Gangliosidome of a Human Hippocampus in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Resolved by High-Resolution Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

In this study, we developed a high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (HR MS) approach to assess presumed changes in gangliosidome of a human hippocampus affected by temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) in comparison with a normal hippocampus. Gangliosides, membrane glycolipids, are particularly diverse and abundant in the human brain, and participate in ion transport and modulation of neuronal excitability. Changes in structural ganglioside pattern potentially linked to TLE molecular pathogenesis have not been explored in detail. Aiming to characterize TLE-specific gangliosidome, we analyzed the native gangliosides purified from a human hippocampal tissue sample affected by TLE and a control hippocampus using HR MS. Marked differences of ganglioside expression were shown in TLE vs. control, particularly with respect to the sialylation degree of components, discovered as a characteristic feature of TLE. Another major finding is the occurrence of tetrasialofucogangliosides in TLE and species modified by either O-acetylation or CH3COO-. Structural analysis by higher-energy collisional dissociation (HCD) MS/MS gave rise to fragmentation patterns implying that the GQ1b (d18:1/18:0) isomer is specifically associated with TLE. Further investigation in a larger sample is needed in order to confirm the discovery of ganglioside structures specifically expressed in human TLE and to provide information on the probable role of gangliosides in the molecular events underlying seizures.

Who's in, who's out? Re-evaluation of lipid raft residents.

Lipid rafts, membrane microdomains enriched with (glyco)sphingolipids, cholesterol, and select proteins, act as cellular signalosomes. Various methods have been used to separate lipid rafts from bulk (non-raft) membranes, but most often, non-ionic detergent Triton X-100 has been used in their isolation. However, Triton X-100 is a reported disruptor of lipid rafts. Histological evidence confirmed raft disruption by Triton X-100, but remarkably revealed raft stability to treatment with a related polyethylene oxide detergent, Brij O20. We report isolation of detergent-resistant membranes from mouse brain using Brij O20 and its use to determine the distribution of major mammalian brain gangliosides, GM1, GD1a, GD1b and GT1b. A different distribution of gangliosides-classically used as a raft marker-was discovered using Brij O20 versus Triton X-100. Immunohistochemistry and imaging mass spectrometry confirm the results. Use of Brij O20 results in a distinctive membrane distribution of gangliosides that is not all lipid raft associated, but depends on the ganglioside structure. This is the first report of a significant proportion of gangliosides outside raft domains. We also determined the distribution of proteins functionally related to neuroplasticity and known to be affected by ganglioside environment, glutamate receptor subunit 2, amyloid precursor protein and neuroplastin and report the lipid raft populations of these proteins in mouse brain tissue. This work will enable more accurate lipid raft analysis with respect to glycosphingolipid and membrane protein composition and lead to improved resolution of lipid-protein interactions within biological membranes.

Plasma Membrane Calcium ATPase-Neuroplastin Complexes Are Selectively Stabilized in GM1-Containing Lipid Rafts.

The recent identification of plasma membrane (Ca2+)-ATPase (PMCA)-Neuroplastin (Np) complexes has renewed attention on cell regulation of cytosolic calcium extrusion, which is of particular relevance in neurons. Here, we tested the hypothesis that PMCA-Neuroplastin complexes exist in specific ganglioside-containing rafts, which could affect calcium homeostasis. We analyzed the abundance of all four PMCA paralogs (PMCA1-4) and Neuroplastin isoforms (Np65 and Np55) in lipid rafts and bulk membrane fractions from GM2/GD2 synthase-deficient mouse brains. In these fractions, we found altered distribution of Np65/Np55 and selected PMCA isoforms, namely PMCA1 and 2. Cell surface staining and confocal microscopy identified GM1 as the main complex ganglioside co-localizing with Neuroplastin in cultured hippocampal neurons. Furthermore, blocking GM1 with a specific antibody resulted in delayed calcium restoration of electrically evoked calcium transients in the soma of hippocampal neurons. The content and composition of all ganglioside species were unchanged in Neuroplastin-deficient mouse brains. Therefore, we conclude that altered composition or disorganization of ganglioside-containing rafts results in changed regulation of calcium signals in neurons. We propose that GM1 could be a key sphingolipid for ensuring proper location of the PMCA-Neuroplastin complexes into rafts in order to participate in the regulation of neuronal calcium homeostasis.

