scholarly journals Diuretics: A possible keystone in upholding cognitive health

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tyler DeLoach ◽  
Jennifer Beall

Abstract Introduction: Dementia encompasses diseases of progressive memory loss and neurological alterations, including Alzheimer disease. Hypertension is one risk factor proposed for development of Alzheimer disease. The objective is to evaluate the current literature for use of diuretics in the prevention of dementia. Methods: Literature was not considered if published before January 1, 2000, or after May 31, 2015. PubMed was used to locate sources. Four search terms were used to find data: Alzheimer disease, antihypertensive agents, diuretics, and dementia. Results: Four studies of efficacy of diuretic usage in the prevention against dementia met criteria. Potassium-sparing diuretics displayed risk reduction of Alzheimer disease and maintenance of cognitive function. Risk reduction was demonstrated when used alone (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.01-0.41) as compared to use of other antihypertensives without potassium-sparing diuretics (aHR 0.76, 95% CI 0.49-1.15). Other antihypertensive drug classes did show some benefit, however. Diuretic and angiotensin receptor blocker users had a lower Alzheimer disease risk versus those with no antihypertensive use (hazard ratio 0.40, 95% CI 0.26-0.61) and (hazard ratio 0.37, 95% CI 0.19-0.72), respectively. Additionally, thiazide diuretics were also shown to reduce Alzheimer risk. Thiazide and potassium-sparing combination significantly reduced risk versus non-antihypertensive users (aHR 0.63, 95% CI 0.42-0.94). Discussion: Available research demonstrates an inverse association between diuretic use and the incident rate of dementia. Specifically, this has been found with thiazide and potassium-sparing diuretics when used alone or in combination. This review suggests that patients receiving diuretics for hypertension may receive an added neuroprotective effect.

2019 ◽  
Vol 188 (9) ◽  
pp. 1637-1645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Hata ◽  
Tomoyuki Ohara ◽  
Yoshinori Katakura ◽  
Kuniyoshi Shimizu ◽  
Shuntaro Yamashita ◽  
...  

Abstract We examined the association between serum concentrations of β-alanine, a metabolite of carnosine and anserine, and the risk of dementia in a general population of elderly Japanese persons. In 2007, 1,475 residents of Hisayama, Japan, aged 60–79 years and without dementia were divided into 4 groups according to quartiles of serum β-alanine concentrations (quartile 1, lowest; quartile 4, highest) and followed for a median of 5.3 years. During follow-up, 117 subjects developed all-cause dementia (Alzheimer in 77 cases and vascular dementia in 31). The risk of all-cause dementia decreased with increasing serum β-alanine levels after adjustment for potential confounding factors (quartile 2, hazard ratio (HR) = 0.73 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.45, 1.18); quartile 3, HR = 0.50 (95% CI: 0.28, 0.89); quartile 4, HR = 0.50 (95% CI: 0.27, 0.92); P = 0.01 for trend). A similar inverse association was observed for Alzheimer disease (quartile 2, HR = 0.78 (95% CI: 0.44, 1.38); quartile 3, HR = 0.53 (95% CI: 0.26, 1.06); quartile 4, HR = 0.53 (95% CI: 0.25, 1.10); P = 0.04 for trend) but not for vascular dementia. We found that higher serum β-alanine levels were significantly associated with lower risks of all-cause dementia and Alzheimer disease. Because serum β-alanine levels reflect intakes of carnosine/anserine, higher intakes of carnosine/anserine might be beneficial for the prevention of dementia.


QJM ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 114 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatma Sobhy Ibrahim ◽  
Lobna Fouad Abdel-Aziz ◽  
Wesam Mostafa Elbakly ◽  
Nesreen Hamdy El Gayar

Abstract Alzheimer disease (AD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by memory loss and cognition impairment. A link has been established between AD and epilepsy sharing multiple mechanisms and pathogenesis. Similar Hippocampal changes have been found between both diseases. Choosing antiepileptic drug in AD patient represent a great a challenge especially with increase seizure risk in AD patients. Lacosamide, antiepileptic drug, was reported to have a neuroprotective effect in animal models and a histone deacetylase inhibition activity. This study was designed to investigate the potential effect of chronic lacosamide treatment in Streptozotocin induced AD in male Wistar rats. Methods AD animal model was induced with single bilateral intracerebroventricular injection of STZ (3 mg/kg) on day one. Lacosamide (30 mg/kg orally, once daily) was administrated for 21 days. Cognitive function assessment was done with Morris Water Maze (MWM) and Y Maze tasks. APP and MAPT mRNA level were measured. Results ICV-STZ caused significant prolongation in Escape latency time and reduction in time spent in target quadrant in MWM and reduction in spontaneous alteration ratio in Y Maze compared to control group. STZ induced Up-regulation in Amyloid precursor protein and Microtubule associated protein tau gene expression. Chronic Lacosamide treatment attenuated STZ induced cognitive impairment and mitigated APP and MAPT induced expression with STZ. Conclusion Lacosamide has a neuroprotective effect against STZ induced cognitive deficits ameliorating Aβ and Tau pathology.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ali ◽  
Yun Ju Sung ◽  
Fengxian Wang ◽  
Maria V. Fernandez ◽  
John C. Morris ◽  
...  

