Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors.

Background: Caregivers of individuals living with dementia frequently make medical decisions for care recipients, often without a clear understanding of those needs. Educational tools are needed to guide caregivers about when and how to raise the topic of advance care planning (ACP).

Method: Caregivers of individuals living with dementia (N = 130) were randomized into control (N = 64) (ACP verbal educational script) or intervention (N = 66) (ACP verbal educational script and video) groups.

Investigating the impact of age and sex on cataract surgery complications and outcomes.

Cataract surgery, a common procedure for vision restoration, exhibits variable outcomes based on patient demographics. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of age and sex on risk factors, intraoperative complications, and postoperative outcomes of cataract surgery. A single-center retrospective cohort study analyzed 691 eyes from 589 individuals who underwent surgery at a tertiary referral center, using electronic medical records to assess preoperative risk factors, intraoperative complications, and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) pre- and post-operatively, alongside demographic data.

Spatial proteomic differences in chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Alzheimer's disease, and primary age-related tauopathy hippocampi.

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD), primary age-related tauopathy (PART), and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) all feature hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau)-immunoreactive neurofibrillary degeneration, but differ in neuroanatomical distribution and progression of neurofibrillary degeneration and amyloid beta (Aβ) deposition.

Methods: We used Nanostring GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiling to compare the expression of 70 proteins in neurofibrillary tangle (NFT)-bearing and non-NFT-bearing neurons in hippocampal CA1, CA2, and CA4 subregions and entorhinal cortex of cases with autopsy-confirmed AD (n = 8), PART (n = 7), and CTE (n = 5).

Results: There were numerous subregion-specific differences related to Aβ processing, autophagy/proteostasis, inflammation, gliosis, oxidative stress, neuronal/synaptic integrity, and p-tau epitopes among these different disorders.

Enteroendocrine Cells Sense Sucrose and Alter Enteric Neuron Excitability via Insulin Signaling.

Neurosensory circuits of the gastrointestinal tract sense microbial and nutrient changes in the gut; however, studying these circuits in vivo is hindered by invasive techniques and ethical concerns. Here, an in vitro model of enteroendocrine cells (EECs) and calcium reporting enteric neurons (ENs) is established and validated for functional signaling. Both mechanical and sucrose stimulation of co-cultures increased the percentage of neurons undergoing a calcium flux, indicating an action potential.