scholarly journals Effects of COVID-19 Home Confinement on Mental Health in Individuals with Increased Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Natalia Soldevila-Domenech ◽  
Laura Forcano ◽  
Anna Boronat ◽  
Thais Lorenzo ◽  
Iris Piera ◽  
...  

We explored the impact of the Spanish COVID-19 strict home confinement on mental health and cognition in non-infected subjects (N = 16, 60–80 years) diagnosed with subjective cognitive decline and APOE ɛ3/ɛ4 carriers. Mental health was monitored for 2 months on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, and compared to pre-confinement values. Emotional distress, anxiety, and depression scores increased to pathological threshold values during and after confinement. Those with lower mood during confinement experienced a decline in their mood after confinement. Cognition did not change. These preliminary results suggest that mental health consequences of corona measures in preclinical stages of Alzheimer’s disease should be further evaluated.

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 170-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adalberto Studart Neto ◽  
Ricardo Nitrini

ABSTRACT Background: Mild cognitive impairment is considered as the first clinical manifestation of Alzheimer's disease (AD), when the individual exhibits below performance on standardized neuropsychological tests. However, some subjects before having a lower performance on cognitive assessments already have a subjective memory complaint. Objective: A review about subjective cognitive decline, the association with AD biomarkers and risk of conversion to dementia. Methods: We performed a comprehensive non-systematic review on PubMed. The keywords used in the search were terms related to subjective cognitive decline. Results: Subjective cognitive decline is characterized by self-experience of deterioration in cognitive performance not detected objectively through formal neuropsychological testing. However, various terms and definitions have been used in the literature and the lack of a widely accepted concept hampers comparison of studies. Epidemiological data have shown that individuals with subjective cognitive decline are at increased risk of progression to AD dementia. In addition, there is evidence that this group has a higher prevalence of positive biomarkers for amyloidosis and neurodegeneration. However, Alzheimer's disease is not the only cause of subjective cognitive decline and various other conditions can be associated with subjective memory complaints, such as psychiatric disorders or normal aging. The features suggestive of a neurodegenerative disorder are: onset of decline within the last five years, age at onset above 60 years, associated concerns about decline and confirmation by an informant. Conclusion: These findings support the idea that subjective cognitive complaints may be an early clinical marker that precedes mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease.


Author(s):  
Luigi Attademo ◽  
Francesco Bernardini

As a global problem that has increasingly been causing worldwide concern, air pollution poses a significant and serious environmental risk to health. Risks of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as various types of cancer, have been consistently associated with the exposure to air pollutants. More recently, various studies have also shown that the central nervous system is also attacked by air pollution. Air pollution appears to be strongly associated with a higher risk of cognitive defects, neurodevelopmental (e.g., schizophrenia) and neurodegenerative (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease) disorders. Subjects with schizophrenia, as well as subjects with Alzheimer’s disease, experience a variety of neuropsychological deficits and cognitive impairments. This determines an adverse effect on social and professional functioning, and it contributes to the long-term disease burden. However, no final conclusions have been drawn on the matter of the direct relationship between schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease. In recent years, the topic of urbanicity and mental health has become increasingly important. Urban exposure to environmental toxins and pollution is currently described as a reliable risk factor for schizophrenia and other psychoses, and it has been demonstrated more and more how exposure to air pollutants is associated with increased risk of dementia. Pathways by which air pollution can target and damage the brain, leading to an increased risk for developing schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease, are multiple and complex. Results from epidemiological studies suggest potential associations, but are still insufficient to confirm causality. Further studies are needed in order to verify this hypothesis. And if confirmed, the clinical implications could be of substantial relevance for both public and mental health.


2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 385-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jakub Kazmierski ◽  
Chaido Messini-Zachou ◽  
Mara Gkioka ◽  
Magda Tsolaki

Cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) are the mainstays of symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD); however, their efficacy is limited, and their use was associated with deaths in some groups of patients. The aim of the current study was to assess the impact of the long-term use of ChEIs on mortality in patients with AD. This observational, longitudinal study included 1171 adult patients with a diagnosis of AD treated with donepezil or rivastigmine. Each patient was observed for 24 months or until death. The cognitive and functional assessments, the use of ChEIs, memantine, antipsychotics, antidepressants, and anxiolytics were recorded. The total number of deaths at the end of the observational period was 99 (8.45%). The patients who had received rivastigmine treatment were at an increased risk of death in the follow-up period. The higher risk of death in the rivastigmine group remained significant in multivariate Cox regression models.


