فهرست مطالب

Caspian Journal of Neurological Sciences
Volume:7 Issue: 24, Jan 2021

  • تاریخ انتشار: 1400/01/16
  • تعداد عناوین: 7
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  • Arman Keymoradzadeh, Alireza Komaki, Arash Bakhshi, Nafise Faraji, Zoleikha Golipoor*, Parisa Shahshahani Pages 1-9
    Background

    Alzheimer Disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder with a progressive impairment of cognitive function. The pineal gland hormone melatonin (MEL) has been known as a protection agent against AD. However, the effect of melatonin in various doses is inconsistent.

    Objectives

    In this study, we aimed to investigate two doses of MEL on learning and memory in the amyloid-βeta (Aβ)-induced AD in the rats. Materials &

    Methods

    Forty-eight male Wistar rats were used in the experiment and randomly divided control, sham, vehicle, AD, AD+MEL10 mg/kg, and AD+MEL 20 mg/kg groups. Intracerebroventricular injection of Aβ1–42 was used to develop the animal model of AD. Also, MEL-treated groups received an intraperitoneal injection of MEL for 4 next weeks. The Morris Water Maze (MWM) and Passive Avoidance Learning (PAL) tests were used to examine animals’ learning and memory. The brain of animals was removed for immunohistochemistry for antiAmyloid Precursor Protein (APP).

    Results

    Intra-peritoneal injection of MEL significantly improve learning and memory in MWM (P=0.000) and PAL test (P=0.000), but there were no significant changes in the two groups that received the melatonin (P>0.05). Histopathological analysis revealed that the clearance of APP deposition in the AD+MEL20 group was considerable compared with the AD+MEL10 group (P=0.000).

    Conclusion

    Our findings indicate that 10 and 20 mg/kg doses of melatonin have similar results on learning and memory in the AD model. But 20 mg/kg of melatonin has significantly more effect on the clearance of APP deposition.

    Keywords: Melatonin, Alzheimer Disease, Memory, Learning
  • Vahid Shaygannejad*, Mahdi Barzegar, Navid Manouchehri, Nafiseh Esmaeil, Nasim Nehzat, Shervin Badihian, Fereshteh Ashtari, Omid Mirmosayyeb Pages 10-16
    Background

    The absence of Aquaporin-4 Antibody (AQP4-Ab) in a fraction of the Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD) patients has led to a search for other serologic markers. Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein (MOG) is a protein component of the myelin sheets encapsulating the neural fibers.

    Objectives

    We aimed to compare the presence and levels of anti-MOG (Ig-G) in a group of seronegative NMOSD patients with a healthy control group. Materials &

    Methods

    In this cross-sectional study, 30 NMOSD patients with negative AQP-Ab status, who were referred to the Neurology Clinic of Kashani University Hospital in Isfahan City, Iran, from March 2015 to March 2016, and 26 healthy controls were consecutively recruited. Their baseline demographic and clinical data were recorded. Serum anti-MOG levels were measured in both groups. The obtained data were analyzed using the Student t-test, Mann-Whitney U, and Chisquare test in SPSS V. 18.

    Results

    The anti-MOG test results were statistically higher in patients (n=12, 37.5%) compared to controls (n=0, 0%) (P<0.0001). The level of anti-MOG in Healthy Control (HC) was higher compared to patients with negative anti-MOG (P<0.0001) and was lower than patients with positive anti-MOG (P<0.0001).

    Conclusion

    Our study showed that nearly one-third of seronegative NMOSD patients were positive for MOG-Ab. Further studies are needed to assess the characteristics and outcome of these patients.

    Keywords: Neuromyelitis optica, Myelin-oligodendrocyte glycoprotein, Aquaporin 4
  • Seyed Hamidreza Abtahi, Seyed Mojtaba Abtahi, Motahare Mirdamadi, Mohammad Hossein Nilforoush, Shirin Arjmandi Rad, Seyedeh Mahbobe Nazari* Pages 17-21
    Background

    Recently, various studies have been performed to examine the effect of neurofeedback on treating tinnitus. However, these studies reported different results. In this process, the nervous activity of the patient is evaluated. For example, the aspects associated with brain processes are extracted through temporal processing signs, and then auditory or visual feedback is given to the person.

    Objectives

    The present study investigates the effect of neurofeedback sessions on treating tinnitus. Materials &

    Methods

    In this clinical trial study, 30 patients with tinnitus who met the inclusion criteria were included. They referred to the otorhinolaryngology clinic of Azahra and Kashani hospitals in Isfahan City, Iran. The patients underwent 20 sessions of neurofeedback and were examined at time intervals before the intervention and then 1, 3, and 5 months after the intervention. To evaluate the patients, we used tinnitus handicap inventory and visual analog scale. To examine the changes in VAS and THI data at different times, repeated measure ANOVA test was utilized. The significance level was considered less than 0.05. The analysis was performed in SPSS V. 24.

    Results

    Five months after the intervention, tinnitus handicap inventory (P<0.001) and visual analog scale (P<0.001) scores of the patients significantly improved. Also, no complication resulting from the use of neurofeedback was observed in the patients.

    Conclusion

    Usage of neurofeedback sessions as adjuvant therapy could be an effective treatment in patients who suffer from tinnitus.

    Keywords: Tinnitus, Neurofeedback, Adjuvants
  • Fatemeh Rangrazian, Azar Kiamarsi*, Reza Kazemi Pages 22-29
    Background

    Schizophrenia is a chronic disorder with positive and negative symptoms, and insight is involved in its prognosis. Illness management is considered a skill and strategy for patients with some mental disorders.

