effect of Zinc and Melatonin Administration on Lipid Peroxidation, IL-6 Levels, and Element Metabolism in DMBA-Induced Breast Cancer in Rats.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of zinc and melatonin administration on interleukin-6, lipid peroxidation parameters, and element metabolism in DMBA-induced breast cancer in female rats. A total of 42 recently weaned Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups as follows: control (group 1), DMBA control (group 2), DMBA + zinc (group 3), DMBA + melatonin (group 4), and DMBA + melatonin and zinc (group 5). Malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels in breast tissue and blood samples were determined via spectrophotometric methods. In addition, iron, magnesium, zinc, and copper levels in serum samples were determined by atomic emission, and plasma interleukin-6 levels were determined by ELISA method. The highest tissue and plasma MDA and the lowest tissue and erythrocyte GSH levels found in the study were in group 2; the highest tissue and erythrocyte GSH levels and the lowest tissue and plasma MDA levels are in group 5 (P < 0.05). Iron, magnesium, and zinc levels of groups 3, 4, and 5 were higher than the DMBA group without administration (group 2), but the copper values were significantly lower (P < 0.05). The highest IL-6 levels were determined in group 2 while IL-6 levels in the DMBA group (G5) treated with combined melatonin and zinc were lower than all other breast cancer groups (P < 0.05). According to the findings obtained in this presented study, combined zinc and melatonin therapy can contribute to the prevention of tumor growth by improving the disruption in element metabolism and suppressing IL-6 levels and reducing tissue damage that causes the cancer.

Psychophysical assessment of koniocellular pathway in patients with schizophrenia versus healthy controls.

This study was designed to perform psychophysical assessment of koniocellular pathway in patients with schizophrenia versus healthy controls. A total of 26 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and 15 healthy controls were included. Snellen Visual Acuity Chart scores and Short Wavelength Automated Perimetry (SWAP) visual field testing including global visual field indices [mean deviation (MD), pattern standard deviation (PSD), test time (min)], reliability parameters [false negative responses (%), false positive responses (%) and fixed losses (%)] and average threshold sensitivity [central (parafovea), peripheral area, and four quadrants] were recorded in both groups. Significantly lower MD scores, higher PSD scores and lower average threshold sensitivity at each location across the visual field were noted in schizophrenia relative to control group. In conclusion, our findings revealed a deficit in koniocellular pathway with impaired SWAP global indices and lower threshold sensitivity at each location across the visual field among chronic schizophrenic patients as compared with control subjects. Our findings emphasize potential application of SWAP outside its original intended purpose as a glaucoma test, to provide deeper understanding of the specific contribution of lateral geniculate nucleus to the visual and cognitive disturbances of schizophrenia.

Explanatory Models of Illness, Help Seeking Behaviours and Related Factors in Patients with Schizophrenia: A Comparative Study from Two Different Provinces of Turkey.

This study aims to identify the help seeking behaviours of patients from two geographically distinct provinces of Turkey. A questionnaire about sociodemographic characteristics and help seeking ways was applied to 49 schizophrenia patients from Van, 99 from Ankara. The ratio of patients seeking psychiatric help at the beginning of their illness was 76% in Ankara, the capital city, in contrast to 54% in Van (p = 0.01). Twenty-two percent of patients from Ankara and 69% from Van reported that non-psychiatric help seeking was the choice of their families (p < 0.001). Thirty-five percent of all patients sought religious support when their symptoms started. Patients with lower education levels sought more religious help (p = 0.002). Help seeking behaviours show regional variations. Religious help seeking behaviour is a major way of dealing with the illness. Psychoeducation is a crucial need both for patients and families.

Correlates of injection drug use among individuals admitted to public and private drug treatment facilities in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: The number of individuals seeking treatment for drug use has been increasing in recent years in Turkey. However, existing research on patterns and risk factors for drug use and how they vary by age and location in Turkey is limited. METHODS: We examined the socio-demographic characteristics, drug use behaviors, and treatment history of citizens admitted to inpatient substance use treatment at public and private facilities in Turkey during 2012 and 2013 and identified correlates of lifetime and current injection drug use. RESULTS: Of the 11,247 patients at the 22 public treatment centers in 2012-2013, a majority were male, lived with family, were unemployed, and had an average age of 27 years. Within private clinics (n=663), a higher proportion was female (9.7% private vs. 5.7% public), aged 11-17 years old (13% vs. 7.4%), used cannabis as their primary drug (18.4% vs. 13.2%), and had previously received drug treatment (57% vs. 47.2%). Within public centers, 40.4% reported ever injecting drugs and 33.7% reported injecting in the past 30 days; the corresponding percentages at private clinics were 22.5% and 18.1%. Significant predictors of injection drug use included being homeless, being a temporal employee or unemployed, having higher education, heroin as a preferred drug, having a longer duration of drug use, and prior drug treatment. CONCLUSION: Prevention and intervention efforts are needed to reduce the transition to heroin and injection drug use among youth as well as improve access to a variety of drug treatment options for people who use substances in Turkey.

