A common underlying genetic contribution to the co-occurrence of depressive symptoms and lower blood pressure in adolescents

Research Article

A common underlying genetic contribution to the co-occurrence of depressive symptoms and lower blood pressure in adolescents

  • Yuan Ko Wang 1*
  • Jun- Ming Xu 1

*Corresponding Author: Yuan Ko Wang, Department of Liver Cirrhosis, , Shanghai, China ; E-mail: wangyko@126.com

Citation: Husniyah Kiam, GWAS studies in AD concerning the X chromosome and the Gene PCDHX11, J Biomarkers and Drug Discovery. Doi: 10.31579/2642-9799/009

Copyright: © Chen. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of The Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Received: 10 October 2018 | Accepted: 25 October 2018 | Published: 05 November 2018

Keywords: MAOA; blood pressure; depression; gene

Abstract

Background: Depression and cardiovascular disease risk factors develop in childhood. The objective of this study was to investigate cross sectional and longitudinal associations between blood pressure, mood scores and tagged SNPs within the Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene in the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study.

Methods: Data from the five (n=1097), eight (n=1046), ten (n=1026) and fourteen (n=1124) year surveys were used. Blood pressure was measured at all surveys, anxious-depressed scores obtained from the Childhood Behavior Checklist at all surveys and depressive symptom scores from the Beck Depression Inventory for Youth at 14 years. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) tagging the MAOA gene were identified from HapMap Phase II (CEU) data and genotyped. Cross sectional and longitudinal analyses were used to examine the association between blood pressure (outcome) and tagged SNPs within the MAOA gene and anxious/depressed scores (outcome) and tagged SNPs within the MAOA gene.

Results: At 14 years, boys with the risk allele of SNP rs5905859 and rs3027396 had higher systolic blood pressure (βrs5905859=2.5; 95% CI: 0.743, 4.337 and βrs3027396=2.5; 95% CI: 0.681, 4.383 respectively) and lower mood scores (βrs5905859=-0.1; 95% CI: -0.100, -0.022 and βrs3027396=-0.2; 95% CI: -0.313,-0.045 respectively). Longitudinally, boys with the risk allele of SNPs rs5905859 (β=0.3; 95% CI: 0.026, 0.540) or rs6609257 (β= 0.3; 95% CI: 0.022, 0.521) had a higher mean systolic blood pressure trajectory compared to boys without.

Conclusions: Variation within or close to the MAOA gene may explain in part the association between lower depressive symptom scores and higher systolic blood pressure in Caucasian boys within the Raine cohort.

Background

Negative mood [1] and elevated blood pressure [2] emerge in adolescent and track throughout life. In childhood, higher negative affect scores, including depressive symptoms and anxiety, have been associated with lower systolic blood pressure [3,4]. This association persisted after adjusting for lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise. Examining this relationship in childhood prior to the use of anti depressants and the development of common behaviourial traits, such as smoking and alcohol use, may shed some light on mechanisms underlying this association.

Numerous complex interactions between genotype, phenotype and the environment are likely to be at play [5]. This study focused on one facet, namely the hypothesis that a gene is associated with both blood pressure and anxious-depressed mood. The plausibility of this hypothesis is strengthened by heritability estimates of both blood pressure, depression and anxiety related disorders which range from 32%-60% [6,7], 25%-65% [8-11] and ~48% [12,13] respectively and a study [14] that estimated blood pressure and depression share 20% of their genetic variation.

Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene is a potential genetic candidate that may underlie the association between negative affect and blood pressure in children. This gene was identified from a literature review using the search term "depression cardiovascular" and limited to genes implicated with both phenotypes. Each gene was individually entered into PubMed to verify that both phenotypes were in fact associated with the gene and further limited to studies published in English with 50 or more participants. Only 6 genes were identified from the initial search that were associated with depression and Cardiovascular disease risk factors, of which 1 gene MAOA, was associated separately with systolic blood pressure [15,16] and depression related phenotype [17].

The MAOA gene is located on the X chromosome. Functionally, MAOA gene codes for an enzyme expressed in the outer mitochondrial membrane that metabolises neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine, both of which are known to be involved in mood and in blood pressure regulation [18].

Although a search of published genome wide association studies did not yield any results for blood pressure or depression or anxiety in childhood or adulthood (http://www.genome.gov/), one study suggests the MAOA gene or nearby genes may play a role in the development of blood pressure [15] and a functional variant in the promoter region of the MAOA gene has consistently been associated with mood disorders [17,19].

