Annals of Medical Physiology

Sleep bruxism and perceived stress: assessment using salivary cortisol levels, a biomarker of stress

2023-12-22T09:52:31+0530

Sleep bruxism (SB) corresponds to physiologically based manducatory muscle reactions, with no identifiable neuropathic cause, in relation to anxiety disorders, respiratory disorders or behavioral "tocs". The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between SB and perceived stress by measuring salivary cortisol levels. The study included 61 consenting adult participants: 31 for the study group (bruxers) and 30 for the control group (no bruxers). The diagnosis of BS was made using a standard bruxism assessment questionnaire defined by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). The preliminary diagnosis was confirmed by clinical assessment according to AASM criteria. The BRUXi index, a tool proposed by Orthlieb, was used to determine the intensity of bruxism. Perceived stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale questionnaire. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected and morning salivary cortisol levels were determined by ELISA. Non-parametric statistical methods were used to analyze the data. The bruxers (study group) had significantly high levels of mean salivary cortisol (12.3±4.2 ng/mL or 34.5±14.6 nmol/L) than the non-bruxers (control group) (5.3±1.2 ng/mL or 14.5±4.6 nmol/L) (p<0.001). The elevated salivary cortisol level was positively associated with perceived stress and SB (p<0.0001) in the study group. These results suggest that bruxing activity is associated with higher levels of perceived psychological stress and salivary cortisol. Despite the absence of polysomnographic recording for the diagnosis of SB, a positive correlation between SB and salivary cortisol levels was observed in bruxers.

Immunoglobulin stimulatory property of aqueous leaf extract of Justicia carnea in male Wistar rats exposed to lead acetate

2023-07-15T09:30:32+0530

With regards to previously speculated hematinic/hematopoietic potentials of Justicia carnea, the present study set out to evaluate the effect of the administration of the aqueous leaf extract of Justicia carnea on the immunoglobulins levels in two sets of rats (non-lead intoxicated and lead- intoxicated rats). Forty (40) male Wistar rats were obtained and randomly distributed into eight (8) groups of 5 rats each as follows: Group 1 served as negative control/received 1ml of distilled water daily; Group 2 served as positive control/treated with 10mg/kg.bw of lead acetate (Pb); Groups 3 to 5 received 400, 600 and 800mg/kg body weight of aqueous leaf extract of Justicia carnea respectively daily and Groups 6 to 8 received 400, 600 and 800mg/kg bw extract + 10mg/kg.bw Pb respectively daily. At the end of 6 weeks of treatment, blood samples were harvested from the study animals via cardiac puncture after sedating them with 80% chloroform for laboratory analyses. The result of the present study indicated that immunoglobulins (Ig) G, M and A had significant (p<0.05) increases across all extract treated rats. In conclusion, this study has shown that extract possess humoral immunity enhancing potential. However, extrapolating from the present study, the frequency/consumption of the high dose of the extract should be checked in its ethnobotanical application as to prevent any possible consequent undesirable effects of autoimmune conditions.

Caffeine and Camellia sinensis enhance cognition and decrease acetylcholinesterase activity in scopolamine-induced memory loss in female Swiss mice

2022-10-03T10:43:43+0530

Caffeine and Camellia sinensis (green tea) has been known to have positive effect on memory. The present study investigated the possible effect of caffeine and green tea co-administration on oxidative stress markers, inflammatory marker and acetylcholine esterase activity in scopolamine-induced memory loss in female Swiss mice. Memory behavioral tests using Y-maze and Morris water maze was carried out, followed by oxidative stress biomarkers, acetylcholinesterase activity and Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-?) evaluation from the mice brain tissues after caffeine and green tea administration. Scopolamine administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 1mg/kg Body Weight (BW) for 7 days significantly reduced the percent alternation of the mice in Y-maze thus, increased acetylcholinesterase activity and increased TNF-? level. However, caffeine administered orally at a dose 50mg/kg BW and green tea administered orally at a dose of 60mg/kg BW increased the percent alternation significantly, reduced acetylcholinesterase activity and reduced the TNF-? level significantly. Oxidative stress markers evaluated GSH and MDA, showed no significant difference across all groups. These findings showed scopolamine has a deteriorating effect on cognition by increasing acetylcholinesterase activities thus mopping out acetylcholine at a faster rate. However, caffeine and green tea singly and in combination restored cognition, reduced acetylcholinesterase activity and restored TNF-? level. The neuroprotective effect of caffeine and green tea was compared to that of Donepezil, an established cognition enhancing drug and the effect was agonistic. The ability of caffeine and green tea to reduce acetylcholinesterase activity could be the mechanism for the ability to enhance memory. The ability of these compounds in restoring TNF-? level also further potentiates their neuroprotective capability.

