scholarly journals Neuroprotective Effects of Cistanches Herba Therapy on Patients with Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan Li ◽  
Jianping Wang ◽  
Jun Ma ◽  
Zhiqiang Gu ◽  
Chao Jiang ◽  
...  

Cistanches Herba (CH) is thought to be a “Yang-invigorating” material in traditional Chinese medicine. We evaluated neuroprotective effects of Cistanches Herba on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. Moderate AD participants were divided into 3 groups: Cistanches Herba capsule (CH,n=10), Donepezil tablet (DON,n=8), and control group without treatmentn=6. We assessed efficacy by MMSE and ADAS-cog, and investigated the volume changes of hippocampus by 1.5 T MRI scans. Protein, mRNA levels, and secretions of total-tau (T-tau), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and interleukin- (IL) 1β(IL-1β) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were detected by Western blot, RT-PCR, and ELISA. The scores showed statistical difference after 48 weeks of treatment compared to control group. Meanwhile, volume changes of hippocampus were slight in drug treatment groups but distinct in control group; the levels of T-tau, TNF-α, and IL-1βwere decreased compared to those in control group. Cistanches Herba could improve cognitive and independent living ability of moderate AD patients, slow down volume changes of hippocampus, and reduce the levels of T-tau, TNF-α, and IL-1β. It suggested that Cistanches Herba had potential neuroprotective effects for moderate AD.

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Tzayaka Castillo-Mendieta ◽  
Yoaly Arana-Lechuga ◽  
Victoria Campos-Peña ◽  
Ana Luisa Sosa ◽  
Sandra Orozco-Suarez ◽  
...  

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) causes memory deficit and alterations in other cognitive functions, mainly in adults over 60 years of age. As the diagnosis confirmation is performed by a postmortem neuropathological examination of the brain, this disease can be confused with other types of dementia at early stages. About 860,000 Mexicans are affected by dementia, most of them with insufficient access to adequate comprehensive health care services. Plasma biomarkers could be a rapid option for early diagnosis of the disease. Objective: This study aimed to analyze some plasma biomarkers (amyloid-β, tau, and lipids) in Mexican AD patients and control subjects with no associated neurodegenerative diseases. Methods: Plasma amyloid-β peptides (Aβ 40 and Aβ 42), total and phosphorylated tau protein (T-tau and P-tau), and cholesterol and triglyceride levels were quantified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in AD patients and control subjects. Results: In Mexican AD patients, we found significantly lower levels of Aβ 42 (p <  0.05) compared to the control group. In contrast, significantly higher levels of P-tau (p <  0.05) and triglycerides (p <  0.05) were observed in AD patients compared to controls. Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between the severity of dementia and plasma P-tau levels, Aβ 42/Aβ 40 and P-tau/T-tau ratios, and triglycerides concentrations. This correlation increased gradually with cognitive decline. Conclusion: The detection of these plasma biomarkers is an initial step in searching for a timely, less invasive, and cost-efficient diagnosis in Mexicans.


Author(s):  
Macrina Tortajada-Soler ◽  
Leticia Sánchez-Valdeón ◽  
Marta Blanco-Nistal ◽  
José Alberto Benítez-Andrades ◽  
Cristina Liébana-Presa ◽  
...  

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) which is the most common type of dementia is characterized by mental or cognitive disorders. People suffering with this condition find it inherently difficult to communicate and describe symptoms. As a consequence, both detection and treatment of comorbidities associated with Alzheimer’s disease are substantially impaired. Equally, action protocols in the case of emergencies must be clearly formulated and stated. Methods: We performed a bibliography search followed by an observational and cross-sectional study involving a thorough review of medical records. A group of AD patients was compared with a control group. Each group consisted of 100 people and were all León residents aged ≥65 years. Results: The following comorbidities were found to be associated with AD: cataracts, urinary incontinence, osteoarthritis, hearing loss, osteoporosis, and personality disorders. The most frequent comorbidities in the control group were the following: eye strain, stroke, vertigo, as well as circulatory and respiratory disorders. Comorbidities with a similar incidence in both groups included type 2 diabetes mellitus, glaucoma, depression, obesity, arthritis, and anxiety. We also reviewed emergency procedures employed in the case of an emergency involving an AD patient. Conclusions: Some comorbidities were present in both the AD and control groups, while others were found in the AD group and not in the control group, and vice versa.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1403-1407
Author(s):  
Cong Chen ◽  
Yuhui Zhang ◽  
Bin Chen ◽  
Chaosheng Zeng ◽  
Min Chen ◽  
...  

