Aim To assess the relationship between cognitive functions, severity of depressive symptoms, and expression of interleukin 1 (IL)-1 in patients treated with systemic anticancer therapy. Methods This prospective study, conducted in 2017-2018, involved 55 patients (56% men) subjected to systemic anticancer therapy. Forty-one patients had lung cancer (74.55%) and 14 had breast cancer (25.45%). Patients’ mean age was 55.5 ± 9.3 (from 26 to 65 years). Neuropsychological tests were conducted twice: on the day of qualifying for the study before the start of chemotherapy and after the end of the full treatment cycle. We assessed patients’ cognitive functioning using Trail Making Test A&B (TMT), Stroop Color-Word Interference Test, and Verbal Fluency Test (VFT). Severity of depressive symptoms and the level of IL-1 expression were also examined. Results After chemotherapy, patients had significantly lower expression of IL-1α ( P < 0.005) and IL-1β ( P < 0.001) at the protein level. They also had lower severity of depressive symptoms (borderline significant, P = 0.063), needed more time to complete the first part of the Stroop test ( P = 0.03), and had worse score on the first part of the VFT ( P < 0.001). Before chemotherapy there was a significant negative correlation between IL-1β expression and the speed at which the first part of the TMT test was completed. Conclusions The severity of depressive symptoms after chemotherapy was lower than before chemotherapy. Patients’ cognitive performance did not significantly deteriorate after chemotherapy, except the performance at the first part of the Stroop test and the first part of the VFT.
IntroductionNeuropsin (NP, kallikrein 8, KLK8)–a kallikrein gene-related (KLK) endoprotease–plays a key role in neuroplasticity processes. Neuropsin expression takes places both extracellularly and inside neurons within the area of the hippocampus. Various forms of electrophysiological stimulation (kindling, LTP, stress) increase neuropsin expression within the hippocampus and in many other regions of the brain (e.g. neocortex, amygdala). Neuropsin is mainly engaged in the early stage of LTP and in the process of synaptogenesis. Social cognition deficits (difficulties with identification, naming and analysing experienced emotional states) in the group of people suffering from depression have been described in scientific papers published in recent years. They are considered the core features of major depressive disorders.AimsThe aim of this study is to link the human neuropsin gene (hNP) expression with the ability of the examined subjects to use nonverbal communication in social interactions.Methods120 individuals meeting the diagnostic criteria for a recurrent depressive disorders (rDE) were qualified to participate in the study. The Emotional Intelligence Scale–Faces task and two subtests from The Right Hemisphere Language Battery (RHLB) were used in the study.ResultsSignificant interrelations between expression on the mRNA level for the hNP gene and the variables used to assess social competences were confirmed. Results of the statistical analysis make it possible to confirm an inversely proportional correlation between the analysed variables.ConclusionsIncreased hNP expression is associated with a reduction of interpersonal abilities in the people affected by depression.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
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