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Vance DE, Del Bene VA, Kamath V, Frank JS, Billings R, Cho DY, Byun JY, Jacob A, Anderson JN, Visscher K, Triebel K, Martin KM, Li W, Puga F, Fazeli PL. Does Olfactory Training Improve Brain Function and Cognition? A Systematic Review. Neuropsychol Rev 2024; 34:155-191. [PMID: 36725781 PMCID: PMC9891899 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-022-09573-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Olfactory training (OT), or smell training,consists of repeated exposure to odorants over time with the intended neuroplastic effect of improving or remediating olfactory functioning. Declines in olfaction parallel declines in cognition in various pathological conditions and aging. Research suggests a dynamic neural connection exists between olfaction and cognition. Thus, if OT can improve olfaction, could OT also improve cognition and support brain function? To answer this question, we conducted a systematic review of the literature to determine whether there is evidence that OT translates to improved cognition or altered brain morphology and connectivity that supports cognition. Across three databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, & Embase), 18 articles were identified in this systematic review. Overall, the reviewed studies provided emerging evidence that OT is associated with improved global cognition, and in particular, verbal fluency and verbal learning/memory. OT is also associated with increases in the volume/size of olfactory-related brain regions, including the olfactory bulb and hippocampus, and altered functional connectivity. Interestingly, these positive effects were not limited to patients with smell loss (i.e., hyposmia & anosmia) but normosmic (i.e., normal ability to smell) participants benefitted as well. Implications for practice and research are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- David E Vance
- School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1701 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL, USA.
| | - Victor A Del Bene
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Vidyulata Kamath
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jennifer Sandson Frank
- School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1701 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Rebecca Billings
- UAB Libraries, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Do-Yeon Cho
- Department of Surgery, Veterans Affairs, University of Alabama at Birmingham, & Division of Otolaryngology, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Jun Y Byun
- School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1701 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Alexandra Jacob
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Joseph N Anderson
- School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Kristina Visscher
- Department of Neurobiology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Kristen Triebel
- School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Karli M Martin
- School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences, School of Health Professions, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Frank Puga
- School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1701 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Pariya L Fazeli
- School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1701 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL, USA
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Monsour M, Lee JY, Borlongan CV. An Understated Comorbidity: The Impact of Homelessness on Traumatic Brain Injury. Neurotherapeutics 2023; 20:1446-1456. [PMID: 37639189 PMCID: PMC10684446 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-023-01419-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI), a neurovascular injury caused by external force, is a common diagnosis among veterans and those experiencing homelessness (HL). There is a significant overlap in the veteran and homeless population, possibly accounting for the two to seven times greater incidence of TBI among those experiencing HL than the general population. Despite these statistics, individuals experiencing HL are often underdiagnosed and ineffectively treated for TBI. We introduced a novel model of HL. Over 5 weeks, adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to one of the following conditions: TBI only, HL only, TBI + HL, or control (n = 9 per group). To emulate HL, animals (2 animals per cage) were exposed to soiled beddings for 5 weeks. Subsequently, animals were introduced to TBI by using the moderate controlled cortical impact model, then underwent 4 consecutive days of behavioral testing (beam walk (BW), elevated body swing test (EBST), forelimb akinesia (FA), paw grasp (PG), Rotorod, and elevated T-maze). Nissl staining was performed to determine the peri-impact cell survival and the integrity of corpus callosum area. Motor function was significantly impaired by TBI, regardless of housing (beam walk or BW 85.0%, forelimb akinesia or FA 104.7%, and paw grasp or PG 100% greater deficit compared to control). Deficits were worsened by HL in TBI rats (BW 93.3%, FA 40.5%, and PG 50% greater deficit). Two-way ANOVA revealed BW (F(4, 160) = 31.69, p < 0.0001), FA (F(4, 160) = 13.71, p < 0.0001), PG (F(4, 160) = 3.873, p = 0.005), Rotorod (F(4, 160), p = 1.116), and EBST (F(4, 160) = 6.929, p < 0.0001) showed significant differences between groups. The Rotorod and EBST tests showed TBI-induced functional deficits when analyzed by day, but these deficits were not exacerbated by HL. TBI only and TBI + HL rats exhibited typical cortical impact damage (F(3,95) = 51.75, p < 0.0001) and peri-impact cell loss compared to control group (F(3,238) = 47.34, p < 0.0001). Most notably, TBI + HL rats showed significant alterations in WM area measured via the corpus callosum (F(3, 95) = 3.764, p = 0.0133). Worsened behavioral outcomes displayed by TBI + HL rats compared to TBI alone suggest HL contributes to TBI functional deficits. While an intact white matter, such as the corpus callosum, may lessen the consequent functional deficits associated with TBI by enhancing hemispheric communications, there are likely alternative cellular and molecular pathways mitigating TBI-associated inflammatory or oxidative stress responses. Here, we showed that the environmental condition of the patient, i.e., HL, participates in white matter integrity and behavioral outcomes, suggesting its key role in the disease diagnosis to aptly treat TBI patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Monsour
- University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 560 Channelside Dr., Tampa, FL, 33606, USA
| | - J-Y Lee
- Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 12901 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - C V Borlongan
- Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 12901 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
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Steinberg N, Parisi JM, Feger DM, Clay OJ, Willis SL, Ball KK, Marsiske M, Harrell ER, Sisco SM, Rebok GW. Rural-Urban Differences in Cognition: Findings From the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly Trial. J Aging Health 2023; 35:107S-118S. [PMID: 35604034 DOI: 10.1177/08982643221102718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
ObjectivesWe examined associations between three geographic areas (urban, suburban, rural) and cognition (memory, reasoning, processing speed) over a 10-year period. Methods: Data were obtained from 2539 participants in the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) trial. Multilevel, mixed-effects linear regression was used to estimate cognitive trajectories by geographical areas over 10 years, after adjusting for social determinants of health. Results: Compared to urban and suburban participants, rural participants fared worse on all cognitive measures-memory (B = -1.17 (0.17)), reasoning (B = -1.55 (0.19)), and processing speed (B = 0.76 (0.19)) across the 10-year trajectory. Across geographic areas, greater economic stability, health care access and quality, and neighborhood resources were associated with better cognition over time. Discussion: Findings highlight the importance of geographical location when examining cognition later in life. More research examining place-based life experiences is needed to make the greatest impact on geographically diverse communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nessa Steinberg
- Marcus Institute for Aging, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jeanine M Parisi
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Johns Hopkins Alzheimer's Disease Resource Center for Minority Aging Research, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Danielle M Feger
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Olivio J Clay
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
- Deep South Resource Center for Minority Aging Research, Birmingham, AL, USA
- University of Alabama Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Sherry L Willis
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Karlene K Ball
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
- Deep South Resource Center for Minority Aging Research, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Michael Marsiske
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Erin R Harrell
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | | | - George W Rebok
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Johns Hopkins Alzheimer's Disease Resource Center for Minority Aging Research, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Hesam Shariati F, Steffens A, Adhami S. Designing environments that contribute to a reduction in the progression of Parkinson's disease; a literature review. Health Place 2023; 83:103105. [PMID: 37703785 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.103105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's Disease (PD), a prevalent neurological disorder, causes physical difficulties like stiffness and impaired walking and affects patients' emotional well-being. Regular exercise and exposure to enriched environments are crucial to managing these symptoms. This review aims to extract evidence from studies regarding built environments' impact on reducing the progression of PD. Keywords from 2005 to 2022 were used in five databases, including PubMed, Clarivate Web of Science, UGA Library, and Google Scholar. Many studies emphasized physiotherapy and training for physical enhancement, often utilizing virtual games and smart devices. Others highlighted the advantages of non-slip flooring and accessible outdoor spaces, with some based on universal design principles. Few studies considered the emotional impact of built environments, showing a considerable gap in the studies simultaneously evaluating psychological and physical perspectives of Parkinson-friendly environments. There needs to be more consistency when considering these aspects of planning. Our findings suggest future research modeling enriched environments and tracking their impact on patients via Virtual Reality to find a comprehensive guideline for the most effective PD management environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ashley Steffens
