brain aging

BACKGROUND: Synthetic cathinones (SC) constitute the second most frequently abused class of new psychoactive substances. They serve as an alternative to classic psychostimulatory drugs of abuse, such as methamphetamine, cocaine, or 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Despite the worldwide prevalence of SC, little is known about their long-term impact on the central nervous system. Here, we examined the effects of repeated exposure of mice during infancy, to 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), a SC potently enhancing dopaminergic neurotransmission, on learning and memory in young adult mice...

Aging affects all cell types in the CNS and plays an important role in CNS diseases. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms driving these age-associated changes and their contribution to diseases are only poorly understood. The white matter in the aging brain as well as in diseases, such as Multiple sclerosis is characterized by subtle abnormalities in myelin sheaths and paranodes, suggesting that oligodendrocytes, the myelin-maintaining cells of the CNS, lose the capacity to preserve a proper myelin structure and potentially function in age and certain diseases...

Cerebellar strokes induce coordination disorders that can affect activities of daily living. Evidence-based neurorehabilitation programs are founded on motor learning principles. The cerebellum is a key neural structure in motor learning. It is unknown whether and how well chronic cerebellar stroke individuals (CCSIs) can learn to coordinate their upper limbs through bimanual motor skill learning. The aim was to determine whether CCSIs could achieve bimanual skill learning through a serious game with the REAplan® robot and to compare CCSIs with healthy individuals (HIs)...

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence suggests that fasting could play a key role in cancer treatment. Its metabolic effects on gliomas require further investigation. PURPOSE: To design a multi-voxel 1 H/31 P MR-spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) protocol for noninvasive metabolic monitoring of cerebral, fasting-induced changes on an individual patient/tumor level, and to assess its technical reliability/reproducibility. STUDY TYPE: Prospective. POPULATION: MRS phantom...

OBJECTIVES: Older adult executive function varies widely due to brain and cognitive aging. Variance in older adult executive function is linked to increased response conflict from cognitive and brain aging. Cognitive Reserve (CR) is a theoretical protective mechanism that lessens brain aging's impact on cognition and is associated with greater educational attainment. Recent work in rest-state fMRI suggests CR proxies moderate the relationship between functional connectivity (FC) and cognitive performance...

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture is a promising treatment for common symptoms after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Our objectives were to explore knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about acupuncture, identify health service needs and assess the perceived feasibility of weekly acupuncture visits among individuals with TBI. METHODS: We surveyed adults 18 years of age and older with TBI who received care at the University of Washington. Respondents were asked to complete 143 questions regarding acupuncture knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, injury-related symptoms and comorbidities, and to describe their interest in weekly acupuncture...

One of the basic questions in the ageing field is whether there is fundamental difference between the ageing of lower invertebrates and mammals. A major difference between the lower invertebrates and mammals is the abundancy of noncoding RNAs, most of which are not conserved. We have previously identified a noncoding RNA Terc-53 that is derived from the RNA component of telomerase Terc. To study its physiological functions, we generated two transgenic mouse models overexpressing the RNA in wild-type and early-ageing Terc-/- backgrounds...

Both the primary motor cortex (M1) and the cerebellum are crucial for postural stability and deemed as potential targets for non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) to enhance balance performance. However, the optimal target remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to compare the role of M1 and the cerebellum in modulating balance performance in young healthy adults using facilitatory 5 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Twenty-one healthy young adults (mean age = 27...

This paper explores a practical approach to pelvic floor health called the Skilling technique. Unlike the commonly recommended "squeezing upwards" method which teaches a woman to voluntarily squeeze upwards (a learnt technique), the Skilling method is entirely reflex: the squatting-based exercises on which it is based, strengthen the three reflex pelvic muscle forces which pull against the suspensory ligaments pubourethral ligament (PUL) and uterosacral ligament (USL) to: close the urethra during effort (control of stress incontinence), open the urethra during micturition, and stretch the vagina in opposite directions to control inappropriate activation of the micturition reflex [overactive bladder (OAB)]...

Over time, pathological, genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors can age the brain and diminish its functional capabilities. While these factors can lead to disorders that can be diagnosed and treated once they become symptomatic, often treatment is difficult or ineffective by the time significant overt symptoms appear. One approach to this problem is to develop a method for assessing general age-related brain health and function that can be implemented widely and inexpensively. To this end, we trained a machine-learning algorithm on resting-state EEG (RS-EEG) recordings obtained from healthy individuals as the core of a brain-age estimation technique that takes an individual's RS-EEG recorded with the low-cost, user-friendly EMOTIV EPOC X headset and returns that person's estimated brain age...

