Differing contributions of the gut microbiota to the blood pressure lowering effects induced by first-line antihypertensive drugs.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study analyses whether first-line antihypertensive drugs ameliorate the dysbiosis state in hypertension, and to test if this modification contributes to their blood pressure (BP) lowering properties in a genetic model of neurogenic hypertension. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Twenty-week-old male Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were untreated or treated with captopril, amlodipine or hydrochlorothiazide. A faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiment was also performed by gavage of faecal content from donor SHR-treated groups to SHR recipients for 3 weeks. KEY RESULTS: Faeces from SHR showed gut dysbiosis, characterized by lower acetate- and higher lactate-producing bacteria and lower strict anaerobic bacteria. All three drugs increased the anaerobic bacteria proportion, captopril and amlodipine restored the proportion of acetate-producing bacterial populations to WKY levels, whereas hydrochlorothiazide decreased butyrate-producing bacteria. Captopril and amlodipine decreased gut pathology and permeability and attenuated sympathetic drive in the gut. Both drugs decreased neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in the hypothalamic paraventricular nuclei. Hydrochlorothiazide was unable to reduce neuroinflammation, gut sympathetic tone and gut integrity. FMT from SHR-amlodipine to SHR decreased BP, ameliorated aortic endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine, lowered NADPH oxidase activity, aortic Th17 infiltration and reduced neuroinflammation, whereas FMT from SHR-hydrochlorothiazide did not have these effects. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: First-line antihypertensive drugs induced different modifications of gut integrity and gut dysbiosis in SHR, which result in no contribution of microbiota in the BP lowering effects of hydrochlorothiazide, whereas the vasculo-protective effect induced by amlodipine involves gut microbiota reshaping and gut-immune system communication.

Evidence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis binding to albumin: technical and biological implications.

Albumin binding ability is a well-characterized feature of many bacteria. To the best of our knowledge, there are no previous reports about this ability among mycobacteria, even when bovine serum albumin (BSA) is a common component of supplements used for the enrichment of synthetic media for mycobacterial growth in vitro and also of buffers used in laboratory techniques. In this work we explored the albumin binding ability of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), a pathogenic bacterium causing a known and relevant ruminant disease worldwide, by immunizing rabbits with MAP (grown in media containing or not BSA) or BSA and conducting ELISA and immunoblot experiments with the obtained sera. As a result, we found that MAP can bind BSA when cultured in a conventional BSA-containing medium and when incubated for a short time in the presence of the protein. We also evaluated the host specificity of MAP interaction with albumin and found a preference for the protein of bovine origin when compared with its horse and rabbit homologs. Considerations about its technical and biological implications are discussed.

Solanum aethiopicum L. from the Basilicata region as a source of specialized metabolites with promising anti-obesity effects: phytochemical characterization and in vivo investigation in high fat diet-fed mice.

Introduction: Solanum aethiopicum L., commonly known as scarlet eggplant (Solanaceae family) is one of the most traditionally cultivated vegetables in Basilicata, a southern region of Italy. Although multiple uses have been given to this vegetable, data about its anti-obesogenic activity are still limited. Methods: This study focuses on testing two different extracts obtained either from the peel or from the whole fruit of the Lucanian Solanum aethiopicum. Their ability to inhibit certain enzymatic activities was tested in vitro and then, the one that showed the better outcomes was tested on an experimental model of High-Fat Diet (HFD) induced obesity. Results: Spectrophotometric assays demonstrated that the peel extract possessed the highest ability to inhibit the selected enzymatic activities and so, its phytochemical profile was obtained through LC-MS chromatography. The oral administration of this extract (25 mg/kg) to HFD-fed mice reduced body weight gain and improved glucose and lipid metabolism. Similarly, the extract ameliorated the obesity-induced inflammatory status by reducing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in both adipose and hepatic tissues. Interestingly, these effects were associated with the improvement of vascular dysfunction. Discussion: Lucanian Solanum aethiopicum extract may represent a new strategic approach for managing obesity and its associated diseases.

