Previous studies suggest that treatment with icariin (ICA) combined with Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) improved behavior and cholinergic system disorders followed by amyloid beta-peptide(25-35) lateral ventricle injection in rats. The present study investigated whether administration of ICA + PNS had preventive and therapeutic effects on bilateral common carotid arteries (CCA) occlusion-induced cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly as follows: sham-operated, i.g. vehicle, ICA (5 mg/kg), PNS (40 mg/kg), ICA + PNS (2.5 + 20, 5 + 40 or 10 + 80 mg/kg), and ergoloid mesylate as a positive control (0.45 mg/kg) in model rats. Treatment was performed once a day for 7 days prior to ischemia. The rats were subjected to transient global IR induced by CCA occlusion in combination with intraperitoneal injection of sodium nitroprusside (2.0 mg/kg), then treated with ICA + PNS for another 14 days continuously. ICA + PNS significantly improved the rat passive avoidance task in step-down paradigms, and spatial cognition in the eight-arm radial maze, concomitant with an improvement of blood viscosity. Increased lipid peroxidation in brain after IR injury was observed, MDA being 0.56 +/- 0.10 nmol/mg prot vs 0.48 +/- 0.06 nmol/mg prot in the vehicle control (p < 0.05). Treatment with ICA + PNS 2.5 + 10, 5 + 40, 10 + 80 mg/kg produced a marked reduction in the MDA level to 0.46 +/- 0.06, 0.42 +/- 0.09 and 0.45 +/- 0.08 nmol/mg prot, respectively vs 0.56 +/- 0.10 nmol/mg prot in IR injury only control (p < 0.05, p < 0.01). A decrease in superoxide dismutase activity was observed in the brain of IR rats (the SOD activity being 72.75 +/- 4.62 U/mg prot vs 80.97 +/- 6.06 U/mg prot in control, p < 0.05). ICA + PNS 5 + 40 mg/kg prevented the IR injury mediated fall in superoxide dismutase activity being 78.90 +/- 6.61 U/mg prot versus 72.75 +/- 4.62 U/mg prot (p < 0.05). ICA + PNS tended to attenuate apoptosis in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. Either ICA or PNS treatment alone did not obviously improve cognitive impairment (except that lipid peroxidation was reduced by PNS-treatment). The results indicated that ICA + PNS may ameliorate learning and memory deficit and blood viscosity by protecting neurons from oxidative stress in ischemic brain.
Internet search changed the way we store and recall information and possibly altered our brain functions. Previous studies suggested that Internet search facilitates the information-acquisition process. However, this process may cause individuals to lose the ability to store and recollect specific contents. Despite the numerous behavioral studies conducted in this field, little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying Internet searches. The present study explores potential brain activity changes induced by Internet search. The whole paradigm includes three phases, namely, pre-resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI) scan, 6-day Internet search training, and post rs-fMRI scan. We detected the functional integrations induced by Internet search training by comparing post- with pre-scan. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) and functional connectivity (FC) were used to detect intra- and interregional synchronized activity in 42 university students. Compared with pre-scan, post-scan showed decreased ReHo in the temporal gyrus, the middle frontal gyrus, and the postcentral gyrus. Further seed-based FC analysis showed that the temporal gyrus exhibited decreased FC in the parahippocampal cortex and the temporal gyrus after training. Based on the features of current task and functions exhibited by these brain regions, results indicate that short-term Internet search training changed the brain regional activities involved in memory retrieval. In general, this study provides evidence that supports the idea that Internet search can affect our brain functions.
Stress is becoming increasingly prevalent among teacher groups, and this is problematic for education. Mindfulness training (MT) is a well-supported way to help various populations cope with and reduce stress. In this study, a 4-day intensive MT program that aimed to increase teachers' emotional health was developed and implemented into the existing post-service education for teachers in eastern China. A total of 161 teachers voluntarily enrolled in the course and were assigned to either the mindfulness group or the waitlist group. Participants completed measures of mindfulness, positive affect, negative affect, and perceived stress before and after the program. The results showed that MT had statistically significant positive effects on mindfulness, negative affect, and stress. The present findings indicate that a 4-day intensive MT program is a promising way to decrease teachers' stress and improve their emotional health. The practical meaning of the short-term intensive MT program for teachers is discussed. It is easier for teachers to enroll such a short-term training program, as it may have higher acceptance and feasibility than an 8-week training program in some areas.
This study aimed to explore the effects of standardized mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and MBCT training without practice on the negative mood of women in custody. Eighty participants were assigned to the standard MBCT group, theoretical learning group, or waitlist control group. We assessed participants’ mindfulness, stress, depression, and anxiety before and after the interventions. The results showed that, compared with controls, participants in the standard MBCT course showed significant improvement in depression and state anxiety; they also showed significant improvement in perceived stress. Although similar effects on depression were observed in the theoretical learning group, this group did not show decreased anxiety. These findings suggest that practice plays a crucial role in MBCT’s effects on female prisoners’ mental health. This study provides important insights into the application of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) as promising treatments for improving responsivity factors of the risk–need–responsivity model for female incarcerated populations.
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