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Neuroscience 2022 Jun 24. Epub 2022 Jun 24.

Basic Research and Advanced Investigations in Neurosciences (BRAIN), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Microglia are unique cells in the central nervous system (CNS), being considered a sub-type of CNS macrophage. These cells monitor nearby micro-regions, having roles that far exceed immunological and scavengering functions, being fundamental for developing, protecting and maintaining the integrity of grey and white matter. Microglia might become dysfunctional, causing abnormal CNS functioning early or late in the life of patients, leading to neurologic or psychiatric disorders and premature death in some patients. Read More

Commun Med (Lond) 2022 20;2:70. Epub 2022 Jun 20.

Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK.

Background: Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia, causes a progressive and irreversible deterioration of cognition that can sometimes be difficult to diagnose, leading to suboptimal patient care.

Methods: We developed a predictive model that computes multi-regional statistical morpho-functional mesoscopic traits from T1-weighted MRI scans, with or without cognitive scores. For each patient, a biomarker called "Alzheimer's Predictive Vector" (ApV) was derived using a two-stage least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). Read More

JAMA Neurol 2022 Jun 27. Epub 2022 Jun 27.

Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Centers, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.

Importance: Repetitive head impact (RHI) exposure is the chief risk factor for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). However, the occurrence and severity of CTE varies widely among those with similar RHI exposure. Limited evidence suggests that the APOEε4 allele may confer risk for CTE, but previous studies were small with limited scope. Read More

J Food Biochem 2022 Jun 27:e14289. Epub 2022 Jun 27.

Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

This study optimized the enzymatic hydrolysis of yellow field pea proteins using alcalase (ACH), chymotrypsin (CHH), flavourzyme (FZH), pancreatin (PCH), pepsin (PEH), and trypsin (TPH) to obtain hydrolysates and ultrafiltered fractions (<1, 1-3, 3-5 and 5-10 kDa) that possess antioxidant plus acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibitory activities. The hydrolysates exhibited varying degrees of radical scavenging and inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation, as well as cholinesterase inhibition activities but the potency generally improved by >10% after UF separation into peptide fractions. ACH, FZH, and PEH exhibited significantly (p < . Read More

Alzheimers Dement 2022 Jun 27. Epub 2022 Jun 27.

Department of Neurology, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Hypertension is an important risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and all-cause dementia. The mechanisms underlying this association are unclear. Hypertension may be associated with AD neuropathological changes (ADNC), but reports are sparse and inconsistent. Read More

Clin EEG Neurosci 2022 Jun 26:15500594221110036. Epub 2022 Jun 26.

Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), 18998University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.

. Alzheimer's cognitive-behavioral syndrome is the result of impaired connectivity between nerve cells, due to misfolded proteins, which accumulate and disrupt specific brain networks. Electroencephalography, because of its excellent temporal resolution, is an optimal approach for assessing the communication between functionally related brain regions. Read More

Alzheimers Dement 2022 Jun 27. Epub 2022 Jun 27.

Penn State Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing, State College, Pennsylvania, USA.

Episodes of lucidity (ELs) in Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD), have garnered increasing attention as an important area of research. Efforts to study lucidity suffer from a lack of clear definitional criteria, inconsistent conceptualization, and diverse approaches to operationalizing features of these events. To advance systematic investigation of ELs in AD/ADRD, there is a need for clarity and precision in labeling event attributes, markers, and specific measurement strategies that enable operational harmonization across distinct approaches to investigating the relatively broad and nascent phenomenon. Read More

Front Neurol 2022 9;13:877936. Epub 2022 Jun 9.

Clinical Neuroimmunology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.

The approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) led to an improvement in the treatment of several types of cancer. The main targets of these drugs are cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death protein-1/programmed death-ligand 1 pathway (PD-1/PD-L1), which are important inhibitory molecules for the immune system. Besides being generally safer than common chemotherapy, the use of ICIs has been associated with several immune-related adverse effects (irAEs). Read More

Front Neurol 2022 10;13:899644. Epub 2022 Jun 10.

Department of Neurology, Konkuk University School of Medicine and Konkuk University Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea.

Apolipoprotein (APOE) is implicated and verified as the main risk factor for early-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). APOE is a protein that binds to lipids and is involved in cholesterol stability. Our paper reports a case of a sporadic early-onset AD (sEOAD) patient of a 54-year-old Korean man, where a novel Leu159Pro heterozygous mutation was revealed upon Whole Exome Sequence analysis. Read More

Ochsner J 2022 ;22(2):129-133

Department of Infectious Diseases, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA.

