scholarly journals Promoting Alzheimer's Risk-Reduction through Community-Based Lifestyle Education and Exercise in Rural America: A Pilot Intervention

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 179-185
Author(s):  
Erin Blocker ◽  
Andrew Fry ◽  
Paul Luebbers ◽  
Jeffrey Burns ◽  
Jaime Perales-Puchalt ◽  
...  

Introduction. Rural Americans (RA) have poorer vascular health and physical activity levels than their urban counterparts; all are dementia risk factors. Dementia risk reduction among rural individuals requires a tailored approach. The purpose of this project was to examine preliminary efficacy of a community-based physical exercise and/or dementia risk factor-reduction curriculum among rural adults 50 and older. Methods. Seventy-five rural dwelling adults 50 and older were randomized to one of three groups: 1) 10 weeks of Alzheimer’s disease risk-reduction education (ED), 2) risk-reduction education and supervised exercise (EDEX) or 3) control group (CON). Outcomes included baseline to 10-week follow-up difference in dementia knowledge (primary outcome) and physical activity, muscular endurance, healthy lifestyle engagement, and anthropometrics (secondary outcomes). Results. Sixty-nine adults successfully completed the 10-week study. Dementia knowledge increased in a Treatment Arm-dependent manner (χ2 = 6.95 (2), p = 0.03), being ED and EDEX superior to CON. Engagement in healthy lifestyle behaviors did not change statistically. However, participation specifically in physical activity increased over time (χ2 = 11.47 (2), p = 0.003) with EDEX reporting the greatest increases. No significant change in average daily steps was observed for any group. Conclusion. The results suggested dementia risk-reduction education, both with and without structured exercise, leads to improvements in dementia knowledge. When coupled with regular, supervised exercise, this education intervention also helped participants increase engagement in physical activity over 10 weeks. Tailored interventions that combine Alzheimer’s disease education and regular, supervised exercise may help reduce dementia risk in rural communities.

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Shaodong Deng ◽  
Hongmei Lu ◽  
Honggang Chi ◽  
Ying Wang ◽  
Xiao Li ◽  
...  

Morinda officinalis F.C. How. (Rubiaceae) is a herbal medicine. It has been recorded that its oligosaccharides have neuroprotective properties. In order to understand the oligosaccharides extracted from Morinda officinalis (OMO), a systematic study was conducted to provide evidence that supports its use in neuroprotective therapies for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). AD rat models were prepared with D-galactose and Aβ25–35. The following groups were used in the present experiment: normal control group, sham-operated group, model group, Aricept group, OMO low-dose group, OMO medium-dose group, and OMO high-dose group. The effects on behavioral tests, antioxidant levels, energy metabolism, neurotransmitter levels, and AD-related proteins were detected with corresponding methodologies. AD rats administered with different doses of OMO all exhibited a significant (P<0.05) decrease in latency and an increase (P<0.05) in the ratio of swimming distance to total distance in a dose-dependent manner in the Morris water maze. There was a significant (P<0.05) increase in antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, GSH-Px, and CAT), neurotransmitter levels (acetylcholine, γ-GABA, and NE and DA), energy metabolism (Na+/K+-ATPase), and relative synaptophysin (SYP) expression levels in AD rats administered with OMO. Furthermore, there was a significant (P<0.05) decrease in MDA levels and relative expression levels of APP, tau, and caspase-3 in AD rats with OMO. The present research suggests that OMO protects against D-galactose and Aβ25–35-induced neurodegeneration, which may provide a novel strategy for improving AD in clinic.