Activation of brown adipose tissue in diet-induced thermogenesis is GC-C dependent.

Uroguanylin (UGN) is released from the intestine after a meal. When applied in brain ventricles, UGN increases expression of markers of thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT). Therefore, we determine the effects of its receptor, guanylate cyclase C (GC-C), on mouse interscapular BAT (iBAT) activity during diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT). The activation of iBAT after a meal is diminished in GC-C KO mice, decreased in female wild type (WT) mice, and abolished in old WT animals. The activation of iBAT after a meal is the highest in male WT animals which leads to an increase in GC-C expression in the hypothalamus, an increase in iBAT volume by aging, and induction of iBAT markers of thermogenesis. In contrast to iBAT activation after a meal, iBAT activation after a cold exposure could still exist in GC-C KO mice and it is significantly higher in female WT mice. The expression of GC-C in the proopiomelanocortin neurons of the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus but not in iBAT suggests central regulation of iBAT function. The iBAT activity during DIT has significantly reduced in old mice but an intranasal application of UGN leads to an increase in iBAT activity in a dose-dependent manner which is in strong negative correlation to glucose concentration in blood. This activation was not present in GC-C KO mice. Our results suggest the physiological role of GC-C on the BAT regulation and its importance in the regulation of glucose homeostasis and the development of new therapy for obesity and insulin resistance.

Hippocampal expression of cell-adhesion glycoprotein neuroplastin is altered in Alzheimer's disease.

Cell-adhesion glycoprotein neuroplastin (Np) is involved in the regulation of synaptic plasticity and balancing hippocampal excitatory/inhibitory inputs which aids in the process of associative memory formation and learning. Our recent findings show that neuroplastin expression in the adult human hippocampus is specifically associated with major hippocampal excitatory pathways and is related to neuronal calcium regulation. Here, we investigated the hippocampal expression of brain-specific neuroplastin isoform (Np65), its relationship with amyloid and tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and potential involvement of neuroplastin in tissue response during the disease progression. Np65 expression and localization was analysed in six human hippocampi with confirmed AD neuropathology, and six age-/gender-matched control hippocampi by imunohistochemistry. In AD cases with shorter disease duration, the Np65 immunoreactivity was significantly increased in the dentate gyrus (DG), Cornu Ammonis 2/3 (CA2/3), and subiculum, with the highest level of Np expression being located on the dendrites of granule cells and subicular pyramidal neurons. Changes in the expression of neuroplastin in AD hippocampal areas seem to be related to the progression of disease. Our study suggests that cell-adhesion protein neuroplastin is involved in tissue reorganization and is a potential molecular marker of plasticity response in the early neurodegeneration process of AD.

Treatment of trochanteric bursitis: our experience.

[Purpose] Trochanteric bursitis is a disease for which there are no effective standardized therapy protocols. Very often pain persists in spite of applying all therapeutic treatments. The purpose of this study was to determine whether treatment of trochanteric bursitis with a local injection of bicomponent corticosteroid and 2% lidocaine would improve patients' conditions and relieve pain symptoms in the trochanteric area. [Subjects and Methods] A retrospective observational study was conducted of 2,217 patients in a 6 year follow-up period at the Special Hospital "Agens", Mataruska Banja, Serbia. [Results] Of 2,217 examined patients, 58 (2.6%) patients were found to suffer from trochanteritis associated with low back pain, and 157 (7%) were found to suffer from trochanteric pains without low back pains. Local corticosteroid therapy followed by physical therapy was effective in 77 (49%) of these patients, and only corticosteroid injection in 61 (39%) patients. A single injection was given to 47 (29.9%) of the patients. Two injections were given to 9 (5.7%) patients, and from 3 to 5 injections were given repeatedly every 4-6 weeks to 7 (4.5%) patients. [Conclusion] For most patients, local injections of corticosteroids with lidocaine alone or followed by physical therapy gave satisfactory results.

