Yıldız, S. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2023

CXCL13 levels in cerebrospinal fluids of patients with multiple sclerosis: The role of Borrelia proteins in neuro infections

In the present study, the purpose was to study anti-Borrelia antibodies with both ELISA and WB for the control of Lyme Disease in CSF samples obtained from patients diagnosed with MS, and to determine the relationship between them by investigating the CXCL13 levels. A total of 43 CSF samples taken from patients diagnosed with MS and PTS. The obtained data were statistically analyzed with the Spearman Rank Correlation Test and p<0.05 value was considered statistically significant. Especially 5 antigens (p19, p20, p21, p58, and OspC) were found to be positive as a result of the confirmation of the samples that were positive for Borrelia antibodies with the WB method. When the results of the study were evaluated, the Borrelia antibodies that were found positive by ELISA and high CXCL13 in CSF samples of MS patients proved once again that CXCL13 is still the best biomarker for LNB. The presence of Borrelia antibodies, which were found to be positive with the ELISA test in CSF samples of MS patients, was confirmed with WB. The coexistence of high CXCL13 levels in the same samples suggests that LNB may also play a role in the etiopathogenesis of MS and CXCL13 may be a potential biomarker in this respect. Also, with the positive detection of OspC and p58 WB bands in the majority of cases, we think that these two protein bands will shed light on borrelia studies in CSF in neurodegenerative diseases and can be used as a potential biomarker in diagnosis.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2022

Resting State Neural Networks at Complex Visual Hallucinations in Charles Bonnet Syndrome

BackgroundCharles Bonnet syndrome (CBS) is a prototype phenomenon for investigating complex visual hallucination. Our research focuses on resting state neural networks features of CBS patients with a comparison of patients with equally matched visual loss and healthy subjects in order to investigate the mechanism behind complex visual hallucinations. Material and MethodsFour CBS patients CBS(+), three patients with visual loss but no visual hallucinations CBS(-) and 15 healthy individuals (HS) undergo resting state fMRI recordings and their resting state data is analyzed for Default Mode Network (DMN) changes through dual regression analysis. Cognitive functions of the participants were also evaluated through Mini Mental State Examination and University of Miami - Parkinsons Disease Hallucination Questionnaire (um-PDHQ) ResultsAlthough we found no difference in Default Mode Networks between CBS(-) and CBS(+), and between the CBS(-) and HC groups, we detected decreased connectivity in CBS(+) compared to the HC group especially in visual heteromodal association centers (bilateral lateral occipital gyrus, bilateral lingual gyrus, occipital pole, right medial temporal cortex, right temporo-occipital cortex) when left angular gyrus was selected as ROI. Similarly, we detected decreased connectivity in CBS(+) compared to HC in right medial frontal gyrus, right posterior cingulate gyrus, left inferior temporal gyrus, right supramarginal gyrus, and right angular gyrus when selected right superior frontal gyrus as ROI. In contrast, increased connectivity was detected in CBS +compared to HC, in bilateral occipital poles, bilateral occipital fusiform gyrus, bilateral intracalcarine cortex, right lingual gyrus and precuneus regions when left medial temporal gyrus was selected as ROI. ConclusionOur findings suggest a combined mechanism in CBS related to increased internal created images caused by decreased visual external input causing visual hallucinations as well as impaired frontotemporal resource tracking system that together impair cognitive processing.

neuroscience↗