In the state of Louisiana, the prevalence of Alzheimer disease (AD) is projected to increase 26.4% by 2025 because of the rapidly increasing geriatric population. While significant research is available on risk factors for developing AD, less data are available regarding AD progression and the rate of change among patients with the disease. Read More

Front Chem 2022 8;10:896253. Epub 2022 Jun 8.

BioOrgNMR Lab, Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy.

The anti-Alzheimer disease (AD) activity reported for an aqueous cinnamon bark extract prompted us to investigate and compare the anti-amyloidogenic properties of cinnamon extracts obtained from both bark and bud, the latter being a very little explored matrix. We prepared the extracts with different procedures (alcoholic, hydroalcoholic, or aqueous extractions). An efficient protocol for the rapid analysis of NMR spectra of cinnamon bud and bark extracts was set up, enabling the automatic identification and quantification of metabolites. Read More

J Appl Stat 2022 18;49(9):2246-2270. Epub 2021 Mar 18.

Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.

Bivariate correlation coefficients (BCCs) are often calculated to gauge the relationship between two variables in medical research. In a family-type clustered design where multiple participants from same units/families are enrolled, BCCs can be defined and estimated at various hierarchical levels (subject level, family level and marginal BCC). Heterogeneity usually exists between subject groups and, as a result, subject level BCCs may differ between subject groups. Read More

Contemp Clin Trials Commun 2022 Aug 13;28:100950. Epub 2022 Jun 13.

Institute on Development & Disability, Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.

Background: Brain-computer interface (BCI) systems are controlled by users through neurophysiological input for a variety of applications, including communication, environmental control, and motor rehabilitation. Although individuals with severe speech and physical impairment are the primary users of this technology, BCIs have emerged as a potential tool for broader populations, including delivering cognitive training/interventions with neurofeedback (NFB).

Methods: This paper describes the development and preliminary testing of a protocol for use of a BCI system with NFB as an intervention for people with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD). Read More

Front Aging Neurosci 2022 8;14:948153. Epub 2022 Jun 8.

Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Friedman Brain Institute, Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States.

J Alzheimers Dis 2022 Jun 24. Epub 2022 Jun 24.

Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.

J Alzheimers Dis 2022 Jun 24. Epub 2022 Jun 24.

J Alzheimers Dis 2022 Jun 23. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.

Brain aging leads to difficulties in functional independence. Mitigating these difficulties can benefit from technology that predicts, monitors, and modifies brain aging. Translational research prioritizes solutions that can be causally linked to specific pathophysiologies at the same time as demonstrating improvements in impactful real-world outcome measures. Read More

J Alzheimers Dis 2022 Jun 23. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

Sandra Black Centre for Brain Resilience and Recovery, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Background: The endosomal-lysosomal and autophagy (ELA) pathway may be implicated in the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, findings thus far have been inconsistent.

Objective: To systematically summarize differences in endosomal-lysosomal and autophagy proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of people with AD and healthy controls (HC).

Methods: Studies measuring CSF concentrations of relevant proteins in the ELA pathway in AD and healthy controls were included. Read More

J Alzheimers Dis 2022 Jun 20. Epub 2022 Jun 20.

Departments of Pathology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Background: Neurodegenerative diseases are widespread yet challenging to diagnose and stage antemortem. As an extension of the central nervous system, the eye harbors retina ganglion cells vulnerable to degeneration, and visual symptoms are often an early manifestation of neurodegenerative disease.

Objective: Here we test whether prion protein aggregates could be detected in the eyes of live mice using an amyloid-binding fluorescent probe and high-resolution retinal microscopy. Read More

J Alzheimers Dis 2022 Jun 20. Epub 2022 Jun 20.

Translational Neuroscience and Aging Program, Centre for Translational Medicine, St. Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic.

Background: Considering the world's rapidly increasing life expectancy, with people working and maintaining active lifestyles longer than ever before, addressing the effects of aging on cognition is of utmost importance. A greater understanding of cognitive aging may also be critical in distinguishing natural cognitive aging from pre-clinical stages of Alzheimer's disease and related cognitive disorders.

Objective: To systematically examine the association between aging and cognitive performance in a cognitively and otherwise healthy probability population-based sample using a computer-based method. Read More

J Alzheimers Dis 2022 Jun 20. Epub 2022 Jun 20.

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.