Comedications alter drug-induced liver injury reporting frequency: Data mining in the WHO VigiBase™.

Polypharmacy is common, and may modify mechanisms of drug-induced liver injury. We examined the effect of these drug-drug interactions on liver safety reports of four drugs highly associated with hepatotoxicity. In the WHO VigiBase™, liver event reports were examined for acetaminophen, isoniazid, valproic acid, and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. Then, we evaluated the liver event reporting frequency of these 4 drugs in the presence of co-reported medications. Each of the 4 primary drugs was reported as having more than 2000 liver events, and co-reported with more than 600 different medications. Overall, the effect of 2275 co-reported drugs (316 drug classes) on the reporting frequency was analyzed. Decreased liver event reporting frequency was associated with 245 drugs/122 drug classes, including anti-TNFα, opioids, and folic acid. Increased liver event reporting frequency was associated with 170 drugs/82 drug classes; in particular, halogenated hydrocarbons, carboxamides, and bile acid sequestrants. After adjusting for age, gender, and other co-reported drug classes, multiple co-reported drug classes were significantly associated with decreased/increased liver event reporting frequency in a drug-specific/unspecific manner. In conclusion, co-reported medications were associated with changes in the liver event reporting frequency of drugs commonly associated with hepatotoxicity, suggesting that comedications may modify drug hepatic safety.

Mining hidden knowledge for drug safety assessment: topic modeling of LiverTox as a case study.

BACKGROUND: Given the significant impact on public health and drug development, drug safety has been a focal point and research emphasis across multiple disciplines in addition to scientific investigation, including consumer advocates, drug developers and regulators. Such a concern and effort has led numerous databases with drug safety information available in the public domain and the majority of them contain substantial textual data. Text mining offers an opportunity to leverage the hidden knowledge within these textual data for the enhanced understanding of drug safety and thus improving public health. METHODS: In this proof-of-concept study, topic modeling, an unsupervised text mining approach, was performed on the LiverTox database developed by National Institutes of Health (NIH). The LiverTox structured one document per drug that contains multiple sections summarizing clinical information on drug-induced liver injury (DILI). We hypothesized that these documents might contain specific textual patterns that could be used to address key DILI issues. We placed the study on drug-induced acute liver failure (ALF) which was a severe form of DILI with limited treatment options. RESULTS: After topic modeling of the "Hepatotoxicity" sections of the LiverTox across 478 drug documents, we identified a hidden topic relevant to Hy's law that was a widely-accepted rule incriminating drugs with high risk of causing ALF in humans. Using this topic, a total of 127 drugs were further implicated, 77 of which had clear ALF relevant terms in the "Outcome and management" sections of the LiverTox. For the rest of 50 drugs, evidence supporting risk of ALF was found for 42 drugs from other public databases. CONCLUSION: In this case study, the knowledge buried in the textual data was extracted for identification of drugs with potential of causing ALF by applying topic modeling to the LiverTox database. The knowledge further guided identification of drugs with the similar potential and most of them could be verified and confirmed. This study highlights the utility of topic modeling to leverage information within textual drug safety databases, which provides new opportunities in the big data era to assess drug safety.

High daily dose and being a substrate of cytochrome P450 enzymes are two important predictors of drug-induced liver injury.

