Cognitive decline

Synapse degeneration contributes to cognitive decline in neurodegenerative diseases. We have previously demonstrated synaptic accumulation of pathological alpha-synuclein in synapses in brain tissue from people who died with Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), but whether this occurs in Parkinson’s disease (PD), a related neurodegenerative synucleinopathy, remains unknown, as do mechanisms of synapse degeneration in these diseases. Oligomeric tau has been implicated in synaptotoxicity in tauopathies, including Alzheimer’s disease, and growing evidence supports that the co-aggregation of different

…Classical theories suggest that the cognitive decline may be caused by increased neural variability, reducing the signal-to-noise ratio of information processing in the central nervous system. To explicitly test this hypothesis, we investigate behavior and brain activity in young and old mice performing a visual decision-making task. Old animals show relatively worse performance (a shallower psychometric curve and slower reaction times). We then used extracellular neural recordings to quantify single-neuron variabi

…is associated with a wide range of cognitive functions including inhibition and cognitive flexibility. Moreover, the Lancet Commission (2020) identified hearing impairment as the highest of 12 modifiable individual risk factors for dementia. Here, preliminary results of a comprehensive study aimed at better understanding the neural underpinnings of AHRL-related cognitive decline are presented better understand how A

Background: Radiotherapy is a common treatment for brain tumors, yet it often leads to cognitive decline. Past understanding suggested this damage was irreversible due to DNA damage and cell death. However, recent studies propose that it may be reversible, as it affects active cells. Scientists focus on hippocampal activity, crucial for learning and memory, to explore this. Radiation is thought to decrease neurogenesis and increase neuroinflammation in the hippocampus. Anti-inflammatory drugs are suggested as a potential solution to mitigate cognitive decline from radiation.Aims: Analyzing the

…However, since changes in cognitive function develop slowly over time in these patients, they are often diagnosed at an advanced stage of molecular pathology, a time point when causative treatments fail. Thus, there is great need for the identification of inexpensive and minimal invasive approaches that could be used for screening with the aim to identify individuals at risk for cognitive decline th

…neuronal plasticity, and aging-related cognitive alterations. Based on previous animal studies we hypothesized that neural ECM molecules like the proteoglycan brevican (BCAN) affect cognitive flexibility (CFL) also in humans. We addressed this hypothesis in young and older healthy human subjects by assessing flexibility performance and gray matter volumes (GMV) in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), a key structure for cognitive control, together with serum concentrations of

Older adults with hearing impairment have a higher risk for accelerated cognitive decline compared to normal-hearing individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effect of cochlear implantation on cognition and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in older adults with severe-to-profound hearing loss. All included subjects were 55 years or older with postlingual, bilateral, severe-to-profound hearing loss, and received a unilateral cochlear implant (CI). Cognition was evaluated using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status for Hearing Impaire

Brain volume is commonly found in dementia both Alzheimer’s dementia (AD) and non-Alzheimer’s dementia (NAD). Clinical decision-making could be supported by identifying differences in brain parameters. This study investigates brain volume differences among individuals with normal cognition (NC), AD, and NAD using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and automated analysis with FreeSurfer. The aim is to identify brain parameters to differentiate between each group. A total of 76 participants were categorized into NC, AD, and NAD groups, and their brain scans were processed to obtain abso

…radiation can induce progressive cognitive decline. We investigated whether radiation-induced cognitive impairments could be prevented with the antioxidant tempol. Male C57BL/6 mice aged 27 weeks were administered either tempol (100mg/kg/day) or 0.9% saline for seven consecutive days via the I.P. route. One day after t

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. Until now, none of the approved AD treatments turned out to be a success. AD is unknown but involves genetic, biochemical, and environmental factors. Thus, one of the reasons why single-target-directed drugs have failed to reach clinical trials is the pathological complexity found in AD. It could be better contrasted by the development of Multiple Targeting Directed Ligands (MTDLs), which can modulate simultaneously multiple targets involved in the onset of the pathology. As a new strategy in drug discovery for AD, compared to comb

…studies have found a link between VDD, cognitive decline and depression. However, it is unclear whether VDD directly drives the development of depression and cognitive decline or whether it is secondary to co-occurring pathology.In this study, we sought to determine whether long-term VDD causes memory impairments and depressive-like behavior alone or in combination with chronic stress and to elucidate co-occurring dysfunctions in neuronal and glial plasticity in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hip

…towards modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline, with sleep disturbances gaining attention especially in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Given the significant impact of sleep disturbances on cognitive decline in MCI, this study explores the relationship between psychological factors, including depression, anxiety, and stress, and insomnia among older adults with MCI. 145 Greek older adults were recruited from an outpatient memory clinic in Athens. The sample m

Aging leads to the accumulation of misfolded proteins, such as β-amyloid and α-synuclein, which are believed to underly the onset of neurodegenerative disorders. Most of the treatments for brain disorders come from pre-clinical evidence in males, although women are more vulnerable than men to Alzheimer’ disease (AD) which is the first cause of age-related dementia. However, the mechanisms underlying these sex-differences are not known.To date, two therapeutic approaches are predominantly used to prevent and/or slow neurodegeneration; they include autophagy pharmacological enhancers and exercis