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted human life, posing serious physical and psychological threats, particularly to the elderly. While individuals of all ages are susceptible to contracting COVID-19, older people face a heightened risk of developing various diseases due to age-related immunophysiological changes and preexisting health conditions. The interplay between immune health and physical activity is believed to hold even greater significance during a pandemic. Recent findings from our research indicate that the intervention of square stepping exercise (SSE), characterized by a rhythmic and controlled stepping pattern, resulted in increased levels of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in the elderly...

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is an extremely uncommon cause of cerebral calcification. A male patient, aged 45, was admitted to the neurosurgery clinic with a closed traumatic brain injury, namely a concussion, resulting in symptoms of headache and loss of balance. A CT scan was conducted, which detected bilateral calcifications on the basal ganglia and the tentorium. The blood tests revealed increased levels of serum calcium, phosphate, and parathyroid hormone (PTH), while vitamin D levels were within the normal range...

Methamphetamine (meth) is a potent and addictive central nervous system stimulant with increasing use. Stroke is one severe possible complication of meth use. Due to high levels of manufacturing in Mexico, the western United States has experienced greater consequences of meth use. The literature reviewed herein is comprised of case studies and series, and it suggests that hemorrhagic stroke (including hypertensive-like intracerebral hemorrhage and aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage), as opposed to ischemic stroke, is the more common type of neurovascular complication of meth use...

With the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and the limitations of the diagnostic scheme and treatment options of these disorders, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies play a significant role in uncovering the pathological basis of psychiatric disorders and potentially using biological markers in clinical settings. The use of MRI in clinical research has grown over the past three decades, and current MRI research continues to provide an avenue to guide the development of diagnostic approaches and therapeutic solutions...

Several evidences, including increased serum titers of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific antibodies and the presence of EBV DNA in brain of patients suggest a possible role of this virus in the pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a chronic neurodegenerative disease with an unknown etiopathology. Aim of the present study is to verify if the expression of LMP2A and EBNA-1, two EBV genes, is altered in MS patients. EBV viral load, LMP2A and EBNA-1 gene expression and EBNA-1 antibodies titers were evaluated in blood of EBV-seropositive MS patients ( n = 57; 31 relapsing remitting -RRMS- and 26 progressive -PMS-patients) and age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC, n = 49)...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the abnormalities of the three-dimensional pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (3D PCASL) based cerebral blood flow (CBF) correlation networks in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: 3D PCASL images of 53 cognitive normal (CN) subjects, 43 subjects with MCI, and 30 subjects with AD were acquired from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database. Whole-brain CBF maps were calculated using PCASL and proton density-weighted images (PDWI)...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) from CSF leak commonly produces headache. It also may produce sagging brain syndrome (SBS), often with neurocognitive symptoms indistinguishable from behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). The authors describe a new clinical sign that appears to be pathognomonic of SBS. METHODS: We reviewed medical records and brain imaging in patients seen at our 2 centers who presented with SIH, SBS, and bvFTD symptoms...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Structural brain MRI and blood-based phosphorylated tau (p-tau) measures are among the least invasive and least expensive Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers to date. The extent to which these biomarkers may outperform one another in predicting future Alzheimer dementia diagnosis is poorly understood, however. This study investigated 2 specific AD biomarkers, i.e., a cortical thickness signature of AD (AD-CT) and plasma p-tau217, for predicting Alzheimer dementia...

INTRODUCTION: Many breast cancer patients suffer from fear of cancer recurrence (FCR). However, effective physical intervention for FCR has been scarce. Previous studies have confirmed that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can help improve patients' anxiety, depression, fear, and stress level. Therefore, this study aims to assess the efficacy of rTMS in the treatment of FCR in breast cancer patients and explore its underlying neural mechanism. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: and analysis: Fifty breast cancer patients with high FCR (FCR total score >27), and fifty age- and gender-matched patients with low FCR (FCR total score <7) will be recruited to participate in this study...

Alzheimer's disease has an increasing prevalence in the population world-wide, yet current diagnostic methods based on recommended biomarkers are only available in specialized clinics. Due to these circumstances, Alzheimer's disease is usually diagnosed late, which contrasts with the currently available treatment options that are only effective for patients at an early stage. Blood-based biomarkers could fill in the gap of easily accessible and low-cost methods for early diagnosis of the disease. In particular, immune-based blood-biomarkers might be a promising option, given the recently discovered cross-talk of immune cells of the central nervous system with those in the peripheral immune system...