Beta-Amyloid and Its Asp7 Isoform: Morphological and Aggregation Properties and Effects of Intracerebroventricular Administration.

Background/objectives: One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the accumulation of aggregated beta-amyloid (Aβ) protein in the form of senile plaques within brain tissue. Senile plaques contain various post-translational modifications of Aβ, including prevalent isomerization of Asp7 residue. The Asp7 isomer has been shown to exhibit increased neurotoxicity and induce amyloidogenesis in brain tissue of transgenic mice.

The Role of BDNF in the Antidepressant Effects of Electroconvulsive Therapy.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment method for depression therapy. It produces a number of biological effects, including neurotrophic factors regulation. In the present paper, we investigated the ECT response in depressed rats subjected to the variable frequency ultrasound (20-45 kHz) and examined the contribution of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression changes to the observed effects.

Chronic Ultrasound Prenatal Stress Altered the Brain's Neurochemical Systems in Newborn Rats.

Prenatal stress (PS) affects the development and functioning of the central nervous system, but the exact mechanisms underpinning this effect have not been pinpointed yet. A promising model of PS is one based on chronic exposure of pregnant rodents to variable-frequency ultrasound (US PS), as it mimics the PS with a psychic nature that most adequately captures the human stressors in modern society. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of US PS on the brain neurotransmitter, neuropeptide, and neurotrophic systems of newborn Wistar rats.

Dynamics of Cognitive Impairment in MCI Patients over a Three-Year Period: The Informative Role of Blood Biomarkers, Neuroimaging, and Genetic Factors.

Given the high growth rates of cognitive decline among the elderly population and the lack of effective etiological treatments, early diagnosis of cognitive impairment progression is an imperative task for modern science and medicine. It is of particular interest to identify predictors of an unfavorable subsequent course of cognitive disorders, specifically, rapid progression. Our study assessed the informative role of various risk factors on the dynamics of cognitive impairment among mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients.