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Sfera A, Andronescu L, Britt WG, Himsl K, Klein C, Rahman L, Kozlakidis Z. Receptor-Independent Therapies for Forensic Detainees with Schizophrenia-Dementia Comorbidity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15797. [PMID: 37958780 PMCID: PMC10647468 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Forensic institutions throughout the world house patients with severe psychiatric illness and history of criminal violations. Improved medical care, hygiene, psychiatric treatment, and nutrition led to an unmatched longevity in this population, which previously lived, on average, 15 to 20 years shorter than the public at large. On the other hand, longevity has contributed to increased prevalence of age-related diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders, which complicate clinical management, increasing healthcare expenditures. Forensic institutions, originally intended for the treatment of younger individuals, are ill-equipped for the growing number of older offenders. Moreover, as antipsychotic drugs became available in 1950s and 1960s, we are observing the first generation of forensic detainees who have aged on dopamine-blocking agents. Although the consequences of long-term treatment with these agents are unclear, schizophrenia-associated gray matter loss may contribute to the development of early dementia. Taken together, increased lifespan and the subsequent cognitive deficit observed in long-term forensic institutions raise questions and dilemmas unencountered by the previous generations of clinicians. These include: does the presence of neurocognitive dysfunction justify antipsychotic dose reduction or discontinuation despite a lifelong history of schizophrenia and violent behavior? Should neurolipidomic interventions become the standard of care in elderly individuals with lifelong schizophrenia and dementia? Can patients with schizophrenia and dementia meet the Dusky standard to stand trial? Should neurocognitive disorders in the elderly with lifelong schizophrenia be treated differently than age-related neurodegeneration? In this article, we hypothesize that gray matter loss is the core symptom of schizophrenia which leads to dementia. We hypothesize further that strategies to delay or stop gray matter depletion would not only improve the schizophrenia sustained recovery, but also avert the development of major neurocognitive disorders in people living with schizophrenia. Based on this hypothesis, we suggest utilization of both receptor-dependent and independent therapeutics for chronic psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adonis Sfera
- Paton State Hospital, 3102 Highland Ave, Patton, CA 92369, USA; (L.A.); (K.H.)
- School of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, 11139 Anderson St., Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Riverside 900 University Ave, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Luminita Andronescu
- Paton State Hospital, 3102 Highland Ave, Patton, CA 92369, USA; (L.A.); (K.H.)
| | - William G. Britt
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA;
| | - Kiera Himsl
- Paton State Hospital, 3102 Highland Ave, Patton, CA 92369, USA; (L.A.); (K.H.)
| | - Carolina Klein
- California Department of State Hospitals, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA;
| | - Leah Rahman
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, 1585 E 13th Ave, Eugene, OR 97403, USA;
| | - Zisis Kozlakidis
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, 69366 Lyon Cedex, France;
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Custodio RJP, Ortiz DM, Lee HJ, Sayson LV, Kim M, Lee YS, Kim KM, Cheong JH, Kim HJ. Serotonin 2C receptors are also important in head-twitch responses in male mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023:10.1007/s00213-023-06482-9. [PMID: 37882810 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06482-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Serotonergic psychedelics exert their effects via their high affinity for serotonin (5-HT) receptors, particularly through activating 5-HT2A receptors (5-HT2AR), employing the frontal cortex-dependent head-twitch response (HTR). Although universally believed to be so, studies have not yet fully ascertained whether 5-HT2AR activation is the sole initiator of these psychedelic effects. This is because not all 5-HT2AR agonists exhibit similar pharmacologic properties. OBJECTIVE This study aims to identify and discriminate the roles of 5-HT2AR and 5-HT2CR in the HTR induced by Methallylescaline (MAL) and 4-Methyl-2,5,β-trimethoxyphenethylamine (BOD) in male mice. Also, an analysis of their potential neurotoxic properties was evaluated. METHODS Male mice treated with MAL and BOD were evaluated in different behavioral paradigms targeting HTR and neurotoxicity effects. Drug affinity, pharmacological blocking, and molecular analysis were also conducted to support the behavioral findings. The HTR induced by DOI has been extensively characterized in male mice, making it a good positive control for this study, specifically for comparing the pharmacological effects of our test compounds. RESULTS The activation of 5-HT2CR, alone or in concert with 5-HT2AR, produces a comparable degree of HTRs (at a dose of 1 mg·kg-1), with divergent 5-HT2CR- and 5-HT2AR-Gqα11-mediated signaling and enhanced neurotoxic properties (at a dose of 30 mg·kg-1) coupled with activated pro-inflammatory cytokines. These findings show these compounds' potential psychedelic and neurotoxic effects in male mice. CONCLUSION These findings showed that while 5-HT2AR is the main initiator of HTR, the 5-HT2CR also has a distinct property that renders it effective in inducing HTR in male mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raly James Perez Custodio
- Networking Group Aging, Department of Ergonomics, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors - IfADo, Ardeystrasse 67, Dortmund, 44139, Germany.