Metabolic Modulators in Cardiovascular Complications of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multifactorial disorder with contributions from hormones, genetics, and the environment, predominantly affecting young women. Cardiovascular disease is the primary cause of mortality in SLE, and hypertension is more prevalent among SLE patients. The dysregulation of both innate and adaptive immune cells in SLE, along with their infiltration into kidney and vascular tissues, is a pivotal factor contributing to the cardiovascular complications associated with SLE. The activation, proliferation, and differentiation of CD4+ T cells are intricately governed by cellular metabolism. Numerous metabolic inhibitors have been identified to target critical nodes in T cell metabolism. This review explores the existing evidence and knowledge gaps concerning whether the beneficial effects of metabolic modulators on autoimmunity, hypertension, endothelial dysfunction, and renal injury in lupus result from the restoration of a balanced immune system. The inhibition of glycolysis, mitochondrial metabolism, or mTORC1 has been found to improve endothelial dysfunction and prevent the development of hypertension in mouse models of SLE. Nevertheless, limited information is available regarding the potential vasculo-protective effects of drugs that act on immunometabolism in SLE patients.

Protective effect of microbiota-derived short chain fatty acids on vascular dysfunction in mice with systemic lupus erythematosus induced by toll like receptor 7 activation.

Our objective was to investigate whether short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), specifically acetate and butyrate, could prevent vascular dysfunction and elevated blood pressure (BP) in mice with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) induced by TLR7 activation using imiquimod (IMQ). Treatment with both SCFAs and dietary fibers rich in resistant starch (RS) or inulin-type fructans (ITF) effectively prevented the development of hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy. Additionally, these treatments improved aortic relaxation induced by acetylcholine and mitigated vascular oxidative stress. Acetate and butyrate treatments also contributed to the maintenance of colonic integrity, reduced endotoxemia, and decreased the proportion of helper T (Th)17 cells in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), blood, and aorta in TLR7-induced SLE mice. The observed changes in MLNs were correlated with increased levels of GPR43 mRNA in mice treated with acetate and increased GPR41 levels along with decreased histone deacetylase (HDAC)- 3 levels in mice treated with butyrate. Notably, the effects attributed to acetate, but not butyrate, were nullified when co-administered with the GPR43 antagonist GLPG-0974. T cell priming and differentiation into Th17 cells in MLNs, as well as increased Th17 cell infiltration, were linked to aortic endothelial dysfunction and hypertension subsequent to the transfer of faecal microbiota from IMQ-treated mice to germ-free (GF) mice. These effects were counteracted in GF mice through treatment with either acetate or butyrate. To conclude, these findings underscore the potential of SCFA consumption in averting hypertension by restoring balance to the interplay between the gut, immune system, and vascular wall in SLE induced by TLR7 activation.

Pathophysiological Hypothesis of COVID-19 Psychosis.

ABSTRACT: In December 2019, a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2 was discovered in patients with pneumonia of unknown cause. Although respiratory symptoms mainly characterize infection by this virus, neuropsychiatric manifestations of the disease are becoming more and more frequent. Among them, the appearance of psychotic outbreaks in patients experiencing the infection or after a short time after it has resolved is remarkable. This narrative review aims to describe the possible relationship between SARS-CoV-2 and the onset of psychosis by developing the neurotropic capacities of the virus and analyzing the neurobiology of psychoses.

Probiotics and Prebiotics in Cardiovascular Diseases.

This Special Issue, titled "Probiotics and Prebiotics in Cardiovascular Diseases", encompasses two comprehensive review articles examining the potential of gut-microbiota-targeted reprogramming interventions designed to prevent the onset and progression of cardiovascular diseases [...].

Targeting the gut microbiota with dietary fibers: a novel approach to prevent the development cardiovascular complications linked to systemic lupus erythematosus in a preclinical study.