Author(s):  
K.J. Anstey ◽  
R. Peters

The evidence for specific risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and all cause dementia is increasing rapidly in quantity and quality. This has enabled the compilation of risk assessment tools for Alzheimer’s disease (1), and their validation (2). It has also supported the promulgation of public health messaging about dementia risk reduction or dementia prevention. In general these developments are strong advances in the field of dementia prevention. However, the oversimplification of the findings and possible over-or mis-interpretation of their meaning, poses risks to accurate and effective knowledge translation in this field. Lack of balance in the interpretation of evidence on risk factors for dementia may lead to trials of interventions for dementia prevention that are ineffective. This will waste resources and create pessimism about dementia prevention research. Two potential problems that may occur when translating evidence from observational research into prescriptions for prevention are identified here. The first is the generalisation of specific findings about risk factors either to multiple types of dementia or to multiple populations, when the evidence is in fact relevant to specific populations or outcomes. The second is the inference that reversal of a risk factor will lead to prevention, without knowledge of the threshold at which a factor becomes a ‘risk’, or evidence that reversal of the risk factor also reverses neuropathological processes instigated or caused by the risk factor.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaarin J Anstey ◽  
Nicolas Cherbuin ◽  
Sarang Kim ◽  
Mitchell McMaster ◽  
Catherine D'Este ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND There is a need to develop interventions to reduce the risk of dementia in the community by addressing lifestyle factors and chronic diseases over the adult life course. OBJECTIVE This study aims to evaluate a multidomain dementia risk reduction intervention, Body Brain Life in General Practice (BBL-GP), targeting at-risk adults in primary care. METHODS A pragmatic, parallel, three-arm randomized trial involving 125 adults aged 18 years or older (86/125, 68.8% female) with a BMI of ≥25 kg/m<sup>2</sup> or a chronic health condition recruited from general practices was conducted. The arms included (1) BBL-GP, a web-based intervention augmented with an in-person diet and physical activity consultation; (2) a single clinician–led group, Lifestyle Modification Program (LMP); and (3) a web-based control. The primary outcome was the Australian National University Alzheimer Disease Risk Index Short Form (ANU-ADRI-SF). RESULTS Baseline assessments were conducted on 128 participants. A total of 125 participants were randomized to 3 groups (BBL-GP=42, LMP=41, and control=42). At immediate, week 18, week 36, and week 62 follow-ups, the completion rates were 43% (18/42), 57% (24/42), 48% (20/42), and 48% (20/42), respectively, for the BBL-GP group; 71% (29/41), 68% (28/41), 68% (28/41), and 51% (21/41), respectively, for the LMP group; and 62% (26/42), 69% (29/42), 60% (25/42), and 60% (25/42), respectively, for the control group. The primary outcome of the ANU-ADRI-SF score was lower for the BBL-GP group than the control group at all follow-ups. These comparisons were all significant at the 5% level for estimates adjusted for baseline differences (immediate: difference in means −3.86, 95% CI −6.81 to −0.90, <i>P</i>=.01; week 18: difference in means −4.05, 95% CI −6.81 to −1.28, <i>P</i>&lt;.001; week 36: difference in means −4.99, 95% CI −8.04 to −1.94, <i>P</i>&lt;.001; and week 62: difference in means −4.62, 95% CI −7.62 to −1.62, <i>P</i>&lt;.001). CONCLUSIONS A web-based multidomain dementia risk reduction program augmented with allied health consultations administered within the general practice context can reduce dementia risk exposure for at least 15 months. This study was limited by a small sample size, and replication on a larger sample with longer follow-up will strengthen the results. CLINICALTRIAL Australian clinical trials registration number (ACTRN): 12616000868482; https://anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12616000868482.aspx.


10.2196/19431 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. e19431
Author(s):  
Kaarin J Anstey ◽  
Nicolas Cherbuin ◽  
Sarang Kim ◽  
Mitchell McMaster ◽  
Catherine D'Este ◽  
...  