- College of Environment and Design, University of Georgia, Athens, United States
| | - Sadaf Adhami
- Department of Architecture and Design, Polytechnic University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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Grigoryan GA. The systemic effects of the enriched environment on the conditioned fear reaction. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1227575. [PMID: 37674611 PMCID: PMC10477375 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1227575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In this review, a hypothesis is proposed to explain the beneficial effect of an enriched environment (EE) on the conditioned fear reaction (CFR) from the perspective of a functional system of behavioral control. According to the hypothesis, the EE affects all behavioral act components, including the processing of sensory information, memory, motivational and reinforcing systems, and motor activities, which weakens the CFR. Animals raised in the EE have effects that are comparable to those of context (CTX) and CS pre-exposures at latent inhibition. An abundance of stimuli in the EE and constant contact with them provide the formation of CS-noUS and CTX-noUS connections that later, during CFR learning, slow down and diminish fear. The EE also contributes to faster processing of information and habituation to it. As a result, many stimuli in the context lose their significance, and subjects simply ignore them. And finally, the EE affects the motivational and reinforcing brain mechanisms, induces an impairment of search activity, and worsens memory consolidation, which leads to a reduction of CFR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grigory A. Grigoryan
- The Laboratory of Conditioned Reflexes and Physiology of Emotions, Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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Kyriazis M, Swas L, Orlova T. The Impact of Hormesis, Neuronal Stress Response, and Reproduction, upon Clinical Aging: A Narrative Review. J Clin Med 2023; 12:5433. [PMID: 37629475 PMCID: PMC10455615 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12165433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The primary objective of researchers in the biology of aging is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the aging process while developing practical solutions that can enhance the quality of life for older individuals. This involves a continuous effort to bridge the gap between fundamental biological research and its real-world applications. PURPOSE In this narrative review, we attempt to link research findings concerning the hormetic relationship between neurons and germ cells, and translate these findings into clinically relevant concepts. METHODS We conducted a literature search using PubMed, Embase, PLOS, Digital Commons Network, Google Scholar and Cochrane Library from 2000 to 2023, analyzing studies dealing with the relationship between hormetic, cognitive, and reproductive aspects of human aging. RESULTS The process of hormesis serves as a bridge between the biology of neuron-germ cell interactions on one hand, and the clinical relevance of these interactions on the other. Details concerning these processes are discussed here, emphasizing new research which strengthens the overall concept. CONCLUSIONS This review presents a scientifically and clinically relevant argument, claiming that maintaining a cognitively active lifestyle may decrease age-related degeneration, and improve overall health in aging. This is a totally novel approach which reflects current developments in several relevant aspects of our biology, technology, and society.
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Kobiec T, Mardaraz C, Toro-Urrego N, Kölliker-Frers R, Capani F, Otero-Losada M. Neuroprotection in metabolic syndrome by environmental enrichment. A lifespan perspective. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1214468. [PMID: 37638319 PMCID: PMC10447983 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1214468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is defined by the concurrence of different metabolic conditions: obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia. Its incidence has been increasingly rising over the past decades and has become a global health problem. MetS has deleterious consequences on the central nervous system (CNS) and neurological development. MetS can last several years or be lifelong, affecting the CNS in different ways and treatments can help manage condition, though there is no known cure. The early childhood years are extremely important in neurodevelopment, which extends beyond, encompassing a lifetime. Neuroplastic changes take place all life through - childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age - are highly sensitive to environmental input. Environmental factors have an important role in the etiopathogenesis and treatment of MetS, so environmental enrichment (EE) stands as a promising non-invasive therapeutic approach. While the EE paradigm has been designed for animal housing, its principles can be and actually are applied in cognitive, sensory, social, and physical stimulation programs for humans. Here, we briefly review the central milestones in neurodevelopment at each life stage, along with the research studies carried out on how MetS affects neurodevelopment at each life stage and the contributions that EE models can provide to improve health over the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Kobiec
- Facultad de Psicología, Centro de Investigaciones en Psicología y Psicopedagogía, Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Centro de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Humanas y de la Salud, Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Claudia Mardaraz
- Centro de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Humanas y de la Salud, Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nicolás Toro-Urrego
- Centro de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Humanas y de la Salud, Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rodolfo Kölliker-Frers
- Centro de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Humanas y de la Salud, Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Francisco Capani
- Centro de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Humanas y de la Salud, Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Matilde Otero-Losada
- Centro de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Humanas y de la Salud, Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Woo CC, Miranda B, Sathishkumar M, Dehkordi-Vakil F, Yassa MA, Leon M. Overnight olfactory enrichment using an odorant diffuser improves memory and modifies the uncinate fasciculus in older adults. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1200448. [PMID: 37554295 PMCID: PMC10405466 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1200448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cognitive loss in older adults is a growing issue in our society, and there is a need to develop inexpensive, simple, effective in-home treatments. This study was conducted to explore the use of olfactory enrichment at night to improve cognitive ability in healthy older adults. METHODS Male and female older adults (N = 43), age 60-85, were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to an Olfactory Enriched or Control group. Individuals in the enriched group were exposed to 7 different odorants a week, one per night, for 2 h, using an odorant diffuser. Individuals in the control group had the same experience with de minimis amounts of odorant. Neuropsychological assessments and fMRI scans were administered at the beginning of the study and after 6 months. RESULTS A statistically significant 226% improvement was observed in the enriched group compared to the control group on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test and improved functioning was observed in the left uncinate fasciculus, as assessed by mean diffusivity. CONCLUSION Minimal olfactory enrichment administered at night produces improvements in both cognitive and neural functioning. Thus, olfactory enrichment may provide an effective and low-effort pathway to improved brain health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia C. Woo
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Blake Miranda
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Mithra Sathishkumar
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | | | - Michael A. Yassa
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Michael Leon
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
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Morè L, Privitera L, Cooper DD, Tsogka M, Arthur JSC, Frenguelli BG. MSK1 is required for the beneficial synaptic and cognitive effects of enriched experience across the lifespan. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:6031-6072. [PMID: 37432063 PMCID: PMC10373962 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Positive experiences, such as social interaction, cognitive training and physical exercise, have been shown to ameliorate some of the harms to cognition associated with ageing. Animal models of positive interventions, commonly known as environmental enrichment, strongly influence neuronal morphology and synaptic function and enhance cognitive performance. While the profound structural and functional benefits of enrichment have been appreciated for decades, little is known as to how the environment influences neurons to respond and adapt to these positive sensory experiences. We show that adult and aged male wild-type mice that underwent a 10-week environmental enrichment protocol demonstrated improved performance in a variety of behavioural tasks, including those testing spatial working and spatial reference memory, and an enhancement in hippocampal LTP. Aged animals in particular benefitted from enrichment, performing spatial memory tasks at levels similar to healthy adult mice. Many of these benefits, including in gene expression, were absent in mice with a mutation in an enzyme, MSK1, which is activated by BDNF, a growth factor implicated in rodent and human cognition. We conclude that enrichment is beneficial across the lifespan and that MSK1 is required for the full extent of these experience-induced improvements of cognitive abilities, synaptic plasticity and gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Morè
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK
| | - Lucia Privitera
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Daniel D. Cooper
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Marianthi Tsogka
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