Assessing the effects of Instagram and WhatsApp use on behavior of population in south west region of Saudi Arabia

2022-07-24T09:51:36+0530

Social media not only have been proven to cause unhappiness, but it can also lead to development of mental health issues like stress or depression when used too much or without caution. The present study was aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and behavior of the individuals regarding consequences of Instagram and WhatsApp usage on mental health. The web link of the online questionnaire was disseminated and data was collected for 15 days (16^th to 30^th January 2022). A total of 632 participants gave consent and took part in this survey. Majority of the participants (76.3%) don't think that WhatsApp use can violate their privacy but 54.6% users have knowledge regarding its negative effects on health and lifestyle. Interestingly, 57% participant refuses to stop using WhatsApp even after knowing the negative effects. Majority of respondents reported that they didn't get influenced about the “stuff” on Instagram. However, 31.80% participants accepted that their feelings get influenced by the number of "likes" they get, and 44.4% participant stated that Instagram have effect on their mood and 19.3% respondents reported that they feel pressure to fit into a certain image on social media. Even, 21.2% participants accepted that they face mental issues because of Instagram use. A small proportion of Instagram users in Jazan reported that it has negative impact on mental health. Majority of the participants are not willing to stop use of WhatsApp even after knowing the adverse effects. It is advisable for social media users to create a social-media free slot in daily routine if they feel sad, lonely or depressed after using social media apps.

Evaluation and comparison of Sympathetic Autonomic Function between Hypertensive and Normotensive Subjects

2022-05-18T10:17:13+0530

Objectives: To identify the differences of sympathetic autonomic function between hypertensive and normotensive individuals. Methods: A CASE and a CONTROL group each constituting with a sample of 44 subjects between the age group 25-65 years were recruited in the study. Autonomic function assessments were conducted with the help of Isometric Handgrip Test and Orthostatic Blood Pressure Test. Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS (Version 20.0). Descriptive statistics was presented as frequencies, percentages and mean± S.D. Statistical differences between the parameters of case and control groups were conducted by Mann- Whitney U-test and Paired T-test. P<0.05 was statistically significant. Results: Majority (54.5%) of the hypertensive patients belonged to the age group of 56-65 years. The mean difference in DBP after the Isometric Hand grip test in case group were not found to be higher than even 5 mmHg but, in the control group were greater than 15 mmHg with differences recorded among the groups being highly statistically significant (P=0.00). The mean SBP and DBP differences (after Orthostatic BP test) between lying down and sitting postures in both the cases and controls were found to be statistically significant with P values: 0.02, 0.02, 0.002 and 0.002 respectively. Conclusions: Hypertensive cases recruited for the study had impaired autonomic function when compared to the normotensive controls of the same age- group (25-65years).

Article review: Present Perspectives of Hyperthyroidism during Pregnancy

2022-01-03T11:10:17+0530

Abstract:

Graves' disease causes inflammatory hyperthyroidism in around 80% of hyperthyroidism cases in women of reproductive age. The hormonal changes in the maternal immune system after birth may be linked to the production and expression of diabetes other than gestational and early-onset diabetes. As a result, in addition to hormonal influences, other anatomical modifications or abnormalities seen in the body during pregnancy will affect the pregnancy test. Thyroid hormones are critical for a woman's health and the commencement of her pregnancy. These hormones are essential for early development and play a crucial role in the fetus's continued growth after conception. Women with untreated or improperly controlled hyperthyroidism are more likely to have complications during pregnancy. Future diseases, particularly those that produce a large number of fetuses due to IUGRTH. The treatment of hyperthyroid pregnant women is extremely difficult, and medical staff engagement is required to guarantee that it is properly monitored and treated. Anti-thyroid drugs are commonly administered to pregnant women, and it is the medication of choice for the majority of them (ATDs). Despite the fact that both of these drugs are passed through the mother's bloodstream to the fetus, they are highly effective in the treatment of maternal hyperthyroidism. Nonetheless, they must exercise caution throughout the second half of pregnancy due to the risk of fetopathy. The most common side effect, except in the first trimesters from weeks 6 to 10, is fetal abnormalities; even with that proviso, the incidence of birth malformations is significant during the first trimester with the use of ATDs. The management of hyperthyroidism during pregnancy is divided into four areas that obstetricians are currently concerned about: Its aetiology, occurrence, correct identification, under treatment, complications, and actual or missed diagnosis and intervention, and lastly, the technique of dealing with the problem are all factors to consider.