This study is to investigate whether dietary fiber intake prevents vascular and renal damage in a genetic mouse model of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and the contribution of gut microbiota in the protective effects. Female NZBWF1 (SLE) mice were treated with resistant-starch (RS) or inulin-type fructans (ITF). In addition, inoculation of fecal microbiota from these experimental groups to recipient normotensive female C57Bl/6J germ-free (GF) mice was performed. Both fiber treatments, especially RS, prevented the development of hypertension, renal injury, improved the aortic relaxation induced by acetylcholine, and the vascular oxidative stress. RS and ITF treatments increased the proportion of acetate- and butyrate-producing bacteria, respectively, improved colonic inflammation and integrity, endotoxemia, and decreased helper T (Th)17 proportion in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), blood, and aorta in SLE mice. However, disease activity (splenomegaly and anti-ds-DNA) was unaffected by both fibers. T cell priming and Th17 differentiation in MLNs and increased Th17 infiltration was linked to aortic endothelial dysfunction and hypertension after inoculation of fecal microbiota from SLE mice to GF mice, without changes in proteinuria and autoimmunity. All these effects were lower in GF mice after fecal inoculation from fiber-treated SLE mice. In conclusion, these findings support that fiber consumption prevented the development of hypertension by rebalancing of dysfunctional gut-immune system-vascular wall axis in SLE.

Beforeigners. Un caso de segregación en una metrópoli multiculturalista / A Case of Segregation in a Multiculturalist Metropolis in The Beforeigners Series

Tomando como eje la noción de plus de gozar propuesta por Jacques Lacan en su seminario De un Otro al otro, el presente trabajo aborda diferentes modos en que la serie de ciencia ficción noruega Beforeigners pone en escena modalidades de la segregación en una sociedad en la que predominan ideales como la tolerancia y la inclusión

Taking as its axis the notion of surplus jouissance [plus-de-jouir], proposed by Jacques Lacan in his seminar from an Other to the other, this paper addresses different ways in which the Norwegian science fiction series Beforeigners stages modalities of segregation in a society in which values such as tolerance and inclusion predominate

Conocimientos de enfermería sobre medidas de prevención en neumonía asociada a ventilación mecánica / Nursing knowledge about preventive measures in pneumonia associated with mechanical ventilation

Determinar el conocimiento del personal de enfermería respecto a medidas de prevención de neumonía asociada a ventilación mecánica y manejo de alimentación enteral en pacientes ingresados a la UCI de un hospital público. Metodología: estudio descriptivo, de corte transversal. La muestra fue representada por personal de enfermería de terapia intensiva de un hospital público de Resistencia- Chaco (n=75), seleccionados mediante muestreo no probabilístico por conveniencia durante el periodo de estudio. Se diseñó un instrumento de recolección de datos con las variables en estudio. Se respetaron los principios bioéticos de la Declaración de Helsinki. Resultados: Respecto a los conocimientos sobre las medidas de precauciones estándar, se observó que referente a la utilización de EPP en la asistencia a pacientes ventilados, un 48% de los mismos presento un conocimiento regular, en los momentos de aplicación del lavado de manos, el 44% mostró un conocimiento deficiente. Sobre el manejo de tubo endotraqueal y ventilador mecánico, se observó un nivel de regular en cuanto a conocimientos sobre la correcta fijación del TET (56%); sobre el manejo del respirador y sus conexiones (64%); manejo de humidificadores (60%)y recambios de los circuitos (64%), en contraposición con Dos Santos8 y Granizo-Taboada, Wagner Thomas6 quienes revelaron buenas prácticas de enfermería para el mantenimiento de la oxigenación en pacientes bajo ventilación mecánica. Conclusión: Se destaca en líneas generales, que el personal de enfermería presento conocimiento regular, enfatizando la necesidad de capacitación de los mismos sobre las medidas de prevención de neumonía asociada a ventilación mecánica[AU]

To determine the knowledge of nursing staff regarding prevention measures for pneumonia associated with mechanical ventilation and management of enteral feeding in patients admitted to the ICU of a public hospital. Methodology: descriptive, cross-sectional study. The sample was represented by intensive care nursing staff from a public hospital in Resistencia-Chaco (n=75), selected by non-probabilistic convenience sampling during the study period. A data collection instrument was designed with the variables under study. The bioethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki were respected. Results: Regarding the knowledge about standard precaution measures, it was observed that regarding the use of PPE in the care of ventilated patients, 48% of them presented regular knowledge, at the times of application of hand washing, 44% showed poor knowledge. Regarding the management of the endotracheal tube and mechanical ventilator, a fair level was observed in terms of knowledge about the correct fixation of the ETT (56%); about the management of the respirator and its connections (64%); management of humidifiers (60%) and replacement of circuits (64%), in contrast to Dos Santos8 and Granizo-Taboada, Wagner Thomas6 who revealed good nursing practices for maintaining oxygenation in patients under mechanical ventilation. Conclusion: It stands out in general lines, that the nursing staff presented regular knowledge, emphasizing the need for their training on the prevention measures of pneumonia associated with mechanical ventilation[AU]