To explore the association of apolipoprotein E polymorphism with Alzheimer's disease (AD), so as to provide possible research value for potential targeted therapy. 120 AD patients and 50 healthy volunteers were enrolled to extract fasting blood samples. ApoE gene polymorphism and blood lipids were tested in blood. ApoE gene and genotype frequency between AD group and control group were compared by PCR and sequencing methods. MMSE, CDR, and BPSD were used to determine the intelligence. ApoE genotype was detected by DNA microarray. ɛ4 carrier accounted for 45% in AD group, which was significantly elevated compared with control group (12%) (P < 0.05). TG, TC, and LDL-C levels were increased, while HDL-C was reduced in ɛ4 allele carriers (allP < 0.05). The MMSE scores of ApoEɛ4 genotype carriers in AD group were markedly lower than those of nonApoEɛ4 genotype carriers (P < 0.05) and control (P < 0.01). The proportion of dementia in ApoEɛ4 genotype carriers from AD group was apparently higher than the ɛ4 gene non-carriers (P < 0.05). The ApoEɛ4 gene is an AD risk factor. The changes of genotype and frequency of ApoEɛ4 gene are the main factors leading to abnormal lipid metabolism in AD patients, suggesting that ApoEɛ4 gene detection might be helpful for the early diagnosis and treatment of AD.


2021 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 177-195
Author(s):  
Ivan Koychev ◽  
Katrin Jansen ◽  
Alina Dette ◽  
Liu Shi ◽  
Heinz Holling

Background: The Amyloid Tau Neurodegeneration (ATN) framework was proposed to define the biological state underpinning Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Blood-based biomarkers offer a scalable alternative to the costly and invasive currently available biomarkers. Objective: In this meta-analysis we sought to assess the diagnostic performance of plasma amyloid (Aβ40, Aβ42, Aβ42/40 ratio), tangle (p-tau181), and neurodegeneration (total tau [t-tau], neurofilament light [NfL]) biomarkers. Methods: Electronic databases were screened for studies reporting biomarker concentrations for AD and control cohorts. Biomarker performance was examined by random-effect meta-analyses based on the ratio between biomarker concentrations in patients and controls. Results: 83 studies published between 1996 and 2020 were included in the analyses. Aβ42/40 ratio as well as Aβ42 discriminated AD patients from controls when using novel platforms such as immunomagnetic reduction (IMR). We found significant differences in ptau-181 concentration for studies based on single molecule array (Simoa), but not for studies based on IMR or ELISA. T-tau was significantly different between AD patients and control in IMR and Simoa but not in ELISA-based studies. In contrast, NfL differentiated between groups across platforms. Exosome studies showed strong separation between patients and controls for Aβ42, t-tau, and p-tau181. Conclusion: Currently available assays for sampling plasma ATN biomarkers appear to differentiate between AD patients and controls. Novel assay methodologies have given the field a significant boost for testing these biomarkers, such as IMR for Aβ, Simoa for p-tau181. Enriching samples through extracellular vesicles shows promise but requires further validation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-Li Chen ◽  
Hong Li ◽  
Xiao-Huan Chen ◽  
Shuang Jin ◽  
Qiu-Hua Chen ◽  
...  

We aim to investigate whether a popular hand exercise could be used to improve the action of eating in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A 6-month intervention was conducted in 60 patients with AD who live in a nursing home. They were divided into hand exercise and control groups. Patients of the control group maintained their daily routine. The improvement of Edinburgh Feeding Evaluation in Dementia scale in hand exercise group was significantly greater than in the control group ( P = .003). Significant differences in time of autonomous eating and time of simulated eating between patients in the hand exercise and control groups ( P < .05) were noted. The improvements in accuracy of eating action and coordination of eating action from baseline were significant in hand exercise group compared to the control group ( P = .020 and .014, respectively). Hand exercise is a safe and effective intervention to improve the feeding and eating of people with AD.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Chen ◽  
Shuai Liu ◽  
Lu Ji ◽  
Tianfeng Wu ◽  
Yong Ji ◽  
...  

Background/Aims. Low serum folate levels can alter inflammatory reactions. Both phenomena have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but the effect of folic acid on AD itself is unclear. We quantified folate supplementation’s effect on inflammation and cognitive function in patients with AD over the course of 6 months.Methods. Patients newly diagnosed with AD (age > 60 years;n=121; mild to severe; international criteria) and being treated with donepezil were randomly assigned into two groups with (intervention group) or without (control group) supplemental treatment with folic acid (1.25 mg/d) for 6 months. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was administered to all patients at baseline and follow-up, and blood samples were taken before and after treatment. We quantified serum folate, amyloid beta (Aβ), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factorα(TNFα), plasma homocysteine (Hcy), S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), and the mRNA levels of presenilin (PS), IL-6, and TNFαin leukocytes. Data were analyzed using a repeated-measures mixed model.Results. The mean MMSE was slightly increased in the intervention group compared to that in the control group (P<0.05). Posttreatment, plasma SAM and SAM/SAH levels were significantly higher (P<0.05), while Aβ40, PS1-mRNA, and TNFα-mRNA levels were lower in the intervention group than in the control group (P<0.05). The Aβ42/Aβ40ratio was also higher in the intervention group (P<0.05).Conclusions. Folic acid is beneficial in patients with AD. Inflammation may play an important role in the interaction between folic acid and AD. This trial is registered with clinical trial registration numberChiCTR-TRC-13003246.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (9) ◽  
pp. 800-808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeta B. Mukaetova-Ladinska ◽  
Zeinab Abdell-All ◽  
Joana Andrade ◽  
Joaquim Alves da Silva ◽  
Irina Boksha ◽  
...  

