Recently, an association between dysbiosis of the gut microbiota (GMB) and the development of several diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), has been proposed. Dysbiosis involves changes in microbial diversity influenced by environmental factors, like diet or lifestyle. In this study, we investigated the role of GMB parameters in Spanish AD patients, assessing the impact of adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle (ML), as well as to characterize these parameters in relation to neuropsychological, neuropsychiatric, emotional, and functionality parameters.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: While social cognition is shown to be impaired in several mental disorders, the effects of cannabis on social cognition are still not clear. Past studies have used the multifaceted empathy test (MET) to study social cognition. This study aims to test the validity of the MET Spanish version and to evaluate the effects of cannabis use on social cognition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDementia is one of today's greatest public health challenges. Its high socio-economic impact and difficulties in diagnosis and treatment are of increasing concern to an aging world population. In recent years, the study of the relationship between gut microbiota and different neurocognitive disorders has gained a considerable interest.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe ageing population has been steadily increasing worldwide, leading to a higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Environmental toxicants, particularly metals, have been identified as modifiable risk factors for cognitive impairment. Continuous exposure to metals occurs mainly through dietary sources, with older adults being particularly vulnerable.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDementia is a syndrome resulting from chronic or progressive brain disease. Around 40% of worldwide dementia can be prevented or delayed by modifying 12 risk factors: low educational attainment in early life, mid-life hypertension, mid-life obesity, hearing loss, traumatic brain injury, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, depression, physical inactivity, social isolation, diabetes mellitus, and air pollution. There is growing evidence that gastrointestinal tract microbiota may significantly contribute to dementia pathogenesis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Clin Oncol
October 2021
Purpose: Radiation dose received by the neural stem cells of the hippocampus during whole-brain radiotherapy has been associated with neurocognitive decline. The key concern using hippocampal avoidance-prophylactic cranial irradiation (HA-PCI) in patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is the incidence of brain metastasis within the hippocampal avoidance zone.
Methods: This phase III trial enrolled 150 patients with SCLC (71.
The petrochemical industry has made the economic development of many local communities possible, increasing employment opportunities and generating a complex network of closely-related secondary industries. However, it is known that petrochemical industries emit air pollutants, which have been related to different negative effects on mental health. In addition, many people around the world are being exposed to highly stressful situations deriving from the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns adopted by national and regional governments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study was aimed at determining whether dienestrol (DIES) affects reproduction in male offspring of rats following oral maternal exposure during gestation and lactation. Pregnant rats were treated from GD 6 to PND 21. Animals received 0 (control-vehicle), 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRev Esp Geriatr Gerontol
October 2017
Introduction: Animal-assisted therapy is increasingly present in several educational and health areas. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of such interventions in the elderly population living in residential settings.
Materials And Methods: A 12-week dog-assisted intervention program was designed, with 16 participants from a nursing home divided into an experimental group and a control group.
Background: Cholinergic deficits play an important role in both cognitive and behavioural alterations in Alzheimer's disease. This study was aimed at evaluating the possible therapeutic role of PNU-282987 (PNU), an α7 nicotinic cholinergic receptor agonist, and the possible effects of stress in precipitating the onset of behavioural deficits in animals with susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease.
Methods: B6C3-Tg mice with susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease and wild-type mice either with or without restraint stress received 0- or 1-mg/kg PNU.
Introduction: In order to assess anxiety in mammals various tests and species are currently available. These current assays measure changes in anxiety-like behaviors. The open-field and the light/dark are anxiety tests based on the spontaneous behavior of the animals, with C57BL/6J mice being a frequently used strain in behavioral studies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe aim of the present study was to test the effects of PNU-282987 on spatial learning and memory and hippocampal neurogenesis in both intact and chronically stressed transgenic mice. Transgenic mice with susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease (AD) under immobilization stress and not-stressed animals receiving 0 and 1 mg/kg of PNU-282987 (PNU) were evaluated in a water maze task. The effects of PNU and stress on proliferation of new cells in the hippocampus of these animals were also assessed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBehavioral and Psychological Symptoms in Dementia (BPSD) are also seen in Alzheimer's disease (AD), being agitation and anxiety common symptoms. Since cholinergic agonists used to be the first pharmacological intervention in AD and this neurotransmission system have been related to cognitive and behavioral symptoms in this serious disease, we here address the question of a possible therapeutic role of PNU-282987 (PNU), an alpha7 nicotinic agonist, in motor activity and anxiety-like behaviors in an animal model of AD. On the other hand, since stress is an unavoidable condition in our daily activities, which activates physiological systems and deregulates body's homeostasis, we also evaluated the possible precipitating effects of stress in the onset of behavioral deficits in animals with susceptibility to AD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Pharmacol Toxicol Methods
March 2014
Introduction: Anxiety disorders affect the quality of life and good health of millions of people over the world. Because clinical trials are expensive and frequently show high rates of placebo responses, animal models have become an important tool for drug discovery and brain research. Zero maze is a commonly used test to assess anxiety-like levels in mice, being the C57BL/6J strain one of the most widely used.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe zero maze is an unconditioned anxiety test for mice, in which a number of environmental variables can modify the anxiety levels of the animals. In the present study, we have assessed how individual housing, handling procedure and interaction between individual housing and handling procedure affect the baseline anxiety of mice. Thirty-seven wild type mice and eighteen Tg2576 mice were used (obtained from crossing APPSWE hemizygous male C57BL6/SJL background with C57BL6/SJL female).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, we examined the effects of an oral subacute exposure to 2,2',3,3',4,4',5,5',6,6'-decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) on young adult inbred wild type Tg2576 mice. BDE-209 was administered by gavage at doses of 0 and 20 mg/kg/day dissolved in sunflower oil for 15 days. Two behavioral endpoints were examined: anxiety-activity in a light/dark test and a zero maze test, and learning and spatial memory in a water maze test.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe role of aluminum (Al) in Alzheimer disease is highly controversial. However, this element has been detected in neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in patients with Alzheimer disease. Its presence in neuritic plaques in hippocampus is especially relevant, as this is an area closely related to spatial learning and memory.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe cholinergic system is closely related to learning and memory processes, and its neurodegeneration seems to be involved in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric cognitive disorders in the elderly. Alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) have recently been shown to mediate neuroprotection and enhance cognitive performance in a variety of tasks, suggesting that there may be a new target for the pharmacotherapy of cognitive deficiencies. In this study, we investigated the behavioral effects of the acute and sub-chronic administration of 0, 1, 3, and 5 mg/kg of PNU-282987 (PNU) on motor activity, anxiety and learning in open-field and Morris water maze tasks in mice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlthough it is known that prenatal exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) can cause developmental adverse effects in mammals, the disruptive effects of this compound on hormonal systems are still controversial. Information concerning the effects of PFOS on hypothalamus adrenal (HPA) axis response to stress and corticosterone levels is not currently available. On the other hand, it is well established that stress can enhance the developmental toxicity of some chemicals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe neurotoxicant cuprizone has been used extensively to create a mouse model of demyelination. However, the effects on behavior of cuprizone treatment have not been previously reported. We have analyzed the behavioral changes of mice given a diet containing 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe present study was conducted to assess the potential combined influence of maternal restraint stress and aluminum (Al) exposure on postnatal development and behavior in the offspring of exposed rats. Female rats were concurrently exposed to 0 (control group), 50 or 100 mg/kg/day of Al administered as Al nitrate nonahydrate in drinking water with citric acid (355 or 710 mg/kg/day) for a period of 15 days prior to mating with untreated males. Aluminum exposure was maintained throughout the gestational, lactational and post-weaning periods.
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