| | - Darlene Mae Ortiz
- Uimyung Research Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacy, Sahmyook University, 815 Hwarang-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01795, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Jun Lee
- Uimyung Research Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacy, Sahmyook University, 815 Hwarang-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01795, Republic of Korea
| | - Leandro Val Sayson
- Uimyung Research Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacy, Sahmyook University, 815 Hwarang-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01795, Republic of Korea
| | - Mikyung Kim
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, Sahmyook University, 815 Hwarang-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01795, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Sup Lee
- Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy & Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyeong-Man Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Hoon Cheong
- Institute for New Drug Development, College of Pharmacy, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do, 54896, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hee Jin Kim
- Uimyung Research Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacy, Sahmyook University, 815 Hwarang-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01795, Republic of Korea.
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Microtubules as a potential platform for energy transfer in biological systems: a target for implementing individualized, dynamic variability patterns to improve organ function. Mol Cell Biochem 2023; 478:375-392. [PMID: 35829870 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-022-04513-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Variability characterizes the complexity of biological systems and is essential for their function. Microtubules (MTs) play a role in structural integrity, cell motility, material transport, and force generation during mitosis, and dynamic instability exemplifies the variability in the proper function of MTs. MTs are a platform for energy transfer in cells. The dynamic instability of MTs manifests itself by the coexistence of growth and shortening, or polymerization and depolymerization. It results from a balance between attractive and repulsive forces between tubulin dimers. The paper reviews the current data on MTs and their potential roles as energy-transfer cellular structures and presents how variability can improve the function of biological systems in an individualized manner. The paper presents the option for targeting MTs to trigger dynamic improvement in cell plasticity, regulate energy transfer, and possibly control quantum effects in biological systems. The described system quantifies MT-dependent variability patterns combined with additional personalized signatures to improve organ function in a subject-tailored manner. The platform can regulate the use of MT-targeting drugs to improve the response to chronic therapies. Ongoing trials test the effects of this platform on various disorders.
