Developing Topics.

Background: The deposition of β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques is a classical neuropathological feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Currently, it is believed that intermediate products of the Aβ fibrillogenesis process, like the β-amyloid oligomers (AβOs), are the most toxic forms, and are involved in neurodegenerative processes in AD. The evaluation of cerebral glucose metabolism in patients with β-amyloid plaque deposition using [F]FDG-PET has been used as a marker of neurodegeneration in AD.

Developing Topics.

Background: Dementia is a growing concern throughout the developing world and is severely underdiagnosed among the Brazilian population. Despite remarkable progress in the biomarker field in recent years, local testing and validation of plasma biomarkers of AD and dementia is still lacking in Brazil and Latin America.

Method: In this longitudinal cohort study of 145 participants, the diagnostic performance of plasma biomarkers was assessed based on clinical diagnosis and CSF biomarker positivity.

Comparing adenosine A receptor modulation of cannabinoid CB receptor-mediated inhibition of GABA and glutamate release in rodent striatal nerve terminals.

In corticostriatal nerve terminals, glutamate release is stimulated by adenosine via A receptors (ARs) and simultaneously inhibited by endocannabinoids via CB receptors (CBRs). We previously identified presynaptic AR-CBR heterotetrameric complexes in corticostriatal nerve terminals. We now explored the possible functional interaction between ARs and CBRs in purified striatal GABAergic nerve terminals (synaptosomes) and compared these findings with those on the release of glutamate.

TRANSLATION, CROSS-CULTURAL ADAPTATION, AND VALIDATION OF THE IBD DISK FOR USE IN PATIENTS WITH INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES IN THE BRAZILIAN POPULATION.

Background: The inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) disk is a simple and quick method to assess the level of disability experienced by patients with IBD. It has been already translated and validated in European countries, however it was not yet translated and validated to use in Brazil.

Objective: This study was performed to translate and validate a Brazilian version of the IBD-Disk.

Sex differences in mitochondrial free-carnitine levels in subjects at-risk and with Alzheimer's disease in two independent study cohorts.

A major challenge in the development of more effective therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the identification of molecular mechanisms linked to specific pathophysiological features of the disease. Importantly AD has a two-fold higher incidence in women than men and a protracted prodromal phase characterized by amnestic mild-cognitive impairment (aMCI) suggesting that biological processes occurring early can initiate vulnerability to AD. Here, we used a sample of 125 subjects from two independent study cohorts to determine the levels in plasma (the most accessible specimen) of two essential mitochondrial markers acetyl-L-carnitine (LAC) and its derivative free-carnitine motivated by a mechanistic model in rodents in which targeting mitochondrial metabolism of LAC leads to the amelioration of cognitive function and boosts epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression.