Accelerated epigenetic aging in alcohol dependence

Alcohol dependence poses a global health threat associated with aging and reduced life expectancy. Recently, aging research through deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation has gained attention. New epigenetic clocks have been developed; however, no study has investigated GrimAge components, GrimAge2 components and DunedinPACE in patients with alcohol dependence. In this study, we aimed to perform epigenetic clock analysis to evaluate epigenetic age acceleration and DNA methylation-based age-predictive components in patients with alcohol dependence and controls. We utilized publicly available DNA methylation data (GSE98876) for our analysis. Additionally, we compared the values of the same items before and after the patients underwent a treatment program. The dataset comprised 23 controls and 24 patients. We observed that DunedinPACE accelerated more in patients with alcohol dependence. AgeAccelGrim and AgeAccelGrim2 decelerated more after the treatment program than before, and beta-2-microglobulin and Cystatin C decreased after the treatment program than before. These findings are crucial as they affect the cranial nerve area, potentially contributing to cognitive dysfunction and psychiatric symptoms in patients with alcohol dependence.

[Temperature Dependence of Scintillation Survey Meter with and without Temperature Compensation Function]

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to compare the temperature dependence of a scintillation survey meter with and without the temperature compensation function. Investigation of temperature dependence is important to make precise measurements in various environments.

METHOD

The experiment was conducted using the NaI (Tl) scintillation survey meter with the temperature compensation function (TCS-1172) and the NaI (Tl) and CsI (Tl) scintillation survey meters without the temperature compensation function (TCS-171, PDR-111). In all, 1 cm dose equivalent rate (µSv/h) was measured by changing the room temperature from 10 to 40 degree Celsius.

RESULT

The results showed that the scintillation survey meter with the temperature compensation function had almost no change in the measured values with changes in room temperature, whereas the 1 cm dose equivalent rate of the scintillation survey meter without the temperature compensation function changed by a maximum of -7.2 (%/10°C) as temperature increased.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms that the scintillation survey meter with the temperature compensation function was less dependent on temperature, and stable measurement was possible. However, it was suggested that the scintillation survey meter without the temperature compensation function might cause a drop in the measured value as the temperature rises.

Association study of a single nucleotide polymorphism in the hypoxia response element of the macrophage migration inhibitory factor gene promoter with suicide completers in the Japanese population

BACKGROUND

More than 800 000 people die by suicide annually. The heritability of suicide is 30%-50%. We focused on the hypoxia response element (HRE), which promotes the expression of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) via the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathway, important in neurogenesis and neuroprotection. We examined a genetic polymorphism of rs17004038, a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), in suicide completers and controls.

METHODS

The study population included 1336 suicide completers and 814 unrelated healthy controls. All participants were Japanese. We obtained peripheral blood, extracted DNA, and genotyped the patients for SNP rs17004038 (C > A).

RESULTS

No significant differences were observed between the two groups in either the allele or genotype analyses. Subgroup analyses by sex, age (<40 or ≥40), and suicide method (violent or nonviolent suicide) were performed with similar results.

CONCLUSION

No association was observed between SNP rs17004038 and suicide completion. Although it is challenging to collect a large number of samples from suicide completers, further MIF-related genetic studies, including those of rs17004038, are necessary with larger sample sizes.

Accelerated epigenetic aging and decreased natural killer cells based on DNA methylation in patients with untreated major depressive disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is known to cause significant disability. Genome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm) profiles can be used to estimate biological aging and as epigenetic clocks. However, information on epigenetic clocks reported in MDD patients is inconsistent. Since antidepressants are likely confounders, we evaluated biological aging using various DNAm-based predictors in patients with MDD who had never received depression medication. A publicly available dataset consisting of whole blood samples from untreated MDD patients (n = 40) and controls (n = 40) was used. We analyzed five epigenetic clocks (HorvathAge, HannumAge, SkinBloodAge, PhenoAge, and GrimAge), DNAm-based telomere length (DNAmTL), and DNAm-based age-related plasma proteins (GrimAge components), as well as DNAm-based white blood cell composition. The results indicate that patients with untreated MDD were significantly associated with epigenetic aging acceleration in HannumAge and GrimAge. Furthermore, a decrease in natural killer cells, based on DNAm, was observed in patients with untreated MDD.

Association of two variable number of tandem repeats in the monoamine oxidase A gene promoter with suicide completion: The present study and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

One potential cause of suicide is serotonergic dysfunction. Sex differences have been reported to modulate the effects of serotonergic polymorphisms. Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) is an enzyme that degrades serotonin and is located on the X chromosome. A previous study indicated that the upstream (u) variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) in the MAOA gene promoter may be associated with suicide. However, a meta-analysis showed that this polymorphism may not be related to suicide. According to a recent study, compared with the uVNTR, the distal (d)VNTR and the haplotypes of the two VNTRs modulate MAOA expression.

