GC-MS with Headspace Extraction for Non-Invasive Diagnostics of IBD Dynamics in a Model of DSS-Induced Colitis in Rats.

Inflammatory bowel diseases are extremely common throughout the world. However, in most cases, it is asymptomatic at the initial stage. Therefore, it is important to develop non-invasive diagnostic methods that allow identification of the IBD risks in a timely manner. It is well known that gastrointestinal microbiota secrete volatile compounds (VOCs) and their composition may change in IBD. We propose a non-invasive method to identify the dynamics of IBD development in the acute and remission stage at the level of VOCs in model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) with chemically induced colitis measured by headspace GC/MS (HS GC/MS). Methods: VOCs profile was identified using a headspace GC/MS (HS GC/MS). GC/MS data were processed using MetaboAnalyst 5.0 and GraphPad Prism 8.0.1 software. The disease activity index (DAI) and histological method were used to assess intestinal inflammation. The peak of intestinal inflammation activity was reached on day 7, according to the disease activity index. Histological examination data showed changes in the intestine due to different stages of inflammation. As the acute inflammation stage was reached, the metabolomic profile also underwent changes, especially at the short-fatty acids level. A higher relative amounts of acetic acid (p value < 0.025) and lower relative amounts of propanoic acid (p value < 0.0005), butanoic acid (p value < 0.005) and phenol 4-methyl- (p value = 0.053) were observed in DSS7 group on day 7 compared to the control group. In remission stage, disease activity indexes decreased, and the histological picture also improved. But metabolome changes continued despite the withdrawal of the DSS examination. A lower relative amounts of propanoic acid (p value < 0.025), butanoic acid (p value < 0.0005), pentanoic acid (p value < 0.0005), and a significant de-crease of hexanoic acid (p value < 0.0005) relative amounts were observed in the DSS14 group compared to the control group on day 14. A model of DSS-induced colitis in rats was successfully implemented for metabolomic assessment of different stages of inflammation. We demonstrated that the ratios of volatile compounds change in response to DSS before the appearance of standard signs of inflammation, determined by DAI and histological examination. Changes in the volatile metabolome persisted even after visual intestine repair and it confirms the high sensitivity of the microbiota to the damaging effects of DSS. The use of HS GC/MS may be an important addition to existing methods for assessing inflammation at early stages.

Lipids in Psychiatric Disorders: Functional and Potential Diagnostic Role as Blood Biomarkers.

Lipids are a crucial component of the human brain, serving important structural and functional roles. They are involved in cell function, myelination of neuronal projections, neurotransmission, neural plasticity, energy metabolism, and neuroinflammation. Despite their significance, the role of lipids in the development of mental disorders has not been well understood. This review focused on the potential use of lipids as blood biomarkers for common mental illnesses, such as major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. This review also discussed the impact of commonly used psychiatric medications, such as neuroleptics and antidepressants, on lipid metabolism. The obtained data suggested that lipid biomarkers could be useful for diagnosing psychiatric diseases, but further research is needed to better understand the associations between blood lipids and mental disorders and to identify specific biomarker combinations for each disease.

BDNF, DRD4, and HTR2A Gene Allele Frequency Distribution and Association with Mental Illnesses in the European Part of Russia.

The prevalence of mental disorders and how they are diagnosed represent some of the major problems in psychiatry. Modern genetic tools offer the potential to reduce the complications concerning diagnosis. However, the vast genetic diversity in the world population requires a closer investigation of any selected populations. In the current research, four polymorphisms, namely rs6265 in BDNF, rs10835210 in BDNF, rs6313 in HTR2A, and rs1800955 in DRD4, were analyzed in a case-control study of 2393 individuals (1639 patients with mental disorders (F20-F29, F30-F48) and 754 controls) from the European part of Russia using the TaqMan SNP genotyping method. Significant associations between rs6265 BDNF and rs1800955 DRD4 and mental impairments were detected when comparing the general group of patients with mental disorders (without separation into diagnoses) to the control group. Associations of rs6265 in BDNF, rs1800955 in DRD4, and rs6313 in HTR2A with schizophrenia in patients from the schizophrenia group separately compared to the control group were also found. The obtained results can extend the concept of a genetic basis for mental disorders in the Russian population and provide a basis for the future improvement in psychiatric diagnostics.