Previously, we found an association between low scores for depression and higher blood pressure in the ‘Raine Study’ West Australian children’s cohort [4], the aim of the present study was therefore to see whether SNPs within MAOA were associated with both blood pressure and mood scores in this population.

Methods and Materials

Sample and study design
This study used data from the Raine Study, a prospective birth cohort of children whose mothers attended antenatal clinic at King Edward Memorial Hospital or nearby private practices in Western Australia.

Between 1989 and 1991, 2900 pregnant women were recruited at approximately 18 weeks of gestation and have previously been shown to be representative of the population presenting at King Edward Memorial Hospital [22]. Specific details of recruitment have been published elsewhere [20,21].

In this study, children were selected for analysis based on the following criteria: Singleton birth and no siblings in study, Caucasian ethnicity (both parents self-reported (82%)), DNA sample and no congenital abnormalities.

Mood scores and certain CVD risk factors were assessed at 5, 8, 10 and 14 years. The characteristics of these children have been reported elsewhere [4]. The parents of participants, as well as the participants gave informed written consent at age 14. The study was approved by Human Ethics Committees at King Edward Memorial Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital in Perth.

DNA extraction and genotyping
A total of 10 tagged single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for MAOA gene were identified from HapMap Phase II (CEU) data using a pairwise approach in Haploview (minor allele frequency (MAF)>5% and r2 >0.8) [
23].  Regions analysed include the entire gene, plus additional sequences 10 kb upstream and downstream of the gene.

Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from peripheral blood and purified according to standard protocols. MAOA SNPs were genotyped using the GoldenGate® Genotyping Assay (Illumina Inc. San Diego, California, USA) as per the manufactures protocol (Fan et al., PMID: 16847463) at the Centre for Applied Genomics (Toronto, Ontario, Canada). Briefly, SNPs were uploaded to Illumina’s Assay Design Tool (ADT) (http://www.illumina.com/) for probe design as part of a custom panel (GS0010538-OPA) of 1536 SNPs. A total of 5 μl of 50 ng/μl in 10 mM Tris-HCL pH 8.0, 1 mM EDTA of genomic DNA underwent an allele specific oligonucleotide hybridization followed by extension and ligation. A universal PCR step for all 1536 loci followed with primers labelled with either Cy3 (primer 1) or Cy2 (primer 2). The amplified products were then hybridized to a sentrix array matrix (SAM) and scanned using the Illumina BeadArray Reader (BAR) (Illumina, San Diego, CA). Data were analysed with Beadstudio v.3.0 using the default parameters. Only SNPs with GenCall scores >0.25 were called and samples were discarded if call rates were below 85%. Of the 10 tagged SNPs, all were of good quality for further analysis.

Outcome measures
Anxious-Depressed scores were available from the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/4-18) at all surveys [
24]. The CBCL/4-18 was completed by the child’s parent (usually their mother (85%)). The anxious-depressed subscale consisted of 13 items relating to anxious and/or depressive mood including whether the child cries a lot, is nervous, too fearful or anxious. Scores could range from zero to 26.

Depressive symptoms were measured using the Beck Depression Inventory for Youth (BDI-Y) in the 14 year survey [25]. The BDI-Y contains 20 items relating solely to depressed symptoms that an adolescent may have felt in the last 2 weeks. Scores could range from zero to 60. The BDI-Y was completed by the child.

Both the BDI-Y and CBCL/4-18 have excellent test–retest reliability (BDI-Y: girls: r=0.87; boys: r=0.89) [25] and high sensitivity (CBCL/4-18: 66% anxious-depressed) and specificity (CBCL/4- 18: 80% anxious-depressed) [26].

Consistent with previous studies [27,28], at each survey less than 5% of the cohort was anxious-depressed as defined by Achenbach [24]. Therefore our focus was on how MAOA genotypes affected the rate of change (longitudinal) or mean measures (cross sectional) of anxious-depressed scores within the cohort [29]. For consistency we analysed the BDI-Y similarly (8.4% were mildly, moderately or severely depressed according to the clinical thresholds defined by Beck et al., [25]).

As reported elsewhere blood pressure was measured by trained assessors [30]. Briefly, seated blood pressure was measured using a Dinamap electronic blood pressure recorder (Dinamap XL or Dinamap ProCare 100), at 2 minute intervals with the appropriate sized cuff placed on the right arm. With the exception of blood pressure measured at year 8 when only two readings were obtained, the second and third readings recorded at 2 minute intervals were averaged for each child [31].

