No abstract

Background/aim: The objective of this study was to investigate and analyze the behavioral and neurochemical effects of monosodium glutamate (MSG) injections at various and subsequent dosages on male Wistar rats during the neonatal period. Materials and methods:In order to determine the behavioral and neurochemical effects of MSG, the experiment was implemented on neonatal male Wistar rats and the test was repeated for various MSG dosages. After completing the experiment, additionally, levels of dopamine, GABA, catecholamine (dopamine, noradrenaline, and adrenaline) and glutamate in the brain cells of the decapitated rats were also measured using the ELISA method.Results: Considering the results of the behavioral test, when we compared the test values of the control group with the values of the MSG-injected groups we noted that there were significant differences in the statistical figures obtained. Additionally, we found that the statistical figures of some neurochemical parameters were also significantly different when we compared the values of the MSG group with the control values. Conclusion:MSG injection has a clear effect on the neurochemical parameters, learning memory, and locomotor activities of rats.

No abstract

Oxidative imbalance in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder Objective: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social interactions and behavioral problems. Various genetic and environmental factors, including oxidative stress, are claimed to play a role in the etiopathogenesis of ASD. In this study, we aimed to examine the status of oxidative metabolism in ASD and the association between oxidative parameters and ASD symptom severity and subtype of ASD. Method: Thirty-three children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD (16 children diagnosed with autistic disorder, 13 children with pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, and 4 children with Asperger syndrome) according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) and 28 healthy controls, aged 2-17 years, were recruited in this study. Total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant status (TAS) were evaluated using Rel Assay Kit in children and adolescents. The oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated by dividing the TOS values by the TAS values. Autistic symptoms for these patients were scored on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). Results: In patients with ASD, TAS was statistically significantly lower and OSI statistically significantly higher than in healthy controls. There were no statistically significant differences in TOS between the ASD and control groups. There were no statistically significant differences between the subtypes of ASD in terms of oxidative stress parameters. In addition, TAS, TOS, and OSI values did not differ statistically significantly between the patients' CARS groups, and were not associated with the CARS scores of the patients. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that oxidative imbalance is present in ASD and that oxidative stress may play a role in the etiopathogenesis of ASD. Therefore, it is suggested that antioxidants may have beneficial effects on ASD and may be a new therapeutic target in treating ASD.

Objective: Many individuals with cigarette addiction are known for beginning to smoke cigarettes during adolescence years. In this study, we aimed to present the clinical outcomes of smoking cessation project conducted in an Anatolian school in Kartal district of Istanbul, Turkey. Methods: Social and motivational studies were carried out on adolescent smokers after scanning in terms of smoking in an Anatolian school and 44 of these adolescents who are clinical requirements were evaluated and followed by Chest disease and child and adolescent mental health for six months. Carbonmonoxide (CO) measurements in the expiratory air and carboximeter (piCO smokerlyzer, Bedfont Scientific Ltd, England) were made at the first visit and follow-up. Simultaneously, K-SADS PL (Schedule for Schizophrenia and Affective disorders for School Age Children) was administered diagnostically in mental health evaluation. Results: A total of 44 adolescents, 13 girl (29.5%) and 31 boy (70.5%), with a mean age of 17.31 were followed up. The mean age of initiation of cigarette smoking was 14.2 ± 1 and 32 (82.7%) adolescent were found to have at least one smoker in their home. While 22.7% of adolescents did not try smoking cessation, 77.3% of them did. Six of these adolescents indicated that they did not smoke during the six months; 55.5% of these adolescents have at least one mental illness; the most common diagnoses were 25.0% (n = 11) of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and 20% (10) of MD (Major Depression). While depression was significantly frequent in girls (p = 0.043), the frequency of ADHD was not significant in terms of gender. Depression presence was associated with early onset of cigarette smoking in males (p = 0.019), but not with females (p = 0.394). There was a statistically significant correlation between smoking cessation effort and age in the follow-up period (p = 0.022), and earlier adolescents stated that they wanted to quit smoking more. While there is no significant association between smoking cessation effort and mental disease, there was a statistically close relation with parent and sibling smoking (p = 0.07) and significant correlation with motivation and smoking cessation effort (p = 0.016). Conclusions: Smoking cessation work in adolescents is much more difficult than in adults. Biological and social factors and peer impact influence interventions. In our study, very few adolescents stated to quit smoking for 6 months, and the rate of psychiatric illnesses among adolescents and the presence of individuals smoking at home were found to be quite high. It has been the result of these factors also affecting the success of adolescents to start smoking and to quit smoking.