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Wang Y, Zhang Y, Wang K, Zhu Z, Wang D, Yang Q, Dong H. Esketamine Increases Neurotransmitter Releases but Simplifies Neurotransmitter Networks in Mouse Prefrontal Cortex. J Neurophysiol 2022; 127:586-595. [PMID: 35080449 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00462.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
General anesthesia induces a profound but reversible unconscious state, which is accompanied by changes in various neurotransmitters in the cortex. Unlike the "brain silencing" effect of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor potentiator anesthesia, ketamine anesthesia leads the brain to a paradoxical active state with higher cortical activity, which is manifested as dissociative anesthesia. However, how the overall neurotransmitter network evolves across conscious states after ketamine administration remains unclear. Using in vivo microdialysis, high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) analysis, and electroencephalogram (EEG) recording technique, we continuously measured the concentrations of six neurotransmitters and the EEG signals during anesthesia with esketamine, an S-enantiomer of ketamine racemate. We found that there was an increase in the release of five cortical neurotransmitters after the administration of esketamine. The correlation of cortical neurotransmitters was dynamically simplified along with behavioral changes until full recovery after anesthesia. The esketamine-increased gamma oscillation power was positively correlated only with the concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in the medial prefrontal cortex. This study suggests that the transformation of the neurotransmitter network rather than the concentrations of neurotransmitters could be more indicative of the consciousness shift during esketamine anesthesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Wang
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yunyun Zhang
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhenghua Zhu
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Dan Wang
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Qianzi Yang
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hailong Dong
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
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5
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Hunt von Herbing I, Tonello L, Benfatto M, Pease A, Grigolini P. Crucial Development: Criticality Is Important to Cell-to-Cell Communication and Information Transfer in Living Systems. ENTROPY (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 23:1141. [PMID: 34573766 PMCID: PMC8472183 DOI: 10.3390/e23091141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In the fourth paper of this Special Issue, we bridge the theoretical debate on the role of memory and criticality discussed in the three earlier manuscripts, with a review of key concepts in biology and focus on cell-to-cell communication in organismal development. While all living organisms are dynamic complex networks of organization and disorder, most studies in biology have used energy and biochemical exchange to explain cell differentiation without considering the importance of information (entropy) transfer. While all complex networks are mixtures of patterns of complexity (non-crucial and crucial events), it is the crucial events that determine the efficiency of information transfer, especially during key transitions, such as in embryogenesis. With increasing multicellularity, emergent relationships from cell-to-cell communication create reaction-diffusion exchanges of different concentrations of biochemicals or morphogenetic gradients resulting in differential gene expression. We suggest that in conjunction with morphogenetic gradients, there exist gradients of information transfer creating cybernetic loops of stability and disorder, setting the stage for adaptive capability. We specifically reference results from the second paper in this Special Issue, which correlated biophotons with lentil seed germination to show that phase transitions accompany changes in complexity patterns during development. Criticality, therefore, appears to be an important factor in the transmission, transfer and coding of information for complex adaptive system development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ione Hunt von Herbing
- Biological Sciences Department, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203-5017, USA;
| | - Lucio Tonello
- GY Academy Higher Education Institution, E305, The Hub Workspace, Triq San Andrija, SGN1612 San Gwann, Malta;
- Center for Nonlinear Science, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203-5017, USA;
| | - Maurizio Benfatto
- Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Via E. Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati, Italy;
| | - April Pease
- Biological Sciences Department, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203-5017, USA;
| | - Paolo Grigolini
- Center for Nonlinear Science, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203-5017, USA;
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6
