scholarly journals A Systems Dynamic Approach to Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasim S. Sabounchi
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
System Dynamics ◽  
Simulation Model ◽  
Disease Incidence ◽  
Prevention Strategies ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Life Course

ABSTRACT ObjectivesAs estimated there are about 5.3 million who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease in United States. The incidence is increasing as the population is aging. Due to the increasing trend of Alzheimer’s disease, there is a lot of discussion on prevention efforts or slowing the incidence. Also, models that could predict individual risk of cognitive impairment are needed to assist in prevention efforts.  In general dementia development has been associated with growth in various vascular, lifestyle and other risk factors. Epidemiological research provides evidence of some vascular, lifestyle and psychological risk factors that are modifiable and protective of disease incidence either independently or while interacting with other factors. However, as reported by National Institute of Aging, it is not yet clear whether health or lifestyle factors can prevent Alzheimer’s disease. The objective of this research project is to adopt a system dynamics modeling approach to study the interaction of several key factors including vascular, lifestyle and psychological aspects over the life course of individuals, to gain further understanding of Alzheimer’s disease incidence and evaluate prevention strategies. Both datasets of ‘Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI)’ and ‘Health and Retirement Study (HRS)’ will be used for model development and validation. ApproachA system dynamics approach is an optimal choice for addressing the goal of this proposal because different key factors interact over time and make Alzheimer’s disease incidence a complex problem. Furthermore, system dynamics approaches focus on understanding the relationship between the structure of a system and the resulting dynamic behaviors generated through multiple interacting feedback loops. Such an approach could be invaluable in studying dynamic problems arising in complex health, social, economic, or ecological systems. ResultsFor the purpose of the proposal, the following stages are planned:1. Develop a system dynamics simulation model at individual level that predicts the Alzheimer’s disease incidence over the life course, and aggregates individual level models to predict population level trends 2. Calibrate the resulting simulation model based upon longitudinal data trends employed from Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database. Both cohorts with Alzheimer’s disease and control subjects from this database will be used to fine-tune the simulation model. ConclusionThe final validated model would be used to test different hypotheses and evaluate various strategies and/or their combinations to help evaluate the efficacy of prevention strategies on Alzheimer’s disease incidence and its growth.

scholarly journals The Epidemiology of Alzheimer’s Disease Modifiable Risk Factors and Prevention

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
X.-X. Zhang ◽  
Y. Tian ◽  
Z.-T. Wang ◽  
Y.-H. Ma ◽  
L. Tan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Modifiable Risk Factors ◽  
Demographic Ageing ◽  
Daily Life Activities ◽  
The Life Course

Mild Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia, accounting for 50-70% of cases. Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible neurodegenerative disease, which affects daily life activities and social functioning. As life expectancy increases and demographic ageing occurs, the global prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease is expected to continue to rise especially in developing countries, leading to a costly burden of disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a complex and multifactorial disorder that is determined by the interaction of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors across the life course. Epidemiological studies have identified potential modifiable risk and protective factors for Alzheimer’s disease prevention. Moreover, Alzheimer’s disease is considered to start decades earlier before clinical symptoms occur, thus interventions targeting several risk factors in non-demented elderly people even middle-aged population might prevent or delay Alzheimer’s disease onset. Here, we provide an overview of current epidemiological advances related to Alzheimer’s disease modifiable risk factors, highlighting the concept of early prevention.

Elucidating the risk factors for progression from amyloid-negative amnestic mild cognitive impairment to dementia

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyung-Ji Kim ◽  
Jae-Hong Lee ◽  
E-nae Cheong ◽  
Sung-Eun Chung ◽  
Sungyang Jo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Amyloid Pet ◽  
Clinical Progression ◽  
Amnestic Mci

