No abstract

Cerebral malaria is characterized by permanent cognitive impairments in Plasmodium-infected children. Antimalarial therapies show little effectiveness to avoid neurological deficits and brain tissue alterations elicited by severe malaria. Melatonin is a well-recognized endogenous hormone involved in the control of brain functions and maintenance of blood-brain barrier integrity. The current study has evaluated the effect of melatonin on the histological alterations, blood-brain barrier leakage, and neurocognitive impairments in mice developing cerebral malaria. Swiss mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA strain was used as cerebral malaria model. Melatonin treatment (5 and 10 mg/kg) was performed for four consecutive days after the infection, and data have shown an increased survival rate in infected mice treated with melatonin. It was also observed that melatonin treatment blocked brain edema and prevented the breakdown of blood-brain barrier induced by the Plasmodium infection. Furthermore, hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed that melatonin mitigates the histological alterations in Plasmodium-infected animals. Melatonin was also able to prevent motor and cognitive impairments in infected mice. Taken together, these results show for the first time that melatonin treatment prevents histological brain damages and neurocognitive alterations induced by cerebral malaria.

Background Cerebral malaria is one of the most severe complications attributed to protozoal infection by Plasmodium falciparum, gaining prominence in children mortality rates in endemic areas. This condition has a complex pathogenesis associated with behavioral, cognitive and motor sequels in humans and current antimalarial therapies have shown little effect in those aspects. Natural products with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties have become a valuable alternative therapeutic option in the treatment of distinct conditions. In this context, this study investigated the neuroprotective effect of Euterpe oleracea (açai) enriched diet during the development of experimental cerebral malaria induced by the inoculation of Swiss albino mice with Plasmodium berghei ANKA strain. Methods After Plasmodium infection, animals were maintained on a feeding with Euterpe oleracea enriched ration and parameters such as survival curve, parasitemia and body weight were routinely monitored. The present study has also evaluated the effect of açai-enriched diet on the blood-brain barrier leakage, histological alterations and neurocognitive impairments in mice developing cerebral malaria. Results Our results demonstrate that between 7th–19th day post infection the survival rate of the group treated with açai enriched ration was higher when compared with Plasmodium-infected mice in which 100% of mice died until the 11th days post-infection, demonstrating that açai diet has a protective effect on the survival of infected treated animals. The same was observed in the brain vascular extravasation, where Evans blue dye assays showed significantly less dye extravasation in the brains of Plasmodium-infected mice treated with açai enriched ration, demonstrating more preserved blood-brain barrier integrity. Açai-enriched diet also attenuate the histopathological alterations elicited by Plasmodium berghei infection. We also showed a decrease of the neurological impairments arising from the exposure of cerebral parenchyma in the group treated with açai diet, ameliorating motor and neuropsychiatric changes, analyzed through the SHIRPA protocol. Conclusion With these results, we conclude that the treatment with açai enriched ration decreased the mortality of infected animals, as well as protected the blood-brain barrier and the neurocognitive deficits in Plasmodium-infected animals.

Objetivo: Investigar a percepção das primigestas sobre a importância do Aleitamento Materno Exclusivo (AME) na assistência de enfermagem durante a consulta de pré-natal. Métodos: Pesquisa de caráter descritiva e exploratória, com uma abordagem qualitativa, realizada com 20 primigestas no período de março a abril de 2022, utilizou-se um questionário semiestruturado, contendo quatro (4) perguntas abertas de aplicação individual e as respostas foram gravadas com o consentimento das entrevistadas, de acordo com as normas éticas em pesquisa. Resultados: As primigestas relataram algum entendimento sobre o AME, porém no que diz respeito as práticas educativas em saúde e políticas de apoio no incentivo ao AME, não foram realizadas essas orientações durante as consultas de pré-natal pelo enfermeiro. Conclusão: Foi possível perceber o quanto é importante à prática e o incentivo ao AME até o sexto mês de vida do bebê. No entanto é necessário que haja uma excelente orientação acerca do manejo correto da amamentação por parte do profissional enfermeiro.