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Goldman AW. Olfaction in (Social) Context: The Role of Social Complexity in Trajectories of Older Adults' Olfactory Abilities. J Aging Health 2023; 35:108-124. [PMID: 35739641 DOI: 10.1177/08982643221108020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: Olfaction is an important correlate of later-life health, including cognition and mortality risk. Environmental enrichment protects against olfactory decline, yet little research considers the social context as a source of sensory enrichment or stimulation. This study examines how exposure to social complexity (i.e., diversity or novelty in social networks and activities) shapes later-life olfaction. Methods: Cross-sectional and longitudinal ordered logit models analyze data from 1,447 older adults interviewed at Rounds 1 and 2 of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. Results: Exposure to greater social complexity (larger social networks, greater network diversity) is associated with significantly better olfaction at baseline. Increases in network diversity and fewer network losses significantly protect against olfactory decline over time. Discussion: Findings highlight the social context as an important, yet relatively overlooked source of sensory enrichment, and underscore the need for biological applications to integrate social life dynamics into studies of health trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa W Goldman
- Department of Sociology, 6019Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
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Lissek T. Activity-Dependent Induction of Younger Biological Phenotypes. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2022; 6:e2200119. [PMID: 35976161 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202200119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
In several mammalian species, including humans, complex stimulation patterns such as cognitive and physical exercise lead to improvements in organ function, organism health and performance, as well as possibly longer lifespans. A framework is introduced here in which activity-dependent transcriptional programs, induced by these environmental stimuli, move somatic cells such as neurons and muscle cells toward a state that resembles younger cells to allow remodeling and adaptation of the organism. This cellular adaptation program targets several process classes that are heavily implicated in aging, such as mitochondrial metabolism, cell-cell communication, and epigenetic information processing, and leads to functional improvements in these areas. The activity-dependent gene program (ADGP) can be seen as a natural, endogenous cellular reprogramming mechanism that provides deep insight into the principles of inducible improvements in cell and organism function and can guide the development of therapeutic approaches for longevity. Here, these ADGPs are analyzed, exemplary critical molecular nexus points such as cAMP response element-binding protein, myocyte enhancer factor 2, serum response factor, and c-Fos are identified, and it is explored how one may leverage them to prevent, attenuate, and reverse human aging-related decline of body function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Lissek
- Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
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Changes in Stereotypies: Effects over Time and over Generations. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12192504. [PMID: 36230246 PMCID: PMC9559266 DOI: 10.3390/ani12192504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Herein, we propose that there should be discussion about the function and effects of stereotypies in relation to the time during which they are shown. In the first stages, stereotypies may help animals deal with challenges. However, behavior can potentially alter the brain, impairing its function due the absence of a diverse repertory, and change brain connections, neurophysiology and later neuroanatomy. The neuroanatomical changes in individuals showing stereotypies could be an effect rather than a cause of the stereotypy. As a consequence, studies showing different outcomes for animal welfare from stereotypy expression could be due to variation in a timeline of expression. Stereotypies are widely used as an animal welfare indicator, and their expression can tell us about psychological states. However, there are questions about the longer-term consequences if animals express stereotypies: do the stereotypies help in coping? During the prenatal period, stereotypic behavior expressed by the mother can change the phenotype of the offspring, especially regarding emotionality, one mechanism acting via methylation in the limbic system in the brain. Are individuals that show stereotypies for shorter or longer periods all better adjusted, and hence have better welfare, or is the later welfare of some worse than that of individuals that do not show the behavior? Abstract Stereotypies comprise a wide range of repeated and apparently functionless behaviors that develop in individuals whose neural condition or environment results in poor welfare. While stereotypies are an indicator of poor welfare at the time of occurrence, they may have various consequences. Environmental enrichment modifies causal factors and reduces the occurrence of stereotypies, providing evidence that stereotypies are an indicator of poor welfare. However, stereotypy occurrence and consequences change over time. Furthermore, there are complex direct and epigenetic effects when mother mammals that are kept in negative conditions do or do not show stereotypies. It is proposed that, when trying to deal with challenging situations, stereotypies might initially help animals to cope. After further time in the conditions, the performance of the stereotypy may impair brain function and change brain connections, neurophysiology and eventually neuroanatomy. It is possible that reported neuroanatomical changes are an effect of the stereotypy rather than a cause.
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Long Term Physical Activity Improves Quality of Life Perception, Healthy Nutrition, and Daily Life Management in Elderly: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14122527. [PMID: 35745256 PMCID: PMC9229916 DOI: 10.3390/nu14122527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Physical activity (PA) is a key element in the management of successful aging. The aim of this paper was to show the effects of PA on the quality of life perception, nutritional status, and daily life management of 178 older adults (aged 63.87 ± 8.17) randomly assigned to an Experimental Group (EG), which performed moderate-to-high intensity aerobic and strengthening training, and a Control Group (CG) which performed low-impact PA, assessed after 6, 12, and 24 months. The Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), and Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) were used for the study. In the SF-36 assessment, EG showed a good quality of life perception maintained after 24 months, while CG showed a worsening in the same period (p = 0.018). The EG reported a significant better nutritional status as compared to pre-intervention assessment (p = 0.003) and to CG (p < 0.001). Regarding the PASE, the EG showed a higher level of weekly activities than the CG after 24 months (p = 0.011), while the CG showed a worsening after 12 months (p = 0.008). The prolonged engagement in moderate-to high-intensity PA allowed the maintenance of a good quality of life perception, a good level of nutritional status, and daily life activities.
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14
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Scabia G, Testa G, Scali M, Del Turco S, Desiato G, Berardi N, Sale A, Matteoli M, Maffei L, Maffei M, Mainardi M. Reduced ccl11/eotaxin mediates the beneficial effects of environmental stimulation on the aged hippocampus. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 98:234-244. [PMID: 34418501 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.08.222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A deterioration in cognitive performance accompanies brain aging, even in the absence of neurodegenerative pathologies. However, the rate of cognitive decline can be slowed down by enhanced cognitive and sensorimotor stimulation protocols, such as environmental enrichment (EE). Understanding how EE exerts its beneficial effects on the aged brain pathophysiology can help in identifying new therapeutic targets. In this regard, the inflammatory chemokine ccl11/eotaxin-1 is a marker of aging with a strong relevance for neurodegenerative processes. Here, we demonstrate that EE in both elderly humans and aged mice decreases circulating levels of ccl11. Interfering, in mice, with the ccl11 decrease induced by EE ablated the beneficial effects on long-term memory retention, hippocampal neurogenesis, activation of local microglia and of ribosomal protein S6. On the other hand, treatment of standard-reared aged mice with an anti-ccl11 antibody resulted in EE-like improvements in spatial memory, hippocampal neurogenesis, and microglial activation. Taken together, our findings point to a decrease in circulating ccl11 concentration as a key mediator of the enhanced hippocampal function resulting from exposure to EE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaia Scabia
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council (IFC-CNR), Pisa, Italy; Obesity and Lipodystrophies Center at Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giovanna Testa
- Laboratory of Biology "Bio@SNS", Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | - Manuela Scali
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (IN-CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - Serena Del Turco
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council (IFC-CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - Genni Desiato
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (IN-CNR), Milan, Italy; Humanitas Clinical and Research Center - IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Berardi
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (IN-CNR), Pisa, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, NEUROFARBA University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Alessandro Sale
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (IN-CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - Michela Matteoli
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (IN-CNR), Milan, Italy; Humanitas Clinical and Research Center - IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Lamberto Maffei
- Laboratory of Biology "Bio@SNS", Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy; Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (IN-CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - Margherita Maffei
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council (IFC-CNR), Pisa, Italy; Obesity and Lipodystrophies Center at Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Marco Mainardi
- Laboratory of Biology "Bio@SNS", Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy; Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (IN-CNR), Pisa, Italy.