Aging drives cognitive decline in the adult brain with unclear mechanisms. Previously, oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), the source cells of myelin-forming cells in the central nervous system (CNS), have been linked to brain aging by their compromised differentiation and regeneration capability. Whether a myelination-independent function of OPCs is involved in brain aging remains unknown. In this study, we herein report a novel role of OPCs in brain aging via disrupting neuronal plasticity. Our results demonstrate that macroautophagy influx declines in aged OPCs, which results in the acc

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline and inability to perform daily activities. Recent research has implicated tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in the pathogenesis of AD. Elevated levels of TNF-α have been detected in the blood of patients with AD, and TNF-α has been observed in amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques. Despite the promising results from preclinical studies, the efficacy of TNF-α blockade as a therapeutic strategy for AD remains controversial. However, it remains unclear whether and how TNF-α influences the amyloidogenic p

Depression, increasingly recognized as a potential early indicator and risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia. This study investigates how the timing of depression onset—either early or late after a gastrointestinal (GI) disease diagnosis—affects the risk of developing dementia. A particular focus is placed on the heightened risk of depression in the immediate aftermath of a GI disorder diagnosis, examining how this timing relates to subsequent dementia risk. Utilizing a retrospective cohort analysis of 106,245 patients from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Elderly database

…disorders marked by functional and cognitive deficits, sharing underlying pathological mechanisms. Recent research highlights the involvement of neurogenesis in both conditions, with alterations in neurogenesis linked to cognitive dysfunction. In our study, we aimed to investigate cognitive decline in a combined IS/AD model. To this end, IS was induced by permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) in 4-months-old male and female 3xTg-AD vs wild-type (WT) mice. Our results revealed comparable sensorimotor re

We investigate the link between the gut microbiome and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease by identifying microbial metabolites associated with (compromised) brain health and examining metabolite changes in individuals who progress from a healthy state (NL) to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and/or Alzheimer’s disease (AD).A dataset containing representative microbial metabolites in serum was obtained from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. A total of 104 metabolites were analyzed. These were collected over six years from 757 individuals. Kruskal-Wallis test was employed to

…several evidences point to the decline of microglial defensive functions, the contribution of these cells in AD progression is still unknown. In recent years, microglial depletion approaches in mouse models have provided new insights into the role of these cells in physiological and pathological conditions (doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.308078). In this regard, our group has generated a genetic depletion AD model that allows the targeting of microglia in a cell-

…(CSVD), which correlates strongly with cognitive impairment. Studies have shown a high prevalence of hypertension-related cranial MRI lesions, including arteriosclerosis and various forms of brain damage. Pericytes, a component of the neurovascular unit, are implicated in controlling blood flow and have been linked to Alzheimer's disease pathology, but their role in hypertension-related microcirculation disorders and vascular dementia has not been extensively studied. The study aims to

Dementia, a complex, incurable clinical syndrome marked by progressive cognitive decline, encompasses various types, with Alzheimer's disease (AD) being the most prevalent. The annual increase in AD cases underscores the urgency for innovative antidementia treatments. Mansorin A (MA) and mansonone G (MG) exhibit antioxidant effects on the central nervous system. Given the close association between oxidative stress and AD pathology, MA and MG might alleviate AD-like symptoms. To investigate the anti-dementia potential of MA and MG, the promnesic, anxiolytic, and antioxidant potential of MA and

Ageing is the greatest risk factor for cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. A characteristic of ageing is the loss of proteostasis. Neddylation maintains proteome homeostasis, it is involved in neuronal differentiation and its deregulation is linked to neurodegenerative diseases. The role and mechanisms of Neddylation with physiological ageing remain still unclear.We studied the expression and impact of neddylation on ageing and cognitive decline. We found that neddylation increases with age in the hippocampus neurogenic niche both in human and mouse samples. Aged, but not young, Nae1+/- h

Dementia is a prevalent and, based on severity, disabling neurocognitive disorder that primarily affects people older than 65 years of age. There is an increasingly emerging need to identify specific markers of dementia for interventions before disease progression. Irisin is a myokine produced during exercise with multiple effects on various organs, including a neuroprotective role on brain. Here, we investigated the involvement of irisin in patients with dementia biologically classified according to the Amyloid-β-Tau-Neurodegeneration classification system. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Numerous reports have correlated lysine deficiency with cognitive decline; however, the effect of lysine deficiency on hippocampal neurogenesis has not yet been addressed in the literature. This study hypothesizes the impairment of hippocampal neurogenesis and thus hippocampal-related functions due to mild and severe induced dietary lysine deficiency. Here, we aim to observe the effect of mild and severe lysine deficiency on rodents' cognitive functions, memory, and adult hippocampal neurogenesis. In this project, male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three randomized groups (8 rats