METHODS: Females (n = 55) with T2DM were randomly allocated into intervention group (n = 30) and control group (n = 25), in which they received 10 g/d of Nutriose®06 (a resistant dextrin) or maltodextrin for 8 weeks, respectively. Fasting blood samples were taken to measure immune system related parameters like white blood cell count, CD4, CD8, interferon-γ (IFNγ), interleukins (IL12, IL4, IL10), cortisol, tryptophan (TRP), ACTH (Adrenocorticotropic hormone), Kynurenine (KYN) and plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at the beginning and end of trial. Mental health was assessed using general health questionnaire (GHQ) and depression, anxiety and stress scale (DASS).
RESULTS: Resistant dextrin caused a significant decrease in levels of cortisol, KYN, KYN/TRP ratio, IFNγ, IL12, IFNγ/IL10 ratio, LPS, and a significant increase in the monocyte, GHQ, DASS, CD8, IL10, IL4 in the intervention group as compared with baseline. A significant decrease in the level of LPS (-6.20 EU/mL, -17.8%), IFNγ (-0.6 pg/ml, -26.8%), cortisol (-2.6 μg/dl, -20.9%), IFNγ/IL10 ratio (0.01, 10%), GHQ (-5.1, -12.5%), DASS (-10.4, -38.4%), KYN/TRP ratio (6.8, 29.1%), and a significant increase in levels of CD8 (6.4%, 6.1%) and IL10 (2.6 pg/ml, 21.6%) in the intervention group as compared with the control group (P 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Supplementation of Nutriose®06 may have beneficial effects on mental health and the immune system response in women with T2DM.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we recruited all 122 preclinical medical students. The validated depression anxiety stress scales-21 (DASS-21) questionnaire was distributed and blood samples were collected from each subject for DNA extraction. Genotyping analysis of the BDNF gene (Val66Met) polymorphism was performed via an optimised polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method.
Results: A total of 105 subjects agreed to participate in this study. Indian students were found to more likely have the Val/Val genotype, whereas Malay students were more likely to have the Met/Met genotype (p = 0.027). Individuals carrying any one of the three BDNF genotypes (Val/Val, Val/Met and Met/Met) differed significantly from each other in terms of their perception of stress (p = 0.010); students carrying the Val/Val genotype (M = 10.6) perceived significantly lower stress than students carrying the Val/Met (M = 14) and Met/Met (M = 15.1) genotypes.
Conclusion: In our study, the Met-allele was associated with higher stress levels. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study investigating this stress-related gene in medical students. The findings from this study should trigger more investigators to focus on the impact of stress on genetically predisposed medical students.