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is complicated and difficult to predict. It has been observed that drugs with extensive hepatic metabolism have a higher likelihood of causing DILI. Cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes are primarily involved in hepatic metabolism. Identifying the associations of DILI with drugs that are P450 substrates, inhibitors, or inducers will be extremely helpful to clinicians during the decision-making process of caring for a patient suspected of having DILI. We collected metabolism data on P450 enzymes for 254 orally administered drugs in the Liver Toxicity Knowledge Base Benchmark Dataset with a known daily dose, and applied logistic regression to identify these associations. We revealed that drugs that are substrates of P450 enzymes have a higher likelihood of causing DILI [odds ratio (OR), 3.99; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 2.07-7.67; P < 0.0001], which is dose-independent, and drugs that are P450 inhibitors have a higher likelihood of generating DILI only when they are administered at high daily doses (OR, 6.03; 95% CI, 1.32-27.5; P = 0.0098). However, drugs that are P450 inducers are not observed to be associated with DILI (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 0.65-3.68; P = 0.3246). Our findings will be useful in identifying the suspected medication as a cause of liver injury in clinical settings.

Effect of Food, Crushing of Tablets, and Antacid Coadministration on Maribavir Pharmacokinetics in Healthy Adult Participants: Results From 2 Phase 1, Open-Label, Randomized, Crossover Studies.

The effect of food composition, tablet crushing, and antacid coadministration on maribavir pharmacokinetics was assessed in 2 Phase 1 studies in healthy adults. In the first, a single maribavir 400-mg dose was administered under fasting conditions, with a low-fat/low-calorie or a high-fat/high-calorie meal. In the second, a single maribavir 100-mg dose was administered under fasting conditions, as a crushed tablet, or as a whole tablet alone or with an antacid. The 90% confidence intervals of the geometric mean ratios were within 80%-125% for area under the concentration-time curve (AUC), but not for maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) for low-fat/low-calorie and high-fat/high-calorie meals versus fasting or for whole tablet with antacid versus whole tablet alone. The 90% confidence intervals of the geometric mean ratios for AUC and Cmax were within 80%-125% for crushed versus whole tablet. Maribavir median time to Cmax value in plasma under fed conditions was delayed versus fasting conditions, but there was no statistical difference for crushed versus whole tablet or with versus without antacid. As the antiviral efficacy of maribavir is driven by AUC but not Cmax, findings suggest that maribavir can be administered with food or antacids or as a crushed tablet.

Evaluation of quality of life in patients with schizophrenia: An inpatient social welfare institution-based cross-sectional study.

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness with a poor quality of life (QoL). The main aim of this study was to measure the QoL and factors that affect the QoL of patients with schizophrenia placed in a social welfare institution. This cross-sectional study included 287 patients with schizophrenia who were treated in a long-stay social care institution in which QoL was assessed using five different instruments: the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale, the EuroQoL Five-Dimension-Five-Level scale (including the visual analog scale), the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire - Short Form, and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. To determine the impact of patients' characteristics on score values, multiple linear regression using backward elimination was employed. Due to non-normality in the distribution of the dependent variables, a Box-Cox power transformation was applied to each dependent variable prior to conducting multiple linear regression analysis. Results revealed that patients with schizophrenia have lower QoL. Our study revealed that age, level of education, type of accommodation, type of pavilion, age of onset of the disease, number of prescribed antipsychotics, number of psychiatric comorbidities, duration of therapy, and the number of daily doses of antipsychotics are dominant contributors to the QoL in patients with schizophrenia who were treated in social welfare institution.

The influence of sex, ethnicity, and CYP2B6 genotype on bupropion metabolism as an index of hepatic CYP2B6 activity in humans.

