Evaluating the effect of cannabidiol on sleep quality in patients with multiple sclerosis using 15 aggregated N-of-1 trials: A study protocol.

Background: Sleep disorders, including insomnia, are highly prevalent in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), significantly impacting quality of life. Patients frequently use cannabidiol (CBD) as an alternative to standard medical treatments for sleep disorders, yet its efficacy has not been rigorously investigated.

Methods: This study comprises 15 randomized, placebo-controlled N-of-1 trials evaluating the effect of pure CBD oil (10 % g/v) on sleep quality in MS patients.

A drug-based model to predict hyponatremia in outpatients of a geriatric clinic.

Purpose: Chronic hyponatremia in older people is associated with adverse outcomes including gait disturbances, falls, osteoporosis, fractures, cognitive impairment, and cardiovascular disease. Diagnosis in outpatient settings is challenging due to the non-specific nature of its symptoms. While hyponatremia is well-studied in hospitalized patients, little research has focused on outpatient settings.

Induction of endotoxin tolerance in murine monocyte and macrophage cell populations - optimal LPS dose and compartment-specific reversal by β-glucan.

Beta-glucans, naturally present in foods like wheat, mushrooms, and yeast, have shown potential in reversing immunosuppression. However, the existing evidence solely relies on studies assessing direct effects of β-glucans on macrophages. To investigate whether such effects also occur after their oral administration, this study first systematically examined the immunosuppressive effects of LPS in mice.

A high-fat meal significantly impacts the bioavailability and biphasic absorption of cannabidiol (CBD) from a CBD-rich extract in men and women.

Cannabidiol (CBD), a specialized metabolite (phytocannabinoid) abundant in Cannabis sativa, is attracting increasing attention for its alleged health-promoting properties. The present study aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetics of CBD and its primary metabolite, 7-hydroxy-cannabidiol (7-OH-CBD), following a single oral dose of a CBD-rich Cannabis sativa extract, equivalent to 70 mg CBD, in healthy male (n=5) and female (n=6) participants. Using a randomized crossover design, the study evaluated the impact of a standardized high-fat meal compared to fasting on the oral bioavailability of CBD.

Tumor-derived cyclooxygenase-2 fuels hypothalamic inflammation.

Hypothalamic inflammation often coincides with cancer and cachexia-anorexia. Prior work established the significance of tumor-derived inflammatory factors in triggering hypothalamic inflammation, yet the precise mechanisms remained elusive. Here, we demonstrate that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), produced in the tumor via cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), plays a pivotal role in this context.

Concurrent nutrient deficiencies are associated with dementia incidence.

Introduction: While observational research suggests a protective role for nutrition in brain aging, intervention studies remain inconclusive. This failing translation from observational to interventional research may result from overlooking nutrient interactions.

Methods: We developed a nutrient status index capturing the number of suboptimal statuses of omega-3 fatty acids, homocysteine, and vitamin D (range 0 to 3).

The association between adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet and cognitive ageing.

Background: The EAT-Lancet commission has proposed a dietary pattern that is both sustainable and healthy. However, the impact of this diet on cognition in older adults remains unexplored. Therefore, we examined the association between adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet and cognitive ageing.

Dietary Intake of Yeast-Derived β-Glucan and Rice-Derived Arabinoxylan Induces Dose-Dependent Innate Immune Priming in Mice.

Beta-glucans and arabinoxylans are known for their immunostimulatory properties. However, in vivo these have been documented almost exclusively following parenteral administration, underemphasizing oral intake. C57BL/6 mice are fed either a control diet or a diet supplemented with yeast-derived whole β-glucan particle (yWGP) or with rice-derived arabinoxylan (rice bran-1) at a concentration of 1%, 2.

Nutrient composition of different energy-restricted diets determines plasma endocannabinoid profiles and adipose tissue DAGL-α expression; a 12-week randomized controlled trial in subjects with abdominal obesity.

