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Studies of pathophysiological mechanisms involved in eating disorders (EDs) have intensified over the past several years, revealing their unprecedented and unanticipated complexity. Results from many articles highlight critical aspects in each member of ED family. Notably, anorexia nervosa (AN) is a disorder due to undefined etiology, frequently associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsiveness, accompanied by endocrine alterations, altered immune response, increased inflammation, and dysbiosis of the gut microbiota. Hence, an advanced knowledge of how and why a multisystem involvement exists is of paramount importance to understand the pathogenetic mechanisms of AN. In this review, we describe the change in the brain structure/function focusing on hypothalamic endocrine disorders and the disequilibrium of gut microbiota in AN that might be responsible for the psychopathological complication.

Eating Disorders (EDs) refer to a group of psychiatric conditions in which disorderly food intake results in impaired psychological functioning or physical health. Nowadays, these disorders represent an increasing problem in modern society. There are no universally validated clinical parameters to confirm, disprove or simply help to identify EDs except for diagnostic criteria on psychiatric basis. The aim of this study was the assessment of Vitamin D3 level in patients with EDs to understand if it might be a valid clinical biochemistry parameter useful as prognostic marker.

Carbohydrate uptake before physical exercise allows to maintain plasma glucose concentration. Though, foods or beverages containing the same carbohydrate concentration do not produce the same glycemic and insulin responses which are related to their glycemic index (GI). Last, most studies of CHO loading have been conducted with male subjects, with the assumption that the results also apply to female athletes.

Lipid disorders have been implicated in overweight and menopause. However, evidence on lipidomic analysis of fatty acids in erythrocytes of menopausal women is scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the body mass index within or beyond 5 years of menopause and erythrocyte fatty acid profile. This case-control study was conducted on out of 37 menopausal women total patients, 22 with body mass index ≥ 25 and 12 matched controls (body mass index 25 and non-physiological content of fatty acids, were richer in percentage of saturated fatty acids and poorer of monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids than women with BMI25 than in women with BMI

The mini-review provides an overview on the differences between the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Recent studies highlight the contribution of the two hemispheres to the physical and mental control, and the interaction language-music. We focused the attention on the behaviour of the right and left hemispheres about the music and on what happens when music areas are damaged.

Epilobium angustifolium L. is a medicinal plant belonging to the Onagraceae family, which includes more than 200 different species from all over the world. Traditional medicinal applications include treatment of prostate, gastrointestinal, menstrual disorders and recently it has been used for its analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity. In this investigation E. angustifolium was collected in Ternopil region of Ukraine. The obtained data demonstrated that E. angustifolium herb extract, rich in polyphenolic compounds such as flavonoids and tannins, display high antioxidant properties. In addition the potential anticancer activity has been investigated in vitro on human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2). Furthermore the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of E. angustifolium have been investigated respectively by MTT and Comet assay. Results showed that at low concentration, up to 25 μg/mL, the cytotoxic effect was not observed. Increasing concentration from 50 to 75 μg/mL reduced significantly cell viability and induced an important DNA damage in hepatocellular carcinoma. These promising data were also confirmed with mitochondrial potential test. It is possible to conclude that E. angustifolium has beneficial properties in low concentration, in term of antioxidant activity, and it could be a potential antitumoral natural product if it will be used at high concentration

Nuclear actin has been implicated in different nuclear functions. In this work, its localization in nuclear membrane, chromatin and nuclear lipid microdomains was investigated. The implication of sphingomyelin metabolism was studied. Nuclear membrane, chromatin and nuclear lipid microdomains were purified from hepatocyte nuclei and H35 human hepatoma cell nuclei. The presence of β-actin was analyzed with immunoblotting by using specific antibodies. Sphingomyelinase, sphingomyelin-synthase, and phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C activities were assayed by using radioactivity sphingomyelin and phosphatidylcholine as substrate. The results showed that β-actin is localized in nuclear lipid microdomains and it increases in cancer cells. Evidence is provided to the difference of phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin metabolism in various subnuclear fractions of cancer cell nuclei compared with normal cells. Our findings show increase of sphingomyelin-synthase and inhibition of sphingomyelinase activity only in nuclear lipid microdomains. Nuclear lipid microdomains, constituted by phosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin and cholesterol, play a role as platform for β-actin anchoring. Possible role of sphingomyelin metabolism in cancer cells is discussed.

Microglia signatures refer to distinct gene expression profiles or patterns of gene activity that are characteristic of microglia. Advances in gene expression profiling techniques, such as single-cell RNA sequencing, have allowed us to study microglia at a more detailed level and identify unique gene expression patterns that are associated, but not always, with different functional states of these cells. Microglial signatures depend on the developmental stage, brain region, and specific pathological conditions. By studying these signatures, it has been possible to gain insights into the underlying mechanisms of microglial activation and begin to develop targeted therapies to modulate microglia-mediated immune responses in the CNS. Historically, the first two signatures coincide with M1 pro-inflammatory and M2 anti-inflammatory phenotypes. The first one includes upregulation of genes such as CD86, TNF-α, IL-1β, and iNOS, while the second one may involve genes like CD206, Arg1, Chil3, and TGF-β. However, it has long been known that many and more specific phenotypes exist between M1 and M2, likely with corresponding signatures. Here, we discuss specific microglial signatures and their association, if any, with neurodegenerative pathologies and other brain disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) have been observed in association with susceptibility to various pathologies, including autism, major depression, age-related changes in cognitive functioning, and Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. This study aimed to establish the association between Fok1/Apa1 polymorphic variants and anxious/depressive symptoms in nonclinical adolescents from central Italy, with the goal of identifying the risk of developing both symptoms. We found no significant difference in genotype distribution or dominant/recessive models of Fok1/Apa1 VDR polymorphic variants between subjects with anxious/depressive symptoms and controls. HN9.10e cell lines carrying the AA genotype for Fok1 and the CC genotype for Apa1 responded better to treatment with vitamin D3 than cell lines carrying the AG genotype for Fok1 and CA genotype for Apa1. Cell lines carrying the GG genotype for Fok1 and the AA genotype for Apa1 did not respond at all, suggesting avenues for future studies in both the general population and individuals with mental and/or neuropsychiatric disorders. These studies suggest that the level of response to vitamin D3 administered to prevent and/or treat mental or neurological disorders could depend on the polymorphic variants of the vitamin D receptor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]