Publications by authors named "BICKEL H"

Background: Neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), have been linked to alterations in tryptophan (TRP) metabolism. However, no studies to date have systematically explored changes in the TRP pathway at both transcriptional and epigenetic levels. This study aimed to investigate transcriptomic, DNA methylomic (5mC) and hydroxymethylomic (5hmC) changes within genes involved in the TRP and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) pathways in AD, using three independent cohorts.

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Background: Blood-based biomarkers offer a promising, less invasive, and more cost-effective alternative for Alzheimer's disease screening compared to cerebrospinal fluid or imaging biomarkers. However, they have been extensively studied only in memory clinic-based cohorts. We aimed to validate them in a more heterogeneous, older patient population from primary care.

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Introduction: The prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia is increasing as the oldest old population grows, requiring a nuanced understanding of their care needs. Few studies have examined need profiles of oldest old patients with MCI or dementia. Therefore, this study aimed to identify patients' need profiles.

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Background: Listing tools have been developed to improve medications in older patients, including the Fit fOR The Aged (FORTA) list, a clinically validated, positive-negative list of medication appropriateness. Here, we aim to validate MyFORTA, an automated tool for individualized application of the FORTA list.

Methods: 331 participants of a multi-center cohort study (AgeCoDe) for whom the FORTA score (sum of overtreatment and undertreatment errors) had been determined manually (gold standard [GS]) were reassessed using the automated MyFORTA (MF) tool.

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Background: Subjective memory complaints and family history of dementia are possibly intertwined risk factors for the own subsequent dementia risk and Alzheimer's disease. However, their interaction has rarely been studied.

Objective: To study the association between subjective memory complaints and family history of dementia with regard to the own subsequent risk of dementia.

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The gut microbiome may be involved in the occurrence of dementia primarily through the molecular mechanisms of producing bioactive molecules and promoting inflammation. Epidemiological evidence linking gut microbiome molecules and inflammatory markers to dementia risk has been mixed, and the intricate interplay between these groups of biomarkers suggests that their joint investigation in the context of dementia is warranted. We aimed to simultaneously investigate the association of circulating levels of selected gut microbiome molecules and inflammatory markers with dementia risk.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates how sociodemographic and health factors contribute to social isolation among the oldest-old, utilizing data from the AgeCoDe/AgeQualiDe cohort with participants averaging 86.6 years old.
  • - Results showed that 34.6% of participants were socially isolated, with greater isolation from friends (average score 6.0) compared to family (average score 8.0), and noted significant gender and age differences.
  • - The findings suggest that depression increases isolation, while better cognitive functioning decreases it; therefore, focusing on the social context is vital for addressing and preventing social isolation.
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Objectives: To develop an intuitive and generally applicable system for the reporting, assessment, and documentation of ADC to complement standard BI-RADS criteria.

Methods: This was a multicentric, retrospective analysis of 11 independently conducted institutional review board-approved studies from seven institutions performed between 2007 and 2019. Breast Apparent Diffusion coefficient (ADC-B) categories comprised ADC-B0 (ADC non-diagnostic), ADC-B1 (no enhancing lesion), and ADC-B2-5.

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Background. Vitamins A, D and E and beta-carotene may have a protective function for cognitive health, due to their antioxidant capacities. Methods.

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Article Synopsis
  • Several lifestyle factors, particularly occupational cognitive requirements (OCR), may protect against Alzheimer's disease (AD) by potentially enhancing brain maintenance, brain reserve, or cognitive reserve throughout a person's life.
  • The study analyzed data from two population-based cohorts to understand how OCR interacts with genetic and biomarker factors related to cognitive decline and dementia onset.
  • Results indicated that higher OCR scores correlate with reduced cognitive decline risk, delayed onset of Alzheimer's, and relationships with brain structure and memory function, although OCR did not significantly affect Alzheimer's disease biomarkers over time.
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Introduction: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and depressive symptoms (DS) frequently co-occur prior to dementia. However, the temporal sequence of their emergence and their combined prognostic value for cognitive decline and dementia is unclear.

Methods: Temporal relationships of SCD, DS and memory decline were examined by latent difference score modeling in a high-aged, population-based cohort (N = 3217) and validated using Cox-regression of dementia-conversion.

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Purpose: Higher Fit fOR The Aged (FORTA) scores have been shown to be negatively associated with adverse clinical outcomes in older hospitalized patients. This has not been evaluated in other health care settings. The aim of this study was to examine the association of the FORTA score with relevant outcomes in the prospective AgeCoDe-AgeQualiDe cohort of community-dwelling older people.

