Imbalance Between Prefronto-Thalamic and Sensorimotor-Thalamic Circuitries Associated with Working Memory Deficit in Schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Thalamocortical circuit imbalance characterized by prefronto-thalamic hypoconnectivity and sensorimotor-thalamic hyperconnectivity has been consistently documented at rest in schizophrenia (SCZ). However, this thalamocortical imbalance has not been studied during task engagement to date, limiting our understanding of its role in cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. METHODS: Both n-back working memory (WM) task-fMRI and resting-state fMRI data were collected from 172 patients with SCZ and 103 healthy control subjects (HC). A replication sample with 49 SCZ and 48 HC was independently obtained. Sixteen thalamic subdivisions were employed as seeds for the analysis. RESULTS: During both task-performance and rest, SCZ showed thalamic hyperconnectivity with sensorimotor cortices, but hypoconnectivity with prefrontal-cerebellar regions relative to controls. Higher sensorimotor-thalamic connectivity and lower prefronto-thalamic connectivity both relate to poorer WM performance (lower task accuracy and longer response time) and difficulties in discriminating target from nontarget (lower d' score) in n-back task. The prefronto-thalamic hypoconnectivity and sensorimotor-thalamic hyperconnectivity were anti-correlated both in SCZ and HCs; this anti-correlation was more pronounced with less cognitive demand (rest>0-back>2-back). These findings replicated well in the second sample. Finally, the hypo- and hyper-connectivity patterns during resting-state positively correlated with the hypo- and hyper-connectivity during 2-back task-state in SCZ respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The thalamocortical imbalance reflected by prefronto-thalamic hypoconnectivity and sensorimotor-thalamic hyperconnectivity is present both at rest and during task engagement in SCZ and relates to working memory performance. The frontal reduction, sensorimotor enhancement pattern of thalamocortical imbalance is a state-invariant feature of SCZ that affects a core cognitive function.

Improving Effect of Modified Buyang Huanwutang Combined with Electroacupuncture on Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury due to Qi Deficiency and Blood Stasis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of modified Buyang Huanwutang combined with electroacupuncture （EA） in the treatment of traumatic spinal cord injury （TSCI） due to Qi deficiency and blood stasis. Method:Eighty-seven TSCI patients who met the inclusion requirements were randomly divided into an observation group （<italic>n</italic>=44） and a control group （<italic>n</italic>=43）. On the basis of comprehensive western medical treatments， patients in the control group were further provided with Wuwei Tongshuan oral liquid，10 mL per time，three times per day， while those in the observation group received modified Buyang Huanwutang，one bag per day，for 12 consecutive weeks. Besides， EA was performed in both groups in the same way， once per day， six times per week， for six weeks in total. The American Spinal Injury Association （ASIA） motor score， modified Barthel index （MBI），visual analog scale （VAS） pain score，Berg balance scale （BBS） score，modified Ashworth scale （MAS） score， spinal cord independence measure-Ⅲ（SCIM-Ⅲ） score， lower limb range of motion （ROM）， and Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome score before and after treatment were evaluated， followed by the recording of the occurrence of complications during treatment. The brain-derived nerve growth factor （BDNF）， nerve growth factor （NGF）， vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）， neurotrophic factor-3 （NT-3）， malondialdehyde （MDA） and superoxide dismutase （SOD） levels before and after treatment were determined. Result:The motor， light touch， needling sensation， MBI， and BBS scores of the observation group were higher than those of the control group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， while the AS and MAS scores were lower（<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The angles of adductor and straight leg raising in the observation group were greater than those of the control group （<italic>P</italic><0.01），but the Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome score was lower（<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Both the scores of self-care， respiration， and sphincter management in SCIM-Ⅲ and the total score in the observation group were elevated as compared with those of the control group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The cumulative incidence of complications in the observation group was 34.09%，significantly lower than 55.81% in the control group （<italic>χ</italic>²=4.149，<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Compared with the control group， the observation group exhibited remarkably increased BDNF， NGF， VEGF， NT-3， and SOD （<italic>P</italic><0.01） and decreased MDA （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Conclusion:Modified Buyang Huanwutang combined with EA is effective in alleviating spinal cord injury， promoting neural functional recovery， improving independence in activities of daily living， reducing the incidence of complications of patients with TSCI， which may be related to the amelioration of ischemia and hypoxia， inhibition of lipid peroxidation， and acceleration of nerve cell repair and regeneration.