2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. 987-994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam H Dyer ◽  
Claire Murphy ◽  
Ricardo Segurado ◽  
Brian Lawlor ◽  
Sean P Kennelly ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Use of anticholinergic medication is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment and/or dementia. Despite this, the impact of continuing medication with anticholinergic properties in those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is not clear. Methods Analysis of data from NILVAD, an 18-month randomized controlled trial of Nilvadipine in AD. Effects of ongoing Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden (ACB) on cognition (ADAS-Cog: Alzheimer’s Disease Cog Subsection) and dementia severity (CDR-sb: Clinical Dementia Rating – Sum of Boxes/DAD: Disability Assessment for Dementia) over 18 months was evaluated adjusting for important clinical covariates. Results Just over one-quarter (27.90%, n = 142/510) of patients with mild to moderate AD were prescribed a potential/definite anticholinergic. While ACB score was not associated with greater progression on the ADAS-Cog/CDR-sb over time, a higher total ACB predicted greater dementia severity on the DAD, which persisted after robust covariate adjustment (β Coef: −1.53, 95% CI: −2.83 to −0.23, p = .021). There was a significant interaction between APOE ε4 status and ACB score, with carriers experiencing greater progression on both the CDR-Sb (β Coef: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.05–0.67, p = .021) and DAD (β Coef: −3.84, 95% CI: −7.65 to 0.03, p = .049). Conclusions Ongoing use of anticholinergic medication was associated with greater dementia progression on the DAD, but not the CDR-sb. APOE ε 4 carriers may be particularly vulnerable to the effect of ongoing anticholinergic medication on dementia severity, with significant APOE ε 4 x ACB score interactions demonstrated on both the DAD and CDR-sb.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angeles Vinuesa ◽  
Carlos Pomilio ◽  
Amal Gregosa ◽  
Melisa Bentivegna ◽  
Jessica Presa ◽  
...  

Overnutrition and modern diets containing high proportions of saturated fat are among the major factors contributing to a low-grade state of inflammation, hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia. In the last decades, the global rise of type 2 diabetes and obesity prevalence has elicited a great interest in understanding how changes in metabolic function lead to an increased risk for premature brain aging and the development of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Cognitive impairment and decreased neurogenic capacity could be a consequence of metabolic disturbances. In these scenarios, the interplay between inflammation and insulin resistance could represent a potential therapeutic target to prevent or ameliorate neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment. The present review aims to provide an update on the impact of metabolic stress pathways on AD with a focus on inflammation and insulin resistance as risk factors and therapeutic targets.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 414-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hege Rasmussen ◽  
Tor Atle Rosness ◽  
Ole Bosnes ◽  
Øyvind Salvesen ◽  
Marlen Knutli ◽  
...  

Background: The roles of both anxiety and depression as risk factors for frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have not been previously investigated together. Objective: To study anxiety and depression as independent risk factors for FTD and AD. Methods: Eighty-four patients with FTD and 556 patients with AD were compared with 117 cognitively healthy (CH), elderly individuals. Both cases and controls were participants in the second Health Study of Nord-Trøndelag (HUNT2) from 1995 to 1997, in which depression and anxiety were assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results: Significant associations were found between anxiety and FTD and between depression and AD. A significantly increased risk of developing FTD was observed in patients who had reported anxiety on the HADS (p = 0.017) (odds ratio [OR]: 2.947, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.209–7.158) and a significantly increased risk of developing AD was observed in patients who had reported depression on the HADS (p = 0.016) (OR: 4.389, 95% CI: 1.311–14.690). Conclusion: Our study findings suggest that anxiety and depression may play different roles as risk factors for FTD and AD.


