PMID: 

J Physiol Pharmacol. 2012 Jun ;63(3):277-83. PMID: 22791642

Abstract Title: 

Sex-dependent changes in cerebellar thyroid hormone-dependent gene expression following perinatal exposure to thimerosal in rats.

Abstract: 

Mammalian brain development is regulated by the action of thyroid hormone (TH) on target genes. We have previously shown that the perinatal exposure to thimerosal (TM, metabolized to ethylmercury) exerts neurotoxic effects on the developing cerebellum and is associated with a decrease in cerebellar D2 activity, which could result in local brain T3 deficiency. We have also begun to examine TM effect on gene expression. The objective of this study was to expand on our initial observation of altered cerebellar gene expression following perinatal TM exposure and to examine additional genes that include both TH-dependent as well as other genes critical for cerebellar development in male and female neonates exposed perinatally (G10-G15 and P5 to P10) to TM. We report here for the first time that expression of suppressor-of-white-apricot-1 (SWAP-1), a gene negatively regulated by T3, was increased in TM-exposed males (61.1% increase), but not in females; (p

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PMID: 

Holist Nurs Pract. 2019 Jul/Aug;33(4):197-203. PMID: 31192831

Abstract Title: 

Definition of a Yoga Breathing (Pranayama) Protocol That Improves Lung Function.

Abstract: 

This study tests the hypothesis that yoga breathing (pranayama) improves lung function in healthy volunteers during a 6-week protocol. A randomized controlled pilot study demonstrated an improvement in peak expiratory flow rate and forced expiratory volume. The easy-to-learn approach can be translated to the inpatient and outpatient settings.

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PMID: 

Int J Yoga. 2019 Jan-Apr;12(1):78-83. PMID: 30692788

Abstract Title: 

Yogic Breathing Instruction in Patients with Treatment-Resistant Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Pilot Study.

Abstract: 

Aim: This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and effects of instruction in yogic breathing techniques () in patients with treatment-resistant generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in UK secondary mental health services settings.Materials and Methods: Participants were adult primary or secondary care patients with a primary diagnosis of GAD (with or without comorbidity) and persistent anxiety symptoms of at least moderate intensity, despite prior treatment with two or more medications of proven efficacy. Patients participated in group-delivered yogic breathing training and practice for 12 weeks. Structured assessments were performed at baseline, after 1, 2, and 6 weeks of instruction, and at end-point. Participants also completed the antisaccade (emotional variant) task and startle response task at baseline and end-point.Results: At baseline, participating patients (= 9) had moderate-to-severe anxiety symptoms and mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms, they attended 84% of offered sessions and provided positive feedback on the content and delivery of treatment. Symptom severity reduced significantly from baseline to end-point. There were greater errors on negative trials compared to neutral trials in the antisaccade task at baseline, and a significant reduction in antisaccade errors for negative stimuli as compared to neutral stimuli between baseline and end-point: but there were no significant differences in either mean heart rate or startle response between baseline and end-point.Limitations: The absence of a control group and small sample size.Conclusion: Yogic breathing techniques proved simple to learn and may be beneficial in reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients with treatment-resistant GAD. Yogic breathing had no effect on autonomic arousal, but the reduction in errors to negative stimuli in the antisaccade task suggests an improvement in attention control during the intervention accompanying the reduction in symptoms.

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PMID: 

Int J Yoga. 2019 May-Aug;12(2):96-102. PMID: 31143016

Abstract Title: 

Effectiveness of Adjuvant Yoga Therapy in Diabetic Lung: A Randomized Control Trial.

Abstract: 

Context: Recent studies provide ample evidence of the benefits of yoga in various chronic disorders. Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by chronic hyperglycemia and Sandler coined the term"Diabetic Lung"for the abnormal pulmonary function detected in diabetic patients due underlying pulmonary dysfunction. Yoga therapy may help in achieving better pulmonary function along with enhanced glycaemic control and overall health benefits.Aim: To study the effect of adjuvant yoga therapy in diabetic lung through spirometry.Settings and Design: Randomized control trial was made as interdisciplinary collaborative work between departments of Yoga Therapy, Pulmonary Medicine and Endocrinology, of MGMC&RI, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth Puducherry.Materials and Methods: 72 patients of diabetic lung as confirmed by spirometry (

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PMID: 

Dent Res J (Isfahan). 2018 Sep-Oct;15(5):327-333. PMID: 30233652

Abstract Title: 

Effect of Sudarshan Kriya Pranayama on periodontal status and human salivary beta-defensin-2: An interventional study.