Verificar o conhecimento da equipe de enfermagem sobre as medidas de prevenção de pneumonia associada à ventilação mecânica e manejo da alimentação enteral em pacientes internados na UTI de um hospital público. Metodologia: estudo descritivo, transversal. A amostra foi representada por enfermeiros intensivistas de um hospital público de Resistencia-Chaco (n=75), selecionados por amostragem não probabilística por conveniência durante o período do estudo. Foi elaborado um instrumento de coleta de dados com as variáveis em estudo. Os princípios bioéticos da Declaração de Helsinque foram respeitados. Resultados: Em relação ao conhecimento sobre medidas de precaução padrão, observou-se que quanto ao uso de EPI no cuidado de pacientes ventilados, 48% deles apresentaram conhecimento regular, nos momentos de aplicação da lavagem das mãos, 44% apresentaram conhecimento ruim. Em relação ao manejo do tubo endotraqueal e do ventilador mecânico, observou-se nível razoável de conhecimento sobre a fixação correta do TET (56%); sobre o manejo do respirador e suas conexões (64%); manejo de umidificadores (60%) e troca de circuitos (64%), ao contrário de Dos Santos8 e Granizo-Taboada, Wagner Thomas6 que revelaram boas práticas de enfermagem para manutenção da oxigenação em pacientes sob ventilação mecânica. Conclusão: Destaca-se em linhas gerais, que a equipe de enfermagem apresentou conhecimento regular, ressaltando a necessidade de seu treinamento sobre as medidas de prevenção de pneumonia associada à ventilação mecánica[AU]

The prevalence of sleep paralysis in medical students in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of sleep paralysis (SP) in medical students from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA). Materials and Methods: An ad hoc questionnaire based on the diagnosis of SP and a demographic survey was electronically presented to students of Internal Medicine at the School of Medicine of the UBA. The respondents answered both questionnaires using Google Forms®. Results: The prevalence of SP was 40.7% (95% CI 33.5-47.8). A higher percentage of the respondents (76%) reported experiencing SP-related anxiety. An association between self-perceived quality of sleep and the incidence of SP was found (χ2: 12.712, P = 0.002). The highest frequency was hypnopompic SP (55.55%), and the highest percentage (55.4%) suffered from SP less than once every 6 months. Most respondents (59.5%) reported having started with SP symptoms after 18 years of age, and the highest percentage (66.2%) had exacerbated their symptoms at college. The frequency of the Incubus phenomenon was 14.5% (95% CI 6.2-23). Most respondents (70.8%) denied the association of SP with religious or paranormal beliefs. Conclusion: SP is highly prevalent in medical students and is associated with poor sleep habits and perceived poor sleep quality. Clinicians should be aware of this parasomnia to avoid a misdiagnosis of psychosis and inform sufferers of the nature of SP.

The Prebiotic Effects of an Extract with Antioxidant Properties from Morus alba L. Contribute to Ameliorate High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity in Mice.

Obesity is a global health issue, in which modifications in gut microbiota composition have a key role. Different therapeutic strategies are being developed in combination with diet and exercise, including the use of plant extracts, such as those obtained from Morus alba L. leaves. Recent studies have revealed their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The aim of the present work was to evaluate whether the beneficial effects of M. alba L. leaf extract in high-fat diet-induced obesity in mice is correlated with its impact on gut microbiota. The extract reduced body weight gain and attenuated lipid accumulation, as well as increased glucose sensitivity. These effects were associated with an amelioration of the obesity-associated inflammatory status, most probably due to the described antioxidant properties of the extract. Moreover, M. alba L. leaf extract mitigated gut dysbiosis, which was evidenced by the restoration of the Firmicutes/Bacteroidota ratio and the decrease in plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels. Specifically, the extract administration reduced Alistipes and increased Faecalibaculum abundance, these effects being correlated with the beneficial effects exerted by the extract on the obesity-associated inflammation. In conclusion, anti-obesogenic effects of M. alba L. leaf extract may be mediated through the amelioration of gut dysbiosis.

