scholarly journals A Systematic Review of Single Chinese Herbs for Alzheimer's Disease Treatment

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-Min Fu ◽  
Ju-Tzu Li

The objectives here are to provide a systematic review of the current evidence concerning the use of Chinese herbs in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to understand their mechanisms of action with respect to the pathophysiology of the disease. AD, characterized microscopically by deposition of amyloid plaques and formation of neurofibrillary tangles in the brain, has become the most common cause of senile dementia. The limitations of western medications have led us to explore herbal medicine. In particular, many Chinese herbs have demonstrated some interesting therapeutic properties. The following databases were searched from their inception: MEDLINE (PUBMED), ALT HEALTH WATCH (EBSCO), CINAH and Cochrane Central. Only single Chinese herbs are included. Two reviewers independently extracted the data and performed quality assessment. The quality assessment of a clinical trial is based on theJadadcriteria. Seven Chinese herbs and six randomized controlled clinical trials were identified under the predefined criteria.Ginkgo biloba, Huperzine A (Lycopodium serratum) and Ginseng have been assessed for their clinical efficacy with limited favorable evidence. No serious adverse events were reported. Chinese herbs show promise in the treatment of AD in terms of their cognitive benefits and more importantly, their mechanisms of action that deal with the fundamental pathophysiology of the disease. However, the current evidence in support of their use is inconclusive or inadequate. Future research should place emphasis on herbs that can treat the root of the disease.

BMC Neurology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Wrigglesworth ◽  
Phillip Ward ◽  
Ian H. Harding ◽  
Dinuli Nilaweera ◽  
Zimu Wu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Brain age is a biomarker that predicts chronological age using neuroimaging features. Deviations of this predicted age from chronological age is considered a sign of age-related brain changes, or commonly referred to as brain ageing. The aim of this systematic review is to identify and synthesize the evidence for an association between lifestyle, health factors and diseases in adult populations, with brain ageing. Methods This systematic review was undertaken in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. A systematic search of Embase and Medline was conducted to identify relevant articles using search terms relating to the prediction of age from neuroimaging data or brain ageing. The tables of two recent review papers on brain ageing were also examined to identify additional articles. Studies were limited to adult humans (aged 18 years and above), from clinical or general populations. Exposures and study design of all types were also considered eligible. Results A systematic search identified 52 studies, which examined brain ageing in clinical and community dwelling adults (mean age between 21 to 78 years, ~ 37% were female). Most research came from studies of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or Alzheimer’s disease, or healthy populations that were assessed cognitively. From these studies, psychiatric and neurologic diseases were most commonly associated with accelerated brain ageing, though not all studies drew the same conclusions. Evidence for all other exposures is nascent, and relatively inconsistent. Heterogenous methodologies, or methods of outcome ascertainment, were partly accountable. Conclusion This systematic review summarised the current evidence for an association between genetic, lifestyle, health, or diseases and brain ageing. Overall there is good evidence to suggest schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease are associated with accelerated brain ageing. Evidence for all other exposures was mixed or limited. This was mostly due to a lack of independent replication, and inconsistency across studies that were primarily cross sectional in nature. Future research efforts should focus on replicating current findings, using prospective datasets. Trial registration A copy of the review protocol can be accessed through PROSPERO, registration number CRD42020142817.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S117-S117
Author(s):  
Sahnah Lim ◽  
Timothy Roberts ◽  
Jazmine Wong ◽  
Sadia Mohaimin ◽  
Young-Jin Sohn ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) aging population is rapidly growing and the burden of Alzheimer’s disease and its related dementias (AD/ADRD) will likely mirror this demographic growth. AANHPIs face significant barriers in obtaining timely AD/ADRD diagnosis and services; yet little is known about AD/ADRD in this population. The study objective is to conduct a systematic review on the published literature on AD/ADRD among AANHPIs to identify gaps and priorities to inform future research and action plans. Methods: The systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA Protocol for Systematic Reviews. Co-author (TR), an experienced Medical Librarian, searched PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central of Clinical Trials, Ageline and Web of Science for peer-reviewed articles describing AD/ADRD among AANHPIs. The search was not limited by language or publication date. Each citation was reviewed by two trained independent reviewers. Conflicts were resolved through consensus. Results: The title/abstract and full texts of 1,447 unique articles were screened for inclusion, yielding 310 articles for analysis. Major research topics included prevalence, risk factors, comorbidities, interventions and outreach, knowledge/perceptions/attitudes, caregiving, and detection tools. A limited number of studies reported on national data, on NHPI communities generally, and on efficacy of interventions targeting AANHPI communities. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review on AD/ADRD among AANHPI populations. Our review provides a first step in mapping the extant literature on AD/ADRD among this underserved and under-researched population and will serve as a guide for future research, policy and intervention.


