scholarly journals Lower Plasma Total Testosterone Levels Were Associated With Steeper Decline in Brain Glucose Metabolism in Non-demented Older Men

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiwu Wang ◽  
Zhaoting Lv ◽  
Qian Wu ◽  
Huitao Liu ◽  
Yanrou Gu ◽  
...  

ObjectiveThere is growing evidence that testosterone may be implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We aimed to examine the relationship between plasma total testosterone levels and change in brain glucose metabolism over time among non-demented older people.MethodsThe association of plasma total testosterone levels with change in brain glucose metabolism among non-demented older people was investigated cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Given a significant difference in levels of plasma total testosterone between gender, we performed our analysis in a sex-stratified way. At baseline, 228 non-demented older people were included: 152 males and 76 females.ResultsIn the cross-sectional analysis, no significant relationship between plasma total testosterone levels and brain glucose metabolism was found in males or females. In the longitudinal analysis, we found a significant association of plasma total testosterone levels with change in brain glucose metabolism over time in males, but not in females. More specifically, in males, higher levels of total testosterone in plasma at baseline were associated with slower decline in brain glucose metabolism.ConclusionWe found that higher levels of total testosterone in plasma at baseline were associated with slower decline in brain glucose metabolism in males without dementia, indicating that testosterone may have beneficial effects on brain function.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melania Manco ◽  
Silvia Guerrera ◽  
Lucilla Ravà ◽  
Marta Ciofi degli Atti ◽  
Silvia Di Vara ◽  
...  

AbstractThe autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an etiologically heterogeneous disorder. Dysfunctions of the intermediate metabolism have been described in some patients. We speculate these metabolic abnormalities are associated with brain insulin resistance (IR), i.e., the reduced glucose metabolism at the level of the nervous central system. The Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) is very often used in population studies as estimate of peripheral IR and it has been recently recognized as proxy of brain IR. We investigated HOMA-IR in 60 ASD patients aged 4–18 years and 240 healthy controls, also aged 4–18 years, but unmatched for age, sex, body weight, or body mass index (BMI). At multivariable linear regression model, the HOMA-IR was 0.31 unit higher in ASD individuals than in controls, after having adjusted for sex, age, BMI z-score category, and lipids that are factors known to influence HOMA-IR. Findings of this preliminary study suggest it is worth investigating brain glucose metabolism in larger population of patients with ASD by using gold standard technique. The recognition of a reduced glucose metabolism in some areas of the brain as marker of autism might have tremendous impact on our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of the disease and in terms of public health.


Author(s):  
Otto Muzik ◽  
James Janisse ◽  
Joel Acer ◽  
Chenggang Shen ◽  
Diane C. Chugani ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lichuang Wu ◽  
Xiang Wang ◽  
Yiheng Ye ◽  
Cailong Liu