Statistical analysis
To identify whether MAOA  SNPs were associated with mood scores and blood pressure throughout childhood two set of analysis were conducted to determine if:

  1. Tagged SNPs within the MAOA gene were associated with blood pressure (outcome)

  2. Tagged SNPs within the MAOA gene were associated with mood scores (outcome)

If a SNP was associated with both outcomes, blood pressure and mood measurements were included in the models above to determine that SNP was independently associated with anxious-depressed scores and systolic blood pressure respectively.

Cross sectional analyses
Cross sectional analyses were conducted using data from the 14 year survey. A multivariate linear regression model previously described [
4] was used to test for associations between genotype and blood pressure in adolescents. A loge transformation was used as the continuous measure of systolic blood pressure that was not normally distributed in boys.

A mixture of generalized linear models (GLMs) (personal SAS code calling the function PROC NLMIXED) was used to account for the extra zero counts and exponential shaped distribution of BDI-Y scores and CBCL anxious-depressed scores [32]. Briefly, the model consisted of a mixture of two components, a logistic model and a negative binomial model, each of them belonging to the GLM family. The logistic model was used to estimate the probability of not reporting any mood symptoms (i.e., BDI-Y or CBCL score of zero) versus reporting at least one mood symptom (i.e., CBCL or BDI-Y scores of 1 or greater). The second part of the model assumes that the BDI-Y or CBCL scores greater than 1 followed a negative binomial distribution.

Longitudinal analyses
Longitudinal analyses were used to examine associations between MAOA genotype and anxious-depressive scores (derived from the CBCL/4-18), systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Diastolic and systolic blood pressure trajectories were constructed using linear mixed effect (LME) models [
33] from 5 to 14 years. Anxious-depressed mood trajectories were constructed using a generalised linear mixed effect (GLME) model with a Poisson distribution.

All trajectories included random effects for intercept (average systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure or mood score) and slope (change in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure or mood score over time). Adjustments were made for potential confounders (low income and BMI).

Analyses were carried out separately in boys and girls due to sex specific associations between depressive symptom scores and blood pressure in this cohort [4]. Adjustments were made for the following potential confounders: age, age of first menstruation as an indicator of puberty (available for females only at 14 years), gross family income as an indicator of socio economic status, BMI and whether the adolescent smoked in the last 12 months (at 14 years only). All continuous confounders were mean centered (to the nearest whole number) to remove potential colinearity between the beta coefficients.

Significance was initially defined at the conventional 5% level and statistical analyses were performed in the statistical package R version 2.6.1 [34] and SAS version 9.1 [35].

The False Discovery Rate (FDR) approach [36] using the R package "qvalue" was performed to correct for multiple testing The q value in this study corresponded to a p value of ≤0.030. An additive model was used unless otherwise specified. As males only have one allele (the MAOA gene is located on the X chromosome) Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium was calculated for girls only.

Post-hoc power calculations were performed using Quanto [37]. This study had >80% power to detect genotype associations with systolic blood pressure or mood score when a SNP contributed at least 1.8% of the variation and had an allele frequency greater than 3% in girls and boys.

Results

Participant characteristics and allele frequencies
At the 5,8,10 to 14 year surveys 1097, 1046, 1026 and 1124 children, respectively, met this studies inclusion criteria. Participants that were genotyped differed only in respect to BMI when compared to those of who were not genotyped. Minor allele frequencies were greater than 3% for the study population and most were consistent with HapMap CEU frequencies.  All SNPs were in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium.

Cross sectional analysis
Genotype common to both blood pressure and mood scores
After correcting for multiple testing, SNP rs5905859 within the MAOA gene was associated with systolic blood pressure and depressive symptom score in boys but not girls. Boys with the C genotype had higher systolic blood pressure and lower depressive symptom scores than boys without the C genotype. These associations were independent of depressive symptom score (β=2.5; 95% CI: 0.743, 4.337; p=0.004) and systolic blood pressure (β=-0.1; 95% CI: -0.100,-0.022; p=0.002) respectively. SNP rs5905859 explained 1.6% and 0.7% of the variance of systolic blood pressure and depressive symptom score (respectively). The characteristics of the study participants did not differ by rs5905859 genotype.

            SNP rs3027396 was also associated with systolic blood pressure and anxious-depressed scores in boys but not girls. Boys with the A genotype had higher systolic blood pressure measurements and lower anxious-depressed scores when compared to boys without the A genotype. These associations were independent of anxious-depressed score (β=2.5; 95% CI: 0.681, 4.383; p=0.006) and systolic blood pressure (β=-0.2; 95% CI: -0.313,-0.045; p=0.010) respectively. SNP rs3027396 explained 1.2% and 0.7% of the variance of systolic blood pressure and anxious-depressed score (respectively). The characteristics of the study participants did not differ by rs3027396 genotype.

