Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common psychiatric disease following exposure to a severe traumatic event or physiological stress, yet the precise mechanisms underlying PTSD remains largely to be determined. Using an animal model of PTSD induced by a single prolonged stress (SPS), we assessed the role of hippocampal nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase 2 (NOX2) and parvalbumin (PV) interneurons in the development of PTSD symptoms. In the present study, behavioral tests were performed by the open field (day 13 after SPS) and fear conditioning tests (days 13 and 14 after SPS). For the interventional study, rats were chronically treated with a NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin either by early or delayed administration. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, NOX2, 4-hydroxynonenal, and PV in the hippocampus were measured at the indicated time points. In the present study, we showed that SPS rats displayed anxiety-like and enhanced fear learning behavior, which was accompanied by the increased expressions of malondialdehyde, IL-6, NOX2, 4-hydroxynonenal, and decreased PV expression. Notably, early but not delayed treatment with apocynin reversed all these abnormalities after SPS. In conclusion, our results provided evidence that NOX2 activation in the hippocampus, at least in part, contributes to oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, which further results in PV interneuron loss and consequent PTSD symptoms in a rat model of PTSD induced by SPS.

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Background: This study investigated the effectiveness and safety of exercise training (ET) as an adjunctive therapy to montelukast for children with mild asthma (MA). Methods: A total of 72 children, ages 4 to 12 years with MA were randomly assigned to a treatment group or a control group at a ratio of 1:1. The subjects in the treatment group received ET plus montelukast, while the participants in the control group received montelukast alone. The primary endpoint was lung function, as measured by forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1 ) and ratio between FEV 1 and forced vital capacity (FEV 1 /FVC). The secondary endpoints included the symptom improvements, as measured by clinical assessment score, and quality of life (QoL), as assessed with Paediatric Allergic Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (PADQLQ) scores. In addition, adverse events were also assessed during the period of this study. All outcomes were measured at baseline, at the end of 6-week treatment and 2-week follow-up after the treatment. Results: After 6-week treatment and 2-week follow-up, although ET plus montelukast did not show better effectiveness in improving lung function, as evaluated by the FEV 1 ( P > .05) and FEV 1 /FVC ( P > .05) than montelukast alone, significant relief in clinical symptoms ( P < .01), and improvement in QoL ( P < .01) have achieved. Additionally, both groups had similar safety profile. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that ET as an adjunctive therapy to montelukast may benefit for children with MA. Further studies are still needed to warrant the results of this study.

This study investigated the effectiveness and safety of montelukast combined budesonide (MCB) treatment for children with chronic cough-variant asthma (CCVA).In total, 82 cases of children with CCVA, aged 4 to 11 years were included in this study. All cases received either MCB or budesonide alone between May 2015 and April 2017. The primary outcome was lung function, measured by the peak expiratory flow rates (PEFRs) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). The secondary outcome was measured by the clinical assessment score. Furthermore, adverse events (AEs) were also recorded in this study. All outcomes were measured after 8-week treatment.After 8-week treatment, MCB showed greater effectiveness than did budesonide alone in improving the lung function, measured by PEFR V1 (P = .02), and FEV1 (P < .01). Similarly, the clinical assessment score also demonstrated significant difference between the 2 groups (P < .05). In addition, no serious AEs occurred in both groups.The results of this study demonstrate that the effectiveness of MCB is superior to budesonide alone in the treatment of children with CCVA.