BackgroundA large body of literature suggests that certain polysaccharides affect immune system function. Much of this literature, however, consists of in vitro studies or studies in which polysaccharides were injected. Their immunologic effects following oral administration is less clear. The purpose of this systematic review was to consolidate and evaluate the available data regarding the specific immunologic effects of dietary polysaccharides.MethodsStudies were identified by conducting PubMed and Google Scholar electronic searches and through reviews of polysaccharide article bibliographies. Only articles published in English were included in this review. Two researchers reviewed data on study design, control, sample size, results, and nature of outcome measures. Subsequent searches were conducted to gather information about polysaccharide safety, structure and composition, and disposition.ResultsWe found 62 publications reporting statistically significant effects of orally ingested glucans, pectins, heteroglycans, glucomannans, fucoidans, galactomannans, arabinogalactans and mixed polysaccharide products in rodents. Fifteen controlled human studies reported that oral glucans, arabinogalactans, heteroglycans, and fucoidans exerted significant effects. Although some studies investigated anti-inflammatory effects, most studies investigated the ability of oral polysaccharides to stimulate the immune system. These studies, as well as safety and toxicity studies, suggest that these polysaccharide products appear to be largely well-tolerated.ConclusionsTaken as a whole, the oral polysaccharide literature is highly heterogenous and is not sufficient to support broad product structure/function generalizations. Numerous dietary polysaccharides, particularly glucans, appear to elicit diverse immunomodulatory effects in numerous animal tissues, including the blood, GI tract and spleen. Glucan extracts from the Trametes versicolor mushroom improved survival and immune function in human RCTs of cancer patients; glucans, arabinogalactans and fucoidans elicited immunomodulatory effects in controlled studies of healthy adults and patients with canker sores and seasonal allergies. This review provides a foundation that can serve to guide future research on immune modulation by well-characterized polysaccharide compounds.

Cytoplasm and walls of developing promycelia and basidiospores of Ustilago maydis were examined. The promycelial wall was derived from an inner wall layer of the teliospore. Small vesicles and probable Golgi cistemae appeared to be associated with promycelial extension. Some promycelial septa contained small pores; spherical vesicles, formed centripetally in the electron-transparent lamella at the center of the septa, appeared to be involved in promycelial fragmentation. An inner layer of the basidial wall gave rise to the wall of the developing basidiospore, and a collar of torn outer wall material surrounded the spore base. Spores were formed on short sterigmata. No significant vacuolation occurred in the promycelium during initial basidiospore formation, a feature unique among phragmobasidiomycetes examined thus far. The distribution of cytoplasmic organelles in the promycelium is like that seen in vegetative structures of other fungi.The placement of Ustilaginales in the basidiomycetes is supported by the layered walls and small pores in the promycelium. Derivation of the basidiospore wall and the migration of the nucleus into the basidiospore before mitosis resembled aspects of budding in basidiomycetous yeasts.

Whereas etiological heterogeneity of the various types of schizophrenia has been repeatedly proposed, relatively few attempts have been made to separate the component diseases. Using a strategy focusing on bimodal distributions within several relevant domains of schizophrenia, we demonstrate that currently available data on schizophrenia patients are consistent with the hypothesis that some of these patients have an ongoing neurodegenerative disease, whereas others do not. We review studies (longitudinal and cross-sectional) documenting progressive increases in ventricular size, accelerated loss of brain tissues, progressive delays in treatment response, and neurochemical (magnetic resonance spectroscopy) and neurophysiological (P300) indices, all of which are consistent with ongoing cerebral degeneration in a significant subgroup of schizophrenia patients. These lines of evidence converge on a conceptualization of schizophrenia as being composed of several etiologically distinct processes, with one subset of psychotic patients evidencing progressive brain degeneration. We conclude with a discussion of possible etiologies for this condition.

ObjectivesCurrent research efforts are centered on delineating the novel health benefits of naturally derived saccharides, including growing interest in their abilities to influence neurologic health. We performed a comprehensive review of the literature to consolidate all controlled studies assessing various roles of exogenous saccharide compounds and polysaccharide-rich extracts from plants, fungi, and other natural sources on brain function, with a significant focus on benefits derived from oral intake.MethodsStudies were identified by conducting electronic searches on PubMed and Google Scholar. Reference lists of articles were also reviewed for additional relevant studies. Only articles published in English were included in this review.ResultsSix randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies were identified in which consumption of a blend of plant-derived polysaccharides showed positive effects on cognitive function and mood in healthy adults. A separate controlled clinical study observed improvements in well-being with ingestion of a yeast beta-glucan. Numerous animal and in vitro studies have demonstrated the ability of individual saccharide compounds and polysaccharide-rich extracts to modify behavior, enhance synaptic plasticity, and provide neuroprotective effects.DiscussionAlthough the mechanisms by which exogenous saccharides can influence brain function are not well understood at this time, the literature suggests that certain naturally occurring compounds and polysaccharide-rich extracts show promise, when taken orally, in supporting neurologic health and function. Additional well-controlled clinical studies on larger populations are necessary, however, before specific recommendations can be made.

The distribution of drug-free plasma lzomovanillic acid (pHV A) Despite the posited association of dopamine with psychosis since the 1960s, there has been little support for such a direct linkage in the recent psychiatric literature. Anden et al. (1970) first suggested that the newly discovered antipsychotic drugs had but one characteristic in common: they blocked access of dopamine to dopamine receptors. Seeman et al. (1975) and Creese et al. (1976) found that the affinity of various drugs for central dopamine 2 (0 2 ) receptors is inversely related to the dose at which conventional antipsychotics are administered.