Abstract: 

Background: Yogic stretching (asana) has been proven to have an effect on salivary human beta-defensin-2 (HBD-2) concentration, which is an antimicrobial peptide and is an inflammatory marker in periodontal disease. Sudarshan Kriya Pranayama (SKP) is a part of yoga which involves rhythmic breathing. Hence, we aim to evaluate the periodontal parameters and to estimate the salivary HBD-2 level before and after SKP program in periodontitis individuals.Materials and Methods: An interventional study was designed and individuals were divided into three groups: Group I – healthy periodontium, Group II – chronic gingivitis, and Group III – chronic periodontitis. SKP was the interventional tool. The clinical parameters such as plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and salivary HBD-2 level were analyzed at baseline and 90 days after the SKP practice. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to evaluate salivary HBD-2. McNemar's Chi-square, Paired samples-test, and one-way ANOVA were used to analyze the results.

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PMID: 

Acta Neurobiol Exp (Wars). 2012 ;72(2):113-53. PMID: 22810216

Abstract Title: 

Evidence of parallels between mercury intoxication and the brain pathology in autism.

Abstract: 

The purpose of this review is to examine the parallels between the effects mercury intoxication on the brain and the brain pathology found in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This review finds evidence of many parallels between the two, including: (1) microtubule degeneration, specifically large, long-range axon degeneration with subsequent abortive axonal sprouting (short, thin axons); (2) dentritic overgrowth; (3) neuroinflammation; (4) microglial/astrocytic activation; (5) brain immune response activation; (6) elevated glial fibrillary acidic protein; (7) oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation; (8) decreased reduced glutathione levels and elevated oxidized glutathione; (9) mitochondrial dysfunction; (10) disruption in calcium homeostasis and signaling; (11) inhibition of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) activity; (12) disruption of GABAergic and glutamatergic homeostasis; (13) inhibition of IGF-1 and methionine synthase activity; (14) impairment in methylation; (15) vascular endothelial cell dysfunction and pathological changes of the blood vessels; (16) decreased cerebral/cerebellar blood flow; (17) increased amyloid precursor protein; (18) loss of granule and Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum; (19) increased pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in the brain (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-8); and (20) aberrant nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kappaB). This review also discusses the ability of mercury to potentiate and work synergistically with other toxins and pathogens in a way that may contribute to the brain pathology in ASD. The evidence suggests that mercury may be either causal or contributory in the brain pathology in ASD, possibly working synergistically with other toxic compounds or pathogens to produce the brain pathology observed in those diagnosed with an ASD.

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PMID: 

Biometals. 2010 Dec ;23(6):1043-51. Epub 2010 Jun 9. PMID: 20532957

Abstract Title: 

A biomarker of mercury body-burden correlated with diagnostic domain specific clinical symptoms of autism spectrum disorder.

Abstract: 

The study purpose was to compare the quantitative results from tests for urinary porphyrins, where some of these porphyrins are known biomarkers of heavy metal toxicity, to the independent assessments from a recognized quantitative measurement, the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC), of specific domains of autistic disorders symptoms (Speech/Language, Sociability, Sensory/Cognitive Awareness, and Health/Physical/Behavior) in a group of children having a clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). After a Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) evaluation to assess the development of each child in this study and aid in confirming their classification, and an ATEC was completed by a parent, a urinary porphyrin profile sample was collected and sent out for blinded analysis. Urinary porphyrins from twenty-four children, 2-13 years of age, diagnosed with autism or PDD-NOS were compared to their ATEC scores as well as their scores in the specific domains (Speech/Language, Sociability, Sensory/Cognitive Awareness, and Health/Physical/Behavior) assessed by ATEC. Their urinary porphyrin samples were evaluated at Laboratoire Philippe Auguste (which is an ISO-approved clinical laboratory). The results of the study indicated that the participants' overall ATEC scores and their scores on each of the ATEC subscales (Speech/Language, Sociability, Sensory/Cognitive Awareness, and Health/Physical/Behavior) were linearly related to urinary porphyrins associated with mercury toxicity. The results show an association between the apparent level of mercury toxicity as measured by recognized urinary porphyrin biomarkers of mercury toxicity and the magnitude of the specific hallmark features of autism as assessed by ATEC.