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Li T, Tang H, Zhu J, Zhang JH. The finer scale of consciousness: quantum theory. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2019; 7:585. [PMID: 31807566 DOI: 10.21037/atm.2019.09.09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Consciousness is a multidisciplinary problem that has puzzled all human beings since the origin of human life. Being defined in various pointcuts by philosophers, biologists, physicists, and neuroscientists, the definitive explanation of consciousness is still suspending. The nature of consciousness has taken great evolution by centering on the behavioral and neuronal correlates of perception and cognition, for example, the theory of Neural Correlates of Consciousness, the Global Workspace Theory, the Integrated Information Theory. While tremendous progress has been achieved, they are not enough if we are to understand even basic facts-how and where does the consciousness emerge. The Quantum mechanics, a thriving branch of physics, has an inseparable relationship with consciousness (e.g., observer effect) since Planck created this subject and its derived quantum consciousness theory can perfectly fill this gap. In this review, we briefly introduce some consciousness hypotheses derived from quantum mechanics and focus on the framework of orchestrated objective reduction (Orch-OR), including its principal points and practicality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianwen Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Fudan University Huashan Hospital, National Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, the Institutes of Brain Science and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Hailiang Tang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Fudan University Huashan Hospital, National Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, the Institutes of Brain Science and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Jianhong Zhu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Fudan University Huashan Hospital, National Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, the Institutes of Brain Science and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - John H Zhang
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
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7
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Cocchi M, Gabrielli F, Tonello L, Tuszynski J. A dialogue on the issue of the "quantum brain" between consciousness and unconsciousness. J Integr Neurosci 2018; 16:S13-S18. [PMID: 29125495 DOI: 10.3233/jin-170062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper, we present some diverse points of view on the issue of the quantum brain.The paper is structured in the form of opening statements by each of the co-authors followed by comments and critique presented by the other co-authors. The main focus of the discussion is on the interplay between the state of being alive and consciousness, both of which possess characteristics of quantum physical states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Cocchi
- QPP Research Institute for Quantitative and Quantum Dynamics of Living Organisms, Center for Medicine, Mathematics & Philosophy Studies, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy.,Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabio Gabrielli
- QPP Research Institute for Quantitative and Quantum Dynamics of Living Organisms, Center for Medicine, Mathematics & Philosophy Studies, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Lucio Tonello
- QPP Research Institute for Quantitative and Quantum Dynamics of Living Organisms, Center for Medicine, Mathematics & Philosophy Studies, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Jack Tuszynski
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
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8
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Tonello L, Gashi B, Scuotto A, Cappello G, Cocchi M, Gabrielli F, Tuszynski JA. The gastrointestinal-brain axis in humans as an evolutionary advance of the root-leaf axis in plants: A hypothesis linking quantum effects of light on serotonin and auxin. J Integr Neurosci 2018. [DOI: 10.3233/jin-170048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Bekim Gashi
- Department of Biology, University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina”, Prishtina, 10000, Kosovo
| | | | | | | | | | - Jack A. Tuszynski
- Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2J1, Canada
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9
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Chai W, Han Z, Wang Z, Li Z, Xiao F, Sun Y, Dai Y, Tang R, Dai J. Biophotonic Activity and Transmission Mediated by Mutual Actions of Neurotransmitters are Involved in the Origin and Altered States of Consciousness. Neurosci Bull 2018; 34:534-538. [PMID: 29508252 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-018-0215-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Weitai Chai
- Wuhan Institute for Neuroscience and Neuroengineering, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China.,Department of Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Zhengrong Han
- Wuhan Institute for Neuroscience and Neuroengineering, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China.,Department of Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Zhuo Wang
- Wuhan Institute for Neuroscience and Neuroengineering, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China.,Department of Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Zehua Li
- Wuhan Institute for Neuroscience and Neuroengineering, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China.,Department of Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Fangyan Xiao
- Wuhan Institute for Neuroscience and Neuroengineering, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China.,Department of Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Yan Sun
- Wuhan Institute for Neuroscience and Neuroengineering, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China.,Department of Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Yanfeng Dai
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Rendong Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Jiapei Dai
- Wuhan Institute for Neuroscience and Neuroengineering, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China. .,Department of Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China.
