Exploration of a Brain-Liver-Communication-Related Mechanism Involved in the Experimental Perimenopausal Depression Rat Model using Chaihu-Shugan-San.

Existing research suggests the involvement of a brain-liver-communication-related mechanism in the occurrence of depression. In this study, we selected Chaihu-Shugan-San (CSS), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that can simultaneously affect liver and depression, as a probe to investigate the involvement of the brain-liver-communication-related mechanism in perimenopausal depression. A total of 50 experimental perimenopausal depression rat models were established by ovariectomy surgery (PMS) followed by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) processes. Animals underwent CSS treatment or treatments with CSS + Ly294002, an inhibitor of the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway. We observed the behavioural performances of depression and anxiety, serum concentrations of biochemical indices, serum estrogen two levels, hippocampal 5-HT and NE levels and the morphological changes in liver tissues. The protein and mRNA expressions of PI3K and Akt were also evaluated. CSS treatment significantly ameliorated the behavioural performance, partial biochemical indices and the morphological changes in the liver tissues of PMS + CUMS rats. Ly294002 partially inhibited the CSS effects. The expressions of PI3K and Akt were significantly downregulated by PMS + CUMS processes but upregulated by CSS treatment, which could be significantly suppressed by Ly294002. A brain-liver-communication-related mechanism may be involved in perimenopausal depression, where the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway plays a vital role.

Late-onset radiation-induced optic neuropathy after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Radiation-induced optic neuropathy (RION) is a rare but devastating late complication of radiotherapy, usually manifesting months to years after cancer treatment of the head and neck, resulting in rapidly progressive blindness in one or both eyes. The incidence of radiation-induced complications following radiotherapy, especially RION, is correlated with survival time of patients. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), the most common type of cancer in southern China, has been primarily treated with radiotherapy, with associated neural injuries. To our knowledge, there are few reports of RION among patients with NPC who have undergone radiotherapy. To study this further, we reviewed nine patients with NPC and RION after radiotherapy and examined the clinical manifestations of RION, characteristics of the ophthalmologic examination, MRI results and the treatments used. Of the nine patients with RION, the most frequent clinical presentation was a decline of vision with visual field defects in one or both eyes. Ophthalmologic examinations showed flame hemorrhages in the retina, optic nerve atrophy and cotton wool spots. T1-weighted enhanced MRI showed enhancement of the optic nerve and optic chiasm in six patients. Treatment with corticosteroids, anticoagulation and hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment did not reduce visual loss or blindness in patients.