METHODS

We examined the two VNTRs in the MAOA gene promoter in 1007 subjects who committed suicide and 844 healthy controls. We analyzed the two VNTRs using fluorescence-based polymerase chain reaction assays. We conducted a meta-analysis for the two VNTRs to update it.

RESULTS

Our results demonstrated that neither the genotype-based associations nor allele/haplotype frequencies of the two VNTRs were significantly associated with suicide. In the meta-analysis, we did not indicate relationships between uVNTR and suicide nor did we identify articles analyzing dVNTR in suicide.

CONCLUSION

Overall, we did not find a relationship between the two VNTRs in the MAOA promoter and suicide completion; thus, warranting further studies are required.

Epigenetic clock analysis reveals increased plasma cystatin C levels based on DNA methylation in major depressive disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common mental illness and a major public health concern worldwide. Depression is associated with epigenetic changes that regulate gene expression, and analyzing these changes may help elucidate the pathophysiology of MDD. Genome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm) profiles can function as 'epigenetic clocks' that can help estimate biological aging. Here, we assessed biological aging in patients with MDD using various DNAm-based indicators of epigenetic aging. We used a publicly available dataset containing data obtained from the whole blood samples of MDD patients (n = 489) and controls (n = 210). We analyzed five epigenetic clocks (HorvathAge, HannumAge, SkinBloodAge, PhenoAge, and GrimAge) and DNAm-based telomere length (DNAmTL). We also investigated seven DNAm-based age-predictive plasma proteins (including cystatin C) and smoking status, which are components of GrimAge. Following adjustment for confounding factors such as age and sex, patients with MDD showed no significant difference in epigenetic clocks and DNAmTL. However, DNAm-based plasma cystatin C levels were significantly higher in patients with MDD than controls. Our findings revealed specific DNAm changes predicting plasma cystatin C levels in MDD. These findings may help elucidate the pathophysiology of MDD, leading to the development of new biomarkers and medications.

Use of Normothermic Default Humidifier Settings Causes Excessive Humidification of Respiratory Gases During Therapeutic Hypothermia

Adult patients frequently suffer from serious respiratory complications during therapeutic hypothermia. During therapeutic hypothermia, respiratory gases are humidified close to saturated vapor at 37°C (44 mg/L) despite that saturated vapor reduces considerably depending on temperature reduction. Condensation may cause serious adverse events, such as bronchial edema, mucosal dysfunction, and ventilator-associated pneumonia during cooling. To determine clinical variables associated with inadequate humidification of respiratory gases during cooling, humidity of inspiratory gases was measured in 42 cumulative newborn infants who underwent therapeutic hypothermia. Three humidifier settings of 37-default (chamber outlet, 37°C; distal circuit, 40°C), 33.5-theoretical (chamber outlet, 33.5°C; distal circuit, 36.5°C), and 33.5-adjusted (optimized setting to achieve 36.6 mg/L using feedback from a hygrometer) were tested to identify independent variables of excessively high humidity >40.7 mg/L and low humidity <32.9 mg/L. The mean (SD) humidity at the Y-piece was 39.2 (5.2), 33.3 (4.1), and 36.7 (1.2) mg/L for 37-default, 33.5-theoretical, and 33.5-adjusted, respectively. The incidence of excessive high humidity was 10.3% (37-default, 31.0%; 33.5-theoretical, 0.0%; 33.5-adjusted, 0.0%), which was positively associated with the use of a counter-flow humidifier (p < 0.001), 37-default (compared with 33.5-theoretical and 33.5-adjusted, both p < 0.001) and higher fraction of inspired oxygen (p = 0.003). The incidence of excessively low humidity was 17.5% (37-default, 7.1%; 33.5-theoretical, 45.2%; 33.5-adjusted, 0.0%), which was positively associated with the use of a pass-over humidifier and 33.5-theoretical (both p < 0.001). All patients who used a counter-flow humidifier achieved the target gas humidity at the Y-piece (36.6 ± 0.5 mg/L) required for 33.5-adjusted with 33.5-theoretical. During cooling, 37-default is associated with excessively high humidity, whereas 33.5-theoretical leads to excessively low humidity. Future studies are needed to assess whether a new regimen with optimized Y-piece temperature and humidity control reduces serious respiratory adverse events during cooling.

Partial deficiency of phosphoglycerate mutase with diabetic polyneuropathy: the first Japanese patient

We report here findings in a 51-year-old Japanese man with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus who complained of exercise-induced cramps. Muscle biopsy showed scattered regenerating fibers, small angular fibers and increased PAS positive particles. Electron microscopic examination revealed an abnormal accumulation of glycogen particles in subsarcolenmmal areas and between myofibrils while chemical studies showed an increased glycogen concentration and decreased phosphoglycerate mutase (PGAM), 46.9% of the normal mean value. Thus, partial PGAM deficiency, insulin resistance and mild diabetic sensory-motor polyneuropathy can induce severe cramps.