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) measures of tau and amyloid proteins have now been largely accepted to be a diagnostic tool to aid the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but CSF is not routinely obtained in most clinical settings. There is a need, therefore, to uncover additional readily accessible peripheral biomarkers that will enable comprehensive detection of AD-specific proteins in blood and blood derivates. Objectives: Blood platelets contain proteins found in neuronal cell lines, including tau protein. Since tau protein is a characteristic of AD-neuropathology, platelet tau protein may be closely related to the central nervous process occurring in neurodegeneration. Method: Platelets from 25 AD and 26 control subjects were analysed for the microtubule-binding and C-terminal region, as well as two tau phosphorylation sites (Ser202/Thr205 and Thr181). Results: Tau protein measures did not discriminate between AD and control individuals. However, subjects with MMSE 24-27 had elevated C-terminal end tau protein (p=0.049) compared to those with MMSE >27, whereas older AD subjects (>80 years) showed higher t-tau protein in comparison to younger AD (<80 years; p=0.009) and control (<80 years; p=0.011) participants. Conclusions: These initial findings not only confirm that platelet tau protein can be measured, but also indicate that platelet tau measures merit further study as they may be useful in indicating early stages of cognitive impairment. Further studies on larger number of participants are needed to confirm our findings.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Hu ◽  
Lan Tan ◽  
Yan-Lin Bi ◽  
Wei Xu ◽  
Lin Tan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The preclinical stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become a key target stage for future AD prevention trials. Serum apolipoprotein, an important lipid-related factor, has been found to be involved in the pathogenesis of AD. This study was to examine whether apolipoprotein B (ApoB), apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA1) or the ratio of ApoB and ApoA1 (ApoB/A1) were associated with early changes of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) AD biomarkers in elderly adults with subjective cognitive decline. Methods This study included 201 cognitive normal (CN) elderly adults and 101 participants with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) from the Chinese Alzheimer’s Biomarker and LifestylE (CABLE) database. The Kruskall-Wallis test and Chisquare test were applied in the intergroup comparisons. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine the cross-sectional associations of serum ApoB, ApoA1 and ApoB/A1 levels with CSF AD-related biomarkers. Results Compared with the control group, SCD participants with significant AD biological characteristics had lower ApoB levels. In the total participants, higher level of serum ApoB was associated with increases in CSF Aβ42 (p = 0.0009) and Aβ42/40 (p = 0.0038) as well as decreases in CSF t-tau/Aβ42 (p < 0.0001) and p-tau/Aβ42 (p < 0.0001), independent of APOEɛ4 status. In the further subgroup analysis, these associations were much more significant in the SCD participants. In addition, higher levels of serum ApoB were also found associated with decreases in CSF t-tau (p = 0.0224), p-tau (p = 0.0086) and Aβ40 (p = 0.0297) in the SCD subgroup. Furthermore, we found that these protective associations between serum ApoB and CSF AD core biomarkers were much more significant in the overweight participants. Results showed no association between ApoA1 and all CSF biomarkers in either total participants or subgroups. Conclusions This study is the first to find protective associations of serum ApoB, but not ApoA1, with CSF AD core biomarkers in elderly adults, and these associations were more significant in SCD individuals. This finding indicated that ApoB may play a protective role in the preclinical stage of AD. Identifying the underlying mechanisms may contribute to the discovery of new pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic targets.


2018 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
pp. 467-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivier Bousiges ◽  
Stephanie Bombois ◽  
Susanna Schraen ◽  
David Wallon ◽  
Muriel Muraine Quillard ◽  
...  

BackgroundDifferential diagnosis between dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is not straightforward, especially in the early stages of disease. We compared AD biomarkers (phospho-Tau181, total-Tau, Aβ42 and Aβ40) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with DLB and AD, focusing especially on the prodromal stage.MethodsA total of 1221 CSF were collected in different memory centres (ePLM network) in France and analysed retrospectively. Samples were obtained from patients with prodromal DLB (pro-DLB; n=57), DLB dementia (DLB-d; n=154), prodromal AD (pro-AD; n=132) and AD dementia (n=783), and control subjects (CS; n=95). These centres use the same diagnostic procedure and criteria to evaluate the patients.ResultsIn patients with pro-DLB, CSF Aβ42 levels appeared much less disrupted than in patients at the demented stage (DLB-d) (P<0.05 CS>pro-DLB; P<0.001 CS>DLB-d). On average, Aβ40 levels in patients with DLB (pro-DLB and DLB-d) were much below those in patients with pro-AD (P<0.001 DLB groups<pro-AD). The Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio in patients with pro-DLB remained close to that of CS. t-Tau and phospho-Tau181 levels were unaltered in patients with DLB (pro-DLB and DLB-d).ConclusionsReduced levels of CSF Aβ42 were found in patients with DLB but rather at a later stage, reaching those of patients with AD, in whom Aβ42 levels were decreased even at the prodromal stage. At the prodromal stage of DLB, the majority of patients presented a normal CSF profile. CSF t-Tau and phospho-Tau181 were the best biomarkers to discriminate between AD and DLB, whatever the stage of disease.


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