Background: Amyloid PET allows for the assessment of amyloid β status in the brain, distinguishing true Alzheimer’s disease from Alzheimer’s disease-mimicking conditions. Around 15–20% of patients with clinically probable Alzheimer’s disease have been found to have no significant Alzheimer’s pathology on amyloid PET. However, a limited number of studies had been conducted this subpopulation in terms of clinical progression. Objective: We investigated the risk factors that could affect the progression to dementia in patients with amyloid-negative amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: This study was a single-institutional, retrospective cohort study of patients over the age of 50 with amyloidnegative amnestic MCI who visited the memory clinic of Asan Medical Center with a follow-up period of more than 36 months. All participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), detailed neuropsychological testing, and fluorine-18[F18]-florbetaben amyloid PET. Results: During the follow-up period, 39 of 107 patients progressed to dementia from amnestic MCI. In comparison with the stationary group, the progressed group had a more severe impairment in verbal and visual episodic memory function and hippocampal atrophy, which showed an Alzheimer’s disease-like pattern despite the lack of evidence for significant Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Voxel-based morphometric MRI analysis revealed that the progressed group had a reduced gray matter volume in the bilateral cerebellar cortices, right temporal cortex, and bilateral insular cortices. Conclusion: Considering the lack of evidence of amyloid pathology, clinical progression of these subpopulation may be caused by other neuropathologies such as TDP-43, abnormal tau or alpha synuclein that lead to neurodegeneration independent of amyloid-driven pathway. Further prospective studies incorporating biomarkers of Alzheimer’s diseasemimicking dementia are warranted.

Electromagnetic field in Alzheimer’s disease: a literature review of recent preclinical and clinical studies

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reem Habib Mohamad Ali Ahmad ◽  
Marc Fakhoury ◽  
Nada Lawand
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Preclinical And Clinical Studies ◽  
The Brain

: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive loss of neurons leading to cognitive and memory decay. The main signs of AD include the irregular extracellular accumulation of amyloidbeta (Aβ) protein in the brain and the hyper-phosphorylation of tau protein inside neurons. Changes in Aβ expression or aggregation are considered key factors in the pathophysiology of sporadic and early-onset AD and correlate with the cognitive decline seen in patients with AD. Despite decades of research, current approaches in the treatment of AD are only symptomatic in nature and are not effective in slowing or reversing the course of the disease. Encouragingly, recent evidence revealed that exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) can delay the development of AD and improve memory. This review paper discusses findings from in vitro and in vivo studies that investigate the link between EMF and AD at the cellular and behavioural level, and highlights the potential benefits of EMF as an innovative approach for the treatment of AD.

scholarly journals Lessons Learned From Nonsignificant Findings in Exercise With Individuals With Dementia

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 850-850
Author(s):  
Nicole Dawson ◽  
Heather Menne
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Exercise Science ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Pharmacological Interventions ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Exercise Interventions ◽  
Functional Reach ◽  
Critical Intervention

Abstract The National Institute on Aging recognizes the importance of identifying promising non-pharmacological interventions (NPI) to promote health in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Several systematic reviews have been completed investigating exercise in this population resulting in mixed evidence regarding efficacy across functional domains. It is critical to investigate the methodological factors from the original interventions for a true understanding of these findings as to not outright dismiss exercise as beneficial. One example is Ohio’s replication of Reducing Disability in Alzheimer’s Disease (n=508), which resulted in no significant improvements in physical performance for individuals with dementia ((gait speed (p=.81), balance (p=.82), functional reach (p=.58)). In this investigation, along with many others, researchers were not guided by key principles of exercise science leading to critical intervention design and methodological flaws. Thus, exercise interventions for individuals with dementia need to include interpretations of non-findings and report key factors affecting the outcomes.

scholarly journals Examining the possible causal relationship between lung function, COPD and Alzheimer’s disease: a Mendelian randomisation study

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. e000759
Author(s):  
Daniel Higbee ◽  
Raquel Granell ◽  
Esther Walton ◽  
Roxanna Korologou-Linden ◽  
George Davey Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Lung Function ◽  
Causal Relationship ◽  
Mendelian Randomisation ◽  
P Value ◽  
Unmeasured Confounding ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Shared Risk

