The role of neuropeptide Y, orexin-A, and ghrelin in differentiating unipolar and bipolar depression: a preliminary study.

BACKGROUND: When depressive symptoms in bipolar and unipolar patients were compared, a number of studies reported that atypical vegetative features such as hypersomnia and hyperphagia were more common in bipolar patients. Moreover, neuropeptides such as orexin-A (ORX-A), ghrelin (GRL), and neuropeptide Y (NPY) are involved in the regulation of these vegetative functions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 45 unipolar and 24 bipolar depressive patients, and 36 euthymic healthy controls were included in the study. The groups were compared in terms of peripheral blood samples of ORX-A, GRL, and NPY levels, as well as HAM-D, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-Revised, and Suicide Probability Scale scores. RESULTS: Both unipolar and bipolar patients had lower ORX-A, GRL, and NPY levels compared to the controls, whereas NPY levels of bipolar patients were lower than unipolar patients. There was a negative correlation between NPY levels and emotional eating in the bipolar group. CONCLUSION: While lower ORX-A, GRL, and NPY levels are associated with depressive episodes regardless of the diagnosis; NPY levels also differ in bipolar and unipolar depression patients.

The effects of vitamin D supplemantation on prognosis in patients with mild obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Background/aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of vitamin D on the disease prognosis and biochemical parameters in patients with mild obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Materials and methods: Nineteen adult male individuals (18­65 years) who were diagnosed with mild OSAS after polysomnography and had low vitamin D levels were included in the study. Each week, patients took 50.000 IU Vitamin D3 supplementation for 8 weeks. Polysomnography, biochemical parameters FBG (fasting blood glucose), lipid profile (TG, TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, VLDL-C), calcium, phosphorus, parathormone, calcitonin, serum 25(OH)D, insulin, CRP, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 of patients were evaluated at the beginning of study and at the end of the study. All assessments, including polysomnography, were repeated after 8 weeks. Results: Serum vitamin D levels were initially 19.5 ± 5.01 ng/mL and increased to 41.8 ± 10.51 ng/mL (p < 0.001) at the end of the study. FBG, TC and HOMA-IR of the patients were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). CRP, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 levels were also correlated with serum vitamin D levels (p < 0.05). There was a significant decrease in number of obstructive apneas, apneas a nd hypopneas, apnea index, hypopnea index, and apnea hypopnea index of the patients (p < 0.05). Conclusion: As a result, it is thought that vitamin D supplementation may have a positive effect on the disease prognosis of mild OSAS.

Repeated Doses of Ketamine Affect the Infant Rat Urogenital System.

AIM: Long-term ketamine use is known to create an interstitial cystitis-like problem in the bladder. It is known that long-term intermittent ketamine is applied to the children receiving radiotherapy for sedation. This study was planned to investigate whether this effect seen in the bladder causes similar changes in the kidneys, testicles, epididymis and ductus deferens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 12 male Wistar Albino rats for 3 weeks were used in the study. Rats were divided equally into 2 groups as, ketamine and saline. 50 mg/kg ketamine was administered intraperitoneally during 21 days to ketamine (K) groups. 1mL/kg saline was administered intraperitoneally during 21 days to saline (S) groups. At the end of 21 days kidney and testicular tissues were taken for biochemical and histopathological evaluations. RESULTS: Histological assessment of kidney tissue showed that tubule epithelial congestion increased significantly in the ketamine group. Epididymis congestion and distortion in the epididymal gland were found to be different in the ketamine group when testicular tissue was examined. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level in testicular and kidney tissue was found to be significantly higher in the ketamine group according to the saline group. Catalase (CAT) enzyme activity was significantly lower in the ketamine group compared to the saline group in both tissues. Paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) enzyme activity was significantly higher in the ketamine group compared to the saline group. CONCLUSION: We think that the results we have achieved in this study will provide guidance on ketamine, which is repeated in daily anesthesia applications, especially in radiation oncology. But these findings should be supported by clinical and experimental studies that will be conducted in a more detailed and broad series.