Primary Sjögren's syndrome with subcortical dementia

A 48-year-old man with primary Sjögren's syndrome (P-SS) developed subcortical dementia, characterized by forgetfulness, poor attention and concentration, slowness of thought process, difficulty to manipulate acquired knowledge, introversive and hostile personality change and inactivity. These were improved by corticosteroid treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed small lesions in the subcortical and periventricular white matter. An electroencephalogram (EEG) revealed short runs of theta activities in bilateral parietal areas. Latency of P300 shortened in accordance with clinical improvement. These findings suggest that the cognitive and neuropsychiatric manifestations in P-SS are included in a spectrum of organic brain dysfunction and are treatable.

Motor neuron disease and past poliomyelitis. Geographic study in Hokkaido, the northern-most island of Japan. ALS Study Group

We carried out a survey on the cases of motor neuron disease (MND) occurring in Hokkaido between 1980 and 1989 in order to establish whether there is a relationship between MND and poliomyelitis. Hokkaido, the northern-most island of Japan, was one of the most affected areas during the poliomyelitis epidemic of the late 1940s to 1950s. We ascertained 389 cases of MND for these 10 years and 2,171 cases of paralytic poliomyelitis for the period 1949-1958, and analysed their geographic distributions. No significant correlation was found between MND and poliomyelitis in their geographic distributions.

[Epidemiological study of motor neuron disease in Hokkaido island--its incidence, prevalence and regional distributions--ALS Study Group]

The incidence, prevalence and regional distributions of sporadic motor neuron disease (MND) from 1980 through 1989 were evaluated in collaboration with multiple neurological institutes in Hokkaido island. Patients with sporadic MND were collected from three sources: 1) neurologist practicing in Hokkaido island, 2) sending inquiries to 620 major hospitals, 3) notification file of MND provided by Japanese Ministry of Welfare and Health. Three hundred and eighty-nine patients with sporadic MND were ascertained for this study. Of 389 patients, 238 patients were men and 151 patients were women, and the ratio of men to women was 1.6:1. The mean age of onset was 58.2 +/- 10.3 years old, 57.7 +/- 10.4 for men and 58.9 +/- 10.0 for women. Their clinical presentations were 303 patients with ALS, 52 patients were PBP and 34 patients were SPMA. The crude incidence rate for both sexes combined for 1980 through 1989 was estimated as 0.69 per 100,000 person-year. The age- and sex-adjusted incidence for men was 0.86 per 100,000 person-year (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.97) and that is higher than 0.53 per 100,000 person-year (95% CI, 0.45 to 0.61) for women. The average, crude prevalence rate from 1985 through 1989 was estimated as 2.25 per 100,000 person-year. There are no overall trends of changing the pattern in incidence and prevalence of MND in Hokkaido island, however the geographic distributions of the incidence of MND according to towns and cities disclosed the presence of some relative clustering areas.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Changes in strategy of aiming tasks in Parkinson's disease

Fundamental differences in bradykinesia in parkinsonian patients and nonparkinsonian elderly subjects were analysed. Our method was an aiming task in which the coordination of eye and hand movements was measured when the subject attempted to catch up with a visual target. The coordinated eye and hand movements started towards the target almost simultaneously in the normal subjects when the target was in the periphery of the visual area. The initial abnormality in parkinsonian patients was an isolated delay of coordinated hand movement. In the typical bradykinetic patients, the hand movement did not start while the target was still in the peripheral visual area but only when the image of the target was near or on the fovea. The aiming tasks were then performed step by step following visual confirmation. Thus patients with typical bradykinesia showed a failure of ballistic hand movement preprogrammed to the visual target in the peripheral visual area, and the strategy of coordination was changed. In contrast, the disturbance of the ballistic hand movement in the nonparkinsonian elderly subjects had no consistent strategy for coordination of the visually guided eye and hand movements.

Changes in sensorimotor function associated with the degree of bradykinesia of Parkinson's disease

Changes in coordinated eye and hand movements associated with the progress of bradykinesia were studied in 31 parkinsonian patients and 8 age-matched healthy subjects. Among the parameters expressing the changes in motor behaviour, the interval between the onset of eye and hand movements was most sensitive. This parameter reflected the difference in the progress of the symptom in the two motor systems. An increase in the reaction time of the hand response appeared in patients of grade II bradykinesia; this was observed for eye movements only in patients with grade III (severe) bradykinesia. While the changes in ocular reaction time remained within the physiological range, a lengthening of the reaction time, a reduction in peak velocity, a decrease in the open-loop gain, a prolongation of movement duration, and a slow build-up in EMG activity, appeared from an early stage in hand movement. These signs of motor disturbance may appear eventually in every motor system at an advanced stage, but their development is not synchronous in different motor systems. An analysis of the responses recorded simultaneously from the two motor systems examined made it possible to evaluate the changes in the sensorimotor processes with different grades of bradykinesia. A comparison between reaction times for eye and hand movements may be useful for assessing the degree of bradykinesia in parkinsonian patients.