Lifestyle intervention to prevent Alzheimer's disease

Influence of Exercise and Genistein to Mitigate the Deleterious Effects of High-Fat High-Sugar Diet on Alzheimer's Disease-Related Markers in Male Mice

The prevalence of obesity and related consequences, including insulin resistance and Alzheimer's-like neuropathology, has increased dramatically. Contributing to this prevalence is the shift in lifestyle preference away from wholesome foods and exercise to the Western-style diet and sedentarism. Despite advances in drug development, a healthy diet and regular exercise remain the most effective approaches to mitigating the unwanted sequelae of diet-induced obesity on brain health. In this study, we used the high-fat high-sugar (HFHS) mouse model of neurodegeneration to examine the effects of exercise training (HFHS+Ex), genistein treatment (HFHS+Gen), and combination treatment (HFHS+Ex+Gen) on proteins relating to neurodegeneration in the brain of male mice. After a period of 12 weeks, as expected, HFHS feeding increased body weight, adipose tissue weight, and systemic plasma inflammation (TNF-α) compared to lean mice fed a standard diet. HFHS feeding also increased protein expression of brain markers of insulin resistance (pGSK-3β, p-IR), apoptosis (caspase 3), early neurofibrillary tangles (CP13), and amyloid-beta precursor (CT20). Compared to HFHS mice, Ex decreased body weight, plasma TNF-α, and expression of pGSK-3β, caspase 3, CP13, amyloid-β precursor (22c11), and ADAM10. Treatment with Gen was equally protective on these markers and decreased the expression of p-IR. Combination treatment with Ex and Gen afforded the greatest overall benefits, and this group exhibited the greatest reduction in body and adipose tissue weight and all brain markers, except for 22c11 and ADAM10, which were decreased compared to mice fed an HFHS diet. In addition, levels of 4G8, which detects protein levels of amyloid-β, were decreased with combination treatment. Our results indicate that exercise training, genistein supplementation, or combination treatment provide varying degrees of neuroprotection from HFHS feeding-induced Alzheimer's pathology. Future perspectives could include evaluating moderate exercise regimens in combination with dietary supplementation with genistein in humans to determine whether the same benefits translate clinically.

An insight into the concept of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease: targeting molecular approach Nrf2, NF-κB, and CREB

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a most prevalent neurologic disorder characterized by cognitive dysfunction, amyloid-β (Aβ) protein accumulation, and excessive neuroinflammation. It affects various life tasks and reduces thinking, memory, capability, reasoning and orientation ability, decision, and language. The major parts responsible for these abnormalities are the cerebral cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus. Excessive inflammatory markers release, and microglial activation affect post-synaptic neurotransmission. Various mechanisms of AD pathogenesis have been explored, but still, there is a need to debate the role of NF-κB, Nrf2, inflammatory markers, CREB signaling, etc. In this review, we have briefly discussed the signaling mechanisms and function of the NF-ĸB signaling pathway, inflammatory mediators, microglia activation, and alteration of autophagy. NF-κB inhibition is a current strategy to counter neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in the brain of individuals with AD. In clinical trials, numbers of NF-κB modulators are being examined. Recent reports revealed that molecular and cellular pathways initiate complex pathological competencies that cause AD. Moreover, this review will provide extensive knowledge of the cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) and how these nuclear proteins affect neuronal plasticity.

Overestimation of Balance Ability Among Older Adults at Risk for Falls

Objective: This study examined alignment of subjective balance confidence with Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths and Injuries (STEADI) fall risk. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of 155 community-dwelling adults (60 + y/o) from 2016 to 2018 who completed a STEADI fall assessment. Descriptive statistics, Chi-Square analysis, and biserial point correlations were applied. Results: Adults who overestimate balance confidence, 55.6% (n = 50) reported a fall in the past year, 62.2% (n = 56) were worried about falling, 48.9% (n = 44) felt unsteady when standing/walking, and 70.0% (n = 63) had a score of ≥4 on the Stay Independent Questionnaire (SIQ). Physical performance for these adults were mean TUG score 10.9s (SD = 3.4), mean 30 second chair stands 10.8 (SD = 3.5), and mean 4-stage balance score 3.1 (SD = .76). Discussion: Older adults are more likely to overestimate their subjective balance confidence. Individuals are equally likely to have reported a fall in the past year if they were "at fall risk," regardless of their subjective balance confidence.

