Corn oil and Soybean oil effect as vehicles on behavioral and oxidative stress profiles in developmentally exposed offspring mice.

Corn and soybean oils are among the most frequently used vehicles for water-insoluble compounds in toxicological studies. These two vegetable oils are nutrients and may induce some biological effects on animals that might interfere with the experimental results. However, their chronic effects on a developing brain have not been reported. This study aims to evaluate the neurobehavioral and brain biochemical effects of both oils on male and female Swiss albino mice. Pregnant female mice were exposed to 1 µl/g/d of either tap water, corn oil (CO), or soybean oil (SO) from early gestation (GD1) until weaning then offspring mice were exposed to the same treatment regimen until adulthood (PND70). Our results showed that developmental exposure to both oils induced body weight changes in offspring mice. In addition, we detected some behavioral abnormalities where both oil-treated groups showed a significant decrease in locomotor activity and greater levels of anxiety behavior. Moreover, our results suggest that continuous exposure to these oils may alter motor coordination, spatial memory and induce depression-like behavior in adult mice. These alterations were accompanied by increased malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase activities in specific brain regions. Together, these data suggest that exposure to CO and SO as vehicles in developmental studies may interfere with the behavioral response and brain redox homeostasis in offspring mice.

Mental health among students with neurodevelopment disorders: case of dyslexic children and adolescents / Saúde mental em estudantes com distúrbios de neurodesenvolvimento: um caso de crianças e adolescentes disléxicos

ABSTRACT Several research studies have been devoted to study the links between emotional disorders and learning disabilities. However, very minimal of this research has focused on dyslexic students. Objective: The objectives of this study were as follows: (1) to assess self-esteem, anxiety, and depression in dyslexic Arabic-speaking children and adolescents and (2) to describe psychiatric comorbidities in these subjects by comparing them to their non-dyslexic peers. Methods: In total, 205 students (56 dyslexics and 149 good readers), pursuing their education in ordinary schools in the Beni Mellal-Khenifra region of Morocco responded to Taylor's Self-Assessment Scale of Anxiety, Beck's Depression Questionnaire, and the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI). Results: Overall, dyslexics were more anxious, more depressed, and had disturbed self-esteem compared to their non-dyslexic peers. The percentage of psychiatric comorbidity was higher in the dyslexic group. Conclusions: The results of this study highlight the need for a multidisciplinary approach that integrates emotional needs assessment into the rehabilitation care of dyslexic children and adolescents.

RESUMO Muitos estudos têm pesquisado as ligações entre transtornos emocionais e dificuldades de aprendizagem. No entanto, muito pouco desta pesquisa se concentrou em estudantes disléxicos. Objetivo: Os objetivos deste estudo foram: 1) avaliar a autoestima, ansiedade e depressão em crianças e adolescentes disléxicos falantes do árabe; 2) descrever comorbidades psiquiátricas nesses estudantes, comparando-os com seus pares não disléxicos. Métodos: 205 estudantes (56 disléxicos e 149 bons leitores), alunos de escolas comuns da região de Beni Mellal-Khenifra do Marrocos, responderam à escala de autoavaliação de ansiedade de Taylor, ao questionário de depressão de Beck's e ao inventário de autoestima de Coopersmith (IES). Resultados: Em geral, os disléxicos eram mais ansiosos, mais deprimidos e tiveram distúrbios de autoestima em comparação com seus pares não-disléxicos. O percentual de comorbidade psiquiátrica foi maior no grupo disléxico. Conclusões: Os resultados deste trabalho evidenciam a necessidade de uma abordagem multidisciplinar que integre a avaliação das necessidades emocionais aos cuidados de reabilitação de crianças e adolescentes disléxicos.

Hypothalamic Neuropeptide 26RFa Acts as an Incretin to Regulate Glucose Homeostasis.

26RFa is a hypothalamic neuropeptide that promotes food intake. 26RFa is upregulated in obese animal models, and its orexigenic activity is accentuated in rodents fed a high-fat diet, suggesting that this neuropeptide might play a role in the development and maintenance of the obese status. As obesity is frequently associated with type 2 diabetes, we investigated whether 26RFa may be involved in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. In the current study, we show a moderate positive correlation between plasma 26RFa levels and plasma insulin in patients with diabetes. Plasma 26RFa concentration also increases in response to an oral glucose tolerance test. In addition, we found that 26RFa and its receptor GPR103 are present in human pancreatic ß-cells as well as in the gut. In mice, 26RFa attenuates the hyperglycemia induced by a glucose load, potentiates insulin sensitivity, and increases plasma insulin concentrations. Consistent with these data, 26RFa stimulates insulin production by MIN6 insulinoma cells. Finally, we show, using in vivo and in vitro approaches, that a glucose load induces a massive secretion of 26RFa by the small intestine. Altogether, the present data indicate that 26RFa acts as an incretin to regulate glucose homeostasis.

Developmental pattern of VIP binding sites in the human hypothalamus.

We have studied the developmental patterns of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) binding sites in the human hypothalamus. VIP recognition sites were widely distributed throughout the rostrocaudal extent of the hypothalamus. VIP binding was generally low in the fetal and neonatal periods and a tendency in increasing densities was observed during postnatal development. The age comparison of binding density indicates variations in several structures. Thus, the densities were higher in older infants in the preoptic area, lamina terminalis, and infundibular (IN) nucleus. These differences suggest the implication of VIP receptors in the development of this brain structure and the maintenance of its various functions.

Distribution of delta sleep-inducing peptide in the newborn and infant human hypothalamus: an immunohistochemical study

The distribution of delta sleep-inducing peptide immunoreactive cell bodies, fibers, and terminal-like structures was investigated in the normal human hypothalamus during the first postnatal year, using immunohistofluorescence and peroxidase anti-peroxidase techniques. Immunolabeled perikarya were relatively few and were mostly scattered through the anterior (preoptic) and mediobasal regions (infundibular nucleus) of the hypothalamus. DSIP-immunoreactive fibers and terminal-like fibers were observed throughout the entire rostrocaudal extent of the hypothalamus. They exhibit high densities in the preoptic region, the organum vasculosum of lamina terminalis, infundibular nucleus and median eminence. Moderate to low densities of DSIP-immunoreactive fibers were observed in the other hypothalamic structures, located in the anterior and mediobasal regions of hypothalamus, such as periventricular, paraventricular, suprachiasmatic, ventromedial, dorsomedial and parafornical nuclei. In the present study, the analysis of the immunohistochemical pattern of DSIP-immunoreactive neuronal elements in the human infant hypothalamus during the first postnatal year provided evidence of the presence of several differences. We have found qualitative age-related changes in the density of DSIP immunoreactivity in several hypothalamic structures such as the anterior region and the median eminence.