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Li JZ, Hao XH, Wu HP, Li M, Liu XM, Wu ZB. An enriched environment delays the progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease in senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 mice. Exp Ther Med 2021; 22:1320. [PMID: 34630674 PMCID: PMC8495563 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2021.10755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A previous study demonstrated that middle-aged (5-6 months of age) senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice can be used as animal models of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). An enriched environment (EE) can mitigate cognitive decline and decrease the pathological changes associated with various neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, the learning-memory abilities of SAMP8 mice during the MCI phase (5 months of age) was evaluated and neuropathological changes in the hippocampus were examined after the mice were exposed to an EE for 60 days. In the Morris water maze test, EE-exposed mice demonstrated significantly decreased escape latency and increased time spent in the target quadrant and number of platform crossings compared with control mice. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling and Nissl staining showed that EE-exposed mice had reduced neuronal apoptosis and increased number of surviving neurons compared with control mice. Golgi staining, transmission electron microscopy, and immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that EE-exposed mice exhibited increased dendritic spine densities among secondary and tertiary apical dendrites; increases in synaptic numerical density, synaptic surface density, and expression of synaptophysin; and reduced deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) and expression of amyloid-precursor protein (APP) in the hippocampal CA1 region compared with control mice. These results demonstrate that EE exposure effectively decreases neuronal loss and regulates neuronal synaptic plasticity by reducing the expression of APP and the deposition of Aβ in the hippocampal CA1 region, thereby mitigating cognitive decline in SAMP8 mice during the MCI phase and delaying the progression from MCI to Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Zhong Li
- Department of Human Anatomy, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, Shangxi 046000, P.R. China
| | - Xing-Hua Hao
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Heping Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, Shangxi 046000, P.R. China
| | - Hai-Ping Wu
- Department of Human Anatomy, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, Shangxi 046000, P.R. China
| | - Ming Li
- Department of Human Anatomy, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, Shangxi 046000, P.R. China
| | - Xue-Min Liu
- Department of Human Anatomy, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, Shangxi 046000, P.R. China
| | - Zhi-Bing Wu
- Department of Human Anatomy, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, Shangxi 046000, P.R. China
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16
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Virtual Reality (VR)-Based Environmental Enrichment in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Mild Dementia. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11081103. [PMID: 34439723 PMCID: PMC8392435 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11081103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Despite an alarming rise in the global prevalence of dementia, the available modalities for improving cognition and mental wellbeing of dementia patients remain limited. Environmental enrichment is an experimental paradigm that has shown promising anti-depressive and memory-enhancing effects in pre-clinical studies. However, its clinical utility has remained limited due to the lack of effective implementation strategies. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the usability (tolerability and interactivity) of a long-term virtual reality (VR)- based environmental enrichment training program in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia. A secondary objective was to assess the effect of VR-based environmental enrichment on stabilization of cognitive functioning and improvement of mental wellbeing in older adults with MCI and mild dementia. Methods: A total of seven participants (four patients with MCI and three with mild dementia) received biweekly VR-based environmental enrichment over a course of 6 months. The tolerability and interactivity of the participants in the VR training was serially assessed via virtual reality sickness questionnaire (VRSQ) and recording of input-error ratio. Cognitive functioning was assessed through Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) before and after the study. Mental wellbeing was assessed through Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well Being Scale (WEMWBS). Results: VR-based environmental enrichment was well-tolerated by the patients with significant decrease in VRSQ scores (p < 0.01) and input-error ratio (p < 0.001) overtime. VR training was also effective in stabilization of MoCA scores over the course of therapy (non-significant difference in the MoCA scores before and after the therapy) and was associated with a trend (p < 0.1) towards improvement in WEMWBS scores between the first and the last assessments. Qualitative observations by the care-givers further corroborated a noticeable improvement in mental wellbeing of patients. Conclusions: This pilot study shows that VR can be a feasible, tolerable, and potentially effective tool in long-term support of older adults with MCI and mild dementia.
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Mille J, Brambati SM, Izaute M, Vallet GT. Low-Resolution Neurocognitive Aging and Cognition: An Embodied Perspective. Front Syst Neurosci 2021; 15:687393. [PMID: 34385911 PMCID: PMC8353153 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.687393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Consistent with embodied cognition, a growing evidence in young adults show that sensorimotor processing is at the core of cognition. Considering that this approach predicts direct interaction between sensorimotor processing and cognition, embodied cognition may thus be particularly relevant to study aging, since this population is characterized by concomitant changes in sensorimotor and cognitive processing. The present perspective aims at showing the value and interest to explore normal aging throughout embodiment by focusing on the neurophysiological and cognitive changes occurring in aging. To this end, we report some of the neurophysiological substrates underpinning the perceptual and memory interactions in older adults, from the low and high perceptual processing to the conjunction in the medial temporal lobe. We then explore how these changes could explain more broadly the cognitive changes associated with aging in terms of losses and gains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Mille
- CNRS, LAPSCO (UMR CNRS 6024), Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | | | - Marie Izaute
- CNRS, LAPSCO (UMR CNRS 6024), Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Guillaume T Vallet
- CNRS, LAPSCO (UMR CNRS 6024), Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
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18
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Völter* C, Peter Thomas* J, Maetzler W, Guthoff R, Grunwald M, Hummel T. Sensory Dysfunction in Old Age. DEUTSCHES ARZTEBLATT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 118:512-520. [PMID: 34158149 PMCID: PMC8476826 DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.m2021.0212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The senses serve as the crucial interface between the individual and the environment. They are subject to aging and disease processes. METHODS This review is based on pertinent publications retrieved by a selective search in the Medline and Cochrane Library databases. RESULTS Approximately 40% of persons aged 70 to 79 manifest dysfunction in at least one, and more than 25% in multiple senses. Sensory changes are accompanied by diverse comorbidities which depend on the particular sense(s) affected. The presence of sensory deficits is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia (OR: 1.49 [95% confidence interval: 1.12; 1.98] for dysfunction in a single sensory modality, 2.85 [1.88; 4.30] for dysfunction in three or more sensory modalities). The risk of developing depressive symptoms is elevated as well (OR 3.36 [2.28; 4.96]). The individual's ability to cope with the demands of everyday life is largely determined by the ability to carry out multisensory integration, in which the perceptions of the different senses are bound together. This function itself is subject to age-related changes that can be either adaptive or maladaptive; it can, therefore, serve as an indicator for pathological aging processes. CONCLUSION Sensory dysfunction in old age should be detected as early as possible. This implies the need for close collaboration of all of the involved disciplines. It would be desirable to develop sensory screening tests as well as a procedure for testing multisensory integration in routine clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Völter*
- * Joint first authors
- Hearing Competence Center, St. Elisabeth- Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ruhr University of Bochum
| | - Jan Peter Thomas*
- * Joint first authors
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, St.-Johannes-Hospital, Dortmund
| | - Walter Maetzler
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kiel
| | - Rainer Guthoff
- Department of Ophthalmology, Düsseldorf University Hospital
| | - Martin Grunwald
- Haptic Research Lab, Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Medical Faculty of the Universität Leipzig
| | - Thomas Hummel
- Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden
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19