Objective: Although emerging evidence suggests that both osteoarthritis (OA) and brain atrophy (as assessed by structural neuroimaging markers) are associated with the risk of dementia, little is known about the association between OA and structural neuroimaging markers. This study aimed to examine the association of OA with changes in structural neuroimaging markers among non-demented older people.Methods: We examined the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between OA and structural neuroimaging markers (hippocampal volume, entorhinal volume, ventricular volume, and volume of gray matter of the whole brain) among non-demented older people. We categorized our participants as those without OA (OA−) and those with OA (OA+). At baseline, we included 1,281 non-demented older adults, including 1,050 without OA and 231 with OA.Results: In the cross-sectional analysis, we did not observe any significant difference in structural neuroimaging markers between the two OA groups. In the longitudinal analysis, we found that compared to participants without OA, those with OA showed a steeper decline in volumes of the gray matter of the whole brain among non-demented older adults.Conclusions: OA was associated with a steeper decline in volumes of the gray matter of the whole brain over time among non-demented older people.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Delrieu ◽  
Thierry Voisin ◽  
Laure Saint-Aubert ◽  
Isabelle Carrie ◽  
Christelle Cantet ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The Multidomain Alzheimer Preventive Trial (MAPT) was designed to assess the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, multidomain intervention (MI), or a combination of both on cognition. Although the MAPT study was negative, an effect of MI in maintaining cognitive functions compared to placebo group was showed in positive amyloid subjects. A FDG PET study (MAPT-NI) was implemented to test the impact of MI on brain glucose metabolism. Methods MAPT-NI was a randomized, controlled parallel-group single-center study, exploring the effect of MI on brain glucose metabolism. Participants were non-demented and had memory complaints, limitation in one instrumental activity of daily living, or slow gait. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to “MI group” or “No MI group.” The MI consisted of group sessions focusing on 3 domains: cognitive stimulation, physical activity, nutrition, and a preventive consultation. [18F]FDG PET scans were performed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months, and cerebral magnetic resonance imaging scans at baseline. The primary objective was to evaluate the MI effect on brain glucose metabolism assessed by [18F]FDG PET imaging at 6 months. The primary outcome was the quantification of regional metabolism rate for glucose in cerebral regions involved early in Alzheimer disease by relative semi-quantitative SUVr (FDG-based AD biomarker). An exploratory voxel-wise analysis was performed to assess the effect of MI on brain glucose metabolism without anatomical hypothesis. Results The intention-to-treat population included 67 subjects (34 in the MI group and 33 in the No MI group. No significant MI effect was observed on primary outcome at 6 months. In the exploratory voxel-wise analysis, we observed a difference in favor of MI group on the change of cerebral glucose metabolism in limbic lobe (right hippocampus, right posterior cingulate, left posterior parahippocampal gyrus) at 6 months. Conclusions MI failed to show an effect on metabolism in FDG-based AD biomarker, but exploratory analysis suggested positive effect on limbic system metabolism. This finding could suggest a delay effect of MI on AD progression. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier, NCT01513252.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (S10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Wehle Gehres ◽  
Andreia Silva da Rocha ◽  
Yuri Elias Rodrigues ◽  
Guilherme G Schu Peixoto ◽  
Afonso Kopczynski Carvalho ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Madison E. Andrews ◽  
Anita D. Patrick ◽  
Maura Borrego

Abstract Background Students’ attitudinal beliefs related to how they see themselves in STEM have been a focal point of recent research, given their well-documented links to retention and persistence. These beliefs are most often assessed cross-sectionally, and as such, we lack a thorough understanding of how they may fluctuate over time. Using matched survey responses from undergraduate engineering students (n = 278), we evaluate if, and to what extent, students’ engineering attitudinal beliefs (attainment value, utility value, self-efficacy, interest, and identity) change over a 1-year period. Further, we examine whether there are differences based on gender and student division, and then compare results between cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses to illustrate weaknesses in our current understanding of these constructs. Results Our study revealed inconsistencies between cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of the same dataset. Cross-sectional analyses indicated a significant difference by student division for engineering utility value and engineering interest, but no significant differences by gender for any variable. However, longitudinal analyses revealed statistically significant decreases in engineering utility value, engineering self-efficacy, and engineering interest for lower division students and significant decreases in engineering attainment value for upper division students over a one-year period. Further, longitudinal analyses revealed a gender gap in engineering self-efficacy for upper division students, where men reported higher means than women. Conclusions Our analyses make several contributions. First, we explore attitudinal differences by student division not previously documented. Second, by comparing across methodologies, we illustrate that different conclusions can be drawn from the same data. Since the literature around these variables is largely cross-sectional, our understanding of students’ engineering attitudes is limited. Our longitudinal analyses show variation in engineering attitudinal beliefs that are obscured when data is only examined cross-sectionally. These analyses revealed an overall downward trend within students for all beliefs that changed significantly—losses which may foreshadow attrition out of engineering. These findings provide an opportunity to introduce targeted interventions to build engineering utility value, engineering self-efficacy, and engineering interest for student groups whose means were lower than average.


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