Blood pressure and genotype
The risk alleles of the following SNPs rs6609257 or rs7052785 were associated with higher systolic blood pressure in boys. Boys with the risk alleles had 3.0mmHg and 6.4mmHg respectively higher mean systolic blood pressure compared to boys without the risk alleles.

No associations were found in girls or with diastolic blood pressure in boys.

Mood scores and genotype
Boys with the A genotype of rs12843533 had a BDI-Y score 0.1 lower than boys without the A genotype. Girls in contrast had a BDI-Y score 0.4 higher than girls without the AA genotype.

Girls with the GG genotype of rs3027399 or GG genotype rs3027415 had a BDI-Y score 0.2 higher and 0.2 lower than girls who did not have GG genotype respectively. Boys with the A genotype of rs1181275 scored 0.2 lower on the BDI-Y than boys who did not have the A genotype.

Boys and girls with the risk allele of SNP rs3027396 and rs5906883 had anxious-depressed scores 0.1 lower than boys and girls without the risk allele.

Girls with the CC genotype of rs5905859 or GG genotype rs6609257 or rs7052785 had an anxious-depressed score 0.2, 0.1 and 0.4 lower than girls who did not have the CC, GG or GG genotype respectively. Boys with the G genotype of rs3027415 scored 0.1 higher on the CBCL anxious-depressed subscale than boys who did not have the A genotype.

Longitudinal analysis

Boys with the risk allele of rs5905859, had a greater rate of change for systolic blood pressure between 5 to 14 years (Figure 1). This persisted after adjusting for anxious-depressed score (β=0.3; 95% CI: 0.026, 0.540; p=0.031).

Boys with the risk allele of rs6609257 had higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure trajectories between 5-14 years (Figure 2). Both associations persisted after adjusting for anxious-depressed score (β=0.3; 95% CI: 0.022, 0.521; p=0.033; β=0.3; 95% CI: 0.053, 0.449; p=0.013 (respectively)).No other longitudinal associations were detected.

Discussion

In a sample of Caucasian adolescents, the C genotype of SNP rs5905859 and the A genotype of SNP rs3027396 was independently associated with higher systolic blood pressure and lower mood scores in adolescent boys but not girls. Throughout childhood the risk alleles of SNPs rs6609257 and rs5905859 were associated with higher blood pressure trajectories in boys but not girls. This suggests that the MAOA gene or closely linked genes may be mutually exclusively associated with blood pressure and depression related phenotypes in Caucasian children and thus may have pleiotropic effects.

To our knowledge this is the first study to examine the pleiotro`pic effects of SNPs within the MAOA gene as an explanation for the co-occurrence of depressive symptoms and blood pressure in either adults or children. The tagged SNPs we have identified within the MAOA gene, including rs5905859 and rs3027396, are located within the intronic region of the gene, do not tag the functional variant in the promoter region of the MAOA gene and to date their functional significance remains undefined (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/projects/SNP/). The biological mechanism by which rs5905859 and rs3027396 may operate to independently affect both systolic blood pressure and mood is unknown. However these SNPs may be acting as marker for other SNPs in nearby genes that they may be in linkage disequilibrium with [38]. MAOA is part of the monoamine neurotransmitter pathway [18]. This pathway has been implicated in the degradation of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and norepinephrine, that have been hypothesised to control mood [39,40] and are known to modulate the central and peripheral autonomic nervous system that control blood pressure [41]. It is therefore plausible that the MAOA gene or nearby genes may link mood and blood pressure via the monoamine neurotransmitter pathway.

The relative small magnitude of effect and variance of SNPs rs5905859 and rs3027396 on mood scores in this study may be attributed the multifactorial nature of depression or alternatively to the low rate of "depression" within this cohort (8.4% children could be classified as mildly, moderately or severely depressed; >75% had a BDI-Y score less than 9 out of a possible score of 60).

The blood pressure effects are relatively large, for a population of this age and blood pressure, ranging from 2.3mmHg to 6.4mmHg for SNPs rs3027396, rs6609257 and rs7052785. The effect of these SNPs on systolic blood pressure is of potential clinical importance as relatively small changes in systolic blood pressure in adults have been shown to have significant effects on population CVD mortality rates [42]. For example a 2mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure in adults has been estimated to lead to a 4% increase in coronary heart disease and 6% increase in stroke [43].