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Siu MY, Lee DTF. Is Tai Chi an effective intervention for enhancing health-related quality of life in older people with mild cognitive impairment? An interventional study. Int J Older People Nurs 2021; 16:e12400. [PMID: 34254731 DOI: 10.1111/opn.12400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many neuropsychiatric symptoms in persons of MCI cause negative impacts on their HRQOL. There is limited HRQOL research investigating the effect of Tai Chi on older people with MCI. OBJECTIVE To determine the effectiveness of a Tai Chi program in enhancing health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among community-dwelling older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in Hong Kong. METHODS This was a quasi-experimental study using a nonequivalent control group (CG) design. Four social centres for older people participated in the study, of which two centres were randomised for Tai Chi intervention and the other two were treated as control. Participants in the intervention group (IG) were arranged for a 1-hour Tai Chi class twice weekly for 16 weeks, whereas participants in the CG were advised to join various recreational activities in the social centres as usual. For outcome evaluation, the Chinese version of the Short Form-12 Health Survey-Standard 1 (SF-12) was employed to assess participants' perceived HRQOL. RESULTS One hundred and sixty participants were recruited (IG = 80, CG = 80). Data were collected at baseline (T0) and 16-week post-intervention (T1).The IG reported significant improvement in the physical health component (PCS) (p = .036), the mental health component (MCS) (p = .014), as well as several subscales of SF-12, namely, the role-physical (RP) (p = .044), the bodily pain (BP) (p < .001) and the vitality (VT) (p = .004) subscales, in comparison with the CG. CONCLUSION The current study results extended our knowledge about Tai Chi of which the mind-body exercise could enhance the physical and psychosocial well-being in older people with MCI. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE The findings have the potential to inform health and social care professionals to promote Tai Chi in community settings, as it may represent a non-intensive and age-fitting strategy to promote HRQOL in older people with MCI. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT03404765 (Retrospectively registered January 19, 2018).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Yi Siu
- School of Nursing, Union Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Diana T F Lee
- The Nethersole School of Nursing, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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20
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de Siqueira Mendes FDCC, Paixão LTVB, Diniz DG, Anthony DC, Brites D, Diniz CWP, Sosthenes MCK. Sedentary Life and Reduced Mastication Impair Spatial Learning and Memory and Differentially Affect Dentate Gyrus Astrocyte Subtypes in the Aged Mice. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:632216. [PMID: 33935629 PMCID: PMC8081835 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.632216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
To explore the impact of reduced mastication and a sedentary lifestyle on spatial learning and memory in the aged mice, as well as on the morphology of astrocytes in the molecular layer of dentate gyrus (MolDG), different masticatory regimens were imposed. Control mice received a pellet-type hard diet, while the reduced masticatory activity group received a pellet diet followed by a powdered diet, and the masticatory rehabilitation group received a pellet diet, followed by powder diet and then a pellet again. To mimic sedentary or active lifestyles, mice were housed in an impoverished environment of standard cages or in an enriched environment. The Morris Water Maze (MWM) test showed that masticatory-deprived group, regardless of environment, was not able to learn and remember the hidden platform location, but masticatory rehabilitation combined with enriched environment recovered such disabilities. Microscopic three-dimensional reconstructions of 1,800 glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-immunolabeled astrocytes from the external third of the MolDG were generated using a stereological systematic and random sampling approach. Hierarchical cluster analysis allowed the characterization into two main groups of astrocytes with greater and lower morphological complexities, respectively, AST1 and AST2. When compared to compared to the hard diet group subjected to impoverished environment, deprived animals maintained in the same environment for 6 months showed remarkable shrinkage of astrocyte branches. However, the long-term environmental enrichment (18-month-old) applied to the deprived group reversed the shrinkage effect, with significant increase in the morphological complexity of AST1 and AST2, when in an impoverished or enriched environment. During housing under enriched environment, complexity of branches of AST1 and AST2 was reduced by the powder diet (pellet followed by powder regimes) in young but not in old mice, where it was reversed by pellet diet (pellet followed by powder and pellet regime again). The same was not true for mice housed under impoverished environment. Interestingly, we were unable to find any correlation between MWM data and astrocyte morphological changes. Our findings indicate that both young and aged mice subjected to environmental enrichment, and under normal or rehabilitated masticatory activity, preserve spatial learning and memory. Nonetheless, data suggest that an impoverished environment and reduced mastication synergize to aggravate age-related cognitive decline; however, the association with morphological diversity of AST1 and AST2 at the MolDG requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabíola de Carvalho Chaves de Siqueira Mendes
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil.,Curso de Medicina, Centro Universitário do Estado do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Luisa Taynah Vasconcelos Barbosa Paixão
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Daniel Guerreiro Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil.,Laboratório de Microscopia Eletrônica, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Belém, Brazil
| | - Daniel Clive Anthony
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropathology, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Dora Brites
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Department of Biochemistry and Human Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Cristovam Wanderley Picanço Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Marcia Consentino Kronka Sosthenes
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
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21
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Lalo U, Pankratov Y. Astrocytes as Perspective Targets of Exercise- and Caloric Restriction-Mimetics. Neurochem Res 2021; 46:2746-2759. [PMID: 33677759 PMCID: PMC8437875 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-021-03277-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Enhanced mental and physical activity can have positive effects on the function of aging brain, both in the experimental animals and human patients, although cellular mechanisms underlying these effects are currently unclear. There is a growing evidence that pre-clinical stage of many neurodegenerative diseases involves changes in interactions between astrocytes and neurons. Conversely, astrocytes are strategically positioned to mediate the positive influence of physical activity and diet on neuronal function. Thus, development of therapeutic agents which could improve the astroglia-neuron communications in ageing brain is of crucial importance. Recent advances in studies of cellular mechanisms of brain longevity suggest that astrocyte-neuron communications have a vital role in the beneficial effects of caloric restriction, physical exercise and their pharmacological mimetics on synaptic homeostasis and cognitive function. In particular, our recent data indicate that noradrenaline uptake inhibitor atomoxetine can enhance astrocytic Ca2+-signaling and astroglia-driven modulation of synaptic plasticity. Similar effects were exhibited by caloric restriction-mimetics metformin and resveratrol. The emerged data also suggest that astrocytes could be involved in the modulatory action of caloric restriction and its mimetics on neuronal autophagy. Still, the efficiency of astrocyte-targeting compounds in preventing age-related cognitive decline is yet to be fully explored, in particular in the animal models of neurodegenerative diseases and autophagy impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulyana Lalo
- School of Life Sciences, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia.,School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Yuriy Pankratov
- School of Life Sciences, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia. .,School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
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22
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Lee ATC, Richards M, Chan WC, Chiu HFK, Lee RSY, Lam LCW. Higher Dementia Incidence in Older Adults with Poor Visual Acuity. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2021; 75:2162-2168. [PMID: 32043518 PMCID: PMC7566398 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glaa036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Longitudinal evidence of poor visual acuity associating with higher risk of incident dementia is mixed. This study aimed to examine if poor visual acuity was associated with higher dementia incidence in a large community cohort of older adults, independent of the possible biases relating to misclassification error, reverse causality, and confounding effects due to health problems and behaviors. Methods A total of 15,576 community-living older adults without dementia at baseline were followed for 6 years to the outcome of incident dementia, which was diagnosed according to the ICD-10 or a Clinical Dementia Rating of 1 to 3. Visual acuity was assessed using the Snellen’s chart at baseline and follow-up. Important variables including demographics (age, sex, education, and socioeconomic status), physical and psychiatric comorbidities (cardiovascular risks, ophthalmological conditions, hearing impairment, poor mobility, and depression), and lifestyle behaviors (smoking, diet, physical, intellectual, and social activities) were also assessed. Results Over 68,904 person-years of follow-up, 1,349 participants developed dementia. Poorer visual acuity at baseline was associated with higher dementia incidence in 6 years, even after adjusting for demographics, health problems, and lifestyle behaviors, and excluding those who developed dementia within 3 years after baseline. Compared with normal vision, the hazard ratio of dementia was 1.19 (p = .31), 2.09 (p < .001), and 8.66 (p < .001) for mild, moderate, and severe visual impairment, respectively. Conclusions Moderate-to-severe visual impairment could be a potential predictor and possibly a risk factor for dementia. From a clinical perspective, older adults with poor visual acuity might warrant further risk assessment for dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allen T C Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | | | - Wai C Chan