2020 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
pp. 1547-1574
Author(s):  
Sofia de la Fuente Garcia ◽  
Craig W. Ritchie ◽  
Saturnino Luz

Background: Language is a valuable source of clinical information in Alzheimer’s disease, as it declines concurrently with neurodegeneration. Consequently, speech and language data have been extensively studied in connection with its diagnosis. Objective: Firstly, to summarize the existing findings on the use of artificial intelligence, speech, and language processing to predict cognitive decline in the context of Alzheimer’s disease. Secondly, to detail current research procedures, highlight their limitations, and suggest strategies to address them. Methods: Systematic review of original research between 2000 and 2019, registered in PROSPERO (reference CRD42018116606). An interdisciplinary search covered six databases on engineering (ACM and IEEE), psychology (PsycINFO), medicine (PubMed and Embase), and Web of Science. Bibliographies of relevant papers were screened until December 2019. Results: From 3,654 search results, 51 articles were selected against the eligibility criteria. Four tables summarize their findings: study details (aim, population, interventions, comparisons, methods, and outcomes), data details (size, type, modalities, annotation, balance, availability, and language of study), methodology (pre-processing, feature generation, machine learning, evaluation, and results), and clinical applicability (research implications, clinical potential, risk of bias, and strengths/limitations). Conclusion: Promising results are reported across nearly all 51 studies, but very few have been implemented in clinical research or practice. The main limitations of the field are poor standardization, limited comparability of results, and a degree of disconnect between study aims and clinical applications. Active attempts to close these gaps will support translation of future research into clinical practice.


2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 919-933 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicia Ruiz-Muelle ◽  
María Mar López-Rodríguez

Background: In recent years, several reviews have addressed the effectiveness of dance therapy in dementia, healthy older adults, or the elderly in general. However, reviews regarding the effect of this therapy exclusively on patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease have not been found. Objective: The purpose of this study is to review the available literature describing clinical trials which explore the effects of dancing on psychological and physical outcomes, functionality, cognitive function, and quality of life in patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, this review aims to assess the quality of studies that perform dance therapy interventions in these patients. Methods: This study is a systematic review of randomized and non-randomized clinical trials regarding the effect of intervention including a dancing activity in people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Results: In total, the evidence for this review rests on 12 studies with a total of 349 participants. The findings of this mini-review confirm the positive effect of dance therapy on physical and cognitive function, functionality, psychological outcomes, and quality of life in people with Alzheimer's disease. Conclusion: Most of the studies implementing dance as part of the therapeutic treatment has shown to improve or slow the worsening in the quality of life of patients with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers. Future research focused on these patients should use a more exhaustive methodology and make a more detailed description of these kind of interventions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 523-537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sahnah Lim ◽  
Sadia Mohaimin ◽  
Deborah Min ◽  
Timothy Roberts ◽  
Young-Jin Sohn ◽  
...  

Background: The Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) aging population is rapidly growing and the burden of Alzheimer’s disease and its related dementias (ADRD) will likely mirror this demographic growth. AANHPIs face significant barriers in obtaining timely ADRD diagnosis and services; yet little is known about ADRD in this population. Objective: The study objective is to conduct a systematic review on the published literature on ADRD among AANHPIs to identify gaps and priorities to inform future research and action plans. Methods: The systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA Protocol for Systematic Reviews. Co-author (TR), an experienced Medical Librarian, searched PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central of Clinical Trials, Ageline, and Web of Science for peer-reviewed articles describing ADRD among AANHPIs. The search was not limited by language or publication date. Each citation was reviewed by two trained independent reviewers. Conflicts were resolved through consensus. Results: The title/abstract and full texts of 1,447 unique articles were screened for inclusion, yielding 168 articles for analysis. Major research topics included prevalence, risk factors, comorbidities, interventions and outreach, knowledge and attitudes, caregiving, and detection tools. A limited number of studies reported on national data, on NHPI communities generally, and on efficacy of interventions targeting AANHPI communities. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review on ADRD among AANHPI populations. Our review provides a first step in mapping the extant literature on ADRD among this underserved and under-researched population and will serve as a guide for future research, policy, and intervention.


2020 ◽  
Vol 91 (11) ◽  
pp. 1201-1209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin-Tai Yu ◽  
Wei Xu ◽  
Chen-Chen Tan ◽  
Sandrine Andrieu ◽  
John Suckling ◽  
...  