Two genetic variants (rs9536314 and rs9527025) in the Klotho gene, encoding a transmembrane protein, implicated on longevity and associated with brain resilience during normal aging, were recently shown to be associated with Alzheimer disease (AD) risk in cognitively healthy individuals that are APOE4 carriers. Specifically, the individuals heterozygous for this variant (KL-SVHET+), showed lower risk of developing AD. Furthermore, a neuroprotective effect of KL-VSHET+ has been suggested against amyloid burden for cognitively normal individuals. However, inconsistent associations and a smaller sample size of existing studies pose significant hurdles in drawing definitive conclusions. Here, we have performed a well-powered association analysis between KL-VSHET+ and five different AD endophenotypes; brain amyloidosis measured by positron emission tomography (PET) scans (n = 5,541) or cerebrospinal fluid Aβ levels (CSF; n = 5,093), as well as biomarkers associated with tau pathology: the CSF Tau (n = 5,127), phosphorylated Tau (pTau; n = 4,778) and inflammation: CSF soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (sTREM2; n = 2,123) levels. Our results found nominally significant associations of KL-VSHET+ status with biomarkers for brain amyloidosis (e.g. CSF Aβ positivity; odds ratio [OR] = 0.67 [95% CI, 0.55-0.78], β = 0.72, P = 0.007) and tau pathology (e.g. biomarker negative for CSF Tau; OR = 0.39 [95% CI, 0.19-0.77], β = -0.94, P = 0.007, and pTau; OR = 0.50 [95% CI, 0.27-0.96], β = -0.68, P = 0.04) in elderly (60-80 years old) individuals that are cognitively normal and APOE4 carriers. Our work supports previous findings and suggests that the KL-VSHET+ on a APOE4 genotype background may exert a protective effect by modulating the Aβ, Tau, and pTau burden and resulting cognitive decline in older controls susceptible to AD. The biological mechanism underlying APOE4 and KL-VSHET+ interaction and the neuroprotective effect of KL-related pathways against amyloid accumulation may warrant future investigation as a target for preclinical pharmacological studies to explore novel AD drug targets.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (11) ◽  
pp. 1186-1197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ismael Alvarez-Alvarez ◽  
Javier Pérez de Rojas ◽  
Alejandro Fernandez-Montero ◽  
Itziar Zazpe ◽  
Miguel Ruiz-Canela ◽  
...  

Background Inverse associations of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and physical activity with cardiovascular disease have been previously reported. We investigated the individual and combined contributions of both to this inverse association in a Mediterranean cohort. Design We used data from 19,536 participants from a prospective cohort of Spanish university graduates, the ‘Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra’ (SUN) cohort, followed up between December 1999 and December 2016. Methods Adherence to the MedDiet was obtained from a 136-item validated food-frequency questionnaire and categorized in tertiles using four previously reported dietary scores. A validated questionnaire assessed the physical activity levels according to volume, intensity and frequency. Results Participants were followed up during a median time of 10.4 years. Compared with the lowest category of adherence to the MedDiet (≤3 in the Mediterranean Diet Score), higher adherence (6–9 points) was strongly inversely associated with cardiovascular disease (multivariable adjusted hazard ratio = 0.33; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.20–0.55). Also, engaging in an active lifestyle (6–8 points in an eight-item score) compared with low activity (<2 points) was associated with a reduced risk of incident cardiovascular disease (hazard ratio = 0.43; 95% CI 0.20–0.90). Greater adherence to the MedDiet and engaging in high levels of active lifestyle showed a 75% relatively reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (hazard ratio = 0.25; 95% CI 0.13–0.48). Conclusions The combined effect of adherence to the MedDiet and adopting an active lifestyle showed a synergistic inverse association with cardiovascular disease risk.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gil-Yong Lee ◽  
Chan Lee ◽  
Gyu Hwan Park ◽  
Jung-Hee Jang