Antidepressant-like Effect of the Eburnamine-Type Molecule Vindeburnol in Rat and Mouse Models of Ultrasound-Induced Depression.

Vindeburnol (VIND, RU24722, BC19), a synthetic molecule derived from the eburnamine-vincamine alkaloid group, has many neuropsychopharmacological effects, but its antidepressant-like effects are poorly understood and have only been described in a few patents. To reliably estimate this effect, vindeburnol was studied in a model of long-term variable-frequency ultrasound (US) exposure at 20-45 kHz in male Wistar rats and BALB/c mice. Vindeburnol was administered chronically for 21 days against a background of simultaneous ultrasound exposure at a dose of 20 mg/kg intraperitoneally (IP). Using four behavioral tests, the sucrose preference test (SPT), the social interaction test (SIT), the open field test (OFT), and the forced swimming test (FST), we found that the treatment with the compound diminished depression-like symptoms in mice and rats. The compound restored the ultrasound-related reduced sucrose consumption to control levels and increased social interaction time in mice and rats compared with those in ultrasound-exposed animals. Vindeburnol showed contraversive results of horizontal and vertical activity in both species and generally did not increase locomotor activity. At the same time, the compound showed a specific effect in the FST, significantly reducing the immobility time. Moreover, we found an increase in norepinephrine, dopamine, and its metabolite levels in the brainstem, as well as an increase in dopamine, 3-methoxytyramine, and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid levels in the striatum. We also observed a statistically significant increase in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) levels in the region containing the locus coeruleus (LC). We suggest that using its distinct chemical structure and pharmacological activity as a starting point could boost antidepressant drug discovery.

Ultrasound-Induced Prenatal Stress: New Possibilities for Modeling Mental Disorders.

The development of animal models of mental disorders is an important task, since such models are useful for studying the neurobiological mechanisms of psychopathologies and for trial of new therapeutic drugs. One way to model pathologies of the nervous system is to impair fetal neurodevelopment through stress of the pregnant future mother, or prenatal stress. The use of variable frequency ultrasound in rodents is a promising method of imitating psychological stress, to which women in modern society are most often subjected. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of prenatal stress induced by exposure to variable frequency ultrasound (US PS) throughout the gestational period on the adult rat offspring, namely to identify features of behavioral alterations and neurochemical brain parameters that can be associated with certain mental disorders in humans, to determine the possibility of creating a new model of psychopathology. Our study included a study of some behavioral characteristics of male and female rats in the elevated plus maze, open field test, object recognition test, social interaction test, sucrose preference test, latent inhibition test, Morris water maze, forced swimming test, acoustic startle reflex and prepulse inhibition tests. We also determined the activity of the serotonergic, dopaminergic, and noradrenergic neurotransmitter systems in the hippocampus and frontal cortex by HPLC-ED. Concentration of norepinephrine, dopamine, DOPAC, serotonin, and HIAA, as well as DOPAC/dopamine and HIAA/serotonin ratios were determined. A correlation analysis of behavioral and neurochemical parameters in male and female rats was performed based on the data obtained. The results of the study showed that US PS altered the behavioral phenotype of the rat offspring. US PS increased the level of anxious behavior, impaired orientation-research behavior, increased grooming activity, decreased the desire for social contacts, shifted behavioral reactions from social interaction to interaction with inanimate objects, impaired latent inhibition, and decreased the startle reflex. US PS activated the serotonergic, dopaminergic, and noradrenergic neurotransmitter systems of the rat frontal cortex and hippocampus. A correlation between neurochemical and behavioral parameters was revealed. Our study showed that US PS leads to a certain dysfunction on behavioral and neurochemical levels in rats that is most closely associated with symptoms of schizophrenia or autism. We hypothesize that this could potentially be an indicator of face validity for a model of psychopathology based on neurodevelopmental impairment.

