scholarly journals Cinnamaldehyde Improves Lifespan and Healthspan in Drosophila melanogaster Models for Alzheimer’s Disease

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanh M. Pham ◽  
Anna Xu ◽  
Samuel E. Schriner ◽  
Evgueni A. Sevrioukov ◽  
Mahtab Jafari
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Cinnamon Extract ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Climbing Ability ◽  
The Impact

Cinnamon extract has been reported to have positive effects in fruit fly and mouse models for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, cinnamon contains numerous potential active compounds that have not been individually evaluated. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of cinnamaldehyde, a known putative active compound in cinnamon, on the lifespan and healthspan of Drosophila melanogaster models for Alzheimer’s disease, which overexpress Aβ42 and MAPT (Tau). We found that cinnamaldehyde significantly improved the lifespan of both AD and non-AD flies. Cinnamaldehyde also improved the healthspan of AD flies overexpressing the Tau protein by improving climbing ability, evaluated by rapid iterative negative geotaxis (RING), and improving short-term memory, evaluated by a courtship conditioning assay. Cinnamaldehyde had no positive impact on the healthspan of AD flies overexpressing the Aβ42 protein.

scholarly journals Zoo Therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease with Real-Time Speech Instruction and Neurofeedback System

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Ai ◽  
Hamdi Ben Abdessalem ◽  
Claude Frasson
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Animal Therapy ◽  
Preliminary Results ◽  
Emotional Value ◽  
The Impact

There is an increasing number of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Negative emotions are not only one of the symptoms of AD, but also the accelerator of the disease. Animal therapy can have a positive impact on the negative emotions of patients, but it has strict requirements for both environments and animals. In this study, we aim to explore the effectiveness of using virtual animals and their impact on the reduction of patients’ negative emotions to improve the user’s cognitive functions. This approach has been implemented in the Zoo Therapy project, which presents an immersive 3D virtual reality animal environment, where the impact on the patient’s emotion is measured in real-time by using electroencephalography (EEG). In addition to creating highly realistic virtual animals, the innovation of Zoo Therapy is also in its communication mechanism as it implements bidirectional human-computer interaction supported by 3 interaction methods: 3D buttons, speech instruction, and Neurofeedback. Patients can actively interact with virtual animals through 3D buttons or speech instructions. The Neurofeedback system will guide the animal to actively interact with the patients according to their real-time emotional changes to reduce their negative emotions. Experiments and preliminary results show that it is possible to interact with virtual animals in Zoo Therapy, and the Neurofeedback system can intervene in Zoo VR environment when the emotional value goes down and might reduce patients’ negative emotions.

What Effects do Silver Nanoparticles Have on Drosophila melanogaster Larvae with Respect to Stress Response and Microbial Intestinal Composition?

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ishanee Jahagirdar
Keyword(s):  
Silver Nanoparticles ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Microbial Composition ◽  
Bacterial Composition ◽  
Bacterial Dna ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Climbing Ability ◽  
The Impact

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been shown to be highly toxic to certain organisms and can induce stress in cells. The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to examine the stress response to AgNP exposure on Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) larvae, and secondly, to determine if exposure to AgNPs alters the intestinal bacterial composition. To answer these questions, fruit flies were grown on food mixed with AgNPs. Larvae were monitored for their ability to escape from heat stress and their climbing ability before metamorphosis into pupae. Larval wandering behaviour was examined by devising a test to determine if they could crawl their way back to food. In order to examine the flora in the digestive tract, DNA was isolated from dissected larval intestines, purified and then a relatively conserved portion of the bacterial DNA was amplified. These samples were then sent for pyrosequencing, which is a technique that will allow us to examine the composition of the intestinal microbial population. Preliminary results have been mixed. There has been some suggestion of a stress response, but this has not been very consistent. Therefore, more experiments need to be done. However, the bacterial population of the gut does seem to change after the treatment, indicating that AgNP exposure results in altered microbial composition in D. melanogaster intestines. It is hoped that this research will help elucidate our understanding of the impact NPs have on organisms, which is highly relevant because of the high prevalence of NPs in consumer and medicinal materials.  