Catatonia and Delirium: Assessment of Comorbidity, Prevalence, and Therapeutic Response in Medically Ill Inpatients From a University Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Catatonia is a cluster of motor features present in multiple psychiatric and clinical diseases. It may be confused with delirium because both entities are classified according to the type and degree of psychomotor activity. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, criteria for catatonia secondary to medical conditions exclude comorbid catatonia and delirium; besides, there have been increasing reports about a comorbid presentation. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of comorbid catatonia and delirium, the therapeutic response to lorazepam, and the clinical characteristics of patients with an earlier diagnosis of delirium. METHODS: A total of 120 consecutive patients at a university hospital with an earlier diagnosis of delirium were evaluated using the Delirium Scale (confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit) and the Bush-Francis Catatonia Rating Scale for catatonia. In cases of a positive diagnosis of catatonia or catatonia/delirium, a therapeutic trial with intramuscular lorazepam was performed. FINDINGS: Thirty-one patients (26%) were positive for both catatonia and delirium, and 8 patients (7%) had catatonia. Sixty-six patients (55%) were positive only for delirium, and 5 patients (4%) were negative for delirium and catatonia. Lorazepam tests were applied on 22 patients. One in 9 patients with catatonia/delirium responded positively to lorazepam. Patients with catatonia had a 60% positive response rate. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study on lorazepam use in catatonia-delirium patients; however, further studies are needed to determine the safety and efficacy of lorazepam in these patients. Catatonia and catatonia/delirium are underdiagnosed in inpatient wards and should be routinely assessed in patients with an altered mental status.

Mineralocorticoid receptor blockade improved gut microbiota dysbiosis by reducing gut sympathetic tone in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Microbiota has a crucial role in the host blood pressure (BP) regulation. The present study analyzes whether the mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist spironolactone ameliorates the dysbiosic state in a genetic model of neurogenic hypertension. Twenty-week-old male Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were randomly allocated into three groups: untreated WKY, untreated SHR, and SHR treated with spironolactone for 5 weeks. Spironolactone restored the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes proportion, and acetate-producing bacteria populations to WKY levels. Spironolactone reduced the percentage of intestinal aerobic bacteria. The amelioration of gut dysbiosis was linked to a reduction in the gut pathology, an enhanced colonic integrity, a reduced gut permeability and an attenuated sympathetic drive in the gut. Spironolactone was unable to reduce neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in the paraventricular nuclei in the hypothalamus. Spironolactone reduced the higher Th17 cells proportion in mesenteric lymph nodes and Th17 infiltration in aorta, improved aortic endothelial function and reduced systolic BP. This study demonstrates for the first time that spironolactone reduces gut dysbiosis in SHR. This effect could be related to its capability to improve gut integrity and pathology due to reduced sympathetic drive in the gut.

The wire. Una iluminación profana / The wire. A profane illumination

Introducción: Considerada la mejor serie de televisión del siglo XXI, The wire pone en escena la ciudad de Baltimore, una de las más violentas del mundo, tomando como eje central la industria de las drogas baratas. Las dinámicas a las que da lugar esta economía ilegal sirve de matriz en la ficción para entender las instituciones de las ciudades contemporáneas y el actual contexto del lazo social. Metodología: Tomando como referencia los textos sociales de Sigmund Freud y la revisión crítica efectuada por Jacques-Alain Miller a partir de la obra de Jacques Lacan, el presente artículo aborda la función del tóxico en esta serie desde discusiones actuales del campo psicoanalítico. Resultados: Es posible corroborar que la cultura de las drogas a la que se refiere David Simon en diversas ocasiones implica un empuje a la obtención de un plus como principal horizonte de sus personajes e instituciones de las que forman parte. La lectura propuesta en el presente artículo plantea que esta mutación cultural puede ser analizada desde la noción de objeto plus de goce propuesto por Jacques Lacan. (AU)