Hormonal and Hematological Imbalance and Female Infertility

2021-12-26T01:11:33+0530

Poly cystic ovary synrdome (PCOS) is a common endocrinological disorder among women of the reproductive stage. The current study was conducted to evaluate some hormonal and hematological alterations in patients with poly cystic ovarian syndrome(PCOS), BMI or the body mass index was determined for all women, serum hormones (SHBG), Estradiol ,DHEAs , Leptin ,Inhibin-B, were measured, and hematological changes include PAI-1 activity, fibrinogen and t-PA antigen also measured. The results of the present study showed, there were significant increase (p<0.05) in BM, DHEAs, Leptin , Inhibin-B , PAI-1 ,fibrinogen and t-PA antigen in PCOS women compared with the control group, but asignificant decrease (p>0.05) in SHBG and E₂ .

Effect of aspirin administration on body weight and liver enzymes in male rats

2021-11-25T03:52:38+0530

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of aspirin on body weight and some liver enzyme in rats. The study was done in Veterinary Medicine College, Baghdad University. We used seventy two male rats and randomly divided into three groups (24 in each group). Group-1 was considered as control, Group-2 animals were treated by 40 mg/kg body weight (low-dose) of asprin and the Group-3 was treated by 100 mg/kg body weight (high-dose) of aspirin. The results showed no significant difference in bodyweight gain from 0 to 10 days in all groups, while the low and high-dose asprin treated rats showed decline in bodyweight gain on day 20 and day 30 of aspirin treatment. The liver enzymes, AST and ALT, increased significantly in high-dose of aspirin treated group on day 20 and 30 while the ALP was increased on all time-points in high-dose asprin treated group.

A Correlation Study of some socio-demographic factors, gender, age, body mass index and some cardiovascular parameters of hypertensive subjects in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, Nigeria.

2021-10-28T16:16:35+0530

Hypertension is defined as a sustained elevated arterial pressure to a level that places the patient at increased risk of organ damage. It is a non-communicable disease which constitutes a public health importance. Its risk factors include age, high salt intake, excessive alcohol consumption and stress. This study was performed to determine the correlation between some socio-demographic factors, Gender, Age, Body Mass Index and some cardiovascular parameters of Hypertensive patients in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.The study was carried out with 400 hypertensive subjects, whose blood pressures were determined using palpatory and auscultatory methods. The Gender, Age and Body Mass Index of the subjects were also determined. Statistical analysis was done using Z-statistics. There was found a significant positive relationship between the age and cardiovascular parameters. Gender and BMI were found to have an insignificant positive correlation with the cardiovascular parameters. The study demonstrated that body mass index, age and gender are closely associated with cardiovascular parameters, though the degree of correlation differed. The risk of hypertension is therefore expected to be higher among the aged and populations who are overweight or obese.

Correlation study of socio-demographic factors like gender, age, body mass index and some cardiovascular parameters in hypertensive subjects of Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, Nigeria

2021-08-26T14:21:17+0530

Hypertension is defined as a sustained elevated arterial pressure to a level that places the patient at increased risk of organ damage. It is a non-communicable disease which constitutes a public health importance. Its risk factors include advancing age, high salt intake, excessive alcohol consumption and stress. This study was performed to determine the correlation between some socio-demographic factors like gender, age, body mass index (BMI) and some cardiovascular parameters in hypertensive patients of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The study was carried out with 400 hypertensive subjects, whose blood pressures were determined using palpatory and auscultatory methods. The gender, age and body mass index of the subjects were also determined. Statistical analysis was done using Z-statistics. We found a significant positive relationship between the age and cardiovascular parameters. Gender and BMI were found to have an insignificant positive correlation with the cardiovascular parameters. The study demonstrated that body mass index, age and gender are closely associated with cardiovascular parameters, though the degree of correlation differed. The risk of hypertension is therefore expected to be higher among the aged and populations who are overweight or obese.