Dementia classification using a graph neural network on imaging of effective brain connectivity

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are two of the most common forms of neurodegenerative diseases. The literature suggests that effective brain connectivity (EBC) has the potential to track differences between AD, PD and healthy controls (HC). However, how to effectively use EBC estimations for the research of disease diagnosis remains an open problem. To deal with complex brain networks, graph neural network (GNN) has been increasingly popular in very recent years and the effectiveness of combining EBC and GNN techniques has been unexplored in the field of dementia diagnosis. In this study, a novel directed structure learning GNN (DSL-GNN) was developed and performed on the imaging of EBC estimations and power spectrum density (PSD) features. In comparison to the previous studies on GNN, our proposed approach enhanced the functionality for processing directional information, which builds the basis for more efficiently performing GNN on EBC. Another contribution of this study is the creation of a new framework for applying univariate and multivariate features simultaneously in a classification task. The proposed framework and DSL-GNN are validated in four discrimination tasks and our approach exhibited the best performance, against the existing methods, with the highest accuracy of 94.0% (AD vs. HC), 94.2% (PD vs. HC), 97.4% (AD vs. PD) and 93.0% (AD vs. PD vs. HC). In a word, this research provides a robust analytical framework to deal with complex brain networks containing causal directional information and implies promising potential in the diagnosis of two of the most common neurodegenerative conditions.

Mortality Trends in Alzheimer's Disease in Mississippi, 2011-2021

Alzheimer's disease is the sixth most common cause of death in the United States (U.S.), with one in three adults 65 years of age and older dying of the disease each year. Deaths from Alzheimer's have more than doubled between 2000 and 2019, killing more adults than both breast cancer and prostate cancer. In 2021, Alzheimer's disease resulted in 36 deaths per 100,000 in the U.S. In Mississippi, deaths from Alzheimer's have almost doubled between 2011 and 2021, resulting in 52.9 deaths per 100,000. Women have a higher mortality rate from Alzheimer's than men. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease that develops through seven stages. There are effective strategies to prevent the onset of Alzheimer's.

METHODS

This paper reviews the risk factors, mortality trends, etiology, and prognosis of Alzheimer's in Mississippi with a focus on prevention.

RESULTS

The southern diet with foods high in sugar and sodium, along with sedentary and poor lifestyle choices, increases mortality risk from Alzheimer's disease for women in Mississippi, specifically due to women over 65 having higher rates of obesity and hypertension.

CONCLUSION

Understanding the epidemiology and risk factors of Alzheimer's in Mississippi will help inform communities, policies, and programs to prevent disease occurrence.

Alzheimer's disease: The role of proteins in formation, mechanisms, and new therapeutic approaches

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurological disorder that affects the central nervous system (CNS), leading to memory and cognitive decline. In AD, the brain experiences three main structural changes: a significant decrease in the quantity of neurons, the development of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein, and the formation of amyloid beta (Aβ) or senile plaques, which are protein deposits found outside cells and surrounded by dystrophic neurites. Genetic studies have identified four genes associated with autosomal dominant or familial early-onset AD (FAD): amyloid precursor protein (APP), presenilin 1 (PS1), presenilin 2 (PS2), and apolipoprotein E (ApoE). The formation of plaques primarily involves the accumulation of Aβ, which can be influenced by mutations in APP, PS1, PS2, or ApoE genes. Mutations in the APP and presenilin (PS) proteins can cause an increased amyloid β peptides production, especially the further form of amyloidogenic known as Aβ42. Apart from genetic factors, environmental factors such as cytokines and neurotoxins may also have a significant impact on the development and progression of AD by influencing the formation of amyloid plaques and intracellular tangles. Exploring the causes and implications of protein aggregation in the brain could lead to innovative therapeutic approaches. Some promising therapy strategies that have reached the clinical stage include using acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, estrogen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antioxidants, and antiapoptotic agents. The most hopeful therapeutic strategies involve inhibiting activity of secretase and preventing the β-amyloid oligomers and fibrils formation, which are associated with the β-amyloid fibrils accumulation in AD. Additionally, immunotherapy development holds promise as a progressive therapeutic approach for treatment of AD. Recently, the two primary categories of brain stimulation techniques that have been studied for the treatment of AD are invasive brain stimulation (IBS) and non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS). In this article, the amyloid proteins that play a significant role in the AD formation, the mechanism of disease formation as well as new drugs utilized to treat of AD will be reviewed.

