In the daily living, we use visual non-image-forming and image-forming pathways to adjust the central clock and monitor the surrounding conditions. In the former, melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells react to light, and the signal is projected into the suprachiasmatic nucleus or the pretectal olivary nucleus, inducing the central clock adjustment or the pupillary reaction. Visual information signaled by cones and rod cells is propagated to the occipital lobe and then sent to the dorsal and ventral pathways. These are called bottom-up circuits. Visual information through the ventral pathway is modified by the top-down circuit of the upper center while being matched with visual memory to form an inner image in the brain. The inner image is then determined whether correct or not by the reality-monitoring function of the upper center. In Parkinson’s disease, both image and non-image forming pathways are impaired, and sleep disorders are caused by the modulation of the central clock, and visual hallucinations are elicited by the failure of visual information processing..

Nutritional psychiatry is a new area that approaches the prevention and treatment of mental disorder and the elucidation of the mechanism from the viewpoint of diet and nutrition. Numerous observational studies have found a link between diet and mental health, and a relatively small number of intervention studies have suggested that dietary guidance and nutritional supplementation may improve depressive symptoms, but no conclusion have been reached. The dissemination of effective interventions requires the development of evidence-based guidelines through systematic reviews. Required research in the future is the establishment and verification of effective dietary guidance based on evidence, high-quality clinical trials including biomarker measurement, and biological research that approaches the elucidation of the mechanism.

Deadlift performance may give strong affect to autonomic activity, because it lift the heaviest weight among three attempts of powerlifting game. Therefore, we studied on the change of autonomic function after deadlifting. Ten healthy male volunteers aged 30.0 ± 15.0 years were recruited in the study. The deadlifting weight was employed based at 90% of the individual’s maximum weight (90%max; 153.3 ± 31.4 kg). The electrocardiographic R-R interval variabilities (CVRRs) were analyzed using the autonomic nerve function analysis software “Kiritsu Meijin” (Crosswell Co., Yokohama, Japan). We measured the CVRRs while sitting for 2 min, at immediately standing up, and standing for 1 min immediately after deadlifting. We monitored the five autonomic parameters at three different weights of 90%max ± 5 kg. Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance, and multiple comparisons of Bonferroni correction were employed. Measure of the effect of 3 times deadlift with 90%max weight on autonomic function was performed, i.e. twice at day 1 and once at day 2 at more than one week later. The increase of heat rate by the 3 times deadlifting with 90%max weight was no significant when compared among the first and second times at day 1 and third times at day 2. The change in the increase of heart rate by deadlifting with 90%max ± 5 kg was increased by the increasing of weight, and that with 90%max + 5 kg was significantly increased (p＝0.039) than that with 90%max −5 kg. The score of Kiritsu Meijin at 90%max ± 0 kg deadlift was significantly decreased (p＝0.029) than that at 90%max −5 kg..

Autonomic dysfunctions can result from various diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases and immune-mediated neuropathies. Pure autonomic failure (PAF) is a kind of Lewy body-related alpha-synucleinopathy manifesting only peripheral autonomic dysfunctions, such as orthostatic hypotension, without motor and sensory impairments. By contrast, autonomic neuropathies can occur primarily or secondarily to various underlying diseases. Primary autonomic neuropathies are divided into autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy, acute autonomic and sensory neuropathy, and acute autonomic sensory and motor neuropathy based on the concomitance or absence of sensory or motor dysfunctions. The monophasic clinical course and frequent presence of a history of antecedent infections suggests that immune mechanisms participate in these neuropathies. The discovery of the anti-ganglionic acetylcholine receptor antibody significantly expanded the spectrum of autonomic neuropathies, especially autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy, to include cases with chronic progression mimicking PAF. Some immunological diseases, such as Sjögren’s syndrome and paraneoplastic neurological syndrome may also cause diverse autonomic neuropathies. Differentiating these diseases is important from the viewpoint of appropriate management. .

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized clinically by the combination of autonomic, cerebellar and extrapyramidal dysfunctions. The presence of autonomic dysfunctions is mandatory for the diagnosis of MSA. Some patients showed urinary dysfunctions as an initial manifestation of MSA and it is not uncommon that MSA patients with urinary dysfunction go to the urology department before the neurology department. Our previous study revealed that 18.2–24.0% of MSA patients showed urinary dysfunction as an initial manifestation of MSA. Although urinary dysfunction includes storage and voiding dysfunction, it is common that voiding symptoms such as voiding difficulty are prevalent and severe in the early stage and the disease begins in the sacral cord and then spread to other regions in a subset of MSA patients. Recent study also reported that the presence of urinary dysfunction is important for predicting the prognosis of MSA. It is important to perform detailed examinations of urinary symptoms and measuring post-void residuals for the correct diagnosis of MSA and differentiation of MSA from Parkinson’s disease (PD) in the early stage. We will discuss the clinical characteristics of urinary dysfunction in MSA, the prevalence of MSA patients who initially manifest urinary symptoms, the utility of urinary dysfunction as a prognostic predictor, and the utility of post-void residual in differentiating MSA from PD.

In this study, we evaluated the difference in emotions during the game and whether or not there is a difference in autonomic nervous activity from pulse rate variability using two types of table games. Games with throbbing emotions such as fear and excitement were strongly affected by respiratory sinus arrhythmia, and HF increased. In addition, the LF increased and the pulse rate decreased. This suggests that the baroreflex is more sensitive. On the other hand, in the game in which emotions such as troublesomeness and irritation were experienced, the pulse rate and respiratory cycle became faster, and sympathetic nerve activity was promoted..