scholarly journals Antioxidant Defense Mechanisms in Erythrocytes and in the Central Nervous System

Antioxidants ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Franco ◽  
Gemma Navarro ◽  
Eva Martínez-Pinilla

Differential antioxidant action is found upon comparison of organ/tissue systems in the human body. In erythrocytes (red blood cells), which transport oxygen and carbon dioxide through the circulatory system, the most important issue is to keep hemoglobin in a functional state that requires maintaining the haem group in ferrous (Fe2+) state. Conversion of oxidized Fe3+ back into Fe2+ in hemoglobin needs a special mechanism involving a tripeptide glutathione, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and glucose and NADPH as suppliers of reducing power. Fava beans are probably a good resource to make the detox innate system more robust as the pro-oxidant molecules in this food likely induce the upregulation of members of such mechanisms. The central nervous system consumes more oxygen than the majority of human tissues, i.e., 20% of the body’s total oxygen consumption and, therefore, it is exposed to a high level of oxidative stress. This fact, together with the progressive age-related decline in the efficiency of the antioxidant defense system, leads to neuronal death and disease. The innate mechanism operating in the central nervous system is not well known and seems different to that of the erythrocytes. The strategies of antioxidant intervention in brain will be reviewed here.

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 120
Author(s):  
Anis Daou

The vaccination for the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is undergoing its final stages of analysis and testing. It is an impressive feat under the circumstances that we are on the verge of a potential breakthrough vaccination. This will help reduce the stress for millions of people around the globe, helping to restore worldwide normalcy. In this review, the analysis looks into how the new branch of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) came into the forefront of the world like a pandemic. This review will break down the details of what COVID-19 is, the viral family it belongs to and its background of how this family of viruses alters bodily functions by attacking vital human respiratory organs, the circulatory system, the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. This review also looks at the process a new drug analogue undergoes, from (i) being a promising lead compound to (ii) being released into the market, from the drug development and discovery stage right through to FDA approval and aftermarket research. This review also addresses viable reasoning as to why the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine may have taken much less time than normal in order for it to be released for use.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 30-36
Author(s):  
A. A. Makarova ◽  
O. A. Kharkova

Objective: to study the role of personal anxiety in the development of psychophysiological indicators in adolescent athletes.Materials and methods. To study the prevalence of high levels of personal anxiety (hereinafter — LT), as well as to determine the characteristics of psychophysiological indicators, the study involved 23 teenagers — boys and girls who were representatives of different sports. Using the device for psychophysiological testing UPFT-1/30 “Psychophysiologist”, indicators of simple visual-motor reaction and the level of LT on the Spielberg scale were obtained. To assess the impact of changes in high LT levels on psychophysiological indicators, 14 adolescent athletes with a high level of personal anxiety were selected and then divided into 2 groups. The experimental group included adolescents who wanted to participate in an experiment on the use of cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to correct high LT levels; the control group included adolescents with high LT levels who were not trained in cognitive behavioral therapy techniques.Results. Every third adolescent athlete had a high level of LT. Adolescent athletes with a high LT level, in contrast to adolescents with an optimal LT level, were less efficient, and, despite a shorter minimum reaction time, made more mistakes. The dynamics of psychophysiological indicators were observed both in the group with intervention and in the group where no cognitive behavioral therapy techniques were performed; however, after studying the difference in the physiological parameters of the central nervous system in the group where there was a change in LT, and in the group where LT either did not change or increased, we found positive changes. Changes in the LT level led to a decrease in the average reaction time, the minimum reaction time, and an increase in the level of stability of reactions.Conclusions. A high level of LT affects the psychophysiological parameters of the central nervous system in adolescent athletes. The use of cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to normalize the LT level of adolescent athletes leads to an improvement in the physiological parameters of the central nervous system.


1940 ◽  
Vol 86 (361) ◽  
pp. 276-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie Dundonald MacLeod ◽  
Max Reiss

Since Hildebrandt (1926) described the convulsant effect of cardiazol injection, several studies have been carried out on the mechanism of such convulsions. Zung and Tremonti (1931) suggested a direct action on the respiratory centre when cardiazol is used as a stimulant; Kerr and Antaki (1937) found no effect on brain glycogen or phosphocreatine in cardiazol-induced convulsions; Hashimoto (1937) found differences in distribution of calcium and potassium ions in the central nervous system after cardiazol. Goodwin and Lloyd (1938) recorded a direct effect on brain potential changes as shown on oscillographic records. Leibel and Hall (1938) found a large (75 per cent.) diminution of cerebral blood-flow at the onset of cardiazol convulsions. Weigand (1938) found no effect on liver glycogen or vitamin A content, reducing power of suprarenal cortex or blood picture. Denyssen and Watterson (1938) and Watterson and Macdonald (1939) attribute the convulsions to action on the vasomotor centre and note the action of vasodilator drugs in inhibiting convulsions. Wortis (1938) quoted by Quastel (1939) found no effect on brain respiration.


2013 ◽  
Vol 304 (1) ◽  
pp. E23-E31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie A. Monk ◽  
Natalie A. Sims ◽  
Katarzyna M. Dziegielewska ◽  
Roy E. Weiss ◽  
Robert G. Ramsay ◽  
...  

Thyroid hormones (THs) are vital for normal postnatal development. Extracellular TH distributor proteins create an intravascular reservoir of THs. Transthyretin (TTR) is a TH distributor protein in the circulatory system and is the only TH distributor protein synthesized in the central nervous system. We investigated the phenotype of TTR null mice during development. Total and free 3′,5′,3,5-tetraiodo-l-thyronine (T4) and free 3′,3,5-triiodo-l-thyronine (T3) in plasma were significantly reduced in 14-day-old (P14) TTR null mice. TTR null mice also displayed a delayed suckling-to-weaning transition, decreased muscle mass, delayed growth, and retarded longitudinal bone growth. In addition, ileums from postnatal day 0 (P0) TTR null mice displayed disordered architecture and contained fewer goblet cells than wild type. Protein concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid from P0 and P14 TTR null mice were higher than in age-matched wild-type mice. In contrast to the current literature based on analyses of adult TTR null mice, our results demonstrate that TTR has an important and nonredundant role in influencing the development of several organs.


1954 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 498-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. W. Gowdey ◽  
A. R. Graham ◽  
J. J. Seguin ◽  
G. W. Stavraky

The effects of dieldrin (hexachloro-epoxy-octahydro-dimethanonaphthalene) were studied in acute experiments on cats and rabbits. When injected intravenously or intra-arterially, it caused excitation of the central nervous system, which resulted in increased reflex excitability, convulsions, bradycardia, and some vasodepression. Dieldrin potentiated the effects of acetylcholine on the central nervous system and on the circulatory system as well as on intestinal motility. These latter manifestations were abolished by section of the vagus nerves, indicating a central action. Dieldrin had no effect on salivary secretion produced either by stimulation of the chorda tympani or by injections of acetylcholine in the decentralized submaxillary gland. Thus, although dieldrin has a marked parasympathomimetic action, this effect is exerted through stimulation of central mechanisms and not peripherally.


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