The impact of technology-based compensatory behaviors on subjective cognitive decline in older adults with a family history of dementia

The current study examined whether greater use of technology to help with daily tasks is associated with less subjective cognitive decline (SCD), especially in individuals with a family history of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Individuals over the age of 50 (n = 102; age range 50-85) completed surveys about their digital and analog approaches to daily tasks, physical activity, and SCD. Participants with and without family histories of AD were matched on age, education, sex, and family history of AD using the R package MatchIt. There was no main effect of technology-based behavioral strategies on SCD (p = 0.259). However, a family history of AD moderated the association between technology use and SCD even when controlling for another protective lifestyle factor, physical activity. In individuals with a family history of AD, more reliance on technology-based behavioral strategies was associated with less SCD (p = 0.018), but this relationship was not significant in individuals without family history of AD (p = 0.511). Our findings suggest that technology-based behavioral strategies are associated with less SCD in individuals with a family history of AD, independent of another protective lifestyle factor. Future recommendations provided by healthcare providers to address SCD in cognitively unimpaired older adults might include focusing on technological assistance.

Priorities for research on neuromodulatory subcortical systems in Alzheimer's disease: Position paper from the NSS PIA of ISTAART

The neuromodulatory subcortical system (NSS) nuclei are critical hubs for survival, hedonic tone, and homeostasis. Tau-associated NSS degeneration occurs early in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis, long before the emergence of pathognomonic memory dysfunction and cortical lesions. Accumulating evidence supports the role of NSS dysfunction and degeneration in the behavioral and neuropsychiatric manifestations featured early in AD. Experimental studies even suggest that AD-associated NSS degeneration drives brain neuroinflammatory status and contributes to disease progression, including the exacerbation of cortical lesions. Given the important pathophysiologic and etiologic roles that involve the NSS in early AD stages, there is an urgent need to expand our understanding of the mechanisms underlying NSS vulnerability and more precisely detail the clinical progression of NSS changes in AD. Here, the NSS Professional Interest Area of the International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment highlights knowledge gaps about NSS within AD and provides recommendations for priorities specific to clinical research, biomarker development, modeling, and intervention. HIGHLIGHTS: Neuromodulatory nuclei degenerate in early Alzheimer's disease pathological stages. Alzheimer's pathophysiology is exacerbated by neuromodulatory nuclei degeneration. Neuromodulatory nuclei degeneration drives neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia. Biomarkers of neuromodulatory integrity would be value-creating for dementia care. Neuromodulatory nuclei present strategic prospects for disease-modifying therapies.

Emerging Evidence for the Use of Antidiabetic Drugs, Glucagon-like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists, for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease

From an epidemiological and pathophysiological point of view, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) should be considered 'sister' diseases. T2DM significantly increases the risk of developing AD, and the mechanisms of neuronal degeneration themselves worsen peripheral glucose metabolism in multiple ways. The pathophysiological links between the two diseases, particularly cerebral insulin resistance, which causes neuronal degeneration, are so close that AD is sometimes referred to as 'type 3 diabetes'. Although the latest news on the therapeutic front for AD is encouraging, no treatment has been shown to halt disease progression permanently. At best, the treatments slow down the progression; at worst, they are inactive, or cause worrying side effects, preventing their use on a larger scale. Therefore, it appears logical that optimizing the metabolic milieu through preventive or curative measures can also slow down the cerebral degeneration that characterizes AD. Among the different classes of hypoglycaemic drugs, glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists, which are widely used in the treatment of T2DM, were shown to slow down, or even prevent, neuronal degeneration. Data from animal, preclinical, clinical phase II, cohort and large cardiovascular outcomes studies are encouraging. Of course, randomized clinical phase III studies, which are on-going, will be essential to verify this hypothesis. Thus, for once, there is hope for slowing down the neurodegenerative processes associated with diabetes, and that hope is the focus of this review.

Demand Coupling Drives Neurodegeneration: A Model of Age-Related Cognitive Decline and Dementia