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10
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Vallverdú J, Castro O, Mayne R, Talanov M, Levin M, Baluška F, Gunji Y, Dussutour A, Zenil H, Adamatzky A. Slime mould: The fundamental mechanisms of biological cognition. Biosystems 2018; 165:57-70. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2017.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
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11
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Kurian P, Obisesan TO, Craddock TJA. Oxidative species-induced excitonic transport in tubulin aromatic networks: Potential implications for neurodegenerative disease. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY. B, BIOLOGY 2017; 175:109-124. [PMID: 28865316 PMCID: PMC5610651 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2017.08.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Revised: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative stress is a pathological hallmark of neurodegenerative tauopathic disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease-related dementia, which are characterized by altered forms of the microtubule-associated protein (MAP) tau. MAP tau is a key protein in stabilizing the microtubule architecture that regulates neuron morphology and synaptic strength. When MAP tau is degraded in tauopathic disorders, neuron dysfunction results. The precise role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the tauopathic disease process, however, is poorly understood. Classically, mitochondrial dysfunction has been viewed as the major source of oxidative stress and has been shown to precede tau and amyloid pathology in various dementias, but the exact mechanisms are not clear. It is known that the production of ROS by mitochondria can result in ultraweak photon emission (UPE) within cells. While of low intensity, surrounding proteins within the cytosol can still absorb these energetic photons via aromatic amino acids (e.g., tryptophan and tyrosine). One likely absorber of these photons is the microtubule cytoskeleton, as it forms a vast network spanning neurons, is highly co-localized with mitochondria, and shows a high density of aromatic amino acids. Functional microtubule networks may traffic this ROS-generated endogenous photon energy for cellular signaling, or they may serve as dissipaters/conduits of such energy to protect the cell from potentially harmful effects. Experimentally, after in vitro exposure to exogenous photons, microtubules have been shown to reorient and reorganize in a dose-dependent manner with the greatest effect being observed around 280nm, in the tryptophan and tyrosine absorption range. In this paper, recent modeling efforts based on ambient temperature experiment are presented, showing that tubulin polymers can feasibly absorb and channel these photoexcitations via resonance energy transfer, on the order of dendritic length scales and neuronal fine structure. Since microtubule networks are compromised in tauopathic diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's dementias, patients with these illnesses would be unable to support effective channeling of these photons for signaling or dissipation. Consequent emission surplus due to increased UPE production or decreased ability to absorb and transfer may lead to increased cellular oxidative damage, thus hastening the neurodegenerative process.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Kurian
- National Human Genome Center, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC 20060, USA; Department of Medicine, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC 20060, USA; Computational Physics Laboratory, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA.
| | - T O Obisesan
- Georgetown-Howard Universities Center for Clinical and Translational Science Clinical Research Unit, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC 20060, USA
| | - T J A Craddock
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA; Department of Computer Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA; Department of Clinical Immunology, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA; Clinical Systems Biology Group, Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
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12
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Facco E, Lucangeli D, Tressoldi P. On the Science of Consciousness: Epistemological Reflections and Clinical Implications. Explore (NY) 2017; 13:163-180. [PMID: 28359768 DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2017.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Consciousness has been one of the most important and tantalizing issues ever since the origin of philosophy and medicine. The concept of consciousness and the so-called "hard problem" (i.e., the mind-brain relationship) are highly complex topics that have yet to be elucidated, involving the realms of both science and philosophy with profound epistemological implications. In the lively debate on the foundations of the science of consciousness there are several potential biases of an essentially philosophical nature, such as those related to the paradigm and axioms adopted, and the ostensible logical contradiction between monism and dualism. Their origin dates back largely to Descartes' thinking and the birth of the new sciences as a compromise with the Inquisition, but they have been handed down through the Enlightenment and Positivism. A proper investigation of consciousness and the world of subjectivity demands a careful reflection on the paradigm of scientific medicine to identify possible flaws and overcome the limits of the mechanistic-reductionist approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Facco
- Studium Patavinum, University of Padua, Italy; Institute Franco Granone-Italian Center of Clinical & Experimental Hypnosis (CIICS), Turin, Italy.