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is dysregulated during obesity and metabolic disorders. Weight loss favours the re-establishment of ECS homeostatic conditions, but also the fatty acid composition of the diet can modulate endocannabinoid profiles. However, the combined impact of nutrient quality and energy restriction on the ECS remains unclear.

Endocannabinoid levels in plasma and neurotransmitters in the brain: a preliminary report on patients with a psychotic disorder and healthy individuals.

Background: Interactions between the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and neurotransmitter systems might mediate the risk of developing a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD). Consequently, we investigated in patients with SSD and healthy controls (HC) the relations between (1) plasma concentrations of two prototypical endocannabinoids (N-arachidonoylethanolamine [anandamide] and 2-arachidonoylglycerol [2-AG]) and (2) striatal dopamine synthesis capacity (DSC), and glutamate and y-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). As anandamide and 2-AG might reduce the activity of these neurotransmitters, we hypothesized negative correlations between their plasma levels and the abovementioned neurotransmitters in both groups.

Rice-derived arabinoxylan fibers are particle size-dependent inducers of trained immunity in a human macrophage-intestinal epithelial cell co-culture model.

Arabinoxylans have been identified for a wide range of purported health-promoting applications, primarily attributed to its immunomodulatory effects. Previously, we have reported the ability of arabinoxylans to induce non-specific memory in innate immune cells, commonly referred to as "trained innate immunity". In the present study, we investigated the effect of particle size on innate immune training and resilience in primary human macrophages as well as in a more physiologically relevant macrophage-intestinal epithelial cell co-culture model.

Association between Low Vitamin D Status, Serotonin, and Clinico-Biobehavioral Parameters in Alzheimer's Disease.

Introduction: Studies suggest a role of vitamin D in the progression and symptomatology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), with few in vitro studies pointing to effects on serotonergic and amyloidogenic turnover. However, limited data exist in AD patients on the potential association with cognition and behavioral and psychological signs and symptoms of dementia (BPSD). In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we, therefore, explored potential correlations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) concentrations, indicative of vitamin D status, with serum serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) levels, cognitive/BPSD scorings, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker levels.

Effects of γ-aminobutyric acid supplementation on glucose control in adults with prediabetes: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is mainly known as an endogenously produced neurotransmitter. However, GABA intake from dietary sources like tomatoes and fermented foods can be considerable. Studies in rodent models have shown beneficial effects of oral GABA supplementation on glucose homeostasis and cardiovascular health.

The association between adherence to a plant-based diet and cognitive ageing.

Purpose: While the benefits of adopting a more plant-based diet for sustainability and animal welfare are clear, its long-term health impacts, including the impact on cognitive ageing, are limited studied. Therefore, we investigated the associations between plant-based diet adherence and cognitive ageing.

Methods: Data from a previous intervention study involving community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 65 years were analysed at baseline (n = 658) and after 2-year follow-up (n = 314).

The Association of Vitamin D Status with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Subtypes: A Cross-Sectional Analysis in Dutch Geriatric Outpatients.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is associated with all-cause dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD). At the same time, this knowledge is limited specifically for vascular dementia (VaD), while data regarding other subtypes of dementia are even more limited.

Objective: To investigate the association of 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) status with dementia subtypes in an outpatient geriatric population.

Lipopolysaccharide-induced hypothalamic inflammation in cancer cachexia-anorexia is amplified by tumour-derived prostaglandin E2.

Background: Cachexia-anorexia syndrome is a complex metabolic condition characterized by skeletal muscle wasting, reduced food intake and prominent involvement of systemic and central inflammation. Here, the gut barrier function was investigated in pancreatic cancer-induced cachexia mouse models by relating intestinal permeability to the degree of cachexia. We further investigated the involvement of the gut-brain axis and the crosstalk between tumour, gut and hypothalamus in vitro.

Analysis of Omega-3 Fatty Acid-Derived N-Acylethanolamines in Biological Matrices.

