The intestinal epithelial barrier is the primary and most significant defense barrier against ingested toxins and pathogenic bacteria. When the intestinal epithelium barrier is breached, inflammatory response is triggered. GWAS data showed that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers are elevated in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients, which suggests ER stress regulation might alleviate IBD symptoms. Ferulic acid (FA) is a polyphenol that is abundant in plants and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, although it is unclear whether FA has these effects on the intestine. Therefore, we investigated the effect of FA in vitro and in vivo. It was found that FA suppressed ER stress, nitric oxide (NO) generation, and inflammation in polarized Caco-2 and T84 cells, indicating that the ER stress pathway was implicated in its anti-inflammatory activities. The permeability of polarized Caco-2 cells in the presence and absence of proinflammatory cytokines were decreased by FA, and MUC2 mRNA was overexpressed in the intestines of mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) supplemented with FA. These results suggest that FA has a protective effect on intestinal tight junctions. In addition, mouse intestine organoids proliferated significantly more in the presence of FA. Our findings shed light on the molecular mechanism responsible for the antioxidant effects of FA and its protective benefits on the health of the digestive system.

The role of diet is gaining attention among the modifiable factors associated with depression; thus, this case–control study examined the association between nutrition and depression in young Korean adults. Dietary surveys in individuals with depression (n = 39) and age- and gender-matched controls (n = 76) were conducted using food records and food frequency questionnaires. Men with depression consumed less mushrooms and meat, while women consumed significantly less grains (p < 0.05). Overall, the depression group consumed less energy and nutrients, and the difference was more pronounced in men. The male depression group had lower nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) for energy, protein, vitamin A, thiamine, niacin, folate, and phosphorus, whereas the female depression group had lower NARs for energy, protein, niacin, and vitamin B12. The depression group had a significantly lower mean adequacy ratio in both genders. Furthermore, the proportion of inappropriate nutrient intake was higher in both genders of the depression group, exhibiting significant differences in energy, protein, niacin, folate, and zinc in men and energy, riboflavin, folate, and vitamin C in women. Hence, both men and women in the depression group had poor nutrient intake and high rates of nutrient inadequacy and improper consumption. This suggests that the quantity and quality of meals should be improved for individuals with depressive symptoms.

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Background: Although pain is inevitable in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), the understanding of pain during self-injury from neurobiological perspectives is still insufficient. This study aimed to investigate gray matter volume changes in regions responsible for pain processing in individuals currently engaging in NSSI. Methods: Unmedicated adults who reported five or more NSSI episodes in the past year (n = 63) and age-, sex-, and handedness- matched controls (n = 63) were included in this study. Anatomical T1-weighted MRI data were obtained for all participants at 3T, and voxel-based morphometry was performed to explore gray matter volume alterations in regions of interest (ROIs). Their associations with the frequency, the number of methods used for NSSI, duration, functions, and pain intensity of self-injury were identified using partial correlation analyses. Results: As a result, we found regional gray matter volume reductions in the right insula, bilateral secondary somatosensory cortex (S2), and left opercular part of the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). The reduced right insula and bilateral S2 volumes were correlated with the affect-regulation function of NSSI. Also, the decreased volume of the right S2 was correlated with both the sensation-seeking function of NSSI and the pain intensity of self-injury. Limitations: Due to the cross-sectional design employed in this study, the directionality between NSSI and gray matter volumes needs further investigation. Conclusions: Our results provide the first neural evidence that structural brain abnormalities in the pain processing regions may be a pathophysiological phenotype of NSSI.