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Helen F K Chiu
- Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ruby S Y Lee
- Elderly Health Service, Department of Health, The Government of Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Linda C W Lam
- Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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23
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Enriched Environment Minimizes Anxiety/Depressive-Like Behavior in Rats Exposed to Immobilization Stress and Augments Hippocampal Neurogenesis (In Vitro). J Mol Neurosci 2021; 71:2071-2084. [PMID: 33492617 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-021-01798-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Chronic exposure to stress disturbs the homeostasis of the brain, thus, deleteriously affecting the neurological circuits. In literature, there are investigations about the stress-related alterations in behavioral response and adult neurogenesis; however, an effective combating strategy to evade stress is still at stake. Hence, the present study is designed to investigate the effect of an enriched environment in alleviating the anxiety/depressive-like behavioral response and enhancing the adult neurogenesis in the hippocampal region of rats exposed to chronic immobilization stress. The rats were exposed to chronic immobilization stress (IS) for 4 h/day followed by the enriched environment (EE) for 2 h/day for 28 days, and finally, the hippocampal region was dissected out after the behavioral analyses. IS group showed increased behavioral despair to tail suspension test, decrement in the activity for light/dark box test, and less grooming activity towards splash test. In contrast, IS + EE rats exhibited a decrease in the activity of tail suspension test and an increase in the behavioral response to light/dark box test and splash test. The in vitro assessment of primary cultures of neurospheres from the IS group resulted in decreased levels of proliferation in the cell number and metabolic activity of both MTT assay and lactate levels. IS + EE group revealed an increase in the growth curve of neurospheres and higher metabolic activities of MTT and lactate. The IS cultures had reduced neurite length, while the neurite outgrowths were increased in IS + EE group. The IS group showed significant reduction in the protein and mRNA levels of nestin, GFAP, CD11b, MOG, and synaptophysin, whereas the IS + EE cultures exhibited significant increase in the levels of these stem cell markers. Our data highlight the positive impact of EE against stress-related behavioral changes in rats exposed to chronic immobilization stress perhaps by interfering with the differentiation of neurospheres and neurogenesis.
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Abstract
Age-related olfactory dysfunction, or presbyosmia, is a common sensory impairment in aging adults. People in this demographic group with comorbid conditions or exposure to viral, traumatic, or environmental insults remain at the greatest risk for impairment. Several methods for assessing olfaction exist, but they are only available in special settings and require consideration of age, sex, ancestry, and cognition. Perhaps most importantly, olfactory dysfunction has been suggested as an early sign of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease and therefore may serve as a tool in the diagnosis and prognosis of these neurodegenerative conditions. Outside of this context, olfactory loss also impacts nutrition, safety, and social relationships, and even predicts mortality itself. This review covers the detection and manifestations of olfactory decline in aging individuals and the myriad ways in which olfactory impairment is connected to their health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Papazian
- Pritzker School of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jayant M Pinto
- Section of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
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25
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Vázquez-Hernández N, Martínez-Torres NI, González-Burgos I. Plastic changes to dendritic spines in the cerebellar and prefrontal cortices underlie the decline in motor coordination and working memory during successful aging. Behav Brain Res 2020; 400:113014. [PMID: 33309738 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.113014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Old age is the last stage of life and by taking a multidimensional view of aging, Neuroscientists have been able to characterize pathological or successful aging. Psychomotor and cognitive performance are recognized as two major domains of successful aging, with a loss of motor coordination and working memory deficits two of the most characteristic features of elderly people. Dendritic spines in both the cerebellar and prefrontal cortices diminish in aging, yet the plastic changes in dendritic spines have not been related to behavioral performance neither the changes in the cerebellar or prefrontal cortices. As such, motor coordination and visuospatial working memory (vsWM) was evaluated here in aged, 22-month-old rats, calculating the density of spines and the proportion of the different types of spines. These animals performed erratically and slowly in a motor coordination-related paradigm, and the vsWM was resolved deficiently. Spine density was reduced in aged animals, and the proportional density of each of the spine types studied diminished in both the brain regions studied. The loss of dendritic spines and particularly, the changes in the proportional density of the different spine types could underlie, at least in part, the behavioral deficits observed during aging. To our knowledge, this is the first study of the plastic changes in different dendritic spine types that might underlie the behavioral alterations in motor and cognitive abilities associated with aging. Further neurochemical and molecular studies will help better understand the functional significance of the plastic changes to dendritic spines in both successful and pathological aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Vázquez-Hernández
- División de Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Occidente, IMSS, Guadalajara, Jal, Mexico
| | - N I Martínez-Torres
- División de Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Occidente, IMSS, Guadalajara, Jal, Mexico; Centro Universitario del Norte, Universidad de Guadalajara, Colotlán, Jal, Mexico
| | - I González-Burgos
- División de Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Occidente, IMSS, Guadalajara, Jal, Mexico.
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26
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Hohman TJ, Kaczorowski CC. Modifiable Lifestyle Factors in Alzheimer Disease: An Opportunity to Transform the Therapeutic Landscape Through Transdisciplinary Collaboration. JAMA Neurol 2020; 77:1207-1209. [PMID: 32597936 DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2020.1114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Hohman
- Vanderbilt Memory and Alzheimer's Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
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27
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Verkhratsky A, Augusto-Oliveira M, Pivoriūnas A, Popov A, Brazhe A, Semyanov A. Astroglial asthenia and loss of function, rather than reactivity, contribute to the ageing of the brain. Pflugers Arch 2020; 473:753-774. [PMID: 32979108 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-020-02465-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Astroglia represent a class of heterogeneous, in form and function, cells known as astrocytes, which provide for homoeostasis and defence of the central nervous system (CNS). Ageing is associated with morphological and functional remodelling of astrocytes with a prevalence of morphological atrophy and loss of function. In particular, ageing is associated with (i) decrease in astroglial synaptic coverage, (ii) deficits in glutamate and potassium clearance, (iii) reduced astroglial synthesis of synaptogenic factors such as cholesterol, (iv) decrease in aquaporin 4 channels in astroglial endfeet with subsequent decline in the glymphatic clearance, (v) decrease in astroglial metabolic support through the lactate shuttle, (vi) dwindling adult neurogenesis resulting from diminished proliferative capacity of radial stem astrocytes, (vii) decline in the astroglial-vascular coupling and deficient blood-brain barrier and (viii) decrease in astroglial ability to mount reactive astrogliosis. Decrease in reactive capabilities of astroglia are associated with rise of age-dependent neurodegenerative diseases. Astroglial morphology and function can be influenced and improved by lifestyle interventions such as intellectual engagement, social interactions, physical exercise, caloric restriction and healthy diet. These modifications of lifestyle are paramount for cognitive longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Verkhratsky
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK. .,Achucarro Center for Neuroscience, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011, Bilbao, Spain. .,Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU and CIBERNED, Leioa, Spain.
| | - Marcus Augusto-Oliveira
- Laboratório de Farmacologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, 66075-110, Brazil
| | - Augustas Pivoriūnas
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, LT-01102, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Alexander Popov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya street 16/10, Moscow, Russia, 117997
| | - Alexey Brazhe
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya street 16/10, Moscow, Russia, 117997.,Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119234, Russia
| | - Alexey Semyanov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya street 16/10, Moscow, Russia, 117997. .,Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia.