The adequate quantification of endocannabinoids and related N-acylethanolamines can be complex due to their low endogenous levels, structural diversity, and metabolism. Therefore, advanced analytical approaches, involving LC-MS, are required to quantify these molecules in plasma, tissues, and other matrices. It has been shown that endocannabinoid congeners synthesized from n-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), such as docosahexaenoylethanolamide (DHEA) and eicosapentaenoylethanolamide (EPEA), have interesting immunomodulatory and tumor-inhibiting properties.

PUFA-Derived -Acylethanolamide Probes Identify Peroxiredoxins and Small GTPases as Molecular Targets in LPS-Stimulated RAW264.7 Macrophages.

We studied the mechanistic and biological origins of anti-inflammatory poly-unsaturated fatty acid-derived -acylethanolamines using synthetic bifunctional chemical probes of docosahexaenoyl ethanolamide (DHEA) and arachidonoyl ethanolamide (AEA) in RAW264.7 macrophages stimulated with 1.0 μg mL lipopolysaccharide.

The influence of a tomato food matrix on the bioavailability and plasma kinetics of oral gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and its precursor glutamate in healthy men.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and its precursor glutamate play signaling roles in a range of tissues. Both function as neurotransmitters in the central nervous system, but they also modulate pancreatic and immune functioning, for example. Besides endogenous production, both compounds are found in food products, reaching relatively high levels in tomatoes.

DHA status influences effects of B-vitamin supplementation on cognitive ageing: a post-hoc analysis of the B-proof trial.

Purpose: Trials aiming to lower homocysteine by B-vitamin supplementation have reported mixed results on slowing cognitive decline. We investigated if efficacy of B-vitamin supplementation is affected by baseline plasma omega-3 fatty acid levels.

Methods: This post-hoc analysis of the B-proof trial included 191 adults aged 65 years or older with baseline plasma total homocysteine ≥ 12 μmol/L, randomly assigned to 400 µg folic acid and 500 µg vitamin B12 or placebo daily for 2 years.

Dectin-1b activation by arabinoxylans induces trained immunity in human monocyte-derived macrophages.

Arabinoxylans of various structures and sources have shown to possess the ability to induce a range of immune responses in different cell types in vitro and in vivo. Although the underlying mechanisms remain to be fully established, several studies point towards the involvement of activation of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). Activation of specific PRRs (i.

Bioactive Components in Traditional Foods Aimed at Health Promotion: A Route to Novel Mechanistic Insights and Lead Molecules?

Traditional foods and diets can provide health benefits beyond their nutrient composition because of the presence of bioactive compounds. In various traditional healthcare systems, diet-based approaches have always played an important role, which has often survived until today. Therefore, investigating traditional foods aimed at health promotion could render not only novel bioactive substances but also mechanistic insights.

Prevalence of Micronutrient Deficiencies and Relationship with Clinical and Patient-Related Outcomes in Pulmonary Hypertension Types I and IV.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a rare progressive and lethal disease affecting pulmonary arteries and heart function. The disease may compromise the nutritional status of the patient, which impairs their physical performance. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thrombo-embolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) patients.

Effects of whole-body vibration training in a cachectic C26 mouse model.

Targeted exercise combined with nutritional and pharmacological strategies is commonly considered to be the most optimal strategy to reduce the development and progression of cachexia. For COPD patients, this multi-targeted treatment has shown beneficial effects. However, in many, physical activity is seriously hampered by frailty and fatigue.

Effects of Nutrients on Platelet Function: A Modifiable Link between Metabolic Syndrome and Neurodegeneration?

Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of vascular dementia and other neurodegenerative disorders. Recent studies underline that platelets play an important role in linking peripheral with central metabolic and inflammatory mechanisms. In this narrative review, we address the activation of platelets in metabolic syndrome, their effects on neuronal processes and the role of the mediators (e.