Substance use is a risk factor for violent behavior in male patients with bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND: To determine the factors involved in violent behavior in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and to investigate the relationship between violence and substance use disorder (SUD). METHODS: A sample of 100 male inpatients diagnosed with BD type I who were experiencing a current mood episode participated in the study. Violent behavior was defined as physical aggression against others. All patients were evaluated using the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale-positive subscale (PANSS-p), Barratt Impulsivity Scale-11 (BIS-11), Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ) and Overt Aggression Scale (OAS). Lifetime SUD and current use of substances were evaluated. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to predict violent behavior. RESULTS: Current substance use (CSU) rather than lifetime SUD was found to be related to violent behavior in patients with BD, and CSU was associated with a threefold increase in the risk of violence. The rate of lifetime SUD in our sample was 59%, and the rate of CSU was 39%. The most commonly abused substances were cannabis and alcohol, followed by synthetic cannabinoids, in both groups of patients with lifetime SUD and CSU. Individuals abusing any substance were more likely to have a criminal record and history of incarceration than other patients. One of the most significant risk factors for violence was a previous history of violent behavior. LIMITATIONS: The sample was limited to male patients. Data on some participants' recent substance use from standard urine analysis was not obtained. The data on the use of synthetic cannabinoids was obtained from patients and their families owing to the lack of equipment for detecting synthetic cannabinoids using laboratory analysis. CONCLUSIONS: CSU appears to be a significant predictive factor in violent behavior in male patients. Further investigation of co-occurrence of violence with CSU and improvement in treatment strategies might reduce or prevent violence in patients with BD.

Family History in Patients with Bipolar Disorder.

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we aimed to better understand the genetic transmission of bipolar disorder by examining the family history of patients. METHODS: Sixty-three patients with bipolar disorder and their families were included. The final sample comprised 156 bipolar patients and their family members. An inclusion criterion was the presence of bipolar disorder history in the family. The diagnosis of other family members was confirmed by analyzing their files, hospital records, and by calling them to the hospital. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients were women (41.6%) and 91 were men (58.3%) (ratio of men/women: 1.40). When analyzing the results in terms of the transition of disease from the mother's or father's side, similar results were obtained: 25 patients were from the mother's side and 25 patients were from the father's side in 63 cases. CONCLUSION: The results of our study support the fact that a significant relationship exists between the degree of kinship and the heritability of bipolar disorder and, furthermore, that the effect of the maternal and paternal sides is similar on the transmission of genetic susceptibility.

Reliability and Validity Study of the Turkish Version of the Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present study was to perform reliability and validity analyses of the Turkish version of the Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale which is used to determine the severity of opiate withdrawal. METHODS: Initially, the Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS) was translated into Turkish and subsequently back-translated into English. The originality of the back-translated version was approved by the author who developed the scale. After the translation was completed, the scale was used to assess the withdrawal symptoms of 100 patients with opiate withdrawal and 41 patients with alcohol withdrawal. Cronbach's alpha was used in the reliability assessment; explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses were used in structural validity assessment; and in scale validity, ROC analysis was used among diagnosis groups. RESULTS: The Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient was calculated as 0.74 in reliability analyses. The correlation coefficient was found to be 0.975 (p<0.001) for inter-rater reliability. Factor analysis was conducted for the structural validity of the scale and findings that support the unidimensional structure of the scale were observed. In the confirmatory factor analysis, CFI, GFI and RMSEA values were found to be 0.905, 0.905 and 0.079, respectively. It was detected that COWS was successful in distinguishing between opiate and alcohol withdrawal symptoms and the area under the ROC curve was 0.878. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the Turkish version of COWS can be used reliably and validly for assessing opiate withdrawal.

Motivation for treatment in patients with substance use disorder: personal volunteering versus legal/familial enforcement.

BACKGROUND: Motivation for treatment on the part of patients with addictive disorders is known to affect their prognosis, and lack thereof is reported to be among the most common reasons for failed treatment adherence and relapse after treatment. This study evaluated the relationship between volunteering, personality, demographic factors, and motivation for treatment. METHODS: The study was conducted at a substance dependence center in the eastern part of Turkey. Forty-five patients (mean age 37.9±11.2 years) with a substance use disorder were included. They were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) Axis II disorders. Depression and anxiety were evaluated using the Beck depression and anxiety inventories, and motivation for treatment was measured using the Turkish version of the Texas Christian University Motivation for Treatment scale. RESULTS: All patients had been using substances daily and 41 (88.9%) had been using multiple drugs. The most commonly used substance was heroin (n=18, 40%). Voluntary admission was a predictor of motivation for treatment (P<0.05). Having a personality disorder and higher depression scores were related to less motivation for treatment. CONCLUSION: Motivation for treatment is affected by external factors such as type of admission and internal factors such as personality disorder and depression. Investigation of ways to encourage voluntary admission for treatment instead of enforced strategies may be helpful for achieving higher levels of motivation for treatment in substance users.

Is there any role of Toxoplasma gondii in the etiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common psychiatric illness. Although the aetiology of OCD is still unknown, the family-genetic data show that familial forms of OCD may be associated with a specific genetic susceptibility. Recent investigations have associated development of OCD with infectious illness. Toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) is a common presentation of Toxoplasma gondii infection of the central nervous system (CNS). The most commonly affected CNS region in TE is the cerebral hemisphere, followed by the basal ganglia, cerebellum and brain stem. The basal ganglia has been implicated in the development of OCD. Therefore, in this study, it was aimed to investigate a possible association between Toxoplasma infection and OCD. We selected 42 patients with OCD and 100 healthy volunteers, and investigated the sero-positivity rate for anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The sero-positivity rate for anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies among OCD patients (47.62%) was found to be significantly higher than the rate in healthy volunteers (19%). This is the first report to examine a potential association between Toxoplasma infection and OCD. The main finding of the present study is an increased level of IgG antibodies to T. gondii in OCD patients when compared with the level in healthy controls. There might be a causal relationship between chronic toxoplasmosis and the aetiology of OCD.