Alcohol abuse and binge drinking are common during adolescence, a developmental period characterized by heightened neuroplasticity. Animal studies reveal that adolescent ethanol exposure decreases hippocampal neurogenesis that persists into adulthood, but the mechanism remains to be fully elucidated. Using a rodent model of adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE; 5.0 g/kg, i.g., 2-days on/2-days off from postnatal day [P]25 to P55), we tested the hypothesis that AIE-induced upregulation of neuroimmune signaling contributes to the loss of hippocampal neurogenesis in adulthood. We found that AIE caused upregulation of multiple proinflammatory Toll-like receptors (TLRs), increased expression of phosphorylated NF-κB p65 (pNF-κB p65) and the cell death marker cleaved caspase 3, and reduced markers of neurogenesis in the adult (P80) hippocampus, which is consistent with persistently increased neuroimmune signaling reducing neurogenesis. We observed a similar increase of pNF-κB p65-immunoreactive cells in the post-mortem human alcoholic hippocampus, an effect that was negatively correlated with age of drinking onset. Voluntary wheel running from P24 to P80 prevented the AIE-induced loss of neurogenesis markers (i.e., nestin and doublecortin) in the adult hippocampus that was paralleled by blockade of increased expression of the cell death marker cleaved caspase 3. Wheel running also prevented the AIE-induced increase of hippocampal pNF-κB p65 and induction of neuroimmune NF-κB target genes, including TNFα and IκBα in the adult brain. Administration of the anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin during AIE prevented the loss of neurogenesis markers (i.e., nestin and doublecortin) and the concomitant increase of cleaved caspase 3, an effect that was accompanied by blockade of the increase of pNF-κB p65. Similarly, administration of the proinflammatory TLR4 activator lipopolysaccharide resulted in a loss of doublecortin that was paralleled by increased expression of cleaved caspase 3 and pNF-κB p65 in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of CON animals that mimicked the AIE-induced loss of neurogenesis. Taken together, these data suggest that exercise and anti-inflammatory drugs protect against adolescent binge ethanol-induced brain neuroimmune signaling and the loss of neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus.
Through acknowledging gender barriers and taking intentional steps to address them with prenursing and nursing students, schools of nursing may create a more inclusive environment and enhance the profession's diversity. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(5):295-299.].
Objective
Arterial stiffness is identified as a causative factor for hypertension. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between psychological stress and arterial stiffness in Korean Americans.
Methods
A convenience sample of 102 Korean Americans (aged 21–60 years, 60% women) was recruited from North Carolina. Psychological stress was measured by the Perceived Stress Scale, the Social, Attitudinal, Familiar, and Environmental (SAFE) Acculturative Stress Scale, and the Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Arterial stiffness was measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) using the SphygmoCor system (AtCor Medical, Australia).
Results
This study shows that the emotional stress response, measured by anxiety, significantly predicted arterial stiffness (β= .25, p=.008), independently of such confounding factors as age, mean arterial pressure (MAP), gender, body mass index, smoking, education, and income. Anxiety was neither related to age (r=.12, p=.212) nor MAP (r=.14, p=.151). Additionally, this sample of Korean Americans had higher levels of psychological stress when compared to previous findings from studies of other racial/ethnic groups in the U.S.
Conclusion
Findings demonstrate that anxiety is a significant and independent determinant of arterial stiffness. Given that anxiety was not related to MAP, these findings suggest that arterial stiffness may be a pathway to explain the connection between anxiety and hypertension risk. Studies that scrutinize the relationship between anxiety and arterial stiffness are an important next step for future research. Further studies are also recommended to explore cultural factors and individual characteristics that may affect anxiety in Korean Americans.
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