Schizophrenia patients and their healthy siblings share decreased prefronto-thalamic connectivity but not increased sensorimotor-thalamic connectivity.

The pattern of decreased prefronto-thalamic connectivity and increased sensorimotor-thalamic connectivity has been consistently documented in schizophrenia. However, whether this thalamo-cortical abnormality pattern is of genetic predisposition remains unknown. The present study for the first time aimed to investigate the common and distinct characteristics of this circuit in schizophrenia patients and their unaffected siblings who share half of the patient's genotype. Totally 293 participants were recruited into this study including 94 patients with schizophrenia, 96 their healthy siblings, and 103 healthy controls scanned using gradient-echo echo-planar imaging at rest. By using a fine-grained atlas of thalamus with 16 sub-regions, we mapped the thalamocortical network in three groups. Decreased thalamo-prefronto-cerebellar connectivity was shared between schizophrenia and their healthy siblings, but increased sensorimotor-thalamic connectivity was only found in schizophrenia. The shared thalamo-prefronto-cerebellar dysconnectivity showed an impressively gradient reduction pattern in patients and siblings comparing to controls: higher in the controls, lower in the patients and intermediate in the siblings. Anatomically, the decreased thalamic connectivity mostly centered on the pre-frontal thalamic subregions locating at the mediodorsal nucleus, while the increased functional connectivity with sensorimotor cortices was only observed in the caudal temporal thalamic subregion anchoring at the dorsal and ventral lateral nuclei. Moreover, both decreased thalamo-prefronto-cerebellar connectivity and increased sensorimotor-thalamic connectivity were related to clinical symptoms in patients. Our findings extend the evidence that the decreased thalamo-prefronto-cerebellar connectivity may be related to the high genetic risk in schizophrenia, while increased sensorimotor-thalamic connectivity potentially represents a neural biomarker for this severe mental disorder.

Study on Inhibitory Effect of Volatile Oils in 16 Plants on Aspergillus flavus of Platycladi Semen / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective::To select volatile oils from 16 species of plants (Cymbopogon citratus, Pelargonium graveolens, Pinus tabulieformis, Litsea cubeba, Mentha haplocalyx, Zingiber officinale, Syzygium aromaticum, Curcuma longa, Zanthoxylum bungeanum, Cinnamomum cassia, Ocimum basilicum, Rosmarinus officinalis, Zanthoxylum schinifolium, Zanthoxylum armatum, Illicium verum, Myristica fragrans) that have good inhibitory effect on the growth of Aspergillus flavus. Method::Aspergillus flavus was isolated from the surface of Platycladi Semen medicinal materials by plate culture method. The volatile oils of 16 plants were extracted by steam distillation. The colony diameter of Aspergillus flavus was determined by fumigation of filter paper, and the effect of volatile oils on the growth of Aspergillus flavus was systematically studied. Result::Aspergillus flavus was successfully isolated from Platycladi Semen by means of morphological, microscopic and DNA barcoding identification methods, the bacteriostatic rates of the above 16 kinds of volatile oils against Aspergillus flavus were 2.93%, 0.05%, 0.37%, 76.07%, 0.34%, 0.15%, 50.05%, 8.51%, 1.43%, 58.20%, 0.07%, 2.60%, 8.73%, 100.00%, 52.62%, 0.07%, respectively. Conclusion::The volatile oils of 16 plants all have different degrees of antibacterial activities for Aspergillus flavus, and volatile oils of Zanthoxylum armatum, Litsea cubeba and Cinnamomum cassia have good inhibitory effect. This study can provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of Aspergillus flavus in the growth and storage of Platycladi Semen, and provide a basis for further research on plant volatile oil as bacteriostatic agents in the storage process of traditional Chinese medicine.