Association between low values of mean arterial pressure and impaired cognitive performance in older patients with mild cognitive impairment: cross-sectional preliminary findings from the STRENGTH Project.

Background: Uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) is a risk factor for Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and dementia.

Aims: This study examined the relationship between BP and clinical/cognitive/neuropsychological aspects in MCI individuals.

Methods: MCI patients underwent clinical, functional, cognitive and metacognitive, as well as psychological assessments.

Bacterial DNAemia in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment: Association with Cognitive Decline, Plasma BDNF Levels, and Inflammatory Response.

Microbial dysbiosis (MD) provokes gut barrier alterations and bacterial translocation in the bloodstream. The increased blood bacterial DNA (BB-DNA) may promote peripheral- and neuro-inflammation, contributing to cognitive impairment. MD also influences brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) production, whose alterations contribute to the etiopathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Diabetes, sarcopenia and chronic kidney disease; the Screening for CKD among Older People across Europe (SCOPE) study.

Background: Sarcopenia may be more present in older adults with diabetes (DM). Accordingly, we evaluated the prevalence of sarcopenia and its associated risk factors among community-dwelling older adults with DM.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of older people living in the community was carried out.

Platelet Total PLA Activity, Serum Oxidative Level, and Plasma Cu/Zn Ratio: A Vicious Cycle with a Potential Role to Monitor MCI and Alzheimer's Disease Progression.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has no cure, mainly because of late diagnosis. Early diagnostic biomarkers are crucial. Phospholipases A (PLA) are hydrolases with several functions in the brain, nevertheless their deregulation contributes to neurodegeneration.

Efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy in immunocompromised patients with COVID-19: A case report.

Background: Management of immunocompromised COVID-19 patients is the object of current debate. Accumulating evidence suggest that treatment with high-titer COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) may be effective in this characteristic clinical scenario.

Case Report: A 52-years old immunocompromised female patient, previously treated with rituximab for low grade B-cell lymphoma, showed prolonged SARS-CoV-2 shedding and a long-term course of signs of severe COVID-19.

When Does the Cytokine Storm Begin in COVID-19 Patients? A Quick Score to Recognize It.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the virus that is responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has rapidly spread across the world, becoming a pandemic. The "cytokine storm" (CS) in COVID-19 leads to the worst stage of illness, and its timely control through immunomodulators, corticosteroids, and cytokine antagonists may be the key to reducing mortality. After reviewing published studies, we proposed a Cytokine Storm Score (CSs) to identify patients who were in this hyperinflammation state, and at risk of progression and poorer outcomes.

Effect of a Cognitive Training Program on the Platelet APP Ratio in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease.

In patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), synaptic plasticity seems to be involved in cognitive improvement induced by cognitive training. The platelet amyloid precursor protein (APP) ratio (APPr), i.e.

Is Blood Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor a Useful Biomarker to Monitor Mild Cognitive Impairment Patients?

Availability of reliable prognostic biomarkers that are also able to monitor preventive/therapeutic interventions in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is crucial. Cerebral brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) alterations were evidenced in Alzheimer's disease, but the value of blood BDNF in MCI is unclear, especially because of the incomplete/incorrect management of the numerous confounding factors unrelated to the disease. This study, applying a multidisciplinary methodological approach, aimed at clarifying whether blood BDNF can really mirror the cognitive symptoms of MCI, thus supporting the evaluation of clinical protocols' effectiveness as well as the definition of the conversion rate to dementia.

Study of the effects of adapted Tango and multidimensional intervention in pREvention of dementia in agiNG: developing healTHy lifestyle programs (STRENGTH Project)-the experimental protocol of a prospective randomised controlled trial.

Background: Dementia represents a key health issue for older adults, with negative consequences on psycho-social and functional status. Treatments that counteract cognitive deficits in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are needed to prevent or delay it.

Aim: To describe the experimental protocol of the STRENGTH Project.

Cytomegalovirus myocarditis in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) successfully treated with ganciclovir.

Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the myocardium. Viruses, such as enterovirus, adenovirus, parvovirus B19, HHV6 or cytomegalovirus (CMV) and autoimmune diseases are recognized causes of myocarditis. We describe the clinical case of a young Indian woman with SLE and a concomitant acute CMV related myocarditis with favourable outcome after ganciclovir therapy.

Oxidative Stress in Elderly with Different Cognitive Status: My Mind Project.

Background: Biomarkers of oxidative stress have been associated with cognitive status in humans and have been proposed to guide prognosis/treatment in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare oxidative stress status in the plasma of mild-moderate AD, MCI, and healthy elderly with normal cognition (HE) undergoing a non-pharmacological intervention including multi-modal cognitive training ("My Mind Project").

Methods: A prospective randomized trial involving 321 elderly people enrolled in Marche Region, Italy.

Peripheral Blood Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor as a Biomarker of Alzheimer's Disease: Are There Methodological Biases?

Mounting evidence that alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and signaling may be involved in the etiopathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has suggested that its blood levels could be used as a biomarker of the disease. However, higher, lower, or unchanged circulating BDNF levels have all been described in AD patients compared to healthy controls. Although the reasons for such different findings are unclear, methodological issues are likely to be involved.

Effect of a Comprehensive Intervention on Plasma BDNF in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease.

