Effect of folic acid supplementation in the association between short sleep duration and gestational diabetes mellitus.

PURPOSE: To examine whether or not folic acid (FA) supplementation may modify the relationships between duration or quality of sleep and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk. METHODS: In a case-control study of patients with GDM and controls, mothers were interviewed face-to-face at enrollment. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Scale was used to assess duration and quality of sleep during early pregnancy, and information on FA supplementation and covariates was obtained using a semiquantitative questionnaire. RESULTS: Among 396 patients with GDM and 904 controls, GDM risk increased by 328% and 148% among women with short (< 7 h) and long (≥ 9 h) sleep durations, respectively, compared to those averaging 7-8.9 h sleep. Mothers with poor sleep quality increased their GDM risk by an average of 75% (all p < 0.05). The effect of short sleep duration on GDM risk was much weaker among women with adequate FA supplementation (taking supplements containing ≥ 0.4 mg FA daily for each day of the first three months of pregnancy) than that among women with inadequate FA supplementation, with a p-value for interaction = 0.003. There were no significant effects of FA on links among long duration and poor quality of sleep with GDM risk. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep duration and quality in early gestation were related to increased GDM risks. FA supplementation may reduce GDM risk associated with short sleep duration.

Sub-Acute Treatment of Curcumin Derivative J147 Ameliorates Depression-Like Behavior Through 5-HT1A-Mediated cAMP Signaling.

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe mental disorder related to the deficiency of monoamine neurotransmitters, particularly to abnormalities of 5-HT (5-hydroxytryptamine, serotonin) and its receptors. Our previous study suggested that acute treatment with a novel curcumin derivative J147 exhibited antidepressant-like effects by increasing brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level in the hippocampus of mice. The present study expanded upon our previous findings and investigated the antidepressant-like effects of sub-acute treatment of J147 for 3 days in male ICR mice and its possible relevancy to 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B receptors and downstream cAMP-BDNF signaling. METHODS: J147 at doses of 1, 3, and 9 mg/kg (via gavage) was administered for 3 days, and the anti-immobility time in the forced swimming and tail suspension tests (FST and TST) was recorded. The radioligand binding assay was used to determine the affinity of J147 to 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B receptor. Moreover, 5-HT1A or 5-HT1B agonist or its antagonist was used to determine which 5-HT receptor subtype is involved in the antidepressant-like effects of J147. The downstream signaling molecules such as cAMP, PKA, pCREB, and BDNF were also measured to determine the mechanism of action. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that sub-acute treatment of J147 remarkably decreased the immobility time in both the FST and TST in a dose-dependent manner. J147 displayed high affinity in vitro to 5-HT1A receptor prepared from mice cortical tissue and was less potent at 5-HT1B receptor. These effects of J147 were blocked by pretreatment with a 5-HT1A antagonist NAD-299 and enhanced by a 5-HT1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT. However, 5-HT1B receptor antagonist NAS-181 did not appreciably alter the effects of J147 on depression-like behaviors. Moreover, pretreatment with NAD-299 blocked J147-induced increases in cAMP, PKA, pCREB, and BDNF expression in the hippocampus, while 8-OH-DPAT enhanced the effects of J147 on these proteins' expression. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that J147 induces rapid antidepressant-like effects during a 3-day treatment period without inducing drug tolerance. These effects might be mediated by 5-HT1A-dependent cAMP/PKA/pCREB/BDNF signaling.