Evaluation of the Polygenic Risk Score for Alzheimer's Disease in Russian Patients with Dementia Using a Low-Density Hydrogel Oligonucleotide Microarray.

The polygenic risk score (PRS), together with the ɛ4 allele of the APOE gene (APOE-ɛ4), has shown high potential for Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk prediction. The aim of this study was to validate the model of polygenic risk in Russian patients with dementia. A microarray-based assay was developed to identify 21 markers of polygenic risk and ɛ alleles of the APOE gene. This case-control study included 348 dementia patients and 519 cognitively normal volunteers. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amyloid-ß (Aß) and tau protein levels were assessed in 57 dementia patients. PRS and APOE-ɛ4 were significant genetic risk factors for dementia. Adjusted for APOE-ɛ4, individuals with PRS corresponding to the fourth quartile had an increased risk of dementia compared to the first quartile (OR 1.85; p-value 0.002). The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.559 for the PRS model only, and the inclusion of APOE-ɛ4 improved the AUC to 0.604. PRS was positively correlated with tTau and pTau181 and inversely correlated with Aß42/Aß40 ratio. Carriers of APOE-ɛ4 had higher levels of tTau and pTau181 and lower levels of Aß42 and Aß42/Aß40. The developed assay can be part of a strategy for assessing individuals for AD risk, with the purpose of assisting primary preventive interventions.

Comparison of Anxiety and Depression Rates in Russian Health Care Professionals in 2020 and 2023.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the mental health of medical personnel worldwide, leading to increased levels of anxiety and depression. This study aimed to compare anxiety and depression levels among healthcare workers during the initial wave of the pandemic in April-May 2020 and the post-pandemic period in January-May 2023 in Russia. METHODS: Data from two similar surveys conducted during the respective periods were combined, and a case-control matching approach was used to ensure compatibility between the two samples. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to assess anxiety and depression levels. RESULTS: The mean total score for Anxiety subscale in 2020 was 4.126 (SD = 3.042), and in 2023 it increased to 6.632 (SD = 4.132) (F=20.751, df (1, 172), p<0.001, η2p=0.108). Similarly, the mean total score for Depression subscale increased from 3.253 (SD = 2.616) in 2020 to 4.115 (SD = 2.939) in 2023 (F=4.177, df (1, 172), p=0.043, η2p=0.024). The proportion of healthcare workers with higher-than-normal levels of anxiety increased from 16.09% in 2020 to 39.08% in 2023, whereas the effect size for depression remained negligible. The increase in anxiety severity was contrary to previous longitudinal studies showing a decrease in anxiety and depression levels after an initial increase during the pandemic. CONCLUSION: The increase in anxiety and depression levels in healthcare workers in 2023 may be attributed to other factors like "special military operation" in Ukraine, sanctions, and announcement of partial mobilization in September 2022. These factors could be perceived as more serious adverse factors, leading to increased anxiety levels.

Alteration of Blood Immune Biomarkers in MCI Patients with Different APOE Genotypes after Cognitive Training: A 1 Year Follow-Up Cohort Study.

Many studies aim to detect the early phase of dementia. One of the major ways to achieve this is to identify corresponding biomarkers, particularly immune blood biomarkers. The objective of this study was to identify such biomarkers in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in an experiment that included cognitive training. A group of patients with MCI diagnoses over the age of 65 participated in the study (n = 136). Measurements of cognitive functions (using the Mini-Mental State Examination scale and Montreal Cognitive Assessment) and determination of 27 serum biomarkers were performed twice: on the first visit and on the second visit, one year after the cognitive training. APOE genotypes were also determined. Concentrations of EGF (F = 17; p = 0.00007), Eotaxin (F = 7.17; p = 0.008), GRO (F = 13.42; p = 0.0004), IL-8 (F = 8.16; p = 0.005), MCP-1 (F = 13.46; p = 0.0001) and MDC (F = 5.93; p = 0.016) increased after the cognitive training in MCI patients. All these parameters except IL-8 demonstrated a weak correlation with other immune parameters and were poorly represented in the principal component analysis. Differences in concentrations of IP-10, FGF-2, TGFa and VEGF in patients with MCI were associated with APOE genotype. Therefore, the study identified several immune blood biomarkers that could potentially be associated with changes in cognitive function.

