Despite its high prevalence, the precise mechanisms underlying major depressive disorder (MDD) remain incompletely understood. Growing evidence identifies mitochondrial dysfunction, including abnormalities in mitochondrial DNA, impaired bioenergetics, disrupted quality control, and redox imbalance, as a central pathological feature of MDD. Beyond deficits in energy production, mitochondria...
Traditional cognitive science has historically confined the mind within the cranium. While the "second brain" metaphor underscores the autonomy of the enteric nervous system, it remains entrenched in a neurocentric paradigm. Here, we propose a transformative framework: the gut microbiota may function as a constitutively relevant contributor to specific embodied cognitive architectures. We...
Catheter-related bladder discomfort (CRBD) is associated with anxiety, pain, and an increased risk of perioperative complications. Esketamine, which exhibits analgesic and anticholinergic properties, may offer therapeutic benefits in this context. This study aims to evaluate the effects of varying sub-anesthetic doses of esketamine on the incidence and severity of CRBD following ureteroscopic...
General anesthesia (GA) is the most accepted option for category-1 emergency cesarean sections (CSs). A low dose of esketamine has been used as an excellent adjunct to neuraxial anesthesia (NA) with little effect on newborns. However, literature on the use of esketamine for GA induction in emergency CS is limited. This case series describes our experience with an esketamine-based combined...
Esketamine, a newly developed antidepressant, is the subject of this research which seeks to explore its impact on depressive symptoms in neuropathic pain mice and the potential molecular mechanisms involved. Through transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis combined with in vivo studies, it was identified that esketamine markedly boosts the levels of the m6A methyltransferase METTL3...
Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive compound derived from the cannabis plant, has been confirmed to induce anxiolytic-like and antipsychotic-like effects. However, the exact mechanisms remain unclear. This study substantiated CBD's interaction with the 5-HT1A receptor (5-HT1AR) in vitro (CHO cells expressing human 5-HT1AR) and in vivo (rat lower lip retraction test, LLR test). We then...
Clinical and preclinical researches have shown that sub-anesthetic ketamine elicits sustained antidepressant effects for up to 1-2 weeks. Pharmacokinetics studies (t1/2 = 23 min) in mice showed no ketamine residue at 24 h after sub-anesthetic or anesthetic ketamine administration. Therefore, this study aims to reveal the mechanism underlying these different biological functions at 24 h after...