The effects of sex, ethnicity, and genetic polymorphism on hepatic CYP2B6 (cytochrome P450 2B6) expression and activity were previously demonstrated in vitro. Race/ethnic differences in CYP2B6 genotype and phenotype were observed only in women. To identify important covariates associated with interindividual variation in CYP2B6 activity in vivo, we evaluated these effects in healthy volunteers using bupropion (Wellbutrin SR GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, NC) as a CYP2B6 probe substrate. A fixed 150-mg oral sustained-release dose of bupropion was administered to 100 healthy volunteers comprising four sex/ethnicity cohorts (n = 25 each): Caucasian men and Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic women. Blood samples were obtained at 0 and 6 hours postdose for the measurement of serum bupropion (BU) and hydroxybupropion (HB) concentrations. Whole blood was obtained at baseline for CYP2B6 genotyping. To characterize the relationship between CYP2B6 activity and ethnicity, sex, and genotype when accounting for serum BU concentrations (dose-adjusted log(10)-transformed), analysis of covariance model was fitted in which the dependent variable was CYP2B6 activity represented as the log(10)-transformed, metabolic ratio of HB to BU concentrations. Several CYP2B6 polymorphisms were associated with CYP2B6 activity. Evidence of dependence of CYP2B6 activity on ethnicity or genotype-by-ethnicity interactions was not detected in women. These results suggest that CYP2B6 genotype is the most important patient variable for predicting the level of CYP2B6 activity in women, when measured by the metabolism of bupropion. The bupropion metabolic ratio appears to detect known differences in CYP2B6 activity associated with genetic polymorphism, across different ethnic groups. Prospective studies will be needed to validate the use of bupropion as a probe substrate for clinical use.

The relationship among hypertension, antihypertensive medications, and osteoporosis: a narrative review.

Osteoporosis and hypertension are two frequent diseases among the aging population that share a similar etiopathology and often coexist. Moreover, treatment of hypertension affects bone mineral density and, therefore, can worsen osteoporosis. This narrative review considers the influence of the main etiologic factors that contribute to the development of hypertension and osteoporosis and examines the effect of the most often used antihypertensives on bones. A computerized literature search of relevant English publications regarding the etiology of hypertension and osteoporosis as well as the impact of antihypertensives on osteoporosis from 1996 to 2011 was completed in October 2011. The latest update in the search was performed from May to June 2012. The most relevant nongenetic factors in the etiology of osteoporosis and hypertension are low calcium intake, vitamin D and vitamin K deficiency, high consumption of sodium salt, and the effects of different forms of nitric oxide. Thiazide diuretics are the only antihypertensives that have a positive influence on bone mineral density. For other antihypertensive drugs, the data are conflicting, indicating that they may have a potentially negative or positive influence on bone mineral density and fracture risk reduction. Some studies did not find a correlation between the use of antihypertensives and bone mineral density. Due to the frequent coexistence of hypertension and osteoporosis, when selecting long-term antihypertensive therapy the potential effects of antihypertensive drugs on development, worsening, or improvement of osteoporosis should also be considered.

Pharmacokinetics and Safety Evaluation of Maribavir in Healthy Japanese and Matched White Participants: A Phase 1, Open-Label Study.

This phase I study compared pharmacokinetics and safety of maribavir in Japanese and White participants, and evaluated dose proportionality in Japanese participants. Under fasting conditions, 12 healthy adult participants of Japanese descent and 12 matched White participants received a single 400-mg dose of maribavir. Japanese participants received 2 further doses of maribavir: 200 mg and 800 mg, or 800 mg and 200 mg, separated by a ≥72-hour washout period. Serial blood samples were collected up to 24 hours after dosing for pharmacokinetic assessments. Following the 400-mg dose, the geometric mean ratios (90% confidence interval) of Japanese versus White participants were 110% (91.7%-133%) for maximum plasma concentration, 122% (96.8%-155%) for area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) from time of dosing to the last measurable concentration, and 125% (98.0%-160%) for AUC extrapolated to infinity. In Japanese participants, maribavir AUC extrapolated to infinity and AUC from time of dosing to the last measurable concentration increased in a dose-proportional fashion over 200-800 mg; maximum plasma concentration increased less than dose proportionally. Seven participants reported treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs; Japanese participants, 400 mg: 2 [16.7%], 200 mg: 1 [8.3%]; White participants, 400 mg: 4 [33.3%]), all mild and most commonly dysgeusia. No serious TEAEs or TEAEs leading to discontinuation were reported. This study demonstrated higher maribavir systemic exposure in Japanese than White participants and similar safety outcomes. This difference in exposure is not considered clinically important and its significance remains to be determined.