Background: Global amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition in the brain can be quantified by Aβ-PET scans to support or refute a diagnosis of preclinical Alzheimer's disease (pAD). Yet, Aβ-PET scans enable quantitative evaluation of regional Aβ elevations in pAD, potentially allowing even earlier detection of pAD, long before global positivity is achieved. It remains unclear as to whether such regional changes are clinically meaningful. Read More

J Alzheimers Dis 2022 Jun 20. Epub 2022 Jun 20.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA.

Background: Varicella zoster virus (VZV) has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and vaccination against shingles, caused by VZV, has been found to decrease the risk of AD/dementia. VZV might reside latently in brain, and on reactivation might cause direct damage leading to AD, as proposed for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), a virus strongly implicated in AD. Alternatively, shingles could induce neuroinflammation and thence, reactivation of HSV-1 in brain. Read More

J Alzheimers Dis 2022 Jun 23. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents the most common type of neurodegenerative dementia and is characterized by extracellular amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition, pathologic intracellular tau protein tangles, and neuronal loss. Increasing evidence has been accumulating over the past years, supporting a pivotal role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of AD. Microglia, monocytes, astrocytes, and neurons have been shown to play a major role in AD-associated inflammation. Read More

J Alzheimers Dis 2022 Jun 23. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

Deakin University, Institute for Health Transformation, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.

Background: There is currently a lack of a comprehensive review identifying the broad scope of factors that impact quality of life (QoL) of informal carers of people with dementia to validate existing measures and inform the provision of support services for carers of people with dementia that impact QoL domains important to them.

Objective: To explore and identify QoL impacts on informal carers from providing care to people with dementia.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted across four databases: EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, and Medline. Read More

J Alzheimers Dis 2022 Jun 21. Epub 2022 Jun 21.

Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia.

Background: The 24 h time-use composition of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep is linked to cognitive function in adults and may contribute to future dementia risk. However, the impact of reallocating time between behaviors may differ depending on an individual's genetic dementia risk.

Objective: To explore if there is an interaction between 24 h time-use composition and genetic dementia risk in relation to cognitive function, and to simulate how time-reallocations are associated with cognitive function across different levels of genetic dementia risk. Read More

J Alzheimers Dis 2022 Jun 20. Epub 2022 Jun 20.

Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Aswan University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Aswan, Egypt.

Background: Dysbiosis of gut microbiota has been reported to be enrolled in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, there is a lack of relevant studies on this topic in Egyptian patients with AD.

Objective: To investigate different species of gut microbiota in Egyptian patients with AD and correlate microbiota bacterial abundance with clinical data. Read More

J Alzheimers Dis 2022 Jun 23. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.

Background: Depression has been suggested to be a cause of reversible cognitive impairment but also a risk factor for neurodegenerative disease. Studies suggest that depression prevalence may be high in early onset dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease, but this has not been systematically assessed in a biomarker-validated clinical dementia cohort to date.

Objective: To examine the prevalence, features, and association with amyloid pathology of lifetime depressive symptoms in a memory clinic cohort meeting appropriate use criteria for amyloid PET imaging. Read More

J Alzheimers Dis 2022 Jun 20. Epub 2022 Jun 20.

Centre for Precision Health, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia.

Background: Previous research suggests physical activity attenuates grey and white matter loss; however, there appears to be individual variability in this effect. Understanding factors that can influence the relationship between physical activity and brain volume may enable prediction of individual response.

Objective: The current study examined the relationship between objectively-measured physical activity and brain volume; and whether this relationship is moderated by age, sex, or a priori candidate genetic factors, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met, or apolipoprotein (APOE) ɛ4 allele carriage. Read More

J Alzheimers Dis 2022 Jun 20. Epub 2022 Jun 20.

A.I. Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.

DAPI is conventionally used as a nuclear stain for cells in culture or tissue. Here we demonstrate that it binds specifically to the β-sheet core of amyloid-β plaques but not diffuse amyloid-β at the plaque periphery. The specific DAPI induced blue fluorescence is much stronger than amyloid plaque autofluorescence. Read More

J Alzheimers Dis 2022 Jun 20. Epub 2022 Jun 20.

Department of Health, Exercise Science and Recreation Management, University of Mississippi, Oxford MS, USA.

Background: Aging-associated cognitive decline is greater in non-Hispanic Black (NHB) adults than non-Hispanic White (NHW) adults. An important risk factor for cognitive decline with aging is arterial stiffening, though the importance to racial variation remains poorly understood.

Objective: We examined the association of an estimate of arterial stiffness with cognitive function in a bi-racial sample of 60-85-year-old adults (N = 3,616, 26. Read More