RationaleLarge retrospective case-control studies have reported an association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), reduced lung function and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. However, it remains unclear if these diseases are causally linked, or due to shared risk factors. Conventional observational epidemiology suffers from unmeasured confounding and reverse causation. Additional analyses addressing causality are required.ObjectivesTo examine a causal relationship between COPD, lung function and Alzheimer’s disease.MethodsUsing two-sample Mendelian randomisation, we used single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified in a genome wide association study (GWAS) for lung function as instrumental variables (exposure). Additionally, we used SNPs discovered in a GWAS for COPD in those with moderate to very severe obstruction. The effect of these SNPs on Alzheimer’s disease (outcome) was taken from a GWAS based on a sample of 24 807 patients and 55 058 controls.ResultsWe found minimal evidence for an effect of either lung function (OR: 1.02 per SD; 95% CI 0.91 to 1.13; p value 0.68) or liability for COPD on Alzheimer’s disease (OR: 0.97 per SD; 95% CI 0.92 to 1.03; p value 0.40).ConclusionNeither reduced lung function nor liability COPD are likely to be causally associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s, any observed association is likely due to unmeasured confounding. Scientific attention and health prevention policy may be better focused on overlapping risk factors, rather than attempts to reduce risk of Alzheimer’s disease by targeting impaired lung function or COPD directly.

scholarly journals Using a Digital Neuro Signature to measure longitudinal individual-level change in Alzheimer’s disease: the Altoida large cohort study

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene B. Meier ◽  
Max Buegler ◽  
Robbert Harms ◽  
Azizi Seixas ◽  
Arzu Çöltekin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Intraindividual Variability ◽  
Cognitive Test ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level Change ◽  
Neuropsychological Assessments

AbstractConventional neuropsychological assessments for Alzheimer’s disease are burdensome and inaccurate at detecting mild cognitive impairment and predicting Alzheimer’s disease risk. Altoida’s Digital Neuro Signature (DNS), a longitudinal cognitive test consisting of two active digital biomarker metrics, alleviates these limitations. By comparison to conventional neuropsychological assessments, DNS results in faster evaluations (10 min vs 45–120 min), and generates higher test-retest in intraindividual assessment, as well as higher accuracy at detecting abnormal cognition. This study comparatively evaluates the performance of Altoida’s DNS and conventional neuropsychological assessments in intraindividual assessments of cognition and function by means of two semi-naturalistic observational experiments with 525 participants in laboratory and clinical settings. The results show that DNS is consistently more sensitive than conventional neuropsychological assessments at capturing longitudinal individual-level change, both with respect to intraindividual variability and dispersion (intraindividual variability across multiple tests), across three participant groups: healthy controls, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s disease. Dispersion differences between DNS and conventional neuropsychological assessments were more pronounced with more advanced disease stages, and DNS-intraindividual variability was able to predict conversion from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease. These findings are instrumental for patient monitoring and management, remote clinical trial assessment, and timely interventions, and will hopefully contribute to a better understanding of Alzheimer’s disease.

scholarly journals Physical Mistreatment in Persons with Alzheimer’s Disease

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla VandeWeerd ◽  
Gregory J. Paveza ◽  
Margaret Walsh ◽  
Jaime Corvin
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Conflict Resolution ◽  
Physical Violence ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Alcohol Problems ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Conflict Resolution Strategy ◽  
Resolution Strategy

Physical mistreatment has been estimated to affect 2 million older persons each year and dramatically affects health outcomes. While researchers have attempted to examine risk factors for specific forms of abuse, many have been able to focus on only victim or perpetrator characteristics, or a limited number of psychosocial variables at any one time. Additionally, data on risk factors for subgroups such as persons with Alzheimer’s disease who may have heightened and/or unique risk profiles has also been limited. This paper examines risk for physical violence in caregiver/patient dyads who participated in the Aggression and Violence in Community-Based Alzheimer’s Families Grant. Data were collected via in-person interview and mailed survey and included demographics as well as measures of violence, physical and emotional health, and health behaviors. Logistic regression analysis indicated that caregivers providing care to elders with high levels of functional impairment or dementia symptoms, or who had alcohol problems, were more likely to use violence as a conflict resolution strategy, as were caregivers who were providing care to elders who used violence against them. By contrast, caregivers with high self-esteem were less likely to use violence as a conflict resolution strategy. Significant interaction effects were also noted.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document