The role of only-child status in the psychological impact of COVID-19 on mental health of Chinese adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The impact of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on public mental health in 2019 is verified, but the role of only-child status in the mental health of adolescents confined at home during the COVID-19 epidemic has not been investigated and is not clear. OBJECTIVE: Our study aims to assess the impact of only-child status on the mental health of adolescents confined at home during the COVID-19 outbreak. The exposure risk to COVID-19, adverse experience, parent-child relationship, and resilience have also been measured and considered. METHODS: From March 20 to 31, 2020, a cross-sectional survey test was conducted on 11,681 adolescents aged from 12 to 18 years in middle schools (Grade 7 to Grade 9) across five provinces in China. The self-reported online questionnarie was used to collected data of demographic information, the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, the short form of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and the exposure risk to COVID-19. RESULTS: A total of 11,180 valid questionnaires were collected, with an effective rate of 95.7%. 35.2% of only children and 38.8% of non-only children reported depression symptoms, while 20.5% of only children and 24.7% of non-only children reported anxiety symptoms. It was significant that non-only children were more likely to have anxiety and depression symptoms than only children (OR = 1.164, 95%CI: 1.064-1.273, p = 0.001). The risk of exposure to COVID-19 was a risk factor of depression (OR = 2.284, 95%CI: 1.640-3.180, p < 0.001) and anxiety symptoms (OR = 1.959, 95%CI: 1.402-2.737, p < 0.001) in non-only children, but not in only children. For both only children and non-only children, the resilience and parent-child relationship were protective factors of depression and anxiety symptoms, while emotional abuse was a risk factor (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The non-only children are more likely to develop the symptoms of anxiety and depression than only children, during the outbreak of COVID-19 in China. The adolescents with siblings are psychiatrically more vulnerable to exposure risk of COVID-19 and need more attention, especially those with poor parent-child relationship, low resilience and experience of emotional abuse.

Neuroprotective effects of tenuigenin on neurobehavior, oxidative stress, and tau hyperphosphorylation induced by intracerebroventricular streptozotocin in rats.

BACKGROUND: Tenuigenin (TEN), a major active component of the Chinese herb Polygala tenuifolia root, has been used to improve memory and cognitive function in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries. PURPOSE: The present study was designed to explore the possible neuroprotective effect of TEN on the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced rat model of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (sAD). METHODS: STZ was injected twice intracerebroventrically (3 mg/kg, ICV) on alternate days (day 1 and day 3) in Rats. Daily treatment with TEN (2, 4, and 8 mg/kg) starting from the first dose of STZ for 28 days. Memory-related behaviors were evaluated using the Morris water maze test. Hyperphosphorylation of tau proteins in hippocampus were measured by western blot assay. Superoxide dismutase activities, malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxidase and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal adducts contents were also measured in the hippocampus. RESULTS: Treatment with TEN significantly improved STZ-induced cognitive damage, markedly reduced changes in malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal adducts, and significantly inhibited STZ-induced reduction in superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in the hippocampus. In addition, TEN decreased hyperphosphorylation of tau resulting from intracerebroventricular STZ (ICV-STZ) injection, and Nissl staining results showed that TEN has protective effects on hippocampal neurons. CONCLUSION: These results provide experimental evidence demonstrating preventive effect of TEN on cognitive dysfunction, oxidative stress, and hyperphosphorylation of tau in ICV-STZ rats. This study indicates that TEN may have beneficial effects in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as AD.

Luoyutong Treatment Promotes Functional Recovery and Neuronal Plasticity after Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats.

Luoyutong (LYT) capsule has been used to treat cerebrovascular diseases clinically in China and is now patented and approved by the State Food and Drug Administration. In this retrospective validation study we investigated the ability of LYT to protect against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by reperfusion. Capsule containing LYT (high dose and medium dose) as treatment group and Citicoline Sodium as positive control treatment group were administered daily to rats 30 min after reperfusion. Treatment was continued for either 3 days or 14 days. A saline solution was administered to control animals. Behavior tests were performed after 3 and 14 days of treatment. Our findings revealed that LYT treatment improved the neurological outcome, decreased cerebral infarction volume, and reduced apoptosis. Additionally, LYT improved neural plasticity, as the expression of synaptophysin, microtubule associated protein, and myelin basic protein was upregulated by LYT treatment, while neurofilament 200 expression was reduced. Moreover, levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor and basic fibroblast growth factor were increased. Our results suggest that LYT treatment may protect against ischemic injury and improve neural plasticity.

[Effect of dongchong xiacao capsule on airway inflammation of asthmatic patients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of dongchong xiacao capsule on the airway inflammation of asthmatic patients and to explore the relevant mechanism of therapeutic effect of Dongchongxiacao capsule. METHOD: Sixty patients with moderate persistent asthma were randomized into the treatment group (n=30) and the control group (n=30). Inhaled corticosteroid and as-needed beta-agonist were used in the treatment group while this therapy plus dongchong xiacao capsule were used in the control group for two months. Serum IL-4, IFN-gamma, sICAM-1, MMP-9, IgG, IgE level were assessed at randomization and 2 months after randomization. RESULT: The serum level of IgE, sICAM-1, IL-4 and MMP-9 of the treatment group was lowered to a greater degree than that of the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01 ). CONCLUSION: Dongchong xiacao capsule can reduce the serum markers of airway inflammation, which suggests this therapy bares the anti-inflammation effects probably through regulating the balance of TH1/TH2, inhibiting the activity of adherence molecule and reducing IgE production. It may also have the effect of reversing airway remodeling, which needs further research to determine.