scholarly journals Alzheimer’s Disease: A Step Towards Prognosis Using Smart Wearables

Proceedings ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonella D. Pontoriero ◽  
Peter H. Charlton ◽  
Jordi Alastruey

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. Several haemodynamic risk factors for AD have been identified, including ageing, increased arterial stiffness, high systolic blood pressure (BP) and brain hypoperfusion. We propose a novel approach for assessing haemodynamic risk factors by analysing arterial pulse waves (PWs). The aim of this feasibility study was to determine whether features extracted from PWs measured by wearable sensors might have utility for stratifying patients at risk of AD. A numerical model of PW propagation was used to simulate PWs for virtual subjects of each age decade from 25 to 75 years (16 subjects in total), with subjects at each age exhibiting normal variation in arterial stiffness. Several PW features were extracted, and their relationships with AD risk factors were investigated. PWs at the wrist were found to exhibit changes with age and arterial stiffness, indicating that it may be possible to identify changes in risk factors from smart wearables. Several candidate PW features were identified which changed significantly with age for future testing. This study demonstrates the potential feasibility of assessing haemodynamic risk factors for AD from non-invasive PWs. These factors could be assessed from the PPG PW, which can be acquired by smart watches and phones. If the findings are replicated in clinical studies, then this may provide opportunities for patients to assess their own risk and make lifestyle changes accordingly.

Author(s):  
Elham NAVIPOUR ◽  
Mahbobeh NEAMATSHAH ◽  
Zahra BARABADI ◽  
Mohammad NEAMATSHAH ◽  
Aghilallah KEYKHOSRAVI

Background: Alzheimer's disease is a chronic disease characterized by a progressive decline in mental abilities and quality of life alongside behavioral abnormalities associated with high economic burden. The purpose of this study was to investigate epidemiology and risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease in Iran. Methods: In this systematic review study, both Persian and English-language databases including Medline, Google Scholar, PubMed, web of science and Magiran were searched using following keywords: epidemiology, Alzheimer, dementia and Iran without time limit up to 2017. Thirty articles abstract out of 50 studies related to this topics, were reviewed. Of which 12 full text entered into the quality assessment process and finally, four articles were selected for inclusion in this study and their results was extracted. Results: The total sample size of the 4 selected studies was 2781. The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease in the current study was estimated to be 2.3% in the population of 67-78 years old. Age, genetics, depression and hypertension were determined as the risk factors for Alzheimer's disease, while daily listening to music, meeting weekly with friends and daily intake of vitamin E were considered as the factors with protective role in this disease. Conclusion: Alzheimer's disease is one of the main causes of functional dependence and mortality in the elderly people. Lifestyle changes and multiple mental activities in elderly increases the cognitive ability of these population, which will reduce direct and indirect costs of this disease.


Author(s):  
S. Sindi ◽  
C. Thunborg ◽  
A. Rosenberg ◽  
P. Andersen ◽  
S. Andrieu ◽  
...  

Background: Interventions simultaneously targeting multiple risk factors and mechanisms are most likely to be effective in preventing cognitive impairment. This was indicated in the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER) testing a multidomain lifestyle intervention among at-risk individuals. The importance of medical food at the early symptomatic disease stage, prodromal Alzheimer’s disease (AD), was emphasized in the LipiDiDiet trial. The feasibility and effects of multimodal interventions in prodromal AD are unclear. Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility of an adapted FINGER-based multimodal lifestyle intervention, with or without medical food, among individuals with prodromal AD. Methods: MIND-ADmini is a multinational proof-of-concept 6-month randomized controlled trial (RCT), with four trial sites (Sweden, Finland, Germany, France). The trial targeted individuals with prodromal AD defined using the International Working Group-1 criteria, and with vascular or lifestyle-related risk factors. The parallel-group RCT includes three arms: 1) multimodal lifestyle intervention (nutritional guidance, exercise, cognitive training, vascular/metabolic risk management and social stimulation); 2) multimodal lifestyle intervention+medical food (Fortasyn Connect); and 3) regular health advice/care (control group). Primary outcomes are feasibility and adherence. Secondary outcomes are adherence to the individual intervention domains and healthy lifestyle changes. Results: Screening began on 28 September 2017 and was completed on 21 May 2019. Altogether 93 participants were randomized and enrolled. The intervention proceeded as planned. Conclusions: For the first time, this pilot trial tests the feasibility and adherence to a multimodal lifestyle intervention, alone or combined with medical food, among individuals with prodromal AD. It can serve as a model for combination therapy trials (non-pharma, nutrition-based and/or pharmacological interventions).


Author(s):  
Marie Pasinski

This chapter on cognitive concerns in middle age reviews the modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and recommends seven lifestyle changes to improve cognitive function and decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Memory concerns and word-finding difficulties in middle age are extremely common, typically benign, and can be improved by lifestyle modification. One-third of Alzheimer’s cases are estimated to be attributable to seven modifiable risk factors, including: diabetes, hypertension, obesity, smoking, depression, cognitive inactivity, and physical inactivity. In addition, sleep disorders are now a recognized risk factor for dementia. Rather than recommending simply performing a workup and reassuring patients that they are fine, this chapter provides guidelines to identify dementia risk factors and empower patients with the knowledge they need to maximize their brain health.


Author(s):  
M. Rochoy ◽  
V. Rivas ◽  
E. Chazard ◽  
E. Decarpentry ◽  
G. Saudemont ◽  
...  

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a frequent pathology, with a poor prognosis, for which no curative treatment is available in 2018. AD prevention is an important issue, and is an important research topic. In this manuscript, we have synthesized the literature reviews and meta-analyses relating to modifiable risk factors associated with AD. Smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, physical inactivity, depression, head trauma, heart failure, bleeding and ischemic strokes, sleep apnea syndrome appeared to be associated with an increased risk of AD. In addition to these well-known associations, we highlight here the existence of associated factors less described: hyperhomocysteinemia, hearing loss, essential tremor, occupational exposure to magnetic fields. On the contrary, some oral antidiabetic drugs, education and intellectual activity, a Mediterranean-type diet or using Healthy Diet Indicator, consumption of unsaturated fatty acids seemed to have a protective effect. Better knowledge of risk factors for AD allows for better identification of patients at risk. This may contribute to the emergence of prevention policies to delay or prevent the onset of AD.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyung-Ji Kim ◽  
Jae-Hong Lee ◽  
E-nae Cheong ◽  
Sung-Eun Chung ◽  
Sungyang Jo ◽  
...  

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.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. e000759
Author(s):  
Daniel Higbee ◽  
Raquel Granell ◽  
Esther Walton ◽  
Roxanna Korologou-Linden ◽  
George Davey Smith ◽  
...  

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.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla VandeWeerd ◽  
Gregory J. Paveza ◽  
Margaret Walsh ◽  
Jaime Corvin

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.


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