Inflammatory biomarkers and lipid metabolism parameters in women with mild cognitive impairment and dementia.

The detection of specific markers of dementia and mild cognitive decline (MCI) could be the key to disease prevention and forehanded treatment. Female gender is one of the major risk factor for dementia. The aim of our study was to compare serum concentration of some factors related to lipid metabolism and the immune system in patients with MCI and dementia. The study was performed on women >65 years old: controls (n = 75), diagnosed with dementia (n = 73) and MCI (n = 142). Patients were evaluated using Mini-Mental State Examination, Clock Drawing Test and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scales in the period 2020-2021. The level of Apo A1 and HDL was significantly decreased in patients with dementia; the level of Apo A1 was also decreased in MCI. EGF, eotaxin-1, GRO-α, and IP-10 were elevated in patients with dementia compared to the controls. IL-8, MIP-1ß, sCD40L, and TNF-α levels were decreased in MCI patients and increased in patients with dementia compared to the control. Serum VEGF levels were decreased in MCI and dementia patients in comparison with the control. We hypothesize that no single marker can indicate a neurodegenerative process. Future research should focus on identifying markers to determine possible diagnostic combinations that can reliably predict neurodegeneration.

Lipid Alteration Signature in the Blood Plasma of Individuals With Schizophrenia, Depression, and Bipolar Disorder.

Importance: No clinically applicable diagnostic test exists for severe mental disorders. Lipids harbor potential as disease markers. Objective: To define a reproducible profile of lipid alterations in the blood plasma of patients with schizophrenia (SCZ) independent of demographic and environmental variables and to investigate its specificity in association with other psychiatric disorders, ie, major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BPD). Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a multicohort case-control diagnostic analysis involving plasma samples from psychiatric patients and control individuals collected between July 17, 2009, and May 18, 2018. Study participants were recruited as consecutive and volunteer samples at multiple inpatient and outpatient mental health hospitals in Western Europe (Germany and Austria [DE-AT]), China (CN), and Russia (RU). Individuals with DSM-IV or International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision diagnoses of SCZ, MDD, BPD, or a first psychotic episode, as well as age- and sex-matched healthy controls without a mental health-related diagnosis were included in the study. Samples and data were analyzed from January 2018 to September 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures: Plasma lipidome composition was assessed using liquid chromatography coupled with untargeted mass spectrometry. Results: Blood lipid levels were assessed in 980 individuals (mean [SD] age, 36 [13] years; 510 male individuals [52%]) diagnosed with SCZ, BPD, MDD, or those with a first psychotic episode and in 572 controls (mean [SD] age, 34 [13] years; 323 male individuals [56%]). A total of 77 lipids were found to be significantly altered between those with SCZ (n = 436) and controls (n = 478) in all 3 sample cohorts. Alterations were consistent between cohorts (CN and RU: [Pearson correlation] r = 0.75; DE-AT and CN: r = 0.78; DE-AT and RU: r = 0.82; P < 10-38). A lipid-based predictive model separated patients with SCZ from controls with high diagnostic ability (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.86-0.95). Lipidome alterations in BPD and MDD, assessed in 184 and 256 individuals, respectively, were found to be similar to those of SCZ (BPD: r = 0.89; MDD: r = 0.92; P < 10-79). Assessment of detected alterations in individuals with a first psychotic episode, as well as patients with SCZ not receiving medication, demonstrated only limited association with medication restricted to particular lipids. Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, SCZ was accompanied by a reproducible profile of plasma lipidome alterations, not associated with symptom severity, medication, and demographic and environmental variables, and largely shared with BPD and MDD. This lipid alteration signature may represent a trait marker of severe psychiatric disorders, indicating its potential to be transformed into a clinically applicable testing procedure.

Dysregulation of Long Intergenic Non-Coding RNA Expression in the Schizophrenia Brain.