Introduction: Considered the best television series of the 21st century, The Wire stages the city of Baltimore, one of the most violent in the world, taking the cheap drug industry as its central axis. The dynamics to which this illegal economy gives rise serves as a matrix in fiction to understand the institutions of contemporary cities and the current context of the social bond. Methodology: Taking as reference the social texts of Sigmund Freud and the critical review carried out by Jacques-Alain Miller based on the work of Jacques Lacan, this article addresses the function of the toxic in this series from current discussions in the psychoanalytic field. Results: It is possible to corroborate that the drug culture to which David Simon refers on several occasions implies a push to obtain a plus as the main horizon of his characters and institutions of which they are a part. The reading proposed in this article suggests that this cultural mutation can be analyzed from the notion of object plus jouissance proposed by Jacques Lacan. (AU)

The wire. A profane illumination / The wire. Una iluminación profana

Introduction: Considered the best television series of the 21st century, The Wire stages the city of Baltimore, one of the most violent in the world, taking the cheap drug industry as its central axis. The dynamics to which this illegal economy gives rise serves as a matrix in fiction to understand the institutions of contemporary cities and the current context of the social bond. Methodology: Taking as reference the social texts of Sigmund Freud and the critical review carried out by Jacques-Alain Miller based on the work of Jacques Lacan, this article addresses the function of the toxic in this series from current discussions in the psychoanalytic field. Results: It is possible to corroborate that the drug culture to which David Simon refers on several occasions implies a push to obtain a plus as the main horizon of his characters and institutions of which they are a part. The reading proposed in this article suggests that this cultural mutation can be analyzed from the notion of object plus jouissance proposed by Jacques Lacan. (AU)

Introducción: Considerada la mejor serie de televisión del siglo XXI, The wire pone en escena la ciudad de Baltimore, una de las más violentas del mundo, tomando como eje central la industria de las drogas baratas. Las dinámicas a las que da lugar esta economía ilegal sirve de matriz en la ficción para entender las instituciones de las ciudades contemporáneas y el actual contexto del lazo social. Metodología: Tomando como referencia los textos sociales de Sigmund Freud y la revisión crítica efectuada por Jacques-Alain Miller a partir de la obra de Jacques Lacan, el presente artículo aborda la función del tóxico en esta serie desde discusiones actuales del campo psicoanalítico. Resultados: Es posible corroborar que la cultura de las drogas a la que se refiere David Simon en diversas ocasiones implica un empuje a la obtención de un plus como principal horizonte de sus personajes e instituciones de las que forman parte. La lectura propuesta en el presente artículo plantea que esta mutación cultural puede ser analizada desde la noción de objeto plus de goce propuesto por Jacques Lacan. (AU)

Sindrome Vestibular Agudo posterior a la infección por SARS-COV2 / Acute Vestibular Syndrome after SARS-COV2 infection

Introducción: El Sars-CoV 2 puede afectar al nervio vestibulococlear debido a su neurotropismo. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo reportar el caso de un paciente con vértigo agudo posterior a la infección por COVID-19. Materiales y Métodos: Paciente masculino de 64 años que consultó por un ataque de vértigo agudo, de predominio en el lado izquierdo, quince días después de su convalecencia por una infección por COVID-19. Se realizaron estudios neurootológicos y de resonancia magnética. Resultados: La resonancia magnética descartó la presencia de lesiones que pudieran explicar las manifestaciones clínicas. A altas frecuencias, la audiometría tonal reveló una pérdida auditiva neurosensorial en ambos lados. vHIT (video Head Impulse Test) y VEMP cervical (potenciales miogénicos evocados vestibulares) mostraron afectación del lado izquierdo. Los VEMP oculares mostraron afectación bilateral. El paciente mejoró con rehabilitación vestibular, pero las manifestaciones de vHIT persistieron a los 6 y 12 meses. Discusión: El vértigo agudo en este paciente podría haber sido el resultado de una neuronitis vestibular, secundaria a la infección previa por Sars-CoV2. Sin embargo, no se deben descartar diferentes mecanismos virales directos