| | - Daniela Lucangeli
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, Italy; Human Potential Network Research Foundation, Padua, Italy
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13
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Igamberdiev AU, Shklovskiy-Kordi NE. The quantum basis of spatiotemporality in perception and consciousness. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 130:15-25. [PMID: 28232245 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2017.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Living systems inhabit the area of the world which is shaped by the predictable space-time of physical objects and forces that can be incorporated into their perception pattern. The process of selecting a "habitable" space-time is the internal quantum measurement in which living systems become embedded into the environment that supports their living state. This means that living organisms choose a coordinate system in which the influence of measurement is minimal. We discuss specific roles of biological macromolecules, in particular of the cytoskeleton, in shaping perception patterns formed in the internal measurement process. Operation of neuron is based on the transmission of signals via cytoskeleton where the digital output is generated that can be decoded through a reflective action of the perceiving agent. It is concluded that the principle of optimality in biology as formulated by Liberman et al. (BioSystems 22, 135-154, 1989) is related to the establishment of spatiotemporal patterns that are maximally predictable and can hold the living state for a prolonged time. This is achieved by the selection of a habitable space approximated to the conditions described by classical physics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abir U Igamberdiev
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL A1B 3X9, Canada.
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14
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Miller WB. Cognition, Information Fields and Hologenomic Entanglement: Evolution in Light and Shadow. BIOLOGY 2016; 5:biology5020021. [PMID: 27213462 PMCID: PMC4929535 DOI: 10.3390/biology5020021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2016] [Revised: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
As the prime unification of Darwinism and genetics, the Modern Synthesis continues to epitomize mainstay evolutionary theory. Many decades after its formulation, its anchor assumptions remain fixed: conflict between macro organic organisms and selection at that level represent the near totality of any evolutionary narrative. However, intervening research has revealed a less easily appraised cellular and microbial focus for eukaryotic existence. It is now established that all multicellular eukaryotic organisms are holobionts representing complex collaborations between the co-aligned microbiome of each eukaryote and its innate cells into extensive mixed cellular ecologies. Each of these ecological constituents has demonstrated faculties consistent with basal cognition. Consequently, an alternative hologenomic entanglement model is proposed with cognition at its center and conceptualized as Pervasive Information Fields within a quantum framework. Evolutionary development can then be reconsidered as being continuously based upon communication between self-referential constituencies reiterated at every scope and scale. Immunological reactions support and reinforce self-recognition juxtaposed against external environmental stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- William B Miller
- Independent Researcher, 6526 N. 59th St., Paradise Valley, AZ 85253, USA.
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Torday JS, Miller WB. On the Evolution of the Mammalian Brain. Front Syst Neurosci 2016; 10:31. [PMID: 27147985 PMCID: PMC4835670 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2016.00031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Hobson and Friston have hypothesized that the brain must actively dissipate heat in order to process information (Hobson et al., 2014). This physiologic trait is functionally homologous with the first instantation of life formed by lipids suspended in water forming micelles- allowing the reduction in entropy (heat dissipation). This circumvents the Second Law of Thermodynamics permitting the transfer of information between living entities, enabling them to perpetually glean information from the environment, that is felt by many to correspond to evolution per se. The next evolutionary milestone was the advent of cholesterol, embedded in the cell membranes of primordial eukaryotes, facilitating metabolism, oxygenation and locomotion, the triadic basis for vertebrate evolution. Lipids were key to homeostatic regulation of calcium, forming calcium channels. Cell membrane cholesterol also fostered metazoan evolution by forming lipid rafts for receptor-mediated cell-cell signaling, the origin of the endocrine system. The eukaryotic cell membrane exapted to all complex physiologic traits, including the lung and brain, which are molecularly homologous through the function of neuregulin, mediating both lung development and myelinization of neurons. That cooption later exapted as endothermy during the water-land transition (Torday, 2015a), perhaps being the functional homolog for brain heat dissipation and conscious/mindful information processing. The skin and brain similarly share molecular homologies through the “skin-brain” hypothesis, giving insight to the cellular-molecular “arc” of consciousness from its unicellular origins to integrated physiology. This perspective on the evolution of the central nervous system clarifies self-organization, reconciling thermodynamic and informational definitions of the underlying biophysical mechanisms, thereby elucidating relations between the predictive capabilities of the brain and self-organizational processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S Torday
- Evolutionary Medicine Program, University of California- Los Angeles , Los Angeles, CA, USA
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