Neuroretinal Dysfunctions in Regular Cannabis Users: An Impact of Cannabis on Retinal Neurotransmission?

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S638-S638
Author(s):  
T. Schwitzer ◽  
R. Schwan ◽  
A. Giersch ◽  
E. Albuisson ◽  
K. Angioi-Duprez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Endocannabinoid System ◽  
Implicit Time ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Transmission Of Information ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
On And Off Pathways ◽  
The Waves ◽  
The Brain

IntroductionAlthough cannabis is very widespread worldwide, its brain toxicity is poorly understood. The neuroretina is an accessible extension of the brain and could be a relevant site for investigating neurotransmission abnormalities in neuropsychiatric disorders. The retina has a functional endocannabinoid system involved in the regulation of retinal neurotransmission. In animals, the modulation of this system led to retinal dysfunctions measured with the electroretinogram (ERG).ObjectivesTo assess whether the regular cannabis use could affect the neuroretinal function.AimsAssessments of the neuroretinal function in cannabis users compared with controls.MethodsRecordings of pattern, flash and on-off ERG were performed in 55 cannabis users and 29 controls. The amplitude and implicit time of the following waves were evaluated: N95 (pattern); a – and b – (flash); a –, b- and d1 – (on-off).ResultsCannabis users showed a significant increase in implicit time of the waves N95 (P = 0.0001), a- (P = 0.029) and b – (P = 0.002) for the flash ERG and b – (P = 0.016) and d1 – (P = 0.027) for the on-off ERG, compared with controls. No significant difference was found between groups in terms of wave's amplitudes.ConclusionsThese results show a delay in the response of cones, bipolar and ganglion cells of the on and off pathways to constitute a delay of ≈ 6 ms in the transmission of information from the retina to the brain in cannabis users. Cannabis could disrupt the regulatory role of the cannabinoid system and impair retinal glutamatergic neurotransmission. The consequences on visual perception should be explored in future studies.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Cannabidiolɗs Role as a Potential Target in the Treatment for Schizophrenia

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S631-S631
Author(s):  
A. Carvalho ◽  
J. Felgueiras ◽  
T. Abreu ◽  
C. Freitas ◽  
J. Silva
Keyword(s):  
Endocannabinoid System ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Novel Therapy ◽  
Considerable Uncertainty ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Brain

ObjectivesSchizophrenia is a debilitating psychiatric disorder which places a significant emotional and economic strain on the individual and society-at-large. Unfortunately, currently available therapeutic strategies do not provide adequate relief and some patients are treatment-resistant. Therefore there is urgent need for the development of mechanistically different and less side effect prone antipsychotic compounds. Recently, the endocannabinoid system has emerged as a potential therapeutic target for pharmacotherapy that is involved in a wide range of disorders, including schizophrenia. Modulation of this system by the main psychoactive component in cannabis, Δ9tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), induces acute psychotic effects and cognitive impairment. However, the non-psychotropic, plant-derived cannabinoid agent cannabidiol shows great promise for the treatment of psychosis, and is associated with fewer extrapyramidal side effects than conventional antipsychotic drugs.MethodsThe aim of this review is to analyse the involvement of the endocannabinoid system in schizophrenia and the potential role of cannabidiol in its treatment.Results and conclusionsThere is still considerable uncertainty about the mechanism of action of cannabidiol as well as the brain regions which are thought to mediate its putative antipsychotic effect. Further data is warrant before this novel therapy can be introduced into clinical practice.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest

Alterations in retinal processing in regular cannabis users

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S373-S373
Author(s):  
R. Schwan ◽  
T. Schwitzer ◽  
A. Giersch ◽  
V. Laprevote
Keyword(s):  
Visual Information ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Direct Action ◽  
Pattern Electroretinogram ◽  
Implicit Time ◽  
Clinical Electrophysiology ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Rapid Improvement ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
The Brain

IntroductionCannabis is one of the most prevalent drugs used worldwide. However, the neural consequences of cannabis remain poorly understood. There is a need for a rapid improvement of the scientific knowledge on the cerebral impact of cannabis use. Since the retina is an easy-to-access part of the central nervous system, it can reflect the neurochemistry of the brain.ObjectivesConsidering the anatomical and functional distribution of the cannabinoid system in the retinal ganglion cells, the objective of this study was to assess whether the regular use of cannabis could affect the ganglion cells functioning.AimsAssessment of the ganglion cells function in regular cannabis users compared to healthy controls.MethodsRecordings of pattern electroretinogram (PERG) were performed in regular cannabis users and healthy controls using standard of the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision (ISCEV). The amplitude and implicit time of the PERG N95 were assessed.ResultsThe N95 implicit time of PERG was significantly decreased in regular cannabis users compared to healthy controls.ConclusionsWe found alterations in the ganglion cells function in regular cannabis users, as showed by the increase in N95 implicit time. The ganglion cells represent the ultimate retinal relay before the visual information is relayed to the brain and, according to these results, we suppose that the signal elicited by these cells and transferred through the visual pathways is altered in cannabis users. A direct action of exogenous cannabinoids in the retinal glutamatergic transmission is discussed.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Inflammation and Pruning May Inform Risk to Psychiatric Disorders. Lessons From Large Genetic Data

