Publications by authors named "Maria do Rosario Almeida"

Background: Cerebral Small Vessels Disease (CSVD) is categorized in different forms, the most common being the sporadic form and a genetic variant - Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL). Amongst the most frequent clinical manifestations are the neuropsychological changes of cognitive, behavioral, and emotional nature, whose features are still under debate.

Objective: This exploratory study aimed to compare the neuropsychological profile of a sporadic CSVD sample and a CADASIL sample with an age, education, and gender matched control group, between the ages of 30-65 YO (total sample mean age=51.

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Background: The association that exists between livedo reticularis (LR) and stroke is known as Sneddon's syndrome (SnS). The disorder is classified as primary SnS (PSnS), if the cause remains unknown and secondary SnS. The condition is rare and it occurs mainly sporadically.

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Transthyretin (TTR)-related amyloidoses are diseases characterized by extracellular deposition of amyloid fibrils and aggregates in tissues composed of insoluble misfolded TTR that becomes toxic. Previous studies have demonstrated the ability of small compounds in preventing and reversing TTR V30M deposition in transgenic mice gastrointestinal (GI) tract as well as lowering biomarkers associated with cellular stress and apoptotic mechanisms. In the present study we aimed to study TTR V30M aggregates effect in autophagy, a cellular mechanism crucial for cell survival that has been implicated in the development of several neurodegenerative diseases.

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Mutations in both copies (homozygous or compound heterozygous) of the gene encoding the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase, which cleaves the glycolipid glucocerebroside into glucose and ceramide cause Gaucher disease. However, multiple independent studies have also reported an association between GBA mutations and Parkinsonism with an increased frequency of heterozygous GBA mutations in various cohorts of patients with parkinsonism and other Lewy body disorders. Furthermore, GBA mutation carriers exhibit diverse parkinsonian phenotypes and present a diffuse pattern of Lewy body distribution in the cerebral cortex.

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A series of xanthone derivatives, isolated from Calophyllum teysmannii var. inophylloide, have been evaluated for their binding affinity to transthyretin. Transthyretin is a plasma protein involved in the transport of thyroxine (T4) and also implicated in amyloid diseases.

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