Pterostilbene Improves Stress-Related Behaviors and Partially Reverses Underlying Neuroinflammatory and Hormonal Changes in Stress-Challenged Mice

Therapeutic potential of stilbenes in neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders: A comprehensive review of preclinical and clinical evidence

Neuropsychiatric disorders are anticipated to be a leading health concern in the near future, emphasizing an outstanding need for the development of new effective therapeutics to treat them. Stilbenes, with resveratrol attracting the most attention, are an example of multi-target compounds with promising therapeutic potential for a broad array of neuropsychiatric and neurological conditions. This review is a comprehensive summary of the current state of research on stilbenes in several neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegenerative disorders. We describe and discuss the results of both in vitro and in vivo studies. The majority of studies concentrate on resveratrol, with limited findings exploring other stilbenes such as pterostilbene, piceatannol, polydatin, tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside, or synthetic resveratrol derivatives. Overall, although extensive preclinical studies show the potential benefits of stilbenes in various central nervous system disorders, clinical evidence on their therapeutic efficacy is largely missing.

Pterostilbene as a Therapeutic Alternative for Central Nervous System Disorders: A Review of the Current Status and Perspectives

Neurological disorders are diverse, have complex causes, and often result in disability; yet, effective treatments remain scarce. The resveratrol derivative pterostilbene possesses numerous physiological activities that hold promise as a novel therapy for the central nervous system (CNS) disorders. This review aimed to summarize the protective mechanisms of pterostilbene in in vitro and in vivo models of CNS disorders and the pharmacokinetics and safety to assess its possible effects on CNS disorders. Available evidence supports the protective effects of pterostilbene in CNS disorders involving mechanisms such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, regulation of lipid metabolism and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, improvement of synaptic function and neurogenesis, induction of glioma cell cycle arrest, and inhibition of glioma cell migration and invasion. Studies have identified possible molecular targets and pathways for the protective actions of pterostilbene in CNS disorders including the AMPK/STAT3, Akt, NF-κB, MAPK, and ERK signaling pathways. The possible pharmacological effects and molecular pathways of pterostilbene in CNS disorders are critically discussed in this review. Future studies should aim to increase our understanding of pterostilbene in animal models and humans to further evaluate its role in CNS disorders and the detailed mechanisms.

Resistance Training Modulates Hippocampal Neuroinflammation and Protects Anxiety-Depression-like Dyad Induced by an Emotional Single Prolonged Stress Model

Stress is a triggering factor for anxious and depressive phenotypes. Exercise is known for its action on the central nervous system. This study aimed to evaluate the role of resistance exercise in an anxiety-depression-like dyad in a model of stress. Male Swiss mice (35-day-old) were exercised, three times a week for 4 weeks on nonconsecutive days. The resistance exercise consisted of climbing a 1-m-high ladder 15 times. After mice were subjected to an emotional single prolonged stress (Esps) protocol. Seven days later, they were subjected to anxiety and depression predictive behavioral tests. The results showed that exercised mice gain less weight than sedentary from weeks 3 to 5. Resistance exercise was effective against an increase in immobility time in the forced swim test and tail suspension test and a decrease in grooming time of mice subjected to Esps. Resistance exercise protected against the decrease in the percentage of open arms time and open arm entries, and the increase in the anxiety index in Esps mice. Four-week resistance exercise did not elicit an antidepressant/anxiolytic phenotype in non-stressed mice. Esps did not alter plasma corticosterone levels but increased the hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor content in mice. Resistance exercise protected against the decrease in hippocampal levels of tropomyosin kinase B (TRκB), the p-Akt/Akt, and the p-mTOR/mTOR ratios of Esps mice. Resistance exercise proved to be effective in decreasing hippocampal neuroinflammation in Esps mice. Resistance exercise protected against the increase in the hippocampal Akt/mTOR pathway and neuroinflammation, and anxiety/depression-like dyad in Esps exposed mice.

A resveratrol derivative modulates TRH and TRH ‐like peptide expression throughout the brain and peripheral tissues of male rats

Introduction

Methods

Results

Conclusion