BackgroundEvidence on preventing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is challenging to interpret due to varying study designs with heterogeneous endpoints and credibility. We completed a systematic review and meta-analysis of current evidence with prospective designs to propose evidence-based suggestions on AD prevention.MethodsElectronic databases and relevant websites were searched from inception to 1 March 2019. Both observational prospective studies (OPSs) and randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included. The multivariable-adjusted effect estimates were pooled by random-effects models, with credibility assessment according to its risk of bias, inconsistency and imprecision. Levels of evidence and classes of suggestions were summarised.ResultsA total of 44 676 reports were identified, and 243 OPSs and 153 RCTs were eligible for analysis after exclusion based on pre-decided criteria, from which 104 modifiable factors and 11 interventions were included in the meta-analyses. Twenty-one suggestions are proposed based on the consolidated evidence, with Class I suggestions targeting 19 factors: 10 with Level A strong evidence (education, cognitive activity, high body mass index in latelife, hyperhomocysteinaemia, depression, stress, diabetes, head trauma, hypertension in midlife and orthostatic hypotension) and 9 with Level B weaker evidence (obesity in midlife, weight loss in late life, physical exercise, smoking, sleep, cerebrovascular disease, frailty, atrial fibrillation and vitamin C). In contrast, two interventions are not recommended: oestrogen replacement therapy (Level A2) and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (Level B).InterpretationEvidence-based suggestions are proposed, offering clinicians and stakeholders current guidance for the prevention of AD.


2020 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 515-528
Author(s):  
Eric R. Rosin ◽  
Drew Blasco ◽  
Alexander R. Pilozzi ◽  
Lawrence H. Yang ◽  
Xudong Huang

As the most common form of senile dementia, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is accompanied by a great deal of uncertainty which can lead to fear and stigma for those identified with this devastating disease. As the AD definition evolves from a syndromal to a biological construct, and early diagnoses becomes more commonplace, more confusion and stigma may result. We conducted a narrative review of the literature on AD stigma to consolidate information on this body of research. From the perspective of several stigma theories, we identified relevant studies to inform our understanding of the way in which implementation of the new framework for a biological based AD diagnosis may have resulted in new and emerging stigma. Herein, we discuss the emergence of new AD stigma as our understanding of the definition of the disease changes. We further propose recommendations for future research to reduce the stigma associated with AD.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Ruth Naomi ◽  
Hashim Embong ◽  
Fezah Othman ◽  
Hasanain Faisal Ghazi ◽  
Nithiyah Maruthey ◽  
...  

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of neurodegenerative disorders affecting mostly the elderly. It is characterized by the presence of Aβ and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), resulting in cognitive and memory impairment. Research shows that alteration in gut microbial diversity and defects in gut brain axis are linked to AD. Probiotics are known to be one of the best preventative measures against cognitive decline in AD. Numerous in vivo trials and recent clinical trials have proven the effectiveness of selected bacterial strains in slowing down the progression of AD. It is proven that probiotics modulate the inflammatory process, counteract with oxidative stress, and modify gut microbiota. Thus, this review summarizes the current evidence, diversity of bacterial strains, defects of gut brain axis in AD, harmful bacterial for AD, and the mechanism of action of probiotics in preventing AD. A literature search on selected databases such as PubMed, Semantic Scholar, Nature, and Springer link have identified potentially relevant articles to this topic. However, upon consideration of inclusion criteria and the limitation of publication year, only 22 articles have been selected to be further reviewed. The search query includes few sets of keywords as follows. (1) Probiotics OR gut microbiome OR microbes AND (2) Alzheimer OR cognitive OR aging OR dementia AND (3) clinical trial OR in vivo OR animal study. The results evidenced in this study help to clearly illustrate the relationship between probiotic supplementation and AD. Thus, this systematic review will help identify novel therapeutic strategies in the future as probiotics are free from triggering any adverse effects in human body.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignacia Azocar ◽  
Gill Livingston ◽  
Jonathan Huntley

Objectives: Impaired awareness of cognitive and functional deficits is a common feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although a lack of awareness has been suggested to be a protective factor against experiencing affective symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, and apathy which are common in AD, there is conflicting evidence about the links between them. This systematic review examines the evidence for an association between impaired awareness and depressive, anxiety, and apathy symptoms in mild to moderate AD.Method: We searched four databases (OvidMedline, Embase, PsycInfo, and PsycArticles) using terms encompassing awareness, apathy, depression, anxiety, and mild-moderate AD. We included studies that assessed the relationship between awareness and depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, or apathy. We assessed included papers for quality and report results using a narrative approach, prioritizing high quality studies.Results: We identified 1,544 articles, and twenty-seven studies fulfilled inclusion criteria (high-quality = 15; moderate-quality = 12). Most high-quality studies reported that impaired awareness in early-stage AD is cross-sectionally linked with fewer depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms (correlation ranged from −0.3 to −0.7), but with more apathy.Conclusions: High-quality studies suggested that in people with early AD, impaired awareness is related to fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms and to more apathy. Future research should focus on elucidating causality among impaired awareness and these symptoms in AD.


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