BACKGROUND: Transcriptomic studies of the brains of schizophrenia (SZ) patients have produced abundant but largely inconsistent findings about the disorders pathophysiology. These inconsistencies might stem not only from the heterogeneous nature of the disorder, but also from the unbalanced focus on particular cortical regions and protein-coding genes. Compared to protein-coding transcripts, long intergenic non-coding RNA (lincRNA) display substantially greater brain region and disease response specificity, positioning them as prospective indicators of SZ-associated alterations. Further, a growing understanding of the systemic character of the disorder calls for a more systematic screening involving multiple diverse brain regions. AIM: We aimed to identify and interpret alterations of the lincRNA expression profiles in SZ by examining the transcriptomes of 35 brain regions. METHODS: We measured the transcriptome of 35 brain regions dissected from eight adult brain specimens, four SZ patients, and four healthy controls, using high-throughput RNA sequencing. Analysis of these data yielded 861 annotated human lincRNAs passing the detection threshold. RESULTS: Of the 861 detected lincRNA, 135 showed significant region-dependent expression alterations in SZ (two-way ANOVA, BH-adjusted p 0.05) and 37 additionally showed significant differential expression between HC and SZ individuals in at least one region (post hoc Tukey test, p 0.05). For these 37 differentially expressed lincRNAs (DELs), 88% of the differences occurred in a cluster of brain regions containing axon-rich brain regions and cerebellum. Functional annotation of the DEL targets further revealed stark enrichment in neurons and synaptic transmission terms and pathways. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights the utility of a systematic brain transcriptome analysis relying on the expression profiles measured across multiple brain regions and singles out white matter regions as a prospective target for further SZ research.

Intranasal neuropeptide Y is most effective in some aspects of acute stress compared to melatonin, oxytocin and orexin.

Objectives: In the current study, we compared the effects of a single intranasal administration of clomipramine with effects of four neuropeptides, melatonin, oxytocin, orexin, and neuropeptide Y, to compare them in an acute stress model. Methods: The anti-stress effect was evaluated in the sucrose preference and forced swimming tests. Serum corticosterone level in rats was measured to evaluate the stress response. Results: Neuropeptide Y reduced immobilization time in the Porsolt test and decreased corticosterone levels, but increased the anhedonia. Orexin had no positive effect on animal behavior, but decreased corticosterone levels. Oxytocin decreased immobilization time, maintained anhedonia at the level of control, but did not affect corticosterone levels. Melatonin demonstrated no positive effects in any of the tests. Conclusion: The intranasal administered neuropeptide Y could be a promising compound for the treatment of stress disorders.

Preparation of Protein Aerogel Particles for the Development of Innovative Drug Delivery Systems.

The research was oriented towards the preparation of aerogel particles based on egg white and whey protein isolate using various dispersion methods: dripping, spraying, and homogenization. Based on the results of analytical studies, the most appropriate samples were selected to obtain aerogels loaded with the drug. The results of the experimental research were used to study methods for obtaining nasal drug delivery systems based on aerogels. Protein aerogels were obtained by thermal gelation followed by supercritical drying. The obtained particles of protein aerogels have a specific surface area of up to 350 m2/g with a pore volume of up to 2.9 cm3/g, as well as a porosity of up to 95%. The results of experimental studies have shown that changing the dispersion method makes it possible to control the structural characteristics of protein aerogel particles. The results of the studies were applied to obtain innovative nasal drug delivery systems for the treatment of socially significant diseases. Analytical studies were conducted to determine the amount and state of adsorbed drugs in protein aerogel particles, as well as in vivo experiments on the distribution of clomipramine in blood plasma and brain tissue of rats to study the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of the resulting drug-loaded protein aerogel.

Suicide-Related Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, rs4918918 and rs10903034: Association with Dementia in Older Adults.