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PMID: 

Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2019 May – Jun;13(3):1995-1999. Epub 2019 Apr 25. PMID: 31235126

Abstract Title: 

Effect of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga on anxiety, depression, and quality of life in people with type 2 diabetes: A pilot study in Kuwait.

Abstract: 

AIM: This pilot study in Kuwait was aimed to assess the effect of Sudarshan kriya yoga (SKY) on anxiety, depression and total quality of life in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).METHODS: 26 T2DM patients aged greater than 30, male and female visiting the outpatient clinic of Dasman Diabetes Institute were enrolled for the study. Pre and post 5 day SKY intervention responses of participants on psychosocial problems were evaluated using four questionnaires (Hamilton anxiety, patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9), Hospital anxiety depression and WHO total quality of life (QOL). Biochemical parameters; such as lipid profile, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were measured at baseline and after 15 weeks of SKY practice.RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 56.7 (±11.4 SD) years, and mean duration of diabetes 15.0 (±9.3 SD) years. Comparison of responses before and after intervention indicated a significant improvement in the QOL, depression, anxiety and insomnia. But no significant improvement in glycemic control.CONCLUSION: Results indicate that SKY can be potentially beneficial for treating anxiety, insomnia, and depression associated in people with T2DM and in improving the quality of life in people with T2DM.

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PMID: 

J Neuroinflammation. 2010 Mar 11 ;7:20. Epub 2010 Mar 11. PMID: 20222982

Abstract Title: 

Mercury induces inflammatory mediator release from human mast cells.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: Mercury is known to be neurotoxic, but its effects on the immune system are less well known. Mast cells are involved in allergic reactions, but also in innate and acquired immunity, as well as in inflammation. Many patients with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have"allergic"symptoms; moreover, the prevalence of ASD in patients with mastocytosis, characterized by numerous hyperactive mast cells in most tissues, is 10-fold higher than the general population suggesting mast cell involvement. We, therefore, investigated the effect of mercuric chloride (HgCl2) on human mast cell activation.METHODS: Human leukemic cultured LAD2 mast cells and normal human umbilical cord blood-derived cultured mast cells (hCBMCs) were stimulated by HgCl2 (0.1-10 microM) for either 10 min for beta-hexosaminidase release or 24 hr for measuring vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and IL-6 release by ELISA.RESULTS: HgCl2 induced a 2-fold increase in beta-hexosaminidase release, and also significant VEGF release at 0.1 and 1 microM (311 +/- 32 pg/106 cells and 443 +/- 143 pg/106 cells, respectively) from LAD2 mast cells compared to control cells (227 +/- 17 pg/106 cells, n = 5, p

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PMID: 

FASEB J. 2009 Aug ;23(8):2374-83. Epub 2009 Mar 23. PMID: 19307255

Abstract Title: 

Cellular and mitochondrial glutathione redox imbalance in lymphoblastoid cells derived from children with autism.

Abstract: 

Research into the metabolic phenotype of autism has been relatively unexplored despite the fact that metabolic abnormalities have been implicated in the pathophysiology of several other neurobehavioral disorders. Plasma biomarkers of oxidative stress have been reported in autistic children; however, intracellular redox status has not yet been evaluated. Lymphoblastoid cells (LCLs) derived from autistic children and unaffected controls were used to assess relative concentrations of reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized disulfide glutathione (GSSG) in cell extracts and isolated mitochondria as a measure of intracellular redox capacity. The results indicated that the GSH/GSSG redox ratio was decreased and percentage oxidized glutathione increased in both cytosol and mitochondria in the autism LCLs. Exposure to oxidative stress via the sulfhydryl reagent thimerosal resulted in a greater decrease in the GSH/GSSG ratio and increase in free radical generation in autism compared to control cells. Acute exposure to physiological levels of nitric oxide decreased mitochondrial membrane potential to a greater extent in the autism LCLs, although GSH/GSSG and ATP concentrations were similarly decreased in both cell lines. These results suggest that the autism LCLs exhibit a reduced glutathione reserve capacity in both cytosol and mitochondria that may compromise antioxidant defense and detoxification capacity under prooxidant conditions.

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