Maribavir Pharmacokinetics and Safety in Participants With Moderate Hepatic Impairment: A Phase 1, Open-Label, Single-Dose, Parallel Group Study.

Maribavir, an orally bioavailable antiviral, has shown superior activity against posttransplant cytomegalovirus infection compared with conventional antivirals. It is primarily metabolized in the liver. This open-label, single-center study evaluated the effect of hepatic impairment on the pharmacokinetics of maribavir in nontransplant participants. A single 200-mg dose of maribavir was administered orally under fasting conditions to participants with moderate hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh class B) (n = 10) and healthy controls (n = 10) matched for age, weight, sex, and smoking status. Compared with participants with normal hepatic function, maximum plasma concentration (Cmax ) and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) from time 0 to infinity values for maribavir in participants with moderate hepatic impairment were 1.346-fold (90%CI of geometric mean ratio, 1.091-1.660) and 1.261-fold (0.889-1.787) higher, respectively. However, Cmax and AUC values for unbound maribavir were comparable. For VP 44469, the main metabolite of maribavir, the Cmax and AUC from time 0 to infinity values were 1.190-fold (0.836-1.693) and 1.309-fold (1.007-1.702) higher, respectively, in participants with moderate hepatic impairment. In total, 7 mild treatment-emergent adverse events were reported, all in the moderate hepatic impairment group. Dysgeusia was the most frequently reported treatment-emergent adverse event, at a frequency of 50%. These results indicated that total maribavir concentrations were mildly increased in participants with moderate hepatic impairment, while unbound concentrations were unaffected. Similar maribavir pharmacokinetics in participants with moderate hepatic impairment and normal hepatic function suggest that dose adjustment may not be required for patients with moderate hepatic impairment.

Mortality of Malignant Melanoma in Central Serbia, in the Period 1999-2015.

INTRODUCTION: Malignant melanoma is one of the rarest forms of skin cancer but it is the most deadly. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper was to analyze the epidemiological characteristics and trends of mortality from malignant melanoma in the population of Central Serbia in the period 1999-2015. METHODS: The study was designed as a retrospective descriptive epidemiological study. Standardized mortality rates were used in statistical data processing. A linear trend model and regression analysis were used to examine trends in malignant melanoma mortality. RESULTS: In Serbia, malignant melanoma mortality shows an increasing trend. The overall age-adjusted melanoma death rate was 2.6 per 100,000 with a higher death rate among men (3.03 per 100,000) than among women (2.1 per 100,000). Malignant melanoma mortality rates increase with age in both sexes and are highest in the age group of 75 and older. The highest increase in mortality in men is recorded in the 65-69 age group, with an average percentage increase of 21.33 (95% CI, 8.40 - 51.05), while in women the largest increase in mortality was recorded in the 35-39 age group, with an average percentage increase of 31.4 and in the 70-74 age group, 12.9. CONCLUSIONS: The trend of increasing mortality from malignant melanoma in Serbia is similar to those in most developed countries. Education and improvement of awareness in the general population and among health professionals are vital to reducing melanoma mortality in the future.

Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling for Maribavir to Inform Dosing in Drug-Drug Interaction Scenarios with CYP3A4 Inducers and Inhibitors.