Potentially modifiable factors associated with agitation and aggression in Alzheimer’s disease: results of the ICTUS study

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (10) ◽  
pp. 1509-1516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adelaide de Mauleon ◽  
Maria Soto ◽  
Pierre Jean Ousset ◽  
Fati Nourhashemi ◽  
Benoit Lepage ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Affective Disorder ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Modifiable Factors ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTObjectives:To study potentially modifiable factors associated with the severity of agitation or aggression (A/A) symptoms among Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients.Design:Data from the Impact of Cholinergic Treatment Use (ICTUS) study, European longitudinal prospective observational study.Setting:Community dwelling outpatients included in 29 European memory clinics.Participants:1375 participants with probable AD (Mini-Mental State Examination score of 10–26) with an informal caregiver.Measurements:At baseline and twice yearly over the two-year follow-up, patients underwent comprehensive clinical and neuropsychological assessments: sociodemographic data, cognitive status, functional impairment, and assessment of neuropsychiatric symptoms based on Neuro-Psychiatric Inventory (NPI). The ZARIT scale assessed the caregiver’s burden. The variable of interest was the severity of the item of A/A of the NPI. To study factors associated to the severity of A/A symptoms six months later, a multivariate mixed regression model was used.Results:Frequency of A/A symptom varied from 30% to 34% at each visit. Two factors were found to be independently associated with the severity of A/A: (1) the presence of affective disorder (anxiety, depression, and/or irritability) that increased the severity of the A/A by 0.89 point (coefficient:0.89; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = [0.48,1.30], p < 0.001), and (2) a severe caregiver burden that increased the severity of the A/A by 1.08 point (coefficient:1.08; 95% CI = [0.69,1.47], p < 0.001).Conclusion:Research should evaluate whether the identification and treatment of an affective disorder along with the evaluation and optimal management of the caregiver would have a positive impact on the course of A/A in mild to moderate AD patients.

scholarly journals Drosophila melanogaster: A Veritable Genetic Tool and in vivo Model for Human Alzheimer’s Disease

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Oluwatosin Imoleayo, Oyeniran
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Human Diseases ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
In Vivo Model ◽  
Brain Functions ◽  
Drosophila Models

The rise in the cases of neurodegenerative diseases, such as the familial forms of Alzheimer’s disease is worrisome and a burden to many societies in our ever-increasing world. Due to the complexity in the nature of the brain and spinal cord characterized by an extremely organized network of neuronal cells, there is a need to answer scientific inquiries in uncomplicated, though similar, systems. Drosophila melanogaster (fruit-fly) is a well-studied and easily managed genetic model organism used for discerning the molecular mechanisms of many human diseases. There are strong conservations of several basic biological, physiological and neurological features between D. melanogaster and mammals, as about 75% of all human disease-causing genes are considered to possess a functional homolog in the fruit-fly. The development of Drosophila models of several neurodegenerative disorders via developed transgenic technologies has presented spectacular similarities to human diseases. An advantage that the fruit-fly has over other model organisms, such as the mouse, is its comparatively brief lifespan, which allows complex inquiries about brain functions to be addressed more quickly. Furthermore, there have been steady increases in understanding the pathophysiological basis of many neurological disorders via genetic screenings with the aid of Drosophila models. This review presents a widespread summary of the fruit-fly models relevant to Alzheimer’s disease, and highlight important genetic modifiers that have been recognized using this model.

Quality of Life and Cholinesterase Inhibitors: A Qualitative Study of Patients with Alzheimer's Disease and Their Carers

2008 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 433-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bethany Smith ◽  
Anna Chur-Hansen ◽  
Alice Neale ◽  
Jonathon Symon
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Cholinesterase Inhibitors ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Negative Emotion ◽  
Level Of Functioning ◽  
The Impact

Objectives: Cholinesterase inhibitors’ (ChEIs) impact on cognitive functioning in Alzheimer's disease has been extensively researched. The effect of ChEIs on improving day-to-day living and quality of life in conjunction with level of functioning for patients or their carers has not been investigated. Method: Five spouse dyads (patient and carer) and one additional carer were interviewed about their perceptions of ChEIs in relation to their influence on daily life for both parties. Interviews were transcribed and thematic analysis conducted. Results: Themes identified were forgetfulness, differences in long-term versus short-term memory, independence/dependence, negative emotion, no appreciable benefit, sense of hopelessness, carer as motivator, stabilization of the patient, and never regain what has been lost. Conclusions: This study suggests that ChEI medication does not enhance life for the patient or their primary caregiver. Further qualitative and quantitative research is required into the impact of ChEIs upon both the patient and their caregivers.

scholarly journals The Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor Lisinopril Mitigates Memory and Motor Deficits in a Drosophila Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 307-319
Author(s):  
Jimiece Thomas ◽  
Haddon Smith ◽  
C. Aaron Smith ◽  
Lori Coward ◽  
Gregory Gorman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Angiotensin Converting Enzyme ◽  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Enzyme Inhibitor ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Converting Enzyme ◽  
Model Of Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Preclinical Ad ◽  
Climbing Ability