    Objectives

    We aimed to investigate the illness management effectiveness on the positive and negative symptoms and insight in schizophrenic patients. Materials &

    Methods

    This study was a quasi-experimental, controlled study with a pre-test-posttest design. The study population included all schizophrenic patients admitted to the Shafa Hospital, Guilan Province in the North of Iran, from March 2019 to April 2020. The sample included 30 schizophrenic patients selected using the convenience sampling method and was divided into 2 groups (experimental and control groups), with 15 patients in each group. For data collection, the scale for the assessment of negative symptoms, the scale for the assessment of positive symptoms, and the scale to assess unawareness of mental disorders were used before and after the intervention. Illness management was performed on the experimental group as group therapy. The control group did not undergo any concomitant intervention. Data analysis was performed in SPSS software version 24 using the univariate analysis of variance in normal distribution and the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test for the variable which didn't follow the normal distribution..

    Results

    Results indicated that illness management could effectively alleviate the positive and negative symptoms and improve the insight in schizophrenic patients (P<0.01).

    Conclusion

    Illness management was influential on the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Thus, this therapeutic modality can be used as an effective technique in hospitalized schizophrenic patients.

    Keywords: Disease management, Affective symptoms, Awareness, Schizophrenia
  • Shohreh Tofighian, Ali Khanehkeshi*, Kolsom Akbarnataj Bisheh Pages 30-36
    Background

    Multiple Sclerosis (MS) disease is a chronic, debilitating, and often progressive inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that is affected by cognitive and emotional dimensions, and also, this disease affects these dimensions.

    Objectives

    This study was carried out to determine the effect of executive functions on the tolerance and quality of life of MS patients. Materials &

    Methods

    In this cross-sectional study, 290 MS patients were selected as the sample size by simple random sampling method from the statistical population consisted of all 687 patients with MS disease in Gorgan’s MS Association, Gorgan City, Iran, in 2020. To collect data, we used Nejati’s executive functions questionnaire, McGuigan and Hutchinson’s quality of life questionnaire, and Simons and Gaher’s tolerance scale. Path analysis by SPSS V. 18 and AMOS V. 23 software was used for data processing.

    Results

    According to the results of path analysis, executive functions affect -0.371 and tolerance -0.257 on the quality of life (P=0.01), and in total, that can explain 44% of the variance. Also, tolerance mediates the relationship between executive function and quality of life.

    Conclusion

    Executive function is related to the quality of life of MS patients by the mediating role of tolerance, in the sense that a higher ability to tolerate increases the constructive effect of executive function on improving the quality of life.

    Keywords: Executive functions, Quality of life, Tolerance
  • Hossein Khoshrang, Morteza Rahbar Taramsari, Cyrus Emir Alavi, Robabeh Soleimani, Siamak Rimaz, Abbas Sedighinejad*, Mohammad Reza Habibi, Zoleikha Bayat Pages 37-41
    Background

    In patients undergoing Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), obtaining written Informed Consent (IC) must be the standard measure before the procedure. The patient must be informed about the risks and benefits of the treatment and alternatives.

    Objectives

    We aimed to investigate the quality of IC obtaining before the ECT course in an academic hospital in the North of Iran. Materials &

    Methods

    This study was conducted at an academic center in the north of Iran during 2018-2019. Firstly the patients’ mental capacity was assessed, and if it was not adequate for giving informed consent, a patient’s relative was interviewed. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS V. 22. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to evaluate the normality assumption. To compare the mean scores in subgroups, we applied t-test.

    Results

    A total of 259 people enrolled in the survey and were interviewed. Schizophrenia was the main cause of receiving ECT. The Mean±SD score of receiving information was 8.22±3.68 (0-16), understandability of IC 3.03±1.76 (0-6), patients’ voluntary acceptance of the treatment 1.38±0.68 (0-4) and physician-patient relationship 6.11±2.16 (0-12). The total Mean±SD score was 18.05±3.16 (0-38).

    Conclusion

    IC process was not optimal in our center; however, great trust in the physicians was noticeable. The physician-patient relationship had the highest score while the intentional obtaining of informed consent achieved the lowest.

    Keywords: Electroconvulsive therapy, Informed consent, Inpatients
  • Zahra Nazari Barchestani, Maryam Rafieirad* Pages 42-50
    Background

    Ischemia causes severe neuronal damage and induces oxidative stress, memory impairment, and reduces pain threshold. Herniarin is a powerful antioxidant.

    Objectives

    This study aimed to evaluate the effect of herniarin on memory, pain, and oxidative stress in an ischemia model in male rats. Materials &

    Methods

    In this study, 50 male rats were divided into 5 groups of control, sham, ischemic, and two other ischemic groups, which received herniarin at doses of 150 and 300 mg/ kg by gavage for 14 days. Behavioral tests were performed by shuttle box, and Y-maze and pain tests were performed by Tail-Flick test. Then, the rats’ brains were extracted to evaluate lipid peroxidation and measure the levels of thiol and Glutathione Peroxidase (GPX) in the hippocampus and striatum tissues. The results were expressed as Mean±SEM and then analyzed using suitable statistical methods of ANOVA and least significant difference post-hoc test in SPSS V 20.

    Results

    Herniarin significantly increased the avoidance memory, spatial memory, and pain thresholds of ischemic rats at different concentrations (P<0.001). Besides, the amount of malondialdehyde (MDA) and thiol in the ischemic group increased significantly in comparison to the control group (P<0.001). Also, in the ischemic group, GPX (P<0.001) significantly decreased. Decreased MDA (P<0.001) and thiol (P<0.001) and increased GPX levels were observed with herniarin administration (P<0.01).

    Conclusion

    According to this study’s results, herniarin can remove free radicals and oxidant substances from the brain. Thus, it improves memory and pain thresholds in the brain hypoperfusion ischemia model.

    Keywords: Herniarin, Memory, Pain, Oxidative stress, Cerebral ischemia, Rats