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S56-S56
Author(s):  
C. Crisafulli
Keyword(s):  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Molecular Mechanics ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Molecular Pathway ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Single Effect ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
The Brain ◽  
New Hypothesis

BackgroundIt's known that psychiatric disorders are caused to either environmental and genetics factors. Through the years several hypotheses were tested and many genes were screened for association, resulting in a huge amount of data available for the scientific community. Despite that, the molecular mechanics behind psychiatric disorders remains largely unknown. Traditional association studies may be not enough to pinpoint the molecular underpinnings of psychiatric disorder. We tried to applying a methodology that investigates molecular-pathway-analysis that takes into account several genes per time, clustered in consistent molecular groups and may successfully capture the signal of a number of genetic variations with a small single effect on the disease. This approach might reveal more of the molecular basis of psychiatric disorders.Methodsi)We collected data on studies available in literature for the studied disorder (e.g. Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder);ii)We extracted a pool of genes that are likely involved with the disease;iii)We used these genes as starting point to map molecular cascades function-linked. The molecular cascades are then analyzed and pathways and sub-pathways, possibly involved with them, are identified and tested for association.Results/discussionWe obtained interesting results. In particular, signals of enrichment (association) were obtained multiple times on the molecular pathway associated with the pruning activity and inflammation. Molecular mechanics related to neuronal pruning were focused as a major and new hypothesis for the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders and the role of inflammatory events has been extensively investigated in psychiatry. intersting, inflammatory mechanics in the brain may also play a role in neuronal pruning during the early development of CNS.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.

Pixel Characterization of a Protein-Based Retinal Implant Using a Microfabricated Sensor Array

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (03) ◽  
pp. 1740012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan A. Greco ◽  
Luis André L. Fernandes ◽  
Nicole L. Wagner ◽  
Mehdi Azadmehr ◽  
Philipp Häfliger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Photoreceptor Cells ◽  
Image Sensor ◽  
Subretinal Space ◽  
Retinal Implant ◽  
Retinal Tissue ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Retinal Degenerative Diseases ◽  
The Brain

Retinal degenerative diseases are characterized by the loss of photoreceptor cells within the retina and affect 30-50 million people worldwide. Despite the availability of treatments that slow the progression of degeneration, affected patients will go blind. Thus, there is a significant need for a prosthetic that is capable of restoring functional vision for these patients. The protein-based retinal implant offers a high-resolution option for replacing the function of diseased photoreceptor cells by interfacing with the underlying retinal tissue, stimulating the remaining neural network, and transmitting this signal to the brain. The retinal implant uses the photoactive protein, bacteriorhodopsin, to generate an ion gradient in the subretinal space that is capable of activating the remaining bipolar and ganglion cells within the retina. Bacteriorhodopsin can also be photochemically driven to an active (bR) or inactive (Q) state, and we aim to exploit this photochemistry to mediate the activity of pixels within the retinal implant. In this study, we made use of a novel retinomorphic foveated image sensor to characterize the formation of active and inactive pixels within a protein-based retinal implant, and have measured a significant difference between the output frequencies associated with the bR and Q states.

scholarly journals The Role of the Endocannabinoid System in the Brain–Gut Axis

2016 ◽  
Vol 151 (2) ◽  
pp. 252-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith A. Sharkey ◽  
John W. Wiley
Keyword(s):  
Endocannabinoid System ◽  
The Brain

scholarly journals The Concept of Neuro- Linguistic Programming in Improving the Receptive Skills in English

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Sunitha ◽  
◽  
A .Catherin Jayanthy ◽  
G. Kalaiyarasan ◽  
N. Annalakshmi
Keyword(s):  
Control Group ◽  
Brain Anatomy ◽  
School Students ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Catch Up ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Experimental Group

From the long years ago, education have been trying a proper way to improving the skills of English. Educators tried several methodologies in English to choose the better one. This paper brings out the effect of teaching Receptive skills by implementing NLP (Neuro- Linguistic Programming) in second language as English. Neuro- Linguistic Programming is one of the methods to catch up the English by giving focus on the brain anatomy. Brain anatomy can motive the creativity as well as the skills of using language. It also exist the role of Neuro Linguistic Programming in teaching the Receptive skills of English, which could make the students to improve the Receptive skills such as listening and reading. The study, in short, affirms that NLP strategies could be quite efficacious in making the students procure the skills that are indispensable in workplaces effortlessly. As it involves teaching a reading comprehension course by NLP concepts and techniques, the approach used in this study is experimental. In addition, the experimental method involves pre-and post-tests conducted before and after the course by the control group (40 students) and the experimental group (40 students). The students of the experimental community are chosen from the secondary school students. After the NLP experimentation, it was revealed from the study that there was a significant difference in the level of the experimental group in pre and post-test.