Maribavir, an orally available antiviral agent, has been approved in multiple countries for the treatment of patients with refractory post-transplant cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and/or disease. Maribavir is primarily metabolized by CYP3A4; coadministration with CYP3A4 inducers and inhibitors may significantly alter maribavir exposure, thereby affecting its efficacy and safety. The effect of CYP3A4 inducers and inhibitors on maribavir exposure was evaluated based on a drug-drug interaction (DDI) study and physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling. The effect of rifampin (a strong inducer of CYP3A4 and moderate inducer of CYP1A2), administered at a 600 mg dose once daily, on maribavir pharmacokinetics was assessed in a clinical phase 1 DDI study in healthy participants. A full PBPK model for maribavir was developed and verified using in vitro and clinical pharmacokinetic data from phase 1 studies. The verified PBPK model was then used to simulate maribavir DDI interactions with various CYP3A4 inducers and inhibitors. The DDI study results showed that coadministration with rifampin decreased the maribavir maximum plasma concentration (Cmax ), area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC), and trough concentration (Ctrough ) by 39%, 60%, and 82%, respectively. Based on the results from the clinical DDI study, the coadministration of maribavir with rifampin is not recommended. The PBPK model did not predict a clinically significant effect of CYP3A4 inhibitors on maribavir exposure; however, it predicted that strong or moderate CYP3A4 inducers, including carbamazepine, efavirenz, phenobarbital, and phenytoin, may reduce maribavir exposure to a clinically significant extent, and may prompt the consideration of a maribavir dosing increase, in accordance with local approved labels and/or regulations.

Sex differences in alpha-synucleinopathies: a systematic review.

Background: Past research indicates a higher prevalence, incidence, and severe clinical manifestations of alpha-synucleinopathies in men, leading to a suggestion of neuroprotective properties of female sex hormones (especially estrogen). The potential pathomechanisms of any such effect on alpha-synucleinopathies, however, are far from understood. With that aim, we undertook to systematically review, and to critically assess, contemporary evidence on sex and gender differences in alpha-synucleinopathies using a bench-to-bedside approach. Methods: In this systematic review, studies investigating sex and gender differences in alpha-synucleinopathies (Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Behavior Disorder (RBD), Parkinson's Disease (PD), Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), Multiple System Atrophy (MSA)) from 2012 to 2022 were identified using electronic database searches of PubMed, Embase and Ovid. Results: One hundred sixty-two studies were included; 5 RBD, 6 MSA, 20 DLB and 131 PD studies. Overall, there is conclusive evidence to suggest sex-and gender-specific manifestation in demographics, biomarkers, genetics, clinical features, interventions, and quality of life in alpha-synucleinopathies. Only limited data exists on the effects of distinct sex hormones, with majority of studies concentrating on estrogen and its speculated neuroprotective effects. Conclusion: Future studies disentangling the underlying sex-specific mechanisms of alpha-synucleinopathies are urgently needed in order to enable novel sex-specific therapeutics.

Visuo-spatial imagery in dreams of congenitally and early blind: a systematic review.

Background: The presence of visual imagery in dreams of congenitally blind people has long been a matter of substantial controversy. We set to systematically review body of published work on the presence and nature of oneiric visuo-spatial impressions in congenitally and early blind subjects across different areas of research, from experimental psychology, functional neuroimaging, sensory substitution, and sleep research. Methods: Relevant studies were identified using the following databases: EMBASE, MEDLINE and PsychINFO. Results: Studies using diverse imaging techniques and sensory substitution devices broadly suggest that the "blind" occipital cortex may be able to integrate non-visual sensory inputs, and thus possibly also generate visuo-spatial impressions. Visual impressions have also been reported by blind subjects who had near-death or out-of-body experiences. Conclusion: Deciphering the mechanistic nature of these visual impression could open new possibility in utilization of neuroplasticity and its potential role for treatment of neurodisability.

Mental Imagery in Dreams of Congenitally Blind People.

It is unclear to what extent the absence of vision affects the sensory sensitivity for oneiric construction. Similarly, the presence of visual imagery in the mentation of dreams of congenitally blind people has been largely disputed. We investigate the presence and nature of oneiric visuo-spatial impressions by analysing 180 dreams of seven congenitally blind people identified from the online database DreamBank. A higher presence of auditory, haptic, olfactory, and gustatory sensation in dreams of congenitally blind people was demonstrated, when compared to normally sighted individuals. Nonetheless, oneiric visual imagery in reports of congenitally blind subjects was also noted, in opposition to some previous studies, and raising questions about the possible underlying neuro-mechanisms.