Dementia has enormous implications for patients and the health care system. Genetic markers are promising for detecting the risk of cognitive impairment. We hypothesized that genetic variants associated with suicide risk might significantly increase the risk of cognitive decline because suicide in older adults is often a consequence of cognitive impairment. We investigated several single-nucleotide polymorphisms that were initially associated with suicide risk in dementia older adults and identified the APOE gene alleles. The study was performed with subjects over the age of 65: 112 patients with dementia and 146 healthy volunteers. The MMSE score was used to assess cognitive functions. Study participants were genotyped using real-time PCR (APOE: rs429358, rs7412; genes associated with suicide: rs9475195, rs7982251, rs2834789, rs358592, rs4918918, rs3781878, rs10903034, rs165774, rs16841143, rs11833579 rs10898553, rs7296262, rs3806263, and rs2462021). Genotype analysis revealed the significance of APOEε4, APOEε2, and rs4918918 (SORBS1) when comparing dementia and healthy control groups. The association of APOEε4, APOEε2, and rs10903034 (IFNLR1) with the overall MMSE score was indicated. The study found an association with dementia of rs4918918 (SORBS1) and rs10903034 (IFNLR1) previously associated with suicide and confirmed the association of APOEε4 and APOEε2 with dementia.

Protein Misfolding and Aggregation in the Brain: Common Pathogenetic Pathways in Neurodegenerative and Mental Disorders.

Mental disorders represent common brain diseases characterized by substantial impairments of social and cognitive functions. The neurobiological causes and mechanisms of psychopathologies still have not been definitively determined. Various forms of brain proteinopathies, which include a disruption of protein conformations and the formation of protein aggregates in brain tissues, may be a possible cause behind the development of psychiatric disorders. Proteinopathies are known to be the main cause of neurodegeneration, but much less attention is given to the role of protein impairments in psychiatric disorders' pathogenesis, such as depression and schizophrenia. For this reason, the aim of this review was to discuss the potential contribution of protein illnesses in the development of psychopathologies. The first part of the review describes the possible mechanisms of disruption to protein folding and aggregation in the cell: endoplasmic reticulum stress, dysfunction of chaperone proteins, altered mitochondrial function, and impaired autophagy processes. The second part of the review addresses the known proteins whose aggregation in brain tissue has been observed in psychiatric disorders (amyloid, tau protein, α-synuclein, DISC-1, disbindin-1, CRMP1, SNAP25, TRIOBP, NPAS3, GluA1, FABP, and ankyrin-G).

Positive Effect of Cognitive Training in Older Adults with Different APOE Genotypes and COVID-19 History: A 1-Year Follow-Up Cohort Study.

(1) Background: Older people suffer from cognitive decline; several risk factors contribute to greater cognitive decline. We used acquired (COVID-19 infection) and non-modifiable (presence of APOE rs429358 and rs7412 polymorphisms) factors to study the progression of subjective cognitive impairment while observing patients for one year. Cognitive training was used as a protective factor. (2) Methods: Two groups of subjects over the age of 65 participated in the study: group with subjective cognitive decline receiving cognitive training and individuals who did not complain of cognitive decline without receiving cognitive training (comparison group). On the first visit, the concentration of antibodies to COVID-19 and APOE genotype was measured. At the first and last point (1 year later) the Mini-Mental State Examination scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were performed. (3) Results: COVID-19 infection did not affect cognitive function. A significant role of cognitive training in improving cognitive functions was revealed. Older adults with APOE-ε4 genotype showed no positive effect of cognitive training. (4) Conclusions: Future research should focus on cognitive dysfunction after COVID-19 in long-term follow-up. Attention to the factors discussed in our article, but not limited to them, are useful for a personalized approach to maintaining the cognitive health of older adults.

Alterations of the Composition and Neurometabolic Profile of Human Gut Microbiota in Major Depressive Disorder.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is among the most prevalent mental disorders worldwide. Factors causing the pathogenesis of MDD include gut microbiota (GM), which interacts with the host through the gut-brain axis. In previous studies of GM in MDD patients, 16S rRNA sequencing was used, which provided information about composition but not about function. In our study, we analyzed whole metagenome sequencing data to assess changes in both the composition and functional profile of GM. We looked at the GM of 36 MDD patients, compared with that of 38 healthy volunteers. Comparative taxonomic analysis showed decreased abundances of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Roseburia hominis, and Roseburia intestinalis, and elevated abundances of Escherichia coli and Ruthenibacterium lactatiformans in the GM of MDD patients. We observed decreased levels of bacterial genes encoding key enzymes involved in the production of arginine, asparagine, glutamate, glutamine, melatonin, acetic, butyric and conjugated linoleic acids, and spermidine in MDD patients. These genes produced signature pairs with Faecalibacterium prausntizii and correlated with decreased levels of this species in the GM of MDD patients. These results show the potential impact of the identified biomarker bacteria and their metabolites on the pathogenesis of MDD, and should be confirmed in future metabolomic studies.

