Topiramate Protects Pericytes from Glucotoxicity: Role for Mitochondrial CA VA in Cerebromicrovascular Disease in Diabetes.

Hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus causes oxidative stress and pericyte depletion from the microvasculature of the brain thus leading to the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) disruption. The compromised BBB exposes the brain to circulating substances, resulting in neurotoxicity and neuronal cell death. The decline in pericyte numbers in diabetic mouse brain and pericyte apoptosis in high glucose cultures are caused by excess superoxide produced during enhanced respiration (mitochondrial oxidative metabolism of glucose).

Antisense against Amyloid-β Protein Precursor Reverses Memory Deficits and Alters Gene Expression in Neurotropic and Insulin-Signaling Pathways in SAMP8 Mice.

The senescence-accelerated mouse (SAMP8) strain exhibits an age-related decrease in memory accompanied by an increase in hippocampal amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) and amyloid-β peptide (Aβ). We have shown that administration of an antisense oligonucleotide against the Aβ region of AβPP (AβPP antisense) reverses the memory deficits. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of peripheral (IV) administration of AβPP antisense on hippocampal gene expression.

SAMP8 mice have altered hippocampal gene expression in long term potentiation, phosphatidylinositol signaling, and endocytosis pathways.

The senescence-accelerated mouse (SAMP8) strain exhibits decreased learning and memory and increased amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide accumulation at 12 months. To detect differences in gene expression in SAMP8 mice, we used a control mouse that was a 50% cross between SAMP8 and CD-1 mice and which showed no memory deficits (50% SAMs). We then compared gene expression in the hippocampus of 4- and 12-month-old SAMP8 and control mice using Affymetrix gene arrays.

Higher C-reactive protein and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor levels are associated with poor physical function and disability: a cross-sectional analysis of a cohort of late middle-aged African Americans.

Background: This cohort of "late middle-aged" African Americans has an excess of disability. We aimed to determine associations of circulating cytokine receptors (sTNFR1, sTNFR2, and sIL-6R) and C-reactive protein (CRP) with disability, physical function, and body composition.

Methods: Stratified sampling of two socioeconomically diverse strata of St Louis, Missouri, occurred in 2000-2001.

Predictors of serum testosterone and DHEAS in African-American men.

There are few reported data on biochemical and functional correlates of androgen levels in African-American men. This study aimed at reporting physical and biochemical correlates of serum total testosterone (total T), bioavailable testosterone (BT) and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEAS) levels in community-dwelling, African-American men aged 50-65 years. Home-based physical examinations and health status questionnaires were administered to randomly sampled men.

Lower serum DHEAS levels are associated with a higher degree of physical disability and depressive symptoms in middle-aged to older African American women.

Background: Changes in androgen levels and associations with chronic disease, physical and neuropsychological function and disability in women over the middle to later years of life are not well understood and have not been extensively studied in African American women.

Aims: The present cross-sectional analysis reports such levels and associations in community dwelling, African American women aged 49-65 years from St. Louis, Missouri.

Loss of appendicular muscle mass and loss of muscle strength in young postmenopausal women.

Background: Different factors may predict loss of appendicular muscle mass (LossAMM) and loss of muscle strength (LossMS). We investigated the relationship between LossAMM or LossMS and baseline anthropometric measures, lifestyle habits, hormones, lipid profiles, and inflammatory markers in 49 healthy postmenopausal women (54.1 +/- 4.

Adiponectin levels in obese and non-obese middle-aged African-American women.

Context: Adiponectin levels in African-Americans are poorly described.

Objective: To assess predictors of serum adiponectin levels in obese and non-obese middle-aged African-American women.

Methods: Serum adiponectin, testosterone (T), free androgen index (FAI), estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), leptin, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), triglycerides and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured in 142 obese and 102 non-obese, community-dwelling, African-American women in St.

Leptin and adiponectin levels in middle-aged postmenopausal women: associations with lifestyle habits, hormones, and inflammatory markers--a cross-sectional study.

To investigate the relationships between blood levels of leptin or adiponectin and lifestyle habits, hormones, and inflammatory markers, we measured parameters of alcohol intake, smoking, physical activity, and blood levels of leptin, adiponectin, testosterone, estrone, estradiol, cortisol, dihydroepiandrostenedione, luteinizing hormone, thyroxin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin 6 and interleukin 2 receptor in 76 healthy middle-aged postmenopausal women. Anthropometric measures and body composition (evaluated by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) and lipid profiles were also assessed. By simple regression, leptin correlated positively with fat and lean masses, glucose, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and total cholesterol, and negatively with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Validation of salivary testosterone as a screening test for male hypogonadism.

Background: Saliva collection is an easy, non-invasive method to measure hormones.

Methods: Two studies were performed. In the first, a convenience sample of 1,454 males who had submitted saliva for salivary testosterone measurements were studied.

Effect of testosterone on functional recovery in a castrate male rat stroke model.

Both increased and decreased testosterone levels have been reported to correlate with poor outcome after acute ischemic stroke. The present study focused on the role of testosterone during recovery from neurological deficits in a rat focal ischemia model. Castrate male rats were subjected to behavioral tests after 90 min of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).

Evaluation of assays available to measure free testosterone.

This study compared the results of various testosterone assays in a cross-sectional study of 50 male subjects age 28 to 90 years. The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship of the various testosterone assays to one another. In addition, we determined week-to-week variability in testosterone and bioavailable testosterone in 16 subjects.