There may be several explanations for the specific gender effects found. Firstly it has been suggested that sex specific associations of the MAOA gene may be due to differing patterns of monoamine metabolism and signal transduction [44]. Thus SNPs within the MAOA gene in our study may be associated with systolic blood pressure in boys but not girls because of differing hormonal environments in boys and girls, particularly during adolescence. Secondly blood pressure was substantially lower in girls than in boys with a narrower range of values so there may have been less power to show associations. Hypertension is more prevalent in men than premenopausal women [45] so it is possible that gender related hormonal differences may influence genetic susceptibility to systolic blood pressure. This hypothesis has been supported by a study that found systolic blood pressure to be a sexually dimorphic trait, however that study only examined genes on autosomal chromosomes [46].

Limitations of our study include lack of replication and modest statistical power. Although we have corrected for multiple testing we cannot exclude the possibility that the associations may be specific to our study population and as such replication of our findings in an independent sample is necessary to determine the external validity of our findings. The statistical power of this study was adequate to show single SNP effects but we were inadequately powered to examine gene-environment and gene-gene interactions. Given the multifactorial nature of both depression and cardiovascular disease, the hypothesis of a pleiotropic gene is only one of many possible genetic mechanisms that may contribute to both diseases.

Conclusion

Our results suggest a common underlying genetic contribution to the co-occurrence of depressive symptoms and lower blood pressure in adolescents. We have shown for the first time that lower mood scores and higher systolic blood pressure were both independently associated with SNP rs5905859 and rs3027396 in boys but not girls. In addition we have shown relatively large effects of MAOA SNPs on systolic blood pressure in boys and that MAOASNPs were associated with higher systolic blood pressure trajectories. Further studies are required to confirm our findings and examine the underlying biological mechanism as to how the MAOA gene or genes close to the MAOAgene may be contributing the co-occurrence of lower blood pressure and higher mood scores.

References

Clearly Auctoresonline and particularly Psychology and Mental Health Care Journal is dedicated to improving health care services for individuals and populations. The editorial boards' ability to efficiently recognize and share the global importance of health literacy with a variety of stakeholders. Auctoresonline publishing platform can be used to facilitate of optimal client-based services and should be added to health care professionals' repertoire of evidence-based health care resources.

img

Virginia E. Koenig

Journal of Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Intervention The submission and review process was adequate. However I think that the publication total value should have been enlightened in early fases. Thank you for all.

img

Delcio G Silva Junior

Journal of Women Health Care and Issues By the present mail, I want to say thank to you and tour colleagues for facilitating my published article. Specially thank you for the peer review process, support from the editorial office. I appreciate positively the quality of your journal.

img

Ziemlé Clément Méda

Journal of Clinical Research and Reports I would be very delighted to submit my testimonial regarding the reviewer board and the editorial office. The reviewer board were accurate and helpful regarding any modifications for my manuscript. And the editorial office were very helpful and supportive in contacting and monitoring with any update and offering help. It was my pleasure to contribute with your promising Journal and I am looking forward for more collaboration.

img

Mina Sherif Soliman Georgy

We would like to thank the Journal of Thoracic Disease and Cardiothoracic Surgery because of the services they provided us for our articles. The peer-review process was done in a very excellent time manner, and the opinions of the reviewers helped us to improve our manuscript further. The editorial office had an outstanding correspondence with us and guided us in many ways. During a hard time of the pandemic that is affecting every one of us tremendously, the editorial office helped us make everything easier for publishing scientific work. Hope for a more scientific relationship with your Journal.

img

Layla Shojaie

The peer-review process which consisted high quality queries on the paper. I did answer six reviewers’ questions and comments before the paper was accepted. The support from the editorial office is excellent.

img

Sing-yung Wu

Journal of Neuroscience and Neurological Surgery. I had the experience of publishing a research article recently. The whole process was simple from submission to publication. The reviewers made specific and valuable recommendations and corrections that improved the quality of my publication. I strongly recommend this Journal.

img

Orlando Villarreal

Dr. Katarzyna Byczkowska My testimonial covering: "The peer review process is quick and effective. The support from the editorial office is very professional and friendly. Quality of the Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions is scientific and publishes ground-breaking research on cardiology that is useful for other professionals in the field.

img

Katarzyna Byczkowska

Thank you most sincerely, with regard to the support you have given in relation to the reviewing process and the processing of my article entitled "Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of The Prostate Gland: A Review and Update" for publication in your esteemed Journal, Journal of Cancer Research and Cellular Therapeutics". The editorial team has been very supportive.