scholarly journals Association between NLPR1, NLPR3, and P2X7R Gene Polymorphisms with Partial Seizures

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haidong Wang ◽  
Pengfei Xu ◽  
Dehua Liao ◽  
Ruili Dang ◽  
Xin He ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Polymorphisms ◽  
Purinergic Receptor ◽  
Partial Seizures ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Chinese Han ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Inflammatory Processes ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
The Brain

Objectives. Clinical and experimental evidence has clarified that the inflammatory processes within the brain play a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of seizures and epilepsy. Inflammasomes and P2X7 purinergic receptor (P2X7R) are important mediators during the inflammatory process. Therefore, we investigated the possible association between partial seizures and inflammasomes NLPR1, NLRP3, and P2X7R gene polymorphisms in the present study. Method. A total of 163 patients and 201 health controls were enrolled in this study and polymorphisms of NLPR1, NLRP3, and P2X7R genes were detected using polymerase chain reaction- (PCR-) ligase detection reaction method. Result. The frequency of rs878329 (G>C) genotype with C (CG + CC) was significantly lower among patients with partial seizures relative to controls (OR = 2.033, 95% CI = 1.290–3.204, p=0.002 for GC + CC versus GG). Intriguingly, we found that the significant difference of rs878329 (G>C) genotype and allele frequency only existed among males (OR = 2.542, 95% CI = 1.344–4.810, p=0.004 for GC + CC versus GG), while there was no statistically significant difference among females. However, no significant results were presented for the genotype distributions of rs8079034, rs4612666, rs10754558, rs2027432, rs3751143, and rs208294 polymorphisms between patients and controls. Conclusion. Our study demonstrated the potentially significant role of NLRP1 rs878329 (G>C) in developing susceptibility to the partial seizures in a Chinese Han population.

scholarly journals Endocan serum levels in patients with low- and high-grade meningiomas: does this biomarker have an indicative role?

2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Javad Fattahi ◽  
Fatemeh Sedaghat ◽  
Mahyar Malekzadeh ◽  
Amir Ali Nejat ◽  
Maryam Poostkar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Control Group ◽  
High Grade ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Grade Ii ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Grade Iii

Abstract Background Meningiomas are one of the most common tumors of the brain and central nervous system. The key role of endocan in predicting tumor growth and prognosis has been shown for several types of cancers; however, this role in meningiomas has not been evaluated. In the current study, we investigated the relationship between endocan serum levels with low- and high-grade meningiomas. Results The serum level of endocan in the group with meningiomas was 283.34 (242.09-358.70) pg/ml and in the control group was 250.29 (207.56-329.71) pg/ml respectively (P = 0.172). Afterwards, patients were divided into three different groups (grades I, II, and III) and compared to the control. The level of endocan in the group with grade I of meningioma showed no significant difference compared to control individuals (P = 0.86). When patients with grade II and grade III compared with the control group, endocan serum levels were statistically significant (P = 0.002, P < 0.001 respectively). Moreover, our findings showed that the different grades of meningiomas were statistically significant compared to each other (P < 0.001) regarding endocan serum levels, meaning that the higher the grade, the higher the endocan serum levels. Conclusion Our findings revealed that higher grades of meningioma had higher endocan serum levels, however, the role of endocan in pathogenesis or progression of this type of tumor requiring further exclusively assessment.

scholarly journals Investigating the Role of Brain Lateralization and Gender in Paranormal Beliefs

2019 ◽  
pp. 589-596
Author(s):  
Abdolvahed Narmashiri ◽  
Ahmad Sohrabi ◽  
Javad Hatami ◽  
Azita Amirfakhraei ◽  
Shaniya Haghighat
Keyword(s):  
Brain Lateralization ◽  
Left Brain ◽  
Paranormal Belief ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Paranormal Beliefs ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Brain

Introduction: Brain lateralization is associated with human behavior. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the effects of brain lateralization on the scores of paranormal beliefs. Methods: The study population included 180 students of Sanandaj universities, Sanandaj City, Iran who were selected with convenience sampling method (100 left-brained males, 6 left-brained females, 56 both left- and right-brained males and 22 both left- and right-brained females). The research tools were the paranormal belief scale developed by Blackmore (1994), as well as the brain lateralization questionnaire (1985). Results: The obtained findings suggested a significant difference between the left-brain and right-brained people in terms of paranormal beliefs. A significant difference was also found between the left-brained males and both left- and right-brained females in terms of paranormal beliefs. Conclusion: The paranormal beliefs of the left-brained cases were different from both left- and right-brained subjects, which can be seen between the left-brained males and both left- and right-brained females.

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