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28
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Post-exposure environment modulates long-term developmental ethanol effects on behavior, neuroanatomy, and cortical oscillations. Brain Res 2020; 1748:147128. [PMID: 32950485 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.147128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Developmental exposure to ethanol has a wide range of anatomical, cellular, physiological and behavioral impacts that can last throughout life. In humans, this cluster of effects is termed fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and is highly prevalent in western cultures. The ultimate expression of the effects of developmental ethanol exposure however can be influenced by post-exposure experience. Here we examined the effects of developmental binge exposure to ethanol (postnatal day 7) in C57BL/6By mice on a specific cohort of inter-related long-term outcomes including contextual memory, hippocampal parvalbumin-expressing neuron density, frontal cortex oscillations related to sleep-wake cycling including delta oscillation amplitude and sleep spindle density, and home-cage behavioral activity. When assessed in adults that were raised in standard housing, all of these factors were altered by early ethanol exposure compared to saline controls except home-cage activity. However, exposure to an enriched environment and exercise from weaning to postnatal day 90 reversed most of these ethanol-induced impairments including memory, CA1 but not dentate gyrus PV+ cell density, delta oscillations and sleep spindles, and enhanced home-cage behavioral activity in Saline- but not EtOH-treated mice. The results are discussed in terms of the inter-dependence of diverse developmental ethanol outcomes and potential mechanisms of post-exposure experiences to regulate those outcomes.
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Dahan L, Rampon C, Florian C. Age-related memory decline, dysfunction of the hippocampus and therapeutic opportunities. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 102:109943. [PMID: 32298784 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.109943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
While the aging of the population is a sign of progress for societies, it also carries its load of negative aspects. Among them, cognitive decline and in particular memory loss is a common feature of non-pathological aging. Autobiographical memories, which rely on the hippocampus, are a primary target of age-related cognitive decline. Here, focusing on the neurobiological mechanisms of memory formation and storage, we describe how hippocampal functions are altered across time in non-pathological mammalian brains. Several hallmarks of aging have been well described over the last decades; among them, we consider altered synaptic communication and plasticity, reduction of adult neurogenesis and epigenetic alterations. Building on the neurobiological processes of cognitive aging that have been identified to date, we review some of the strategies based on lifestyle manupulation allowing to address age-related cognitive deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lionel Dahan
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale (CRCA), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse; CNRS, UPS, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - Claire Rampon
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale (CRCA), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse; CNRS, UPS, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - Cédrick Florian
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale (CRCA), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse; CNRS, UPS, Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
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30
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Piano M, Nilforooshan R, Evans S. Binocular Vision, Visual Function, and Pupil Dynamics in People Living With Dementia and Their Relation to the Rate of Cognitive Decline and Structural Changes Within the Brain: Protocol for an Observational Study. JMIR Res Protoc 2020; 9:e16089. [PMID: 32773379 PMCID: PMC7445601 DOI: 10.2196/16089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Visual impairment is a common comorbidity in people living with dementia. Addressing sources of visual difficulties can have a significant impact on the quality of life for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Depth perception problems are purportedly common in dementia and also contribute to falls, visuomotor task difficulties, and poorer psychosocial well-being. However, depth perception and binocular vision are rarely assessed in dementia research. Sleep fragmentation is also common for people living with dementia, and binocular cooperation for depth perception can be affected by fatigue. Pupillary responses under cognitive load also have the potential to be a risk marker for cognitive decline in people living with dementia and can be combined with the above measures for a comprehensive evaluation of clinical visual changes in people living with dementia and their relation to changes in cognitive status, sleep quality, and cortical structure or function. OBJECTIVE This study aims to characterize the nature of clinical visual changes and altered task-evoked pupillary responses that may occur in people living with dementia and evaluate whether these responses relate to changes in cognitive status (standardized Mini Mental State Examination [MMSE] score), Pittsburgh sleep quality index, and cortical structure or function. METHODS This proposed exploratory observational study will enroll ≤210 people with recently diagnosed dementia (within the last 24 months). The following parameters will be assessed on 3 occasions, 4 months apart (plus or minus 2 weeks): visual function (visual acuity and contrast sensitivity), binocular function (motor fusion and stereopsis), task-evoked pupillary responses (minimum and maximum pupil size, time to maximum dilation, and dilation velocity), cognitive status (MMSE score), and sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index). A subset of patients (n=30) with Alzheimer disease will undergo structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging at first and third visits, completing a 10-day consensus sleep diary to monitor sleep quality, verified by sleep actimetry. RESULTS This research was funded in February 2018 and received National Health Service Research Ethics Committee approval in September 2018. The data collection period was from October 1, 2018, to November 30, 2019. A total of 24 participants were recruited for the study. The data analysis is complete, with results expected to be published before the end of 2020. CONCLUSIONS Findings will demonstrate how often people with dementia experience binocular vision problems. If frequent, diagnosing and treating them could improve quality of life by reducing the risk of falls and fine visuomotor task impairment and by relieving psychosocial anxiety. This research will also demonstrate whether changes in depth perception, pupillary responses, and quality of vision relate to changes in memory or sleep quality and brain structure or function. If related, these quick and noninvasive eye tests help monitor dementia. This would help justify whether binocular vision and pupillary response testing should be included in dementia-friendly eye-testing guidelines. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) RR1-10.2196/16089.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Piano
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- National Vision Research Institute, Australian College of Optometry, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Simon Evans
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
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Jafari Z, Kolb BE, Mohajerani MH. Neural oscillations and brain stimulation in Alzheimer's disease. Prog Neurobiol 2020; 194:101878. [PMID: 32615147 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2020.101878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Aging is associated with alterations in cognitive processing and brain neurophysiology. Whereas the primary symptom of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is memory problems greater than normal for age and education, patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) show impairments in other cognitive domains in addition to memory dysfunction. Resting-state electroencephalography (rsEEG) studies in physiological aging indicate a global increase in low-frequency oscillations' power and the reduction and slowing of alpha activity. The enhancement of slow and the reduction of fast oscillations, and the disruption of brain functional connectivity, however, are characterized as major rsEEG changes in AD. Recent rodent studies also support human evidence of age- and AD-related changes in resting-state brain oscillations, and the neuroprotective effect of brain stimulation techniques through gamma-band stimulations. Cumulatively, current evidence moves toward optimizing rsEEG features as reliable predictors of people with aMCI at risk for conversion to AD and mapping neural alterations subsequent to brain stimulation therapies. The present paper reviews the latest evidence of changes in rsEEG oscillations in physiological aging, aMCI, and AD, as well as findings of various brain stimulation therapies from both human and non-human studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Jafari
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Bryan E Kolb
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada.
| | - Majid H Mohajerani
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada.