The societal burden of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and other major forms of dementia continues to grow, and multiple pharmacological agents directed towards modifying the pathological "hallmarks" of AD have yielded disappointing results. Though efforts continue towards broadening and deepening our knowledge and understanding of the mechanistic and neuropathological underpinnings of AD, our previous failures motivate a re-examination of how we conceptualize AD pathology and progression. In addition to not yielding effective treatments, the phenotypically heterogeneous biological processes that have been the primary area of focus to date have not been adequately shown to be necessary or sufficient to explain the risk and progression of AD. On the other hand, a growing body of evidence indicates that lifestyle and environment represent the ultimate level of causation for AD and age-related cognitive decline. Specifically, the decline in cognitive demands over the lifespan plays a central role in driving the structural and functional deteriorations of the brain. In the absence of adequate cognitive stimulus, physiological demand-function coupling leads to downregulation of growth, repair, and homeostatic processes, resulting in deteriorating brain tissue health, function, and capacity. In this setting, the heterogeneity of associated neuropathological tissue hallmarks then occurs as a consequence of an individual's genetic and environmental background and are best considered downstream markers of the disease process rather than specific targets for direct intervention. In this manuscript we outline the evidence for a demand-driven model of age-related cognitive decline and dementia and why it mandates a holistic approach to dementia treatment and prevention that incorporates the primary upstream role of cognitive demand.

Feasibility of an MI-CBT ketogenic adherence program for older adults with mild cognitive impairment

BACKGROUND

The National Institutes of Health Obesity-Related Behavioral Intervention Trials model for intervention development was used to establish the feasibility and proof of concept of a motivational ketogenic nutrition adherence program for older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

METHODS

This was a single-arm, single-center feasibility trial. A comprehensive assessment protocol, including a clinical interview, neuropsychological testing, and genetic sequencing was used as an initial screening. Nine participants (aged 64-75) with possible amnestic mild cognitive impairment were consented for the intervention. Participants completed pre- and post-intervention neuropsychological assessments using the updated Repeatable Battery for Assessment of Neuropsychological Status. Participants tracked their macronutrient consumption using food diaries and ketone levels using urinalysis test strips daily. Mood and other psychosocial variables were collected through surveys, and qualitative exit interviews were completed.

RESULTS

100% of participants who began the trial completed the 6-week ketogenic nutrition adherence program, including completion of the pre- and post-assessments. Eight participants achieved measurable levels of ketones during the program. The average self-rated adherence across the program was 8.7 out of 10. A Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test demonstrated significant improvement in cognitive performance from baseline (median = 88) to follow up (median = 96, Z = - 2.26, p = .024). The average difference in cognitive performance from baseline to follow-up was - 7.33 (95% CI - 12.85, - 1.82).

CONCLUSIONS

Results supported the feasibility for moving to the next phase and demonstrated proof of concept for the intervention. The next step is a randomized pilot trial to test clinical signals of effect compared to a control condition.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This trial was retrospectively registered with clinicaltrials.gov on July 13, 2021. The trial number is NCT04968041.

A Revisit to Etiopathogenesis and Therapeutic Strategies in Alzheimer's Disease

Dementia is a cluster of brain abnormalities that trigger progressive memory deficits and other cognitive abilities such as skills, language, or executive function. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the foremost type of age-associated dementia that involves progressive neurodegeneration accompanied by profound cognitive deficits in advanced stages that severely hamper social or occupational abilities with or without the involvement of any other psychiatric condition. The last two decades witnessed a sharp increase (~123%) in mortality due to AD type dementia, typically owing to a very low disclosure rate (~45%) and hence, the prophylactic, as well as the therapeutic cure of AD, has been a huge challenge. Although understanding of AD pathogenesis has witnessed a remarkable growth (e.g., tauopathy, oxidative stress, lipid transport, glucose uptake, apoptosis, synaptic dysfunction, inflammation, and immune system), still a dearth of an effective therapeutic agent in the management of AD prompts the quest for newer pharmacological targets in the purview of its growing epidemiological status. Most of the current therapeutic strategies focus on modulation of a single target, e.g., inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, glutamate excitotoxicity (memantine), or nootropics (piracetam), even though AD is a multifaceted neurological disorder. There is an impedance urgency to find not only symptomatic but effective disease-modifying therapies. The present review focuses on the risk / protective factors and pathogenic mechanisms involved in AD. In addition to the existing symptomatic therapeutic approach, a diverse array of possible targets linked to pathogenic cascades have been re-investigated to envisage the pharmacotherapeutic strategies in AD.