: Sars-CoV 2 may affect the vestibulocochlear nerve due to its neurotropism. This work aims to report the case of a patient with acute vertigo following COVID-19 infection. Materials and Methods: A 64-year-old male patient consulted for an acute vertigo attack, predominantly to the left side, fifteen days after his convalescence due to a COVID-19 infection. Neuro-otological and MRI studies were carried out. Results: MRI ruled out the presence of lesions that could explain clinical manifestations. At high frequencies, tonal audiometry revealed a sensorineural hearing loss on both sides. vHIT (video Head Impulse Test) and cervical VEMP (Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials) showed left side involvement. Ocular VEMP showed bilateral involvement. The patient improved with vestibular rehabilitation, but vHIT manifestations persisted at 6 and 12 months. Discussion: Acute vertigo in this patient might have been the result of vestibular neuronitis, secondary to the previous Sars-CoV2 infection. However, different direct viral mechanisms should not be ruled out

The melatonergic agonist agomelatine ameliorates high fat diet-induced obesity in mice through the modulation of the gut microbiome.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Melatonin has shown beneficial effects on obesity, both in humans and experimental models, via regulating the altered circadian rhythm and thus ameliorating the gut dysbiosis associated with this metabolic condition. However, its clinical use is limited, mostly due to its short half-life. Agomelatine is an agonist of the melatonin receptors that could be used to manage obesity and offer a better profile than melatonin. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a high fat diet and orally treated for five weeks with agomelatine, or melatonin or metformin, used as control drugs. Metabolic profile, inflammatory status, vascular dysfunction and intestinal microbiota composition were assessed. KEY RESULTS: Agomelatine lessened body weight gain, enhanced glucose and lipid metabolisms, and improved insulin resistance. It also reduced the obesity-associated inflammatory status and endothelial dysfunction, probably linked to its effect on gut dysbiosis, consisting of the restoration of bacterial populations with key functions, such as short chain fatty acid production. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Agomelatine can be considered as a novel therapeutic tool for the management of human obesity and its associated comorbidities.

Psychotic Symptoms After SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

ABSTRACT: This case series reports three middle-aged male patients with no prior history of psychiatric disorders who developed psychotic symptoms with manic characteristics after COVID-19 infection. They presented mystic and paranoid delusions associated with euphoria, logorrheic, insomnia, and bizarre behaviors. Two of them required psychiatric hospitalization and one received corticosteroids. Treatment with antipsychotic medication improved their symptoms in a few weeks. This case series reports the new-onset psychosis probably due to COVID-19 infection. Pathogenetic speculation about the probable causes of COVID-19 psychosis, such as inflammatory reaction and corticosteroid use, was done. Moreover, other probable causes of manic psychosis, such as late-onset bipolar disorder, were also considered and ruled out. There is a need for more research to determine the causality between psychotic symptoms and COVID-19 infection.

Neuropatía motora multifocal: ¿cómo diagnosticar un caballo de Troya? / Multifocal motor neuropathy: how to diagnose a trojan horse?

Introducción: La neuropatía motora multifocal con bloqueos de la conducción (NMMBC) es una enfermedad crónica inmunomediada, con un compromiso exclusivo de los nervios motores. Es importante diferenciarla de otras enfermedades que cursan con afectación motora, debido a que ésta es una enfermedad tratable. Cuadro clínico: Paciente varón de 56 años, con compromiso motor progresivo en el miembro superior del lado derecho desde el año 2016. El examen neurofisiológico demostró la presencia de múltiples bloqueos de la conducción nerviosa. Los anticuerpos antigangliósidos fueron negativos. Se indicó tratamiento con inmunoglobulina endovenosa en varios ciclos, con mejoría progresiva del cuadro. Discusión: Se discute el plan diagnóstico clínico y electrofisiológico, los diagnósticos diferenciales, las hipótesis fisiopatológicas y el tratamiento de esta enfermedad de rara ocurrencia

Introduction: Multifocal motor neuropathy with conduction blocks (NMMBC) is a chronic immunemediated disease that exclusively involves the motor nerves. It is important to differentiate it from other diseases that present with motor involvement, because this is a treatable disease. Clinical picture: A 56-year-old male patient, with progressive motor involvement in the right upper limb since 2016. A neurophysiological examination revealed multiple nerve conduction blocks. Antiganglioside antibodies were negative. Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin was indicated for several cycles with progressive improvement of the condition. Discussion: Clinical and electrophysiological diagnostic plans, differential diagnoses, pathophysiological hypotheses, and treatment of this rare disease are discussed