The study aimed to investigate the optimal treatment methods for delayed encephalopathy after acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning (DEACMP), a condition characterized by cognitive dysfunction and anxiety symptoms. To achieve this, the researchers conducted a two-phase study using a rat model of DEACMP. In the first phase, they established a DEACMP rat model and assessed the levels of inflammation in the hippocampus and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the serum. The results showed that DEACMP rats had increased levels of inflammatory factors, including IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and decreased levels of SCFAs, such as acetate and propionate, in their serum. These findings suggest that inflammation and alterations in SCFA levels may play a crucial role in developing DEACMP. In the second phase of the study, the researchers randomly assigned DEACMP rats into four groups: a placebo group, a group treated with SCFAs (acetate and propionate), a group treated with sham intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), and a group treated with actual iTBS. The interventions were administered for two weeks, and the rats' cognitive function and anxiety symptoms were assessed using a Morris water maze and open field tests, respectively. The results showed that both the SCFAs and iTBS groups had significant improvements in cognitive dysfunction and anxiety symptoms compared to the placebo and sham iTBS groups. Furthermore, both treatments reduced the increased levels of inflammatory factors in the hippocampus, and SCFAs also improved the decreased levels of GPR41, GPR43, dopamine, and norepinephrine. The study suggests that both iTBS and SCFAs consisting of acetate and propionate may be effective treatments for DEACMP

and that the acetate/propionate-GPR41/GPR43-IL-1β/IL-6/TNF-α-dopamine/norepinephrine pathway may be a potential mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of SCFAs in DEACMP. Overall, the study provides new insights into treating DEACMP and highlights the potential of iTBS and SCFAs as therapeutic options for this condition.

Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40078293/