Background There is a need to develop interventions to reduce the risk of dementia in the community by addressing lifestyle factors and chronic diseases over the adult life course. Objective This study aims to evaluate a multidomain dementia risk reduction intervention, Body Brain Life in General Practice (BBL-GP), targeting at-risk adults in primary care. Methods A pragmatic, parallel, three-arm randomized trial involving 125 adults aged 18 years or older (86/125, 68.8% female) with a BMI of ≥25 kg/m2 or a chronic health condition recruited from general practices was conducted. The arms included (1) BBL-GP, a web-based intervention augmented with an in-person diet and physical activity consultation; (2) a single clinician–led group, Lifestyle Modification Program (LMP); and (3) a web-based control. The primary outcome was the Australian National University Alzheimer Disease Risk Index Short Form (ANU-ADRI-SF). Results Baseline assessments were conducted on 128 participants. A total of 125 participants were randomized to 3 groups (BBL-GP=42, LMP=41, and control=42). At immediate, week 18, week 36, and week 62 follow-ups, the completion rates were 43% (18/42), 57% (24/42), 48% (20/42), and 48% (20/42), respectively, for the BBL-GP group; 71% (29/41), 68% (28/41), 68% (28/41), and 51% (21/41), respectively, for the LMP group; and 62% (26/42), 69% (29/42), 60% (25/42), and 60% (25/42), respectively, for the control group. The primary outcome of the ANU-ADRI-SF score was lower for the BBL-GP group than the control group at all follow-ups. These comparisons were all significant at the 5% level for estimates adjusted for baseline differences (immediate: difference in means −3.86, 95% CI −6.81 to −0.90, P=.01; week 18: difference in means −4.05, 95% CI −6.81 to −1.28, P<.001; week 36: difference in means −4.99, 95% CI −8.04 to −1.94, P<.001; and week 62: difference in means −4.62, 95% CI −7.62 to −1.62, P<.001). Conclusions A web-based multidomain dementia risk reduction program augmented with allied health consultations administered within the general practice context can reduce dementia risk exposure for at least 15 months. This study was limited by a small sample size, and replication on a larger sample with longer follow-up will strengthen the results. Trial Registration Australian clinical trials registration number (ACTRN): 12616000868482; https://anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12616000868482.aspx.


2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-182
Author(s):  
Eric D. Vidoni ◽  
Ashwini Kamat ◽  
William P. Gahan ◽  
Victoria Ourso ◽  
Kaylee Woodard ◽  
...  

Background: Little is known about the prevalence of polypharmacy, the taking of five or more medications a day, in older adults with specific dementia risk factors. Objective: To examine the prevalence of polypharmacy in participants at baseline in a vascular risk reduction focused Alzheimer’s disease (rrAD) trial targeting older patients with hypertension and elevated dementia risk. Methods: We conducted a detailed review of medications in a cross-sectional study of community-dwelling older adults with hypertension and elevated dementia risk. Medications were identified in a structured interview process with an onsite pharmacist or qualified designee. Polypharmacy was defined as use of five or more medications on a regular basis. Descriptive analyses were conducted on the sample as well as direct comparisons of subgroups of individuals with hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. Results: The 514 rrAD participants, mean age 68.8 (standard deviation [sd] 6), reported taking different combinations of 472 unique medications at their baseline visit. The median number of medications taken by participants was eight [Range 0–21], with 79.2% exhibiting polypharmacy (n = 407). Sites differed in their prevalence of polypharmacy, χ2(3) = 56.0, p < 0.001. A nearly identical percentage of the 2,077 prescribed (51.8%) and over the counter (48.2%) medications were present in the overall medication profile. The presence of diabetes (87.5%), hyperlipidemia (88.2%), or both (97.7%) was associated with a higher prevalence of polypharmacy than participants who exhibited hypertension in the absence of either of these conditions (63.2%), χ2(3) = 35.8, p < 0.001. Conclusion: Participants in a dementia risk study had high levels of polypharmacy, with the co-existence of diabetes or hyperlipidemia associated with a greater prevalence of polypharmacy as compared to having hypertension alone.


2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. 834-835
Author(s):  
Petter Järemo ◽  
Alenka Jejcic ◽  
Vesna Jelic ◽  
Tasmin Shahnaz ◽  
Homira Behbahani ◽  
...  

