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Introduction: The relationship between depression and inflammation and the resulting vascular/neuronal damage have been demonstrated in recent studies. In this study we aimed to investigate inflammation and the possible degeneration that can be caused by depression and accompanying vitamin D deficiency using a non-invasive imaging method of optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods: Twenty-four healthy controls and 42 drug free major depressive patients matched for age, sex and eye measurements were compared in terms of vitamin D, C Reactive Protein (CRP) and OCT parameters. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), The Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGI) and Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) were used to assess disease severity. Results: CRP level and choroidal thickness in the major depression group were significantly higher than the healthy controls. Vitamin D level and the ganglion cell layer (GCL) volume was significantly lower in the major depression group compared to healthy controls. Positive correlation was found between HAM-D and CRP in major depressive patients; a negative correlation was found between current attack duration and GCL volume. CGI was positively correlated with CRP and HAM-D. GAS was negatively correlated with CRP and HAM-D. Conclusion: It has been shown that major depression might be an inflammatory disorder with possible degenerative processes observed with OCT and CRP measurements. But longitudinal follow up studies are needed to demonstrate a cause and effect relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative damage is an important mediator in the chronic psychological stress process that increases biological aging (Aschbacher et al. 2013). Acupuncture regulates multiple molecules and signaling pathways causing oxidative stress and inflammation (Zhu et al. 2017). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acupuncture on oxidative stress in chronic stressed health personnel. Thus, TAS (total antioxidant status), TOS (total oxidant status), OSI (oxidative stress index), TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) and uric acid parameters were explored in unstimulated saliva samples of health personnel. Thirteen health personnel (6F/7M, age range 19- 47 years) with no systemic disease and no smoking/alcohol use were included in the study. The participants were treated for 25 minutes using the immunomodulator points, M-HN-3 (YIntang), P-6 (Neiguan), LI-4 (Hegu), ST-36 (Zusanli) and SP-4 (Gongsun) acupuncture points. Before and after acupuncture treatment, saliva samples were taken from participants. Commercial kits were used to assess oxidative stress. After acupuncture treatment, salivary TAS levels and salivary uric acid levels were significantly increased (p values were found as 0.043 and 0.029, respectively). Although, salivary TOS levels were significantly decreased (p = 0.452), salivary TBARS levels decreased after acupuncture, but this result was no statistically significant (p = 0.452). Consequently, acupuncture has been shown to contribute to antioxidant defense in chronic stressed health personnel. This study was performed as a preliminary study and is planned to be expanded using a wider sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The relationship between depression and inflammation and the resulting vascular/neuronal damage have been demonstrated in recent studies. In this study we aimed to investigate inflammation and the possible degeneration that can be caused by depression and accompanying vitamin D deficiency using a non-invasive imaging method of optical coherence tomography (OCT)., Methods: Twenty-four healthy controls and 42 drug free major depressive patients matched for age, sex and eye measurements were compared in terms of vitamin D, C Reactive Protein (CRP) and OCT parameters. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), The Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGI) and Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) were used to assess disease severity., Results: CRP level and choroidal thickness in the major depression group were significantly higher than the healthy controls. Vitamin D level and the ganglion cell layer (GCL) volume was significantly lower in the major depression group compared to healthy controls. Positive correlation was found between HAM-D and CRP in major depressive patients; a negative correlation was found between current attack duration and GCL volume. CGI was positively correlated with CRP and HAM-D. GAS was negatively correlated with CRP and HAM-D., Conclusion: It has been shown that major depression might be an inflammatory disorder with possible degenerative processes observed with OCT and CRP measurements. But longitudinal follow up studies are needed to demonstrate a cause and effect relationship., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors declared that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Turkish Neuropsychiatric Society.)

Background/purpose: The hormone melatonin affects cellular immunity in particular and the immune system in general both directly and indirectly. We report our evaluation of the effects of decreasing and increasing serum melatonin levels on hepatocyte damage in rats with experimental acute pancreatitis., Methods: Wistar Albino rats with experimentally induced acute pancreatitis were divided into three groups of ten rats each: (1) control (induced acute pancreatitis only); (2) rats with induced acute pancreatitis plus surgical pinealectomy (no melatonin injections); (3) rats with induced acute pancreatitis plus injections of exogenous melatonin. The effects of melatonin levels were evaluated using biochemical and histopathological parameters., Results: Rats undergoing the pinealectomy had increased amylase and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, while those receiving injections of exogenous melatonin had decreased amylase, aspartate transaminase, LDH, and bilirubin levels but increased levels of alanine transferase levels., Conclusion: Melatonin may have a therapeutic or protective effect on acute pancreatitis and obstructive jaundice.

Introduction: Ethanol has a suppressive effect on inflammation and the immune system, but the effect of ethanol on tendon healing in vivo has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to investigate the histological and biomechanical effects of ethanol intake on tendon healing in a rat tendon injury model., Materials and Methods: Forty-seven rats were randomly assigned to either ethanol or control groups. Progressively increasing concentrations of ethanol combined with glucose were administered to these rats in their drinking water. After 1 week, the Achilles tendon of each rat was injured proximal to its insertion on the calcaneus. All rats were euthanized at 4 weeks. The tendons were evaluated both histologically and biomechanically. The histologic examination of these tendons was done using a semi-quantitative 4-point scale to rate cell morphology, the degree of ground substance staining, collagen organization, and vascular changes. Load to failure (N) strength was obtained with biomechanical testing., Results: Tendon failure loads were lower in the ethanol group (31.6 +/- 8.8 N) than in the control group (39.7 +/- 8.2 N) (P = 0.04). Histologic tenocyte scores were higher in the ethanol group (1.90 +/- 0.73) than the control group (0.9 +/- 0.73) (P = 0.01)., Conclusion: Ethanol ingestion resulted in abnormal tenocyte morphology, disorganized collagen bundles with a tendency toward increased tenocyte number, and neovascularization 3 weeks after the tendon injury indicating delayed and abnormal healing. The healing tendons in the alcohol treated group failed at statistically lower loads than the control group.