Peptide LCGA-17 Attenuates Behavioral and Neurochemical Deficits in Rodent Models of PTSD and Depression.

We have previously described the LCGA-17 peptide as a novel anxiolytic and antidepressant candidate that acts through the α2δ VGCC (voltage-gated calcium channel) subunit with putative synergism with GABA-A receptors. The current study tested the potential efficacy of acute and chronic intranasal (i.n.) LCGA-17 (0.05 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg) in rats on predator odor-induced conditioned place aversion (POCPA), a model of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) that produce a range of behavioral and physiological changes that parallel symptoms of depression in humans. CUS and LCGA-17 treatment effects were tested in the sucrose preference (SPT) social interaction (SI), female urine sniffing (FUST), novelty-suppressed feeding (NSFT), and forced swim (FST) tests. Analysis of the catecholamines content in brain structures after CUS was carried out using HPLC. The efficacy of i.n. LCGA-17 was also assessed using the Elevated plus-maze (EPM) and FST. Acute LCGA-17 administration showed anxiolytic and antidepressant effects in EPM and FST, similar to diazepam and ketamine, respectively. In the POCPA study, LCGA-17 significantly reduced place aversion, with efficacy greater than doxazosin. After CUS, chronic LCGA-17 administration reversed stress-induced alterations in numerous behavioral tests (SI, FUST, SPT, and FST), producing significant anxiolytic and antidepressant effects. Finally, LCGA-17 restored the norepinephrine levels in the hippocampus following stress. Together, these results support the further development of the LCGA-17 peptide as a rapid-acting anxiolytic and antidepressant.

Neurobiological Highlights of Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatric Disorders.

This review is focused on several psychiatric disorders in which cognitive impairment is a major component of the disease, influencing life quality. There are plenty of data proving that cognitive impairment accompanies and even underlies some psychiatric disorders. In addition, sources provide information on the biological background of cognitive problems associated with mental illness. This scientific review aims to summarize the current knowledge about neurobiological mechanisms of cognitive impairment in people with schizophrenia, depression, mild cognitive impairment and dementia (including Alzheimer's disease).The review provides data about the prevalence of cognitive impairment in people with mental illness and associated biological markers.

Brain Metabolic Profile after Intranasal vs. Intraperitoneal Clomipramine Treatment in Rats with Ultrasound Model of Depression.

BACKGROUND: Molecular mechanisms of depression remain unclear. The brain metabolome after antidepressant therapy is poorly understood and had not been performed for different routes of drug administration before the present study. Rats were exposed to chronic ultrasound stress and treated with intranasal and intraperitoneal clomipramine. We then analyzed 28 metabolites in the frontal cortex and hippocampus. METHODS: Rats' behavior was identified in such tests: social interaction, sucrose preference, forced swim, and Morris water maze. Metabolic analysis was performed with liquid chromatography. RESULTS: After ultrasound stress pronounced depressive-like behavior, clomipramine had an equally antidepressant effect after intranasal and intraperitoneal administration on behavior. Ultrasound stress contributed to changes of the metabolomic pathways associated with pathophysiology of depression. Clomipramine affected global metabolome in frontal cortex and hippocampus in a different way that depended on the route of administration. Intranasal route was associated with more significant changes of metabolites composition in the frontal cortex compared to the control and ultrasound groups while the intraperitoneal route corresponded with more profound changes in hippocampal metabolome compared to other groups. Since far metabolic processes in the brain can change in many ways depending on different routes of administration, the antidepressant therapy should also be evaluated from this point of view.