Gerontology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Yan Sun ◽  
Yun-Ke Zhang ◽  
Hai Chen ◽  
Ren-Shou Chen

Objective: : The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in triggering receptor expressed on the myeloid cells 2 protein (TREM2) gene and their interaction with environmental factors and haplotypes on late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD). Methods: DNA was extracted from the whole blood of the participants and genotyped using PCR and followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism. The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium test was used in the control group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the 4 SNPs of the TREM2 gene and the risk of LOAD. Generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction was used to test the best interaction combination between SNPs and environmental factors. Results: Logistic regression analysis showed that the T allele of rs75932628 and the T allele of rs2234253 were independently associated with increased risk of LOAD, and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were 1.81 (1.271–2.35) and 1.59 (1.15–2.03), respectively. However, there was no significant association with LOAD for rs142232675 and rs143332484. We found a best model significantly associated with LOAD risk that consisted of rs75932628 and smoking, which scored 10/10 for both the sign test and cross-validation consistency (p = 0.012). Stratified analysis indicated that current smokers with rs75932628-CT/TT genotype have the highest LOAD risk compared to never smokers with rs75932628 – CC genotype, OR (95% confidence interval) = 2.73 (1.72–3.79). Haplotypes of rs75932628 and rs2234253 were analyzed using the SHEsis online software. However, no haplotype was found to be significantly associated with the risk of LOAD. Conclusions: The T allele of rs75932628 and the T allele of rs2234253 and interaction between rs75932628 and smoking were all correlated with increased risk of LOAD.


2021 ◽  
pp. 107385842110407
Author(s):  
Wenhui Qu ◽  
Ling Li

As resident immune cells of the brain, microglia serve pivotal roles in regulating neuronal function under both physiological and pathological conditions, including aging and the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease, Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Instructed by neurons, microglia regulate synaptic function and guard brain homeostasis throughout life. Dysregulation of microglial function, however, can lead to dire consequences, including aggravated cognitive decline during aging and exacerbated neuropathology in diseases. The triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is a key regulator of microglial function. Loss-of-function variants of TREM2 are associated with an increased risk of AD. TREM2 orchestrates the switch of microglial transcriptome programming that modulates microglial chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and inflammatory responses, as well as microglial regulation of synaptic function in health and disease. Intriguingly, the outcome of microglial/TREM2 function is influenced by age and the context of neuropathology. This review summarizes the rapidly growing research on TREM2 under physiological conditions and in AD, particularly highlighting the impact of TREM2 on neuronal function.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (13) ◽  
pp. 6841
Author(s):  
Jaydeep Roy ◽  
Ka Chun Tsui ◽  
Jonah Ng ◽  
Man-Lung Fung ◽  
Lee Wei Lim

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with age, and is characterized by pathological markers such as amyloid-beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Symptoms of AD include cognitive impairments, anxiety and depression. It has also been shown that individuals with AD have impaired neurotransmission, which may result from the accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Preclinical studies showed that melatonin, a monoaminergic neurotransmitter released from the pineal gland, is able to ameliorate AD pathologies and restore cognitive impairments. Theoretically, inhibition of the pathological progression of AD by melatonin treatment should also restore the impaired neurotransmission. This review aims to explore the impact of AD on neurotransmission, and whether and how melatonin can enhance neurotransmission via improving AD pathology.


2018 ◽  
Vol 72 ◽  
pp. 1114-1122
Author(s):  
Daria Malicka ◽  
Dominika Markowska ◽  
Jarosław Nuszkiewicz ◽  
Karolina Szewczyk-Golec

During aging, the increased risk of neurodegenerative disease development is observed. One of the most common and most serious disorders is Alzheimer’s disease manifested by the loss of nerve cell functions. In the course of the disease, extracellular senile plaques consisting of beta-amyloid and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles of hyper-phosphorylated tau protein are formed. As a result of aging, the repair potential of damaged nerve cells is reduced. Free radicals formed in excess generate augmented oxidative stress, which contributes to the damaging of biomolecules and the development of pathological changes. This mechanism is favored by a decrease in the efficiency of antioxidant enzymes and the deficiency of antioxidants, observed in aging organism. With age, the secretion of the pineal hormone melatonin, functioning as a biochemical biological clock, is significantly reduced. This compound has been proved to be a very effective antioxidant that plays a key role in protecting cells against excessive damage, especially in nervous tissue. Studies have shown that supplementation with exogenous melatonin can prevent oxidative stress-induced degeneration of neurons. Considering the action of melatonin and the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease, the idea of using the hormone supplementation in the prevention and alleviation of the effects of the disease seems to be extremely interesting.


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