Search results for "ALZHEIMER"
showing 10 items of 706 documents
The Impact of COVID-19 Quarantine on Patients With Dementia and Family Caregivers: A Nation-Wide Survey
2021
IntroductionPrevious studies showed that quarantine for pandemic diseases is associated with several psychological and medical effects. The consequences of quarantine for COVID-19 pandemic in patients with dementia are unknown. We investigated the clinical changes in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, and evaluated caregivers’ distress during COVID-19 quarantine.MethodsThe study involved 87 Italian Dementia Centers. Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), and Vascular Dementia (VD) were eligible for the study. Family caregivers of patients with dementia were interviewed by phone in April 2020, 45 days after …
Anti-aging: Myth or reality
2019
Aging of the world populations embodies a remarkable success of humankind and a source of challenge. Aging is a complex, continuous, multifactorial process that is accompanied by a progressive loss of physical and mental functions and the onset of various age-related diseases, which are not caused by aging per se. Currently, an increasing number of people are asking to arrive at advanced age in good health overcoming the modifications elicited by aging (the dream of remaining young forever). In the past decades there have been remarkable advances in the understanding of the aging process from results of biogerontological research in experimental models, that is, life extension through genet…
The implicit motor learning use as a therapeutic tool in frail elderly people
2016
To write, take, walk, talk is a part of our daily. Our motor ability is used to change depending on our environment and our skill, acquired thanks to our experience, learnings, and according to our age. We strive to find optimal solutions, to be more performants, more efficient. But we must be able to discern to act well and act to better discern. This « perception-action » coupling is the basis of the organization of motor control. Human can discern through several sensory systems (Visual, auditory, proprioceptive) intrinsic informations, coming from his own body, and extrinsic informations, from his environment. All of these informations are in the service of the movement and actions of d…
EFFETTO DEGLI ESTRATTI DI PAPAYA FERMENTATA SULLO STRESS OSSIDATIVO IN PAZIENTI CON MALATTIA DI ALZHEIMER
2013
Brain tissue is particularly susceptible to oxidative damage, which has been associated with pathological findings of Alzheimer's disease (AD), such as amyloid plaques and protein fibrils. Oxidative stress alterations, including increased production of reactive oxygen metabolites, decline of antioxidant systems, and decreased efficiency in repairing molecules, have been linked to the development of AD. Postmortem studies on brain tissue from AD patients have shown several oxidative damage markers, such as increased lipid peroxidation, oxidative damage of proteins, glyco-oxidation, and reduction of antioxidant systems. We studied 40 patients referred to our Geriatric Unit (age 78,2 ± 1,1 yea…
Mediterranean diet and longevity
2019
The world average life expectancy has increased remarkably in the past century and continues to increase relentlessly. A long life is desirable but best if lived in good physical and mental health. Among the various dietary patterns, a large body of research data suggest that the traditional dietary habits and lifestyle unique to the Mediterranean region are associated with lower incidence of chronic diseases and improve longevity. Starting with the first data from the Seven Countries Study, numerous observational, prospective, and trial-based investigations in different populations have thereafter supported the benefits of adhering to the Mediterranean dietary pattern regarding reduced mor…
Pharmacological intervention in age-associated brain disorders by Flupirtine: Alzheimer’s and Prion diseases
1998
Alzheimer's disease, a major form of dementia in the elderly has become an increasingly important health problem in developed countries. In vitro studies on primary neurons demonstrate that Flupirtine (Katadolon) at a concentration of 1 microg/ml, significantly reduces the neurotoxic (apoptotic) effect displayed by A beta25-35, a segment of the amyloid beta-protein precursor the etiologic agent of Alzheimer's disease. Flupirtine, which has been in clinical use since 10 years ago, prevents the toxic effect of PrP, the presumed etiologic agent of the Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease as well as the excitatory amino acid glutamate on cortical neurons. Flupirtine displays a bimodal activity. Its strong…
Alzheimer’s disease and infections, where we stand and where we go
2014
Editorial Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurological disorder, which represents the most common form of dementia, one of the major causes of disability in later life. Age is the greatest risk factor for AD, which typically affects people aged 65 years and over, with an age-standardised prevalence of 4.4 [1]. However, AD is not a normal part of ageing and advanced age alone does not justify the disease. Several pathways have been implicated in AD pathophysiology, the most described is the neurodegenerative one, which lead to the brain accumulation of beta-amyloid and neurofibrillary tangles, aggregations of hyperphosphorylated tau protein, macroscopically resulting in brain atrop…
Antioxidants as a Potential Therapy Against Age-Related Neurodegenerative Diseases: Amyloid Beta Toxicity and Alzheimers Disease
2006
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive age-related neurodegenerative disorder with distinct neuropathological features. Extracellular plaques, consisting of aggregated amyloid peptides of 39-43 amino acids are one of the most prominent pathological hallmarks of this disease. Although the exact neurochemical effector mechanism of Abeta aggregation is not yet elucidated, age-associated disturbances of metal ion metabolism have been proposed to promote the formation of aggregates from soluble Abeta. Oxidative stress is postulated to be a downstream effect of Abeta-metal ion interactions. Therefore, the modulation of brain metal metabolism and attenuation of oxidative stress by antioxidant m…
Molecular bases of the treatment of Alzheimer's disease with antioxidants: prevention of oxidative stress
2004
Alzheimer's disease is associated with a systemic oxidative stress situation which can be followed in vivo by determining biomarkers such as plasma lipoperoxides and TBARS levels and the oxidation degree of glutathione in red blood cells. It has been observed that Alzheimer's patients show an increased level of plasma TBARS, which indicates a higher free radical oxidation of plasma unsaturated phospholipids, and an increased oxidation of red blood cells glutathione, which indicates oxidative stress in peripheral cells. This latter, glutathione oxidation, was found to correlate statistically with the cognitive status of the patients. Treatment with vitamin E resulted in an improved cognitive…
Cellular Distribution and Expression of Cortical Acetylcholine Receptors in Aging and Alzheimer's Disease
1991
Ligand binding studies show marked reductions of nicotinic, but not of muscarinic binding sites in Alzheimer's disease. Using monoclonal antibodies we studied immunohistochemically the expression of the respective receptor proteins in the frontal cortex of middle-aged (55 +/- 5 yr) controls, age-matched controls (73 +/- 6 yr), and patients with Alzheimer's disease (74 +/- 5 yr). Density of nicotinic cholinoceptive neurons was 8000/mm3 for middle-aged controls and 4000/mm3 for age-matched controls, but only 900/mm3 in Alzheimer's brains (p less than 0.0001). Densities of muscarinic cholinoceptive and of Nissl-stained neurons were not significantly different between the groups, pointing to a …