Current Alzheimer Research - Volume 7, Issue 4, 2010

Background: Cognitive, global and functional instruments have been extensively investigated for correlations with neuropathological changes such as neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), plaques, and synapse loss in the brain. Objective: Our objective is to correlate the functional, global and cognitive decline assessed clinically with the neuropathological changes observed in a large prospectively characterized cohort of mild cognitive i Read More

Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) not converted to dementia at one to three years follow-up represent an heterogeneous group across studies, by including ‘late converters’ but also patients without any neurodegenerative disease. We tested the hypothesis that the combination of memory and brain metabolic assessment could identify subgroups of memory decliners (MCI/Decl) and non-decliners (MCI/noDecl) befor Read More

Background/Aims. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic role of CSF β-amyloid(1-42) levels and auditory event-related potentials (AERPs) in the progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods. In fifty three MCI patients (group 1) a lumbar puncture was performed and β-amyloid(1-42) levels were determined. Twenty patients (group 2) were re-examined after 11 months. Du Read More

Based on a multimodal drug design paradigm, we have synthesized a multifunctional non-toxic, brain permeable iron chelator, M30, possessing the neuroprotective propargylamine moiety of the anti-Parkinsonian drug, rasagiline (Azilect) and antioxidant-iron chelator moiety of an 8-hydroxyquinoline derivative of our iron chelator, VK28. M30 was recently found to confer potential neuroprotective effects in vitro and in Read More

On the basis of not only the endosymbiotic theory of eukaryotic cell organization and evolution but also of observations of transcellular communication via Tunneling NanoTubes (TNTs), the hypothesis is put forward that when mitochondria, which were once independently living prokaryote-like organisms, are subjected to detrimental genetic, toxic, or environmental conditions, including age-related endogenous f Read More

A proline-rich polypeptide complex (PRP), subsequently called Colostrinin™ (CLN), was first isolated from ovine colostrum , was shown to possess immunoregulatory properties, including effects on the maturation and differentiation of murine thymocytes and humoral and cellular immune responses, both in vivo and in vitro. PRP seems to restore balance in cellular immune functions and is not species specific. PRP is a com Read More

The objective was to characterize the non-oscillatory independent components (ICs) of the auditory event-related potential (ERP) waveform of an oddball task for normal and newly diagnosed Alzheimer's disease (AD) subjects, and to seek biomarkers for AD. Single trial ERP waveforms were analysed using independent components analysis (ICA) and k-means clustering. Two stages of clustering depended upon the magnitudes Read More

Objectives: To examine the relationship between multiple measures of health care costs and health utilities, quality of life, and other factors in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Research Design: Data were obtained via caregiver proxy at baseline and 3- 6- and 9-months following study entry on 421 patients with AD who participated in the CATIE-AD trial of antipsychotic medication. Spearman rank correlations and mixed models ( Read More

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most important causes of morbidity and functional decline among the elderly and gives rise to substantial costs for society. There is today limited data on resource utilization and quality of life in AD, in particular in the severe stage of the disease. Aims & Methods: The objectives of this study were to estimate the relationship between costs, patient and caregiver quality of li Read More

The main data on oral health and dental pathologies affecting Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients were reviewed. Oral health declines and dental pathologies increase with progression of AD. Poor oral hygiene, difficulty in wearing dentures, and the inability to self-care, including carrying out oral hygiene procedures are the most probable cause of impaired oral health in AD. Collection of information on oral/dental conditions fr Read More