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32
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Manza P, Wiers CE, Shokri-Kojori E, Kroll D, Feldman D, Schwandt M, Wang GJ, Tomasi D, Volkow ND. Brain Network Segregation and Glucose Energy Utilization: Relevance for Age-Related Differences in Cognitive Function. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:5930-5942. [PMID: 32564073 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The human brain is organized into segregated networks with strong within-network connections and relatively weaker between-network connections. This "small-world" organization may be essential for maintaining an energetically efficient system, crucial to the brain which consumes 20% of the body's energy. Brain network segregation and glucose energy utilization both change throughout the lifespan. However, it remains unclear whether these processes interact to contribute to differences in cognitive performance with age. To address this, we examined fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging from 88 participants aged 18-73 years old. Consistent with prior work, brain network segregation showed a negative association with age across both sensorimotor and association networks. However, relative glucose metabolism demonstrated an interaction with age, showing a negative slope in association networks but a positive slope in sensorimotor networks. Overall, brain networks with lower segregation showed significantly steeper age-related differences in glucose metabolism, compared with highly segregated networks. Sensorimotor network segregation mediated the association between age and poorer spatial cognition performance, and sensorimotor network metabolism mediated the association between age and slower response time. These data provide evidence that sensorimotor segregation and glucose metabolism underlie some age-related changes in cognition. Interventions that stimulate somatosensory networks could be important for treatment of age-related cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Manza
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Corinde E Wiers
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ehsan Shokri-Kojori
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Danielle Kroll
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Dana Feldman
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Melanie Schwandt
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Gene-Jack Wang
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Dardo Tomasi
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Nora D Volkow
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.,National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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33
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Kontaris I, East BS, Wilson DA. Behavioral and Neurobiological Convergence of Odor, Mood and Emotion: A Review. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:35. [PMID: 32210776 PMCID: PMC7076187 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The affective state is the combination of emotion and mood, with mood reflecting a running average of sequential emotional events together with an underlying internal affective state. There is now extensive evidence that odors can overtly or subliminally modulate mood and emotion. Relying primarily on neurobiological literature, here we review what is known about how odors can affect emotions/moods and how emotions/moods may affect odor perception. We take the approach that form can provide insight into function by reviewing major brain regions and neural circuits underlying emotion and mood, and then reviewing the olfactory pathway in the context of that emotion/mood network. We highlight the extensive neuroanatomical opportunities for odor-emotion/mood convergence, as well as functional data demonstrating reciprocal interactions between these processes. Finally, we explore how the odor- emotion/mood interplay is, or could be, used in medical and/or commercial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Kontaris
- Givaudan UK Limited, Health and Well-being Centre of Excellence, Ashford, United Kingdom
| | - Brett S East
- Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NC, United States.,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Donald A Wilson
- Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NC, United States.,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, United States
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Fleming G, Wright BA, Wilson DA. The Value of Homework: Exposure to Odors in the Home Cage Enhances Odor-Discrimination Learning in Mice. Chem Senses 2020; 44:135-143. [PMID: 30590399 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjy083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Perceptual learning is an enhancement in discriminability of similar stimuli following experience with those stimuli. Here, we examined the efficacy of adding additional active training following a standard training session, compared with additional stimulus exposure in the absence of associated task performance. Mice were trained daily in an odor-discrimination task, and then, several hours later each day, received 1 of 3 different manipulations: 1) a second active-training session, 2) non-task-related odor exposure in the home cage, or 3) no second session. For home-cage exposure, odorants were presented in small tubes that mice could sniff and investigate for a similar period of time as in the active discrimination task each day. The results demonstrate that daily home-cage exposure was equivalent to active odor training in supporting improved odor discrimination. Daily home-cage exposure to odorants that did not match those used in the active task did not improve learning, yielding outcomes similar to those obtained with no second session. Piriform cortical local field potential recordings revealed that both sampling in the active learning task and investigation in the home cage evoked similar beta band oscillatory activity. Together the results suggest that odor-discrimination learning can be significantly enhanced by addition of odor exposure outside of the active training task, potentially because of the robust activity evoked in the olfactory system by both exposure paradigms. They further suggest that odorant exposure alone could enhance or maintain odor-discrimination abilities in conditions associated with olfactory impairment, such as aging or dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Fleming
- Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Beverly A Wright
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Knowles Hearing Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.,Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Donald A Wilson
- Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA.,Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York Langone School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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35
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Rabadán R, Ramos-Campos M, Redolat R, Mesa-Gresa P. Physical activity and environmental enrichment: Behavioural effects of exposure to different housing conditions in mice. Acta Neurobiol Exp (Wars) 2020. [DOI: 10.21307/ane-2019-035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Jafari Z, Kolb BE, Mohajerani MH. Age-related hearing loss and tinnitus, dementia risk, and auditory amplification outcomes. Ageing Res Rev 2019; 56:100963. [PMID: 31557539 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2019.100963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) or presbycusis, as the third leading cause of chronic disability in older adults, has been shown to be associated with predisposing cognitive impairment and dementia. Tinnitus is also a chronic auditory disorder demonstrating a growth rate with increasing age. Recent evidence stands for the link between bothersome tinnitus and impairments in various aspects of cognitive function. Both ARHL and age-related tinnitus affect mental health and contribute to developing anxiety, stress, and depression. The present review is a comprehensive multidisciplinary study on diverse interactions among ARHL, tinnitus, and cognitive decline in older adults. This review incorporates the latest evidence in prevalence and risk factors of ARHL and tinnitus, the neural substrates of tinnitus-related cognitive impairments, hypothesized mechanisms concerning the association between ARHL and increased risk of dementia, hearing amplification outcomes in cases with ARHL and cognitive decline, and preliminary findings on the link between ARHL and cognitive impairment in animal studies. Given extensive evidence that demonstrates advantages of using auditory amplification in the alleviation of hearing handicap, depression, and tinnitus, and the improvement of cognition, social communication, and quality of life, regular hearing screening programs for identification and management of midlife hearing loss and tinnitus is strongly recommended.
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37
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Ball NJ, Mercado E, Orduña I. Enriched Environments as a Potential Treatment for Developmental Disorders: A Critical Assessment. Front Psychol 2019; 10:466. [PMID: 30894830 PMCID: PMC6414413 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The beneficial effects of enriched environments have been established through a long history of research. Enrichment of the living conditions of captive animals in the form of larger cages, sensory stimulating objects, and opportunities for social interaction and physical exercise, has been shown to reduce emotional reactivity, ameliorate abnormal behaviors, and enhance cognitive functioning. Recently, environmental enrichment research has been extended to humans, in part due to growing interest in its potential therapeutic benefits for children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). This paper reviews the history of enriched environment research and the use of enriched environments as a developmental intervention in studies of both NDD animal models and children. We argue that while environmental enrichment may sometimes benefit children with NDDs, several methodological factors need to be more closely considered before the efficacy of this approach can be adequately evaluated, including: (i) operationally defining and standardizing enriched environment treatments across studies; (ii) use of control groups and better control over potentially confounding variables; and (iii) a comprehensive theoretical framework capable of predicting when and how environmental enrichment will alter the trajectory of NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie J Ball
- Neural and Cognitive Plasticity Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Eduardo Mercado
- Neural and Cognitive Plasticity Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Itzel Orduña
- Department of School and Counseling Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, United States
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