Effects of 12-month exercise intervention on physical and cognitive functions of nursing home residents requiring long-term care: a non-randomised pilot study.

Aims: We performed a 12-month exercise intervention for 'nursing home for the elderly' residents requiring long-term care. We evaluated changes in their muscular strength, muscle mass, and cognitive function.

Methods: Thirty-seven nursing home residents (Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE): 14.

Role of Neuroimaging as a Biomarker for Neurodegenerative Diseases.

It has recently been recognized that neurodegenerative diseases are caused by common cellular and molecular mechanisms including protein aggregation and inclusion body formation. Each type of neurodegenerative disease is characterized by the specific protein that aggregates. In these days, the pathway involved in protein aggregation has been elucidated.

Decreased Muscle Strength and Quality in Diabetes-Related Dementia.

Background/aims: Diabetes-related dementia (DrD), a dementia subgroup associated with specific diabetes mellitus (DM)-related metabolic abnormalities, is clinically and pathophysiologically different from Alzheimer disease (AD) and vascular dementia. We determined whether skeletal muscle strength, quality, and mass decrease in individuals with DrD.

Methods: We evaluated grip and knee extension strength, muscle mass, and gait speed in 106 patients with probable AD and without type 2 DM (AD[-DM] group), 74 patients with probable AD and with DM (AD[+DM] group), and 36 patients with DrD (DrD group).

Correlation between clinical symptoms and striatal DAT uptake in patients with DLB.

Objective: It is widely known that there is low striatal I-FP-CIT dopamine transporter-single photon emission tomography (DAT-SPECT) uptake in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). We assessed the correlation between symptom and regional low DAT uptake in the striatum.

Methods: Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n = 95) and patients with DLB (n = 133) who underwent DAT-SPECT were enrolled.

Oxidative stress and inflammation are associated with physical frailty in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Aims: Dementia is closely connected with frailty, and these two conditions are common in older adults. However, the biological mechanism that causes frailty in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is not fully understood. We determined whether oxidative stress and inflammatory mechanisms could be associated with physical frailty in patients with AD.

Neuroimaging for diagnosing dementia with Lewy bodies: What is the best neuroimaging technique in discriminating dementia with Lewy bodies from Alzheimer's disease?

Aim: We compared the diagnostic value of four neuroimaging techniques, namely, I-2β-Carbomethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)-N-(3-fluoropropyl) nortropane ( I-FP-CIT) dopamine transporter single-photon emission computed tomography (DAT-SPECT), magnetic resonance imaging, perfusion SPECT and I-metaiodobenzyl-guanidine myocardial scintigraphy in differentiating dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) from Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: A total of 32 patients with probable AD and 32 patients with probable DLB were enrolled in the present study. For the comparison study, we used the specific binding ratio for DAT-SPECT, the heart-to-mediastinum ratio in the delay phase for I-metaiodobenzyl-guanidine myocardial scintigraphy, z-scores in the medial occipital lobe for perfusion SPECT and z-scores of hippocampal atrophy using a voxel-based specific regional analysis system for AD for magnetic resonance imaging.

Differences in peripheral oxidative stress markers in Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and mixed dementia patients.

Aims: We determined whether the possible roles of oxidative stress differ in the pathophysiology and cognitive decline of Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia (VaD) and mixed Alzheimer's/vascular dementia (MD).

Methods: We measured the levels of diacron reactive oxygen metabolite (dROM), reflecting the amount of organic hydroperoxides, and biological anti-oxidant potential (BAP), measuring the ferric reducing ability of blood plasma, in 72 patients with AD, 27 with VaD, 24 with MD and 53 non-demented outpatients (control group). In addition, endogenous plasma anti-oxidants, such as albumin, total bilirubin and uric acid, were compared among the groups.

Peripheral oxidative stress markers in diabetes-related dementia.

Aims: We previously found that there was a dementia subgroup with characteristics predominantly associated with diabetes mellitus (DM)-related metabolic abnormalities, referred to as "diabetes-related dementia (DrD)." We determined the possible role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of DrD.

Methods: In a 2013 study, we classified 175 patients with clinically diagnosed Alzheimer's disease (AD) and DM into four subgroups based on brain imaging.

Utility of the combination of DAT SPECT and MIBG myocardial scintigraphy in differentiating dementia with Lewy bodies from Alzheimer's disease.

Purpose: (123)I-2β-Carbomethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)-N-(3-fluoropropyl) nortropane ((123)I-FP-CIT) dopamine transporter single photon emission computed tomography (DAT SPECT) and (123)I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) myocardial scintigraphy can be used to assist in the diagnosis of patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). We compared the diagnostic value of these two methods in differentiating DLB from Alzheimer's disease (AD). Furthermore, we evaluated whether a combination of DAT SPECT and MIBG myocardial scintigraphy would provide a more useful means of differentiating between DLB and AD.

Comprehensive geriatric assessment in elderly patients with dementia.

Aim: We have recently developed and validated a screening test for comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) named "Dr. SUPERMAN". We compared the results obtained by the CGA of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia (VaD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and determined the relationship between functional deficits and clinical characteristics in each type of dementia.