The Psychological Benefits of Cosmetic Surgery.

ABSTRACT: The objective of this review is to shed light on the literature regarding the psychological impact of invasive cosmetic surgery and to discuss future implications for research and clinical practice. Articles published through October 2021 were reviewed to answer the question, "Does cosmetic surgery improve a patient's overall psychological health?" Psychological well-being was examined through the lens of body image, self-esteem, anxiety, and depression scores. The studies revealed that although cosmetic surgery seems to boost patients' body image, other crucial aspects of psychological well-being may or may not similarly benefit. Notably, factors such as a patient's preoperative mental status, level of education, type of cosmetic procedure, postoperative healing time, sex, and age play a role in determining the direction and magnitude of psychological change after surgery. Limitations include the lack of diversity in study populations and the potential role of body dysmorphic disorder. Overall, researchers have concluded that cosmetic surgery improves body image but remain in disagreement on its effects on self-esteem, anxiety, and depression.

Salivary peptide tyrosine-tyrosine 3-36 modulates ingestive behavior without inducing taste aversion.

Hormone peptide tyrosine-tyrosine (PYY) is secreted into circulation from the gut L-endocrine cells in response to food intake, thus inducing satiation during interaction with its preferred receptor, Y2R. Clinical applications of systemically administered PYY for the purpose of reducing body weight were compromised as a result of the common side effect of visceral sickness. We describe here a novel approach of elevating PYY in saliva in mice, which, although reliably inducing strong anorexic responses, does not cause aversive reactions. The augmentation of salivary PYY activated forebrain areas known to mediate feeding, hunger, and satiation while minimally affecting brainstem chemoreceptor zones triggering nausea. By comparing neuronal pathways activated by systemic versus salivary PYY, we identified a metabolic circuit associated with Y2R-positive cells in the oral cavity and extending through brainstem nuclei into hypothalamic satiety centers. The discovery of this alternative circuit that regulates ingestive behavior without inducing taste aversion may open the possibility of a therapeutic application of PYY for the treatment of obesity via direct oral application.

Modulation of taste responsiveness by the satiation hormone peptide YY.

It has been hypothesized that the peripheral taste system may be modulated in the context of an animal's metabolic state. One purported mechanism for this phenomenon is that circulating gastrointestinal peptides modulate the functioning of the peripheral gustatory system. Recent evidence suggests endocrine signaling in the oral cavity can influence food intake (FI) and satiety. We hypothesized that these hormones may be affecting FI by influencing taste perception. We used immunohistochemistry along with genetic knockout models and the specific reconstitution of peptide YY (PYY) in saliva using gene therapy protocols to identify a role for PYY signaling in taste. We show that PYY is expressed in subsets of taste cells in murine taste buds. We also show, using brief-access testing with PYY knockouts, that PYY signaling modulates responsiveness to bitter-tasting stimuli, as well as to lipid emulsions. We show that salivary PYY augmentation, via viral vector therapy, rescues behavioral responsiveness to a lipid emulsion but not to bitter stimuli and that this response is likely mediated via activation of Y2 receptors localized apically in taste cells. Our findings suggest distinct functions for PYY produced locally in taste cells vs. that circulating systemically.

Late Bacterial Endocarditis in an Intravenous Drug User With an Amplatzer Septal Occluder.

Infective endocarditis of a fully endothelialized cardiac prosthesis, and especially the late presentation of endocarditis, challenges our current understanding of device-related complications. Late bacterial endocarditis associated with the Amplatzer Septal Occluder, a device frequently used to close atrial septal defects, has been documented only rarely. We report the case of an intravenous drug user who had late infective endocarditis associated with his Amplatzer Septal Occluder, secondary to methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia nearly 14 years after device insertion. The patient recovered after surgical excision and débridement of the vegetative mass, which may be the first time that a surgical approach has been taken to treat this condition. This report corroborates the need for late screening of high-risk patients who have septal occluder devices.

Taste perception, associated hormonal modulation, and nutrient intake.

It is well known that taste perception influences food intake. After ingestion, gustatory receptors relay sensory signals to the brain, which segregates, evaluates, and distinguishes the stimuli, leading to the experience known as "flavor." It is well accepted that five taste qualities ­ sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and umami ­ can be perceived by animals. In this review, the anatomy and physiology of human taste buds, the hormonal modulation of taste function, the importance of genetic chemosensory variation, and the influence of gustatory functioning on macronutrient selection and eating behavior are discussed. Individual genotypic variation results in specific phenotypes of food preference and nutrient intake. Understanding the role of taste in food selection and ingestive behavior is important for expanding our understanding of the factors involved in body weight maintenance and the risk of chronic diseases including obesity, atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes, liver disease, and hypertension.

Salivary PYY: a putative bypass to satiety.

Peptide YY(3-36) is a satiation hormone released postprandially into the bloodstream from L-endocrine cells in the gut epithelia. In the current report, we demonstrate PYY(3-36) is also present in murine as well as in human saliva. In mice, salivary PYY(3-36) derives from plasma and is also synthesized in the taste cells in taste buds of the tongue. Moreover, the cognate receptor Y2R is abundantly expressed in the basal layer of the progenitor cells of the tongue epithelia and von Ebner's gland. The acute augmentation of salivary PYY(3-36) induced stronger satiation as demonstrated in feeding behavioral studies. The effect is mediated through the activation of the specific Y2 receptor expressed in the lingual epithelial cells. In a long-term study involving diet-induced obese (DIO) mice, a sustained increase in PYY(3-36) was achieved using viral vector-mediated gene delivery targeting salivary glands. The chronic increase in salivary PYY(3-36) resulted in a significant long-term reduction in food intake (FI) and body weight (BW). Thus this study provides evidence for new functions of the previously characterized gut peptide PYY(3-36) suggesting a potential simple and efficient alternative therapeutic approach for the treatment of obesity.