img

Anthony Kodzo-Grey Venyo

Testimony of Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology: work with your Reviews has been a educational and constructive experience. The editorial office were very helpful and supportive. It was a pleasure to contribute to your Journal.

img

Pedro Marques Gomes

Dr. Bernard Terkimbi Utoo, I am happy to publish my scientific work in Journal of Women Health Care and Issues (JWHCI). The manuscript submission was seamless and peer review process was top notch. I was amazed that 4 reviewers worked on the manuscript which made it a highly technical, standard and excellent quality paper. I appreciate the format and consideration for the APC as well as the speed of publication. It is my pleasure to continue with this scientific relationship with the esteem JWHCI.

img

Bernard Terkimbi Utoo

This is an acknowledgment for peer reviewers, editorial board of Journal of Clinical Research and Reports. They show a lot of consideration for us as publishers for our research article “Evaluation of the different factors associated with side effects of COVID-19 vaccination on medical students, Mutah university, Al-Karak, Jordan”, in a very professional and easy way. This journal is one of outstanding medical journal.

img

Prof Sherif W Mansour

Dear Hao Jiang, to Journal of Nutrition and Food Processing We greatly appreciate the efficient, professional and rapid processing of our paper by your team. If there is anything else we should do, please do not hesitate to let us know. On behalf of my co-authors, we would like to express our great appreciation to editor and reviewers.

img

Hao Jiang

As an author who has recently published in the journal "Brain and Neurological Disorders". I am delighted to provide a testimonial on the peer review process, editorial office support, and the overall quality of the journal. The peer review process at Brain and Neurological Disorders is rigorous and meticulous, ensuring that only high-quality, evidence-based research is published. The reviewers are experts in their fields, and their comments and suggestions were constructive and helped improve the quality of my manuscript. The review process was timely and efficient, with clear communication from the editorial office at each stage. The support from the editorial office was exceptional throughout the entire process. The editorial staff was responsive, professional, and always willing to help. They provided valuable guidance on formatting, structure, and ethical considerations, making the submission process seamless. Moreover, they kept me informed about the status of my manuscript and provided timely updates, which made the process less stressful. The journal Brain and Neurological Disorders is of the highest quality, with a strong focus on publishing cutting-edge research in the field of neurology. The articles published in this journal are well-researched, rigorously peer-reviewed, and written by experts in the field. The journal maintains high standards, ensuring that readers are provided with the most up-to-date and reliable information on brain and neurological disorders. In conclusion, I had a wonderful experience publishing in Brain and Neurological Disorders. The peer review process was thorough, the editorial office provided exceptional support, and the journal's quality is second to none. I would highly recommend this journal to any researcher working in the field of neurology and brain disorders.

img

Dr Shiming Tang

Dear Agrippa Hilda, Journal of Neuroscience and Neurological Surgery, Editorial Coordinator, I trust this message finds you well. I want to extend my appreciation for considering my article for publication in your esteemed journal. I am pleased to provide a testimonial regarding the peer review process and the support received from your editorial office. The peer review process for my paper was carried out in a highly professional and thorough manner. The feedback and comments provided by the authors were constructive and very useful in improving the quality of the manuscript. This rigorous assessment process undoubtedly contributes to the high standards maintained by your journal.

img

Raed Mualem

International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews. I strongly recommend to consider submitting your work to this high-quality journal. The support and availability of the Editorial staff is outstanding and the review process was both efficient and rigorous.

img

Andreas Filippaios

Thank you very much for publishing my Research Article titled “Comparing Treatment Outcome Of Allergic Rhinitis Patients After Using Fluticasone Nasal Spray And Nasal Douching" in the Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology. As Medical Professionals we are immensely benefited from study of various informative Articles and Papers published in this high quality Journal. I look forward to enriching my knowledge by regular study of the Journal and contribute my future work in the field of ENT through the Journal for use by the medical fraternity. The support from the Editorial office was excellent and very prompt. I also welcome the comments received from the readers of my Research Article.

img

Dr Suramya Dhamija

Dear Erica Kelsey, Editorial Coordinator of Cancer Research and Cellular Therapeutics Our team is very satisfied with the processing of our paper by your journal. That was fast, efficient, rigorous, but without unnecessary complications. We appreciated the very short time between the submission of the paper and its publication on line on your site.

img

Bruno Chauffert

I am very glad to say that the peer review process is very successful and fast and support from the Editorial Office. Therefore, I would like to continue our scientific relationship for a long time. And I especially thank you for your kindly attention towards my article. Have a good day!