A comprehensive intervention (CI) on patients with Alzheimer's disease was assessed by measuring plasmabrain-derived neurotrophic factor (pBDNF) and ADAS-Cog score (ADAS-Cogscore) before, immediately after (FU1), and 6 (FU2) and 24 months (FU3) after the CI. Baseline pBDNF was higher in patients with moderate AD (but not mild AD) than in healthy controls. At FU1, pBDNF and ADAS-Cogscore decreased significantly.

Association between Cognitive Status and Physical Activity: Study Profile on Baseline Survey of the My Mind Project.

Background: The incidence of people with dementia is expected to increase significantly in the coming years, but it seems that there is a relationship between an active lifestyle and cognitive decline. The present study aimed to compare the characteristics and engagement in the physical activity (PA) of three groups of Italian elderly with different cognitive statuses at baseline phase.

Methods: Data were examined using the results from the "My Mind Project" on 305 community-dwelling Italians.

Subjective memory complaints in Italian elderly with mild cognitive impairment: implication of psychological status.

Subjective cognitive and memory complaints (SMC) are common in later life and are considered an indicator for progression to cognitive decline. The aim of the present study was to identify the relationship among SMC, neuropsychiatric symptoms and psychological aspects in elderly subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) as well as to analyse the effect on SMC of a comprehensive cognitive training. Data from a sample of 94 patients enrolled in 'My Mind Project' (Grant No.

The Effects of Cognitive Training for Elderly: Results from My Mind Project.

Cognitive decline and dementia represent very important public health problems that impact the ability to maintain social function and independent living. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a nonpharmacological intervention consisting of comprehensive cognitive training in elderly people having one of three different cognitive statuses. In all, 321 elderly people with a diagnoses of mild-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD), with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and without cognitive decline were randomly assigned to two groups: experimental group (EG, who underwent intervention) and control group (CG), according to a prospective randomized intervention study.

Cognitive Stimulation Modulates Platelet Total Phospholipases A2 Activity in Subjects with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

We evaluated the effect of cognitive stimulation (CS) on platelet total phospholipases A2 activity (tPLA2A) in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI_P). At baseline, tPLA2A negatively correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination score (MMSE_s): patients with MMSE_s <26 (Subgroup 1) had significantly higher activity than those with MMSE_s ≥26 (Subgroup 2), who had values similar to the healthy elderly. Regarding CS effect, Subgroup 1 had a significant tPLA2A reduction, whereas Subgroup 2 did not significantly changes after training.

The role of psychological well-being in obese and overweight older adults.

Being obese or overweight is often associated with impaired quality of life and psychological well-being (PWB) in comparison with normal-weight people (Giuli et al., 2014), both in developed and developing countries. PWB is considered a very important correlate of subjective well-being in people with excess weight.

Contribution of non-reference alleles in mtDNA of Alzheimer's disease patients.

Many observations suggest that mutations of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) could be responsible for the neurodegenerative changes of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here we examined the signal intensity of the four alleles of each mtDNA nucleotide position (np) in whole blood of AD patients and age-matched controls using MitoChip v2.0 array.

Correlates of perceived health related quality of life in obese, overweight and normal weight older adults: an observational study.

Background: Obesity is a complex multifactorial disease, which also has an impact on quality of life. The aim of this paper is to identify the correlates of perceived health related quality of life in obese, overweight and normal weight Italians older adults.

Methods: 205 subjects at the age ≥ 60 yrs.

Effect of cognitive training on the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in lymphocytes of mild cognitive impairment patients.

To identify biomarkers associated with cognitive stimulation of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, we performed quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA in peripheral lymphocytes of MCI and healthy subjects undergoing a multi-component cognitive training (CT) program. CT determined a significant decrease of BDNF mRNA levels in MCI (fold change=0.31) as compared to healthy subjects (fold change=0.

Social isolation risk factors in older hospitalized individuals.

Background: Elderly people are particularly vulnerable to the effects of social reduction, so there is an urgent need to identify the risks associated with social isolation. The aim of this paper was to analyze associations between psychological, socio-demographic, functional aspects on the risk of social isolation, mortality and re-hospitalization in older persons.

Methods: This is a longitudinal study on 580 hospitalized elderly sample aged ≥70yrs recruited from 2005 to 2007 in the Geriatrics Operative Unit of INRCA in Fermo, Italy.

Predictors of participation in physical activity for community-dwelling elderly Italians.

This paper analyses variables associated with community-dwelling older people's engagement in physical activity (PA). Data were examined using the results from the European ZINCAGE study on 306 community-dwelling Italians aged 65 years and over. The lifestyle questionnaire was used to evaluate the data.

Distinctive modulation of inflammatory and metabolic parameters in relation to zinc nutritional status in adult overweight/obese subjects.

Overweight and obesity are associated with low grade of inflammation and chronic inflammatory response characterized by abnormal production and activation of some pro-inflammatory signalling pathways. Taking into account that obesity is the direct result of an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure, the nutritional factors in the diet, with particular focus on zinc, may play a pivotal role in the development of obesity-associated comorbidities. Considering the potential interactions among zinc nutritional status, inflammation, overweight/obesity and insulin secretion, the aim of the present work was to clarify the influence of zinc dietary intake on some metabolic, inflammatory and zinc status parameters in adult overweight/obese subjects.