Studies of the pathophysiology of mental disorders indicate the involvement of neurobiological processes, including the release of neurospecific proteins in biological substances.

The purpose of this study was to research the level of neuron-specific enolase in patients with alcohol use disorder and mood disorders during the therapy.

The studied groups included patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD, F10.2, ICD-10; n=41), patients with mood disorders (MD, F32, F33, ICD-10; n=39), patients with co-morbidity of AUD and MD (n=31) and 20 healthy controls. Severity of depressive symptoms was assessed with HDRS-17 and CGI-S scales. The concentration of NSE were measured in serum by enzyme immunoassay. Рarticipants of the study were examined with clinical scales and laboratory analysis at baseline and on the 28th day of treatment. For statistical analysis we used the SPSS software.

The results of the study showed that all patients are characterized by an increased level of NSE (p>0.005 compared with control). Patients with AUD characterized by changes in the concentration of NSE during therapy (p>0.005 compared with patients after therapy). In patients with MD revealed correlation between the level of NSE on the 28th day of antidepressive therapy and the HDRS-17 score before treatment (r=0,421; p=0,018). In patients with co-morbidity correlation between the level of NSE and the CGI-S score before therapy was found (r=-0,537; p=0,001).

The revealed correlations indicate the relationship between the severity of depressive symptoms and the level of NSE. Disclosure statement: This study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, grant No. 19-15-00023.

Disclosure statement: This study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, grant No. 19-15-00023.

To evaluate the effect of early postnatal air-conduction auditory deprivation on the development and function of the rat spiral ganglion.

Randomised animal study.

Sixty neonatal Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: controls (n = 30) given regular chow and water ad libitum; and study animals (n = 30) fed within a soundproof chamber. Auditory brainstem response testing was conducted in both groups on postnatal day 42.

Auditory deprivation between postnatal days 12 and 42 resulted in an increased hearing threshold and reduced auditory brainstem response amplitudes, together with degeneration of type I spiral ganglion neurons and the presence of apoptotic cells.

Non-invasive auditory deprivation during a critical developmental period resulted in numerous changes in rat cochlear function and morphology.

Accurate prediction of survival to hospital discharge in patients who achieve return of spontaneous circulation after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has significant ethical and socioeconomic implications. We investigated the prognostic performance of serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE), a biochemical marker of ischemic brain injury, after successful CPR.

In-hospital or out-of-hospital patients with nontraumatic normothermic cardiac arrest who achieved return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) following at least 5 minutes of CPR were eligible. Neuron-specific enolase levels were assessed immediately, 6 hours, 12 hours and 2 days after ROSC. Subjects were followed to death or hospital discharge.

Seventeen patients (7 men, 10 women) were enrolled during a 1-year period. Median (range) NSE levels in survivors and non-survivors respectively were as follows: immediately after ROSC: 14.0 μg/L (9.1–51.4 μg/L) versus 25.9 μg/L (10.2–57.5 μg/L); 6 hours after ROSC: 15.2 μg/L (9.7–30.8 μg/L) versus 25.6 μg/L (12.7–38.2 μg/L); 12 hours after ROSC: 14.0 μg/L (8.6–32.4 μg/L) versus 28.5 μg/L (11.0–50.7 μg/L); and 48 hours after ROSC: 13.1 μg/L (7.8–29.5 μg/L) versus 52.0 μg/L (29.1–254.0 μg/L). Non-survivors had significantly higher NSE levels 48 hours after ROSC than surivors (p = 0.04) and showed a trend toward higher values during the entire time course following ROSC. An NSE concentration of >30 μg/L 48 hours after ROSC predicted death with a high specificity (100%: 95% confidence interval [CI] 85%–100%), and a level of 29 μg/L or less at 48 hours predicted survival with a high specificity (100%: 95% CI 83%–100%).

Serum NSE levels may have clinical utility for the prediction of survival to hospital discharge in patients after ROSC following CPR over 5 minutes in duration. This study is small, and our results are limited by wide confidence intervals. Further research on ability of NSE to facilitate prediction and clinical decision-making after cardiac arrest is warranted.