img

Baheci Selen

"We recently published an article entitled “Influence of beta-Cyclodextrins upon the Degradation of Carbofuran Derivatives under Alkaline Conditions" in the Journal of “Pesticides and Biofertilizers” to show that the cyclodextrins protect the carbamates increasing their half-life time in the presence of basic conditions This will be very helpful to understand carbofuran behaviour in the analytical, agro-environmental and food areas. We greatly appreciated the interaction with the editor and the editorial team; we were particularly well accompanied during the course of the revision process, since all various steps towards publication were short and without delay".

img

Jesus Simal-Gandara

I would like to express my gratitude towards you process of article review and submission. I found this to be very fair and expedient. Your follow up has been excellent. I have many publications in national and international journal and your process has been one of the best so far. Keep up the great work.

img

Douglas Miyazaki

We are grateful for this opportunity to provide a glowing recommendation to the Journal of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy. We found that the editorial team were very supportive, helpful, kept us abreast of timelines and over all very professional in nature. The peer review process was rigorous, efficient and constructive that really enhanced our article submission. The experience with this journal remains one of our best ever and we look forward to providing future submissions in the near future.

img

Dr Griffith

I am very pleased to serve as EBM of the journal, I hope many years of my experience in stem cells can help the journal from one way or another. As we know, stem cells hold great potential for regenerative medicine, which are mostly used to promote the repair response of diseased, dysfunctional or injured tissue using stem cells or their derivatives. I think Stem Cell Research and Therapeutics International is a great platform to publish and share the understanding towards the biology and translational or clinical application of stem cells.

img

Dr Tong Ming Liu

I would like to give my testimony in the support I have got by the peer review process and to support the editorial office where they were of asset to support young author like me to be encouraged to publish their work in your respected journal and globalize and share knowledge across the globe. I really give my great gratitude to your journal and the peer review including the editorial office.

img

Husain Taha Radhi

I am delighted to publish our manuscript entitled "A Perspective on Cocaine Induced Stroke - Its Mechanisms and Management" in the Journal of Neuroscience and Neurological Surgery. The peer review process, support from the editorial office, and quality of the journal are excellent. The manuscripts published are of high quality and of excellent scientific value. I recommend this journal very much to colleagues.

img

S Munshi

Dr.Tania Muñoz, My experience as researcher and author of a review article in The Journal Clinical Cardiology and Interventions has been very enriching and stimulating. The editorial team is excellent, performs its work with absolute responsibility and delivery. They are proactive, dynamic and receptive to all proposals. Supporting at all times the vast universe of authors who choose them as an option for publication. The team of review specialists, members of the editorial board, are brilliant professionals, with remarkable performance in medical research and scientific methodology. Together they form a frontline team that consolidates the JCCI as a magnificent option for the publication and review of high-level medical articles and broad collective interest. I am honored to be able to share my review article and open to receive all your comments.

img

Tania Munoz

“The peer review process of JPMHC is quick and effective. Authors are benefited by good and professional reviewers with huge experience in the field of psychology and mental health. The support from the editorial office is very professional. People to contact to are friendly and happy to help and assist any query authors might have. Quality of the Journal is scientific and publishes ground-breaking research on mental health that is useful for other professionals in the field”.

img

George Varvatsoulias

Dear editorial department: On behalf of our team, I hereby certify the reliability and superiority of the International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews in the peer review process, editorial support, and journal quality. Firstly, the peer review process of the International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews is rigorous, fair, transparent, fast, and of high quality. The editorial department invites experts from relevant fields as anonymous reviewers to review all submitted manuscripts. These experts have rich academic backgrounds and experience, and can accurately evaluate the academic quality, originality, and suitability of manuscripts. The editorial department is committed to ensuring the rigor of the peer review process, while also making every effort to ensure a fast review cycle to meet the needs of authors and the academic community. Secondly, the editorial team of the International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews is composed of a group of senior scholars and professionals with rich experience and professional knowledge in related fields. The editorial department is committed to assisting authors in improving their manuscripts, ensuring their academic accuracy, clarity, and completeness. Editors actively collaborate with authors, providing useful suggestions and feedback to promote the improvement and development of the manuscript. We believe that the support of the editorial department is one of the key factors in ensuring the quality of the journal. Finally, the International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews is renowned for its high- quality articles and strict academic standards. The editorial department is committed to publishing innovative and academically valuable research results to promote the development and progress of related fields. The International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews is reasonably priced and ensures excellent service and quality ratio, allowing authors to obtain high-level academic publishing opportunities in an affordable manner. I hereby solemnly declare that the International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews has a high level of credibility and superiority in terms of peer review process, editorial support, reasonable fees, and journal quality. Sincerely, Rui Tao.

