To evaluate whether DNA fragmentation and/or mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) predict natural conception better than standard sperm parameters. Prospective cross-sectional study. University medical center. Eighty-five infertile and 51 fertile men. Assessment of sperm DNA fragmentation, MMP, and standard semen parameters over a 6- to 12-month observation period. Comparison between the results of DNA fragmentation, MMP, and standard sperm parameters alone or combined and achievement of natural conception. Twenty-six of the 85 (31%) men from infertile couples conceived naturally. The median values of DNA fragmentation and MMP in the men who conceived within the observation period were similar to those in the fertile controls. Optimal threshold values of DNA fragmentation and MMP were 25% as determined by receiver operating characteristic analysis (area under the curve [AUC], 0.70; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.58-0.82) and 62.5% (AUC, 0.68, 95% CI 0.56-0.80), respectively. The men in the infertile group with values of DNA fragmentation ≤25% and with MMP values ≥62.5% had significantly higher odds for conception (odds ratio [OR], 5.22; 95% CI 1.82-14.93] and OR, 4.67; 95% CI 1.74-12.5, respectively). Normal semen analysis alone had no predictive value for natural conception (OR, 1.84; 95% CI 0.67-5.07]). Both sperm function tests combined had significant odds for natural conception (OR, 8.24; 95% CI 2.91- 23.33]), with a probability of 0.607 (60.7%) for both normal values and 0.158 (15.8%) for abnormal values. Sperm DNA fragmentation and MMP combined may be superior to standard sperm parameters
COBISS.SI-ID: 2880428
In the present study we aimed to examine the vulnerability for mood disorders and aggressive behaviour in adult offspring of mothers, exposed to the ten-day Slovenian Independence War in compare to the offspring of mothers who were pregnant and gave birth before and after the war. Total sample of the present study consisted of 786 students (60,6 % male, 38,9 % female) assigned to three groups according to their prenatal period in regard to the Slovenian Independence War (“before”, “during”, and “after the war”). Self-assessment questionnaires on aggression (Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire BPAQ), temperament (Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego-autoquestionnaire version – TEMPS-A) and depression (Clinical Assessment of Depression – CAD) were administered. Significant differences on TEMPS-A dysthymic, cyclothimic and anxious subscales emerged in samples of men. Differences on CAD depressed mood, cognitive and physical fatigue and diminished interest subscales were found as well. The highest scores were present in the group “after the war”, followed by “between the war” and “before the war” sample group. Some differences between the sample groups were also found for female participants, even though not that pronounced, i.e. TEMPS-A irritable, BPAQ anger and CAD anxiety/worry subscales, where the group “after the war” scored significantly higher on these subscales than “between the war” group. Results of this study suggest differences in vulnerability for behavioural and mood disorders between offspring whose mothers were pregnant and gave birth before and after the war. Results also suggest gender has an important role in developing vulnerability, since the observed differences emerged in different patterns for males and females.
COBISS.SI-ID: 40086829
Stress is a physiological response of an organism to the immediate danger that helps to ensure the survival of the individual. However, many studies in recent years have shown that prolonged exposure to stress hormones, mainly glucocorticoids secreted from adrenal glands, could have deleterious effects on the function of different organs, in particularly brain. Prolonged exposure to stress in humans is connected with depressive and anxiety disorders, and some studies suggest that stress during vulnerable developmental periods could permanently affect brain development and consequently its function in the adult life. Brain is sensitive to stress hormones during different developmental periods both prenatally and after birth, and some recent studies, including ours, have shown that pubertal period is yet another period of brain sensitivity to stress hormones. In our studies we are exploring long lasting effects of stress during this vulnerable periods of brain development in laboratory mice, using different stress paradigms such as prenatal stress caused to pregnant mice by injections, postnatal maternal separation stress or social isolation during puberty. Our results demonstrate that brain is sensitive to different stressors at all periods studied with different effects for the behavior of adult mice. Prenatal stress in mothers causes long lasting effects on aggressive behavior in male offspring of stressed mothers, while pubertal social isolation affects social behavior in adult mice, and this behavioral effects are seen even after resocialisation, suggesting that social isolation during puberty causes long lasting effects on brain function.
COBISS.SI-ID: 441978