The use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis) has been reported to reduce symptoms of cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Yet, the protective role of ACEis against AD symptoms is still controversial. Here, we aimed at determining whether oral treatment with the ACEi lisinopril has beneficial effects on cognitive and physical functions in a Drosophila melanogaster model of AD that overexpresses the human amyloid precursor protein and the human β-site APP-cleaving enzyme in neurons. We found a significant impairment in learning and memory as well as in climbing ability in young AD flies compared to control flies. After evaluation of the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism, we also found that AD flies displayed a >30-fold increase in the levels of the neurotoxic 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK) in their heads. Furthermore, compared to control flies, AD flies had significantly higher levels of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) hydrogen peroxide in their muscle-enriched thoraces. Lisinopril significantly improved deficits in learning and memory and climbing ability in AD flies. The positive impact of lisinopril on physical function might be, in part, explained by a significant reduction in ROS levels in the thoraces of the lisinopril-fed AD flies. However, lisinopril did not affect the levels of 3-HK. In conclusion, our findings provide novel and relevant insights into the therapeutic potential of ACEis in a preclinical AD model.

Connecting Mind-Body Therapy-Mediated Effects to Pathological Features of Alzheimer’s Disease

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Melanie Hüttenrauch ◽  
José Sócrates Lopez-Noguerola ◽  
Susana Castro-Obregón
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Alternative Interventions ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Dementia Patients

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a complex, multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder that represents a major and increasing global health challenge. In most cases, the first clinical symptoms of AD are preceded by neuropathological changes in the brain that develop years to decades before their onset. Therefore, research in the last years has focused on this preclinical stage of AD trying to discover intervention strategies that might, if implemented effectively, delay or prevent disease progression. Among those strategies, mind-body therapies such as yoga and meditation have gained increasing interest as complementary alternative interventions. Several studies have reported a positive impact of yoga and meditation on brain health in both healthy older adults and dementia patients. However, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms contributing to these effects are currently not known in detail. More specifically, it is not known whether yogic interventions, directly or indirectly, can modulate risk factors or pathological mechanisms involved in the development of dementia. In this article, we first review the literature on the effects of yogic practices on outcomes such as cognitive functioning and neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Then, we analyze how yogic interventions affect different risk factors as well as aspects of AD pathophysiology based on observations of studies in healthy individuals or subjects with other conditions than dementia. Finally, we integrate this evidence and propose possible mechanisms that might explain the positive effects of yogic interventions in cognitively impaired individuals.

scholarly journals The impact of capsaicinoids on APP processing in Alzheimer’s disease in SH-SY5Y cells

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus O. W. Grimm ◽  
Tamara Blümel ◽  
Anna A. Lauer ◽  
Daniel Janitschke ◽  
Christoph Stahlmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Senile Plaques ◽  
Amyloid Β ◽  
Insulin Degrading Enzyme ◽  
App Processing ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Aβ Degradation ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The vanilloid capsaicin is a widely consumed spice, known for its burning and “hot” sensation through activation of TRPV1 ion-channels, but also known to decrease oxidative stress, inflammation and influence tau-pathology. Beside these positive effects, little is known about its effects on amyloid-precursor-protein (APP) processing leading to amyloid-β (Aβ), the major component of senile plaques. Treatment of neuroblastoma cells with capsaicinoids (24 hours, 10 µM) resulted in enhanced Aβ-production and reduced Aβ-degradation, leading to increased Aβ-levels. In detailed analysis of the amyloidogenic-pathway, both BACE1 gene-expression as well as protein-levels were found to be elevated, leading to increased β-secretase-activity. Additionally, γ-secretase gene-expression as well as activity was enhanced, accompanied by a shift of presenilin from non-raft to raft membrane-domains where amyloidogenic processing takes place. Furthermore, impaired Aβ-degradation in presence of capsaicinoids is dependent on the insulin-degrading-enzyme, one of the major Aβ-degrading-enzymes. Regarding Aβ-homeostasis, no differences were found between the major capsaicinoids, capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, and a mixture of naturally derived capsaicinoids; effects on Ca2+-homeostasis were ruled out. Our results show that in respect to Alzheimer’s disease, besides the known positive effects of capsaicinoids, pro-amyloidogenic properties also exist, enhancing Aβ-levels, likely restricting the potential use of capsaicinoids as therapeutic substances in Alzheimer’s disease.

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