Impairment of value-based decision-making in morphine-dependent rats is partly related to neural connectivity between the anterior cingulate cortex and basolateral amygdala.

Previous studies have established that the amygdala specifically the basolateral amygdala (BLA), has a fundamental role in decision-making. The present study aimed to investigate functional and neural synchronization between the BLA and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) while making effort-choice decisions regarding pre-morphine dependence and morphine dependence times. A T-maze decision-making task with a differential outlay (great vs. small effort) and benefit (great vs. small reward) was done, and local field potentials from the BLA and ACC were assessed simultaneously. Results illustrated that in pre-morphine dependence time, when the animals made great reward/great effort decisions, there was a neural synchronization between both regions in beta and gamma frequency bands; and also, in delta, theta, beta, and gamma frequencies while expending effort and climbing the barrier. However, in morphine-dependent rats, during low reward/low effort choice and also during expending low effort, there was just a weak neural coherence in gamma frequency. Besides, there was neural synchronization in theta, beta, and gamma frequencies during reaching great reward in pre-morphine dependence time. Nevertheless, during reaching low reward in morphine dependence time, there was a weaker coherence in beta and gamma compared to pre-morphine dependence. These findings showed that functional and neural coherence between the BLA and ACC has a fundamental role in making the effort-based decision and expending effort. Preference for low reward/low effort, and decrease in expending effort in morphine-dependent rats is partly associated with the changes in the neural coherence between the BLA and ACC.

Exogenous Cannabinoids Impair Effort-Related Decision-Making via Affecting Neural Synchronization between the Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Nucleus Accumbens.

Humans and animals frequently make an endeavor-based choice based on assessing reinforcement value and response costs. The cortical-limbic-striatal pathway mediates endeavor-based choice behavior, including the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Furthermore, cannabinoid agonists demonstratively impairs decision-making processes. In this study, neural synchronization and functional connectivity between the NAc and ACC while endeavor-related decision-making and reaching reward were evaluated. The effect of exogenous cannabinoids on this synchronization was then assessed. A T-maze decision-making task with a differential expense (low vs. high endeavor) and remuneration (low vs. high remuneration) was performed and local field potentials (LFP) from the ACC and NAc were registered simultaneously. Results showed functional connectivity during endeavor-related decision-making while the animals chose the high endeavor/high remuneration in both regions' delta/beta (1-4 and 13-30 Hertz) frequency bands. Furthermore, functional connectivity existed between both areas in delta/theta (1-4 and 4-12) frequencies while reaching a remuneration. However, neural simultaneity was not observed while the animals received cannabinoid agonists, making a decision and reaching remuneration. The obtained results demonstrated that functional connectivity and neural simultaneity between the NAc and ACC in delta/beta and delta/theta frequencies have a role in endeavor-related decision-making and reaching remuneration, respectively. The effect of exogenous cannabinoids on decision-making impairment is relevant to changes in the ACC and NAC brain wave frequencies.

Parasitic infections in irritable bowel syndrome patients: evidence to propose a possible link, based on a case-control study in the south of Iran.

OBJECTIVES: The current study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of parasitic infections and their possible association with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), through a case-control study. Stool samples were collected from patients with IBS and healthy subjects and were examined microscopically to detect intestinal parasites. RESULTS: A total of 200 subjects were enrolled in the study including 100 patients with IBS and 100 healthy controls. The patients were selected based on the Rome III criteria. Of the 100 patients with IBS, 65 (65%) were female and 35 (35%) were male, with a mean age of 42.57 (± 4.07) years. Of these, 30 (30%) were infected with at least one intestinal parasite; the most common ones were Blastocystis hominis and Giardia lamblia. Of the control cases, 64 (64%) were female and 36 (36%) were male, with a mean age of 41.82 (± 11.75) years. Of these, 16 (16%) were infected with at least one intestinal parasite; the most common were B. hominis and Endolimax. There was a significant difference between the rate of parasitic infections between the patients with IBS and the control in particular, B. hominis and G. lamblia. The findings of the study support a possible link between parasitic infections and IBS.

Incidence of malignancy after living kidney transplantation: a multicenter study from iran.

Malignancy is a common complication after renal transplantation. However, limited data are available on post-transplant malignancy in living kidney transplantation. Therefore, we made a plan to evaluate the incidence and types of malignancies, association with the main risk factors and patient survival in a large population of living kidney transplantation. We conducted a large retrospective multicenter study on 12525 renal recipients, accounting for up to 59% of all kidney transplantation in Iran during 22 years follow up period. All information was collected from observation of individual notes or computerized records for transplant patients. Two hundred and sixty-six biopsy-proven malignancies were collected from 16 Transplant Centers in Iran; 26 different type of malignancy categorized in 5 groups were detected. The mean age of patients was 46.2±12.9 years, mean age at tumor diagnosis was 50.8±13.2 years and average time between transplantation and detection of malignancy was 50.0±48.4 months. Overall tumor incidence in recipients was 2%. Kaposis' sarcoma was the most common type of tumor. The overall mean survival time was 117.1 months (95% CI: 104.9-129.3). In multivariate analysis, the only independent risk factor associated with mortality was type of malignancy. This study revealed the lowest malignancy incidence in living unrelated kidney transplantation.