img

Rui Tao

Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions I testity the covering of the peer review process, support from the editorial office, and quality of the journal.

img

Khurram Arshad

Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions, we deeply appreciate the interest shown in our work and its publication. It has been a true pleasure to collaborate with you. The peer review process, as well as the support provided by the editorial office, have been exceptional, and the quality of the journal is very high, which was a determining factor in our decision to publish with you.

img

Gomez Barriga Maria Dolores

The peer reviewers process is quick and effective, the supports from editorial office is excellent, the quality of journal is high. I would like to collabroate with Internatioanl journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews journal clinically in the future time.

img

Lin Shaw Chin

Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude for the trust placed in our team for the publication in your journal. It has been a true pleasure to collaborate with you on this project. I am pleased to inform you that both the peer review process and the attention from the editorial coordination have been excellent. Your team has worked with dedication and professionalism to ensure that your publication meets the highest standards of quality. We are confident that this collaboration will result in mutual success, and we are eager to see the fruits of this shared effort.

img

Maria Dolores Gomez Barriga

Dear Dr. Jessica Magne, Editorial Coordinator 0f Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions, I hope this message finds you well. I want to express my utmost gratitude for your excellent work and for the dedication and speed in the publication process of my article titled "Navigating Innovation: Qualitative Insights on Using Technology for Health Education in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients." I am very satisfied with the peer review process, the support from the editorial office, and the quality of the journal. I hope we can maintain our scientific relationship in the long term.

img

Dr Maria Dolores Gomez Barriga

Dear Monica Gissare, - Editorial Coordinator of Nutrition and Food Processing. ¨My testimony with you is truly professional, with a positive response regarding the follow-up of the article and its review, you took into account my qualities and the importance of the topic¨.

img

Dr Maria Regina Penchyna Nieto

Dear Dr. Jessica Magne, Editorial Coordinator 0f Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions, The review process for the article “The Handling of Anti-aggregants and Anticoagulants in the Oncologic Heart Patient Submitted to Surgery” was extremely rigorous and detailed. From the initial submission to the final acceptance, the editorial team at the “Journal of Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions” demonstrated a high level of professionalism and dedication. The reviewers provided constructive and detailed feedback, which was essential for improving the quality of our work. Communication was always clear and efficient, ensuring that all our questions were promptly addressed. The quality of the “Journal of Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions” is undeniable. It is a peer-reviewed, open-access publication dedicated exclusively to disseminating high-quality research in the field of clinical cardiology and cardiovascular interventions. The journal's impact factor is currently under evaluation, and it is indexed in reputable databases, which further reinforces its credibility and relevance in the scientific field. I highly recommend this journal to researchers looking for a reputable platform to publish their studies.

img

Dr Marcelo Flavio Gomes Jardim Filho

Dear Editorial Coordinator of the Journal of Nutrition and Food Processing! "I would like to thank the Journal of Nutrition and Food Processing for including and publishing my article. The peer review process was very quick, movement and precise. The Editorial Board has done an extremely conscientious job with much help, valuable comments and advices. I find the journal very valuable from a professional point of view, thank you very much for allowing me to be part of it and I would like to participate in the future!”

img

Zsuzsanna Bene

Dealing with The Journal of Neurology and Neurological Surgery was very smooth and comprehensive. The office staff took time to address my needs and the response from editors and the office was prompt and fair. I certainly hope to publish with this journal again.Their professionalism is apparent and more than satisfactory. Susan Weiner

img

Dr Susan Weiner

My Testimonial Covering as fellowing: Lin-Show Chin. The peer reviewers process is quick and effective, the supports from editorial office is excellent, the quality of journal is high. I would like to collabroate with Internatioanl journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews.

img

Lin-Show Chin

My experience publishing in Psychology and Mental Health Care was exceptional. The peer review process was rigorous and constructive, with reviewers providing valuable insights that helped enhance the quality of our work. The editorial team was highly supportive and responsive, making the submission process smooth and efficient. The journal's commitment to high standards and academic rigor makes it a respected platform for quality research. I am grateful for the opportunity to publish in such a reputable journal.

img

Sonila Qirko

My experience publishing in International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews was exceptional. I Come forth to Provide a Testimonial Covering the Peer Review Process and the editorial office for the Professional and Impartial Evaluation of the Manuscript.

img

Luiz Sellmann