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Article Synopsis
  • Social isolation is a potential risk factor for dementia, but its relationship with mortality needs further investigation, especially in older adults.
  • The study analyzed data from 1,161 individuals aged around 86, finding that while a significant portion experienced social isolation, it did not correlate with the development of dementia after accounting for death risk.
  • The results challenge previous findings and suggest that future research should explore longer follow-up periods and deeper insights into social relationships to better understand these dynamics.
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Objective: White matter lesions (WML) in multiple sclerosis (MS) differ from vascular WML caused by Fabry disease (FD). However, in atypical cases the discrimination can be difficult and may vary between individual raters. The aim of this study was to evaluate interrater reliability of WML differentiation between MS and FD patients.

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Research on anxiety in oldest-old individuals is scarce. Specifically, incidence studies based on large community samples are lacking. The objective of this study is to assess age- and gender-specific incidence rates in a large sample of oldest-old individuals and to identify potential risk factors.

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The heterogeneity in the operationalisation of successful ageing (SA) hinders a straightforward examination of SA associations and correlates, and in turn, the identification of potentially modifiable predictors of SA. It is unclear which SA associations and correlates influence all facets of the SA construct, and whether psychosocial reserve models developed in neuropathological ageing research can also be linked to SA. It was therefore the aim of this study to disentangle the effect of various previously identified SA associations and correlates on (1) a general SA factor, which represents the shared underpinnings of three SA facets, and (2) more confined, specific factors, using bifactor modelling.

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Introduction: Due to the strong association between old age and the need for long-term care, the number of individuals in need for care is projected to increase noticeably. The aim of this study was to examine the determinants of institutionalization among the oldest old longitudinally.

Methods: Longitudinal data (follow-up [FU] wave 7-9) were gathered from a multicenter prospective cohort study ("Study on needs, health service use, costs and health-related quality of life in a large sample of oldest old primary care patients [85+]," AgeQualiDe).

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Objectives: Our study aimed to assess the frequency of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use (according to three PIM lists) and to examine the association between PIM use and cognitive function among participants in the MultiCare cohort.

Design: MultiCare is conducted as a longitudinal, multicentre, observational cohort study.

Setting: The MultiCare study is located in eight different study centres in Germany.

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Background: The elderly population deals with multimorbidity (three chronic conditions) and increasinged drug use with age. A comprehensive characterisation of the medication - including prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs - of elderly patients in primary care is still insufficient.

Objectives: This study aims to characterise the medication (prescription and OTC) of multimorbid elderly patients in primary care and living at home by identifying drug patterns to evaluate the relationship between drugs and drug groups and reveal associations with recently published multimorbidity clusters of the same cohort.

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Objective: Longitudinal studies investigating the link between social support and functional decline are limited among the oldest old. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine whether changes in social support are associated with functional decline among the oldest old longitudinally using panel regression models.

Methods: Longitudinal data from 3 waves (waves 7, 8, and 9) of a multicenter prospective cohort study covering primary care patients aged ≥85 years were used.

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Objectives: There is a lack of studies identifying the correlates of institutionalization specifically among the oldest old. Therefore, our aim was to fill this gap in knowledge.

Methods: Cross-sectional data (Follow up wave 9; n = 633 observations in the analytical sample) were used from the multicenter prospective cohort study "Needs, health service use, costs and health-related quality of life in a large sample of oldest-old primary care patients (85+)" Correlates of institutionalization among the oldest old-Evidence from a multicenter cohort study.

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Background: Depression in older adults is becoming an increasing concern. As depressive symptoms change over time, it is important to understand the determinants of change in depressive symptoms. The aim of our study is to use a longitudinal study design to explore the predictors of change, remission and incident depression in older patients with multimorbidity.

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Objectives: The aims of our study were to examine the anticholinergic drug use and to assess the association between anticholinergic burden and cognitive function in the multimorbid elderly patients of the MultiCare cohort.

Setting: MultiCare was conducted as a longitudinal cohort study in primary care, located in eight different study centres in Germany.

Participants: 3189 patients (59.

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Introduction: There is a lack of studies examining the link between perceived autonomy and frailty among the oldest old. Therefore, our objective was to fill this gap.

Methods: Data were used from the multicenter prospective cohort study "Needs, health service use, costs and health-related quality of life in a large sample of oldest-old primary care patients (85+)" (AgeQualiDe; follow-up [FU] wave 9; n = 510 observations in the analytical sample).

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