Positive attributes in elderly people with different degrees of depression: a study based on network analysis.

Introduction: Depression in aging may lead to loss of autonomy and worsening of comorbidities. Understanding how positive attributes contribute to healthier and happier aging has been one of the purposes of Positive Psychology. However, the literature still lacks studies that evaluate how depression in the elderly is related to constructs considered positive.

Investigation of the Association Between History of Learning Disabilities and Primary Progressive Aphasia in Brazilian Portuguese Speakers.

Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) is a neurological syndrome characterized by impaired language due to neurodegeneration. It is subdivided into three variants: semantic, agrammatic or nonfluent, and logopenic. Pieces of evidence have suggested that learning disabilities in childhood, such as dyslexia, might be susceptibility factors in the occurrence of PPA in adulthood.

First Symptoms of Primary Progressive Aphasia and Alzheimer's Disease in Brazilian Individuals.

Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) is characterized by progressive language impairment due to focal degeneration of brain areas related to linguistic processing. The detection and differential diagnosis of PPA can be difficult with clinical features that may overlap with features of other neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The scientific production on PPA in Latin American patients is still scarce.

Association of Lower Spiritual Well-Being, Social Support, Self-Esteem, Subjective Well-Being, Optimism and Hope Scores With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Dementia.

Positive psychology (PP) constructs contribute significantly to a better quality of life for people with various diseases. There are still few studies that have evaluated the evolution of these aspects during the progression of dementia. To compare the scores for self-esteem, life satisfaction, affect, spirituality, hope, optimism and perceived support network between elderly people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), mild dementia and moderate dementia and control group.

Distinct Phospho-TDP-43 brain distribution in two cases of FTD, one associated with ALS.

Introduction: TDP-43 is an intranuclear protein involved in many cellular processes. When altered, it shows a change in pattern of distribution, as well as in functioning, throughout the Central Nervous System structures. Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) are examples of TDP-43 proteinopathy.

Neuropathological findings in entorhinal cortex of subjects aged 50 years or older and their correlation with dementia in a sample from Southern Brazil.

Introduction: The aims of this study were to survey neurodegenerative changes detected by abnormal protein deposits in the Entorhinal Cortex (EC) of subjects aged 50 years or older and to correlate these findings with suspected dementia, as detected by the IQCODE (Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly).

Methods: Fourteen brains were submitted to the immunohistochemistry technique for different proteins (beta-amyloid, tau, α-synuclein and phospho-TDP-43) and data obtained compared with IQCODE scores.

Results: Fifty-seven percent of the individuals exhibited IQCODE results compatible with dementia, being classified into the demented group (DG): 87.

Neurodegenerative changes in the brainstem and olfactory bulb in people older than 50 years old: a descriptive study.

With the increase in life expectancy in Brazil, concerns have grown about the most prevalent diseases in elderly people. Among these diseases are neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Protein deposits related to the development of these diseases can pre-date the symptomatic phases by years.

Diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in Brazil: Supplementary exams.

This article presents a review of the recommendations on supplementary exams employed for the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in Brazil published in 2005. A systematic assessment of the consensus reached in other countries, and of articles on AD diagnosis in Brazil available on the PUBMED and LILACS medical databases, was carried out. Recommended laboratory exams included complete blood count, serum creatinine, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), albumin, hepatic enzymes, Vitamin B12, folic acid, calcium, serological reactions for syphilis and serology for HIV in patients aged younger than 60 years with atypical clinical signs or suggestive symptoms.

Early post-natal iron administration induces astroglial response in the brain of adult and aged rats.

This study was aimed to investigate neuropathological changes in adult and aged rats subjected to supplementary iron administration in a critical postnatal period to study the contribution of environmental risk factors to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Ten rats received a single daily oral administration of iron (10 mg/kg) between 12th and 14th post-natal days; nine rats received vehicle (sorbitol 5% in water) in the same period. Five iron-treated and three sorbitol-treated rats were killed at the age of 3 months while five iron-treated and six sorbitol-treated rats were killed at age of 24 months and their brains processed for immunohistochemistry.

Neonatal iron treatment increases apoptotic markers in hippocampal and cortical areas of adult rats.

Oxidative stress, cellular damage, and neuronal apoptosis are believed to underlie the progressive cognitive decline that accompanies natural aging and to be exacerbated in neurodegenerative diseases. Over the years, we have consistently demonstrated that iron neonatal treatment induces oxidative stress and memory deficits in adult rats, but the mechanisms underlying these effects remained undefined. The purpose of this study was to examine whether neonatal iron overload was associated with apoptotic cell death in adult and old rats.

Effects of increased iron intake during the neonatal period on the brain of adult AbetaPP/PS1 transgenic mice.

The present study was aimed to investigate neuropathological changes in AbetaPP/PS1 transgenic mice (Tg), as a model of Alzheimer's disease, subjected to supplementary iron administration in a critical postnatal period, in order to reveal the interaction of genetic and environmental risk factors in the pathogenesis of the disease. Twelve Tg and 10 wild-type (Wt) littermates were administered iron between the 12th and 14th post-natal days (TgFe, WtFe); 11 Tg and 15 Wt received vehicle (sorbitol 5%) alone in the same period (TgSb, WtSb). Mice were killed at the age of six months and processed for morphological and biochemical studies.

Is MTHFR polymorphism a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease like APOE?

Background: The role of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphisms as risk factors for the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is still controversial.

Objective: To verify the association between MTHFR and apolipoprotein E (APOE) polymorphisms and Alzheimer's disease.

Method: This work was conducted as a case-control study.