Background: Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) features the accumulation of β-amyloid in erythrocytes. The subsequent red cell damage may well affect their oxygen-carrying capabilities. 2,3- diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) binds to the hemoglobin thereby promoting oxygen release. It is theorized that 2,3-DPG is reduced in AD and that the resulting hypoxia triggers erythropoietin (EPO) release. Methods & Objective: To explore this theory, we analyzed red cell 2,3-DPG content and EPO in AD, mild cognitive impairment, and the control group, subjective cognitive impairment. Results: We studied (i) 2,3-DPG in red cells, and (ii) circulating EPO in AD, and both markers were unaffected by dementia. Disturbances of these oxygen-regulatory pathways do not appear to participate in brain hypoxia in AD.


Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 647
Author(s):  
Allen PF Chen ◽  
Lu Chen ◽  
Thomas A. Kim ◽  
Qiaojie Xiong

Dopamine (DA) is a behaviorally and clinically diverse neuromodulator that controls CNS function. DA plays major roles in many behaviors including locomotion, learning, habit formation, perception, and memory processing. Reflecting this, DA dysregulation produces a wide variety of cognitive symptoms seen in neuropsychiatric diseases such as Parkinson’s, Schizophrenia, addiction, and Alzheimer’s disease. Here, we review recent advances in the DA systems neuroscience field and explore the advancing hypothesis that DA’s behavioral function is linked to disease deficits in a neural circuit-dependent manner. We survey different brain areas including the basal ganglia’s dorsomedial/dorsolateral striatum, the ventral striatum, the auditory striatum, and the hippocampus in rodent models. Each of these regions have different reported functions and, correspondingly, DA’s reflecting role in each of these regions also has support for being different. We then focus on DA dysregulation states in Parkinson’s disease, addiction, and Alzheimer’s Disease, emphasizing how these afflictions are linked to different DA pathways. We draw upon ideas such as selective vulnerability and region-dependent physiology. These bodies of work suggest that different channels of DA may be dysregulated in different sets of disease. While these are great advances, the fine and definitive segregation of such pathways in behavior and disease remains to be seen. Future studies will be required to define DA’s necessity and contribution to the functional plasticity of different striatal regions.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Yun-yang Deng ◽  
Qing-wei Zhong ◽  
Hai-li Zhong ◽  
Feng Xiong ◽  
Yue-bin Ke ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective: Previous studies have reported inverse associations between certain healthy lifestyle factors and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but limited evidence showed the synergistic effect of those lifestyles. This study examined the relationship of a combination of lifestyles, expressed as Healthy Lifestyle Score (HLS), with NAFLD. Design: A community-based cross-sectional study. Questionnaires and body assessments were used to collect data on the six-item HLS (ranging from 0 to 6, where higher scores indicate better health). The HLS consists of non-smoking (no active or passive smoking), normal BMI (18·5–23·9 kg/m2), physical activity (moderate or vigorous physical activity ≥ 150 min/week), healthy diet pattern, good sleep (no insomnia or <6 months) and no anxiety (Self-rating Anxiety Scale < 50), one point each. NAFLD was diagnosed by ultrasonography. Setting: Guangzhou, China. Participants: Two thousand nine hundred and eighty-one participants aged 40–75 years. Results: The overall prevalence of NAFLD was 50·8 %. After adjusting for potential covariates, HLS was associated with lower presence of NAFLD. The OR of NAFLD for subjects with higher HLS (3, 4, 5–6 v. 0–1 points) were 0·68 (95 % CI 0·51, 0·91), 0·58 (95 % CI 0·43, 0·78) and 0·35 (95 % CI 0·25, 0·51), respectively (P-values < 0·05). Among the six items, BMI and physical activity were the strongest contributors. Sensitivity analyses showed that the association was more significant after weighting the HLS. The beneficial association remained after excluding any one of the six components or replacing BMI with waist circumference. Conclusions: Higher HLS was associated with lower presence of NAFLD, suggesting that a healthy lifestyle pattern might be beneficial to liver health.


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