Increasing evidence suggests that neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are mediated via disruption of cholinergic neurons and enhanced oxidative stress. Therefore, attention has been focused on searching for antioxidant phytochemicals for the prevention and/or treatment of AD through their ability to fortify cholinergic function and antioxidant defense capacity. In this study, we have investigated the neuroprotective effect ofα-pinene (APN) against learning and memory impairment induced by scopolamine (SCO, 1 mg/kg, i.p.), a muscarinic receptor antagonist in C57BL/6 mice. Administration of APN (10 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly improved SCO-induced cognitive dysfunction as assessed by Y-maze and passive avoidance tests. In Morris water-maze test, APN effectively shortened the mean escape latency to find the hidden platform during training days. To further elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effect of APN, the expression of proteins involved in the acetylcholine metabolism and antioxidant system was examined. Particularly, APN treatment increased mRNA expression of choline acetyltransferase in the cortex and protein levels of antioxidant enzymes such as heme oxygenase-1 and manganese superoxide dismutase in the hippocampus via activation of NF-E2-related factor 2. These findings suggest the possible neuroprotective potentials of APN for the management of dementia with learning and memory loss.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-232
Author(s):  
Leah L Zullig ◽  
Felicia McCant ◽  
Mina Silberberg ◽  
Fred Johnson ◽  
Bradi B Granger ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 505-519
Author(s):  
Dharma Singh Khalsa ◽  
Andrew B. Newberg

Background: Religious and spiritual interventions may have an effect on Alzheimer’s disease prevention. Kirtan Kriya meditation has been shown to mitigate the deleterious effects of chronic stress on cognition, reverse memory loss, and create psychological and spiritual wellbeing, which may reduce multiple drivers of Alzheimer’s disease risk. Objective: To detail a new concept in medicine called Spiritual Fitness, a merging of stress reduction, basic wellbeing, and psycho/spiritual wellbeing to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Methods: The literature on the topics mentioned above is described, including an in-depth discussion on why and how each are critical to advancing the future of Alzheimer’s disease prevention. The many negative effects of chronic stress, and the benefits of Kirtan Kriya, are reviewed. The four pillars of basic wellbeing, six practical aspects of psychological wellbeing, and the four new non-sectarian features of spiritual fitness are then disclosed. Moreover, instructions on practicing Kirtan Kriya are offered in the Supplementary Material. Conclusion: Religious and spiritual practices, including Kirtan Kriya, are crucial components in the development of enhanced cognition and well-being, which may help prevent and, in some cases, reverse cognitive decline. The key point of this review is that making a commitment to live a brain longevity lifestyle including spiritual fitness is a critically important way for aging Alzheimer’s disease free. We hope that this article will inspire scientists, clinicians, and patients to embrace this new concept of spiritual fitness and make it a part of every multidomain program for the prevention of cognitive disability.


2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 758-766 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akiko Sakaue ◽  
Hisashi Adachi ◽  
Mika Enomoto ◽  
Ako Fukami ◽  
Eita Kumagai ◽  
...  

Aims It is well known that a decline in physical activity is associated with an increase of all-cause death including cardiovascular events and cancer. Few studies have examined the association between occupational sitting time and mortality. Therefore, we investigated this issue in a general population. Methods Physical activity and occupational sitting time were measured using the Baecke physical activity questionnaire in 1999. The questionnaire generated indices in three physical activity categories: work, sport and leisure-time. A total physical activity index was calculated by adding these three indices. The Baecke physical activity questionnaire was able to evaluate occupational sitting time. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Cox's proportional hazard regression models. Results We enrolled a total of 1680 participants, who were followed up for 15.9 ± 3.8 years. The final follow-up rate was 93%. During the follow-up period, 397 subjects died. A significant inverse association ( p < 0.0001) was found between physical activity and mortality after adjustment for age and sex. Compared with lower levels of physical activity, the adjusted hazard ratio for mortality at higher levels of physical activity was 0.85 (95% CI: 0.78–0.92). Longer occupational sitting time was also significantly associated with higher mortality ( p < 0.01). The adjusted hazard ratio for mortality at longer occupational sitting time was 1.16 (95% CI: 1.05–1.27). These findings were observed in males, but not in females. Conclusions Our data demonstrated that higher levels of physical activity are associated with a reduced risk of cancer and cardiovascular death. Further, longer occupational sitting time is associated with increased mortality.


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