Galectin-3 Involvement in Cognitive Processes for New Therapeutic Considerations

Cognitive impairment may be a consequence of the normal aging process, but it may also be the hallmark of various neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. Early identification of individuals at particular risk for cognitive decline is critical, as it is imperative to maintain a cognitive reserve in these neuropsychiatric entities. In recent years, galectin-3 (Gal-3), a member of the galectin family, has received considerable attention with respect to aspects of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. The mechanisms behind the putative relationship between Gal-3 and cognitive impairment are not yet clear. Intrigued by this versatile molecule and its unique modular architecture, the latest data on this relationship are presented here. This mini-review summarizes recent findings on the mechanisms by which Gal-3 affects cognitive functioning in both animal and human models. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of Gal-3 in modulating the inflammatory response as a fine-tuner of microglia morphology and phenotype. A review of recent literature on the utility of Gal-3 as a biomarker is provided, and approaches to strategically exploit Gal-3 activities with therapeutic intentions in neuropsychiatric diseases are outlined.

A cross-cultural perspective on aging and memory: Comparisons between Bangladesh and Sweden

Most studies on cognitive aging have been conducted in high-income countries (mainly on Western populations). The main aim of this study was to compare the relative importance of predictors of episodic and semantic memory performance in older people (≥60 years) from Bangladesh (n = 400) and Sweden (n = 1,098). Hierarchical regression models were used in order to study the importance of some commonly used predictors in the two countries. A main finding was that variations in age did not have much impact on episodic and semantic memory performance in Bangladesh. Instead, sex was a strong predictor for semantic memory performance. In Sweden this pattern was reversed. In the Western world, chronological age is believed to be strongly associated with memory performance in cross-sectional studies, particularly in people greater than 60 years of age. This study indicates that the difference between the two countries (in relative importance of the predictors included in this study) is mainly due to the fact that years of education is connected to age in the Western world but to sex in Bangladesh. It remains to be examined whether earlier selective survival is also responsible for the relative absence of cognitive age differences in Bangladesh.

[Predictors of cognitive decline in the elderly]

The elderly population is currently increasing. In this population there is a high incidence of cognitive decline and dementia, which has a negative influence on personal life and family functioning, as well as economic and healthcare repercussions. The present article aims to indicate possible predictors of cognitive decline with a view to predicting this situation and intervening before the cognitive impairment is unavoidable. Some predictors of cognitive impairment could be the following: age, sex, education, a family history of dementia, objective and subjective difficulties with memory, several medical problems (hypertension and diabetes), sensory-motor difficulties, hypometabolism in some cerebral areas, reduced hippocampal size, carrying one or two apolipoprotein e4 alleles, a low score in cognitive tasks (especially immediate and delayed recall), deficits in associative learning and naming, low cognitive plasticity, depression, a low literacy level, poor general cognitive functioning, low participation in social activities, low physical activity, lack of social support, the use of medication and, finally, sleep-related problems. All of these factors could be important in predicting cognitive decline in very old age.