Neuroscience
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The intercellular communication within the central nervous system (CNS) is of great importance for in maintaining brain function, homeostasis, and CNS regulation. When the equilibrium of CNS is disrupted or injured, microglia are immediately activated and respond to CNS injury. Microglia-derived exosomes are capable of participating in intercellular communication within the CNS by transporting various bioactive substances, including nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, amino acids, and metabolites. ⋯ Meanwhile, we summarized the molecular mechanisms by which the relevant exosomes exert regulatory effects. Exosomes, derived from microglia stimulated by different environments, regulate other nerve cells during the repair of CNS injury, having beneficial or detrimental effects on CNS repair. A comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying their role can provide a robust foundation for the clinical treatment of CNS injury.
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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly prevalent multifactorial disorder characterized by social deficits and stereotypies. Despite extensive research efforts, the etiology of ASD remains poorly understood. However, studies using preclinical models have identified the mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase (mTOR) signaling pathway as a key player in ASD-related features. ⋯ The review also discusses the therapeutic potential of mTOR pathway inhibitors, such as rapamycin, in mitigating ASD characteristics. These insights underscore the importance of the mTOR pathway as a target for future research and therapeutic intervention in ASD. This review innovates by bringing the convergence of disrupted mTOR signaling in preclinical models and clinical data associated with ASD.
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Numerous studies linking environmental pollutants to oxidative stress, inflammation, and neurotoxicity have assigned pollutants to several neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Heavy metals, pesticides, air pollutants, and endocrine disruptor chemicals have been shown to play important roles in AD development, with some traditional functions in amyloid-β formation, tau kinase action, and neuronal degeneration. However, pharmacological management and supplementation have resulted in limited improvement. ⋯ Furthermore, they contribute to positive changes in the composition of the human gut microbiota and thus encourage interactions in the Gut-Brain Axis, reducing inflammation caused by pollutants. This review emphasizes a multi-professional approach with reference to nutritional activities that would lower the neurotoxic load in populations with a high level of exposure to pollutants. Future studies focusing on diet and environment association plans may help identify preventive measures aimed at enhancing current disease deceleration.
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To investigate the characteristics and diagnostic values of the eye movement disorders in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD-EMDs), this cross-sectional study enrolled 127 Chinese patients with PD and 80 healthy controls, and divided them into training and validation sets based on enrollment time. Performance in the five oculomotor paradigms was assessed using an infrared pupil and a corneal reflection tracking device. The primary characteristics of PD-EMDs were elucidated as inaccurate fixation with high deviation (frequency and total quantity); inaccurate saccades with delayed reaction and low velocity; saccadic pursuit with high deviation, delayed reaction, and velocity; and decreased visual search ability. ⋯ The model has good feasibility with satisfactory performance on the receiver operating characteristic, calibration, and decision curves, and broad clinical applicability with better discrimination for more advanced PD patients and non-tremor-dominant PD patients. A nomogram was created to make the model more user-friendly in the clinical setting. Overall, we have demonstrated the presence of PD-EMDs and their prospective value for PD preliminary screening.
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In recent years, the incidence rate of children with autism has shown a significant upward trend. Rehabilitation training is an important part of recovery or improvement in autism children. However, during autism rehabilitation training, the methods that can visually reflect and objectively evaluate its effects are seldom considered. ⋯ The differences in speed, acceleration, and angle between the high- and low-score groups were mainly reflected in left-hand movement. Moreover, analysis of multimodal data showed that visual motor training had a positive effect on brain activation and functional connectivity, and increasing the frequency of left-hand training and using more green light were beneficial to the improvement of brain function. These findings can be used as basis to help optimize rehabilitation programs and improve rehabilitation effectiveness.