Western diet as a trigger of Alzheimer's disease: From metabolic syndrome and systemic inflammation to neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration

An excess of saturated fatty acids and simple sugars in the diet is a known environmental risk factor of Alzheimer's disease (AD) but the holistic view of the interacting processes through which such diet may contribute to AD pathogenesis is missing. We addressed this need through extensive analysis of published studies investigating the effects of western diet (WD) on AD development in humans and laboratory animals. We reviewed WD-induced systemic alterations comprising metabolic changes, induction of obesity and adipose tissue inflammation, gut microbiota dysbiosis and acceleration of systemic low-grade inflammation. Next we provide an overview of the evidence demonstrating that WD-associated systemic alterations drive impairment of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and development of neuroinflammation paralleled by accumulation of toxic amyloid. Later these changes are followed by dysfunction of synaptic transmission, neurodegeneration and finally memory and cognitive impairment. We conclude that WD can trigger AD by acceleration of inflammaging, and that BBB impairment induced by metabolic and systemic inflammation play the central role in this process. Moreover, the concurrence of neuroinflammation and Aβ dyshomeostasis, which by reciprocal interactions drive the vicious cycle of neurodegeneration, contradicts Aβ as the primary trigger of AD. Given that in 2019 the World Health Organization recommended focusing on modifiable risk factors in AD prevention, this overview of the sequential, complex pathomechanisms initiated by WD, which can lead from peripheral disturbances to neurodegeneration, can support future prevention strategies.

Modulation of Adenosine Receptors by Hops and Xanthohumol in Cell Cultures

Adenosine receptors (ARs) have been involved in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease, where oxidative stress contributes to neurodegeneration and cell death. Therefore, there is increasing interest in developing antioxidative strategies to avoid or reduce neurodegeneration. We have previously described that different beer extracts modulate ARs and protect glioma and neuroblastoma cells from oxidative stress. The present work aimed to analyze the possible protective effect of hops (Humulus lupulus L.), a major component of beer, and xanthohumol on cell death elicited by oxidative stress and their modulation of ARs in rat C6 glioma and human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Different extraction methods were employed in two hops varieties (Nugget and Columbus). Cell viability was determined by the XTT method in cells exposed to these hops extracts and xanthohumol. ARs were analyzed by radioligand binding and real-time PCR assays. Hops extract reverted the cell death observed under oxidative stress and modulated adenosine A₁ and A₂ receptors in both cell types. Xanthohumol was unable to revert the effect of oxidative stress in cell viability but it also modulated ARs similarly to hops. Therefore, healthy effects of beer described previously could be due, at least in part, to their content of hops and the modulation of ARs.

Microglial Morphology Across Distantly Related Species: Phylogenetic, Environmental and Age Influences on Microglia Reactivity and Surveillance States

Microglial immunosurveillance of the brain parenchyma to detect local perturbations in homeostasis, in all species, results in the adoption of a spectrum of morphological changes that reflect functional adaptations. Here, we review the contribution of these changes in microglia morphology in distantly related species, in homeostatic and non-homeostatic conditions, with three principal goals (1): to review the phylogenetic influences on the morphological diversity of microglia during homeostasis (2); to explore the impact of homeostatic perturbations (Dengue virus challenge) in distantly related species (Mus musculus and Callithrix penicillata) as a proxy for the differential immune response in small and large brains; and (3) to examine the influences of environmental enrichment and aging on the plasticity of the microglial morphological response following an immunological challenge (neurotropic arbovirus infection). Our findings reveal that the differences in microglia morphology across distantly related species under homeostatic condition cannot be attributed to the phylogenetic origin of the species. However, large and small brains, under similar non-homeostatic conditions, display differential microglial morphological responses, and we argue that age and environment interact to affect the microglia morphology after an immunological challenge; in particular, mice living in an enriched environment exhibit a more efficient immune response to the virus resulting in earlier removal of the virus and earlier return to the homeostatic morphological phenotype of microglia than it is observed in sedentary mice.

Good problems to have? Policy and societal implications of a disease-modifying therapy for presymptomatic late-onset Alzheimer's disease

In the United States alone, the prevalence of AD is expected to more than double from six million people in 2019 to nearly 14 million people in 2050. Meanwhile, the track record for developing treatments for AD has been marked by decades of failure. But recent progress in genetics, neuroscience and gene editing suggest that effective treatments could be on the horizon. The arrival of such treatments would have profound implications for the way we diagnose, triage, study, and allocate resources to Alzheimer's patients. Because the disease is not rare and because it strikes late in life, the development of therapies that are expensive and efficacious but less than cures, will pose particular challenges to healthcare infrastructure. We have a window of time during which we can begin to anticipate just, equitable and salutary ways to accommodate a disease-modifying therapy Alzheimer's disease. Here we consider the implications for caregivers, clinicians, researchers, and the US healthcare system of the availability of an expensive, presymptomatic treatment for a common late-onset neurodegenerative disease for which diagnosis can be difficult.