Public Health.

Background: Quilombos are settlements founded by descendants of runaway slaves in Brazil, typically located in remote rural areas. Quilombola communities typically present poor basic sanitation and health, high levels of illiteracy, and limited access to social and health services, especially among older adults. Therefore, the Quilombola population is socially vulnerable and likely to present an increased risk for dementia, although underrepresented in aging/dementia research.

Biomarkers.

Background: Due to the genetic characteristics of Down syndrome (DS), it is directly associated with a group of clinical manifestations resulting from premature aging and may present patterns of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Thus, this study aimed to investigate AD biological markers in peripheral blood samples from adults and elderly individuals with DS and compare them with individuals with normal karyotype.

Methods: The DS group was subclassified into 55 SD without evidence of cognitive decline (DSNC) and 27 DS with cognitive decline (SDAD).

Public Health.

Background: Higher education is often associated with reduced risk of cognitive decline. These findings fueled the conceptualization of cognitive reserve to explain individual variabilities in clinical trajectory. However, our understanding of the biological basis for this phenomenon is still not precise.

Biomarkers.

Background: Anti-amyloid therapy appears to have an increased effect on reducing cognitive decline in amyloid- and tau-positive individuals. However, clinical trials inclusion criteria require solely amyloid positivity. Herein, we developed a machine-learning prediction model to identify tau positivity in amyloid-positive individuals using clinical variables.

Biomarkers.

Background: Recent evidence indicated that cognitive impairment is more closely associated with the spatial extent of tauopathy (SEOT) than with tau load. It remains unclear whether this is also true for other markers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) severity, such as fluid levels of phosphorylated tau (pTau). Here, we compared the link between fluid pTau and the SEOT and tau load in the brain, as assessed by PET.

Biomarkers.

Background: The diagnostic capability of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is well established, but few studies have explored the utility of repeating scans, especially when using semi-quantification methods to analyze the decrement between them.

Methods: We retrospectively selected all patients at our clinic submitted to two or more FDG-PETs. The initial and final FDG-PET of each patient underwent semi-quantitative analysis using the CortexID® Suite software (GE Healthcare) for 26 pre-determined regions normalized for global cortical uptake.

Could New Palm-Free Structured Lipids Mitigate Postprandial Hyperlipidemia and Inflammation Induced by High-Fat Meals in Swiss Mice?

A high-fat meal can cause postprandial hyperlipemia, initiating an acute inflammatory response. New structured lipids (SLs) free from trans and palm fatty acids are emerging as food structurants. We evaluated the postprandial response and inflammatory profiles in Swiss mice after oral administration of SLs in high-fat meals.

Biomarkers.

Background: Beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) was first identified as the rate limiting enzyme of amyloid-β-peptide (Aβ) production. The catalytic activity of BACE1 favors the generation of Aβ peptides and overproduction and accumulation of Aβ in the brain triggers downstream neurotoxic events that pertain to the amyloid cascade, leading to the formation of neuritic plaques. Furthermore BACE1 acts in the synapse through processing substrates such as APP-like proteins, Neuregulin-1 (Nrg 1), and β2 and β4 subunits of voltage-gated Na+ channels.

Biomarkers.

Background: Emerging preclinical studies show that cannabidiol (CBD) has neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects that may have the potential to improve Alzheimer's disease (AD) therapy. Although much progress has been made in understanding the pathology of AD, its multifactorial nature can't be mimicked in a single preclinical model. In order to improve preclinical results and search for AD better interventions, the aim of this study is to compare the effects of CBD in two AD animal models in a sex-dependent manner.

Biomarkers.

Background: The quantification of neurofilament light chain (NfL) in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has proved useful in many contexts, for the diagnosis and prognosis of various neurological disorders. There is, however, a diversity of practices between centers, essentially linked to the context of use (COU), analytical methods, consideration of comorbidities, determination of cut-points or use of interpretation scales. Finally, for the same biochemical profile, the interpretation and reporting of results may differ from one center to another, raising the question of test commutability.

Biomarkers.

Background: Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic disorder characterized by trisomy 21, which is linked to molecular alterations, such as neuroinflammation and accumulation of amyloid-beta (Ab) peptide that can cause early-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study aims to evaluate the presence of neuroinflammation in individuals with DS in different ages and the association with Ab plaques.

Methods: Age-matched DS (n=24) and non-DS individuals (n=15) underwent two hybrid PET/MRI acquisition for neuroinflammation and Ab burden assessment using [C]PK11195 (∼370 MBq and 60 min acquisition) and [C]PIB (∼370 MBq and 70 min acquisition) tracers, respectively.

Biomarkers.

Background: Predicting Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) using polygenic risk scores (PRS) for late-onset forms holds promise, but its accuracy might be influenced by social determinants of health (SDOH). This study explores how considering SDOH alongside genes can improve prediction, focusing on potential differences for each disease.

Methods: Employing logistic regression in 677 individuals (287 AD, 102 FTD, and 288 controls) aged 40-80 from the ReDLat study across six Latin American countries, we investigated the potential for SDOH to modify the association between PRS and susceptibility to AD and FTD.

Anti-Obesogenic and Antioxidant Potential of Lychee Seed Flour in Zebrafish Fed a High-Fat Diet.

Objective: Obesity has become one of the major public health issues and is associated with various comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Lychee seeds are considered promising ingredients for developing functional foods owing to their nutraceutical properties and phytochemical composition. This study aimed to induce obesity in zebrafish () through a hyperlipidic diet supplemented with different concentrations of lychee seed flour and to evaluate its effects on adipose tissue, biochemical parameters, oxidative stress, and caudal fin regeneration.

Cytokine Profiles Associated With Clinical Outcomes in Pediatric Patients With Meningitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This review evaluated the correlation between inflammatory response and clinical outcomes in pediatric patients with meningitis. PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for relevant studies published until March 2024. A total of 139 articles were identified; 7 studies were eligible, and 3 provided data for the meta-analysis.

Biomarkers.

Background: Epigenetics plays a crucial role in regulating genetic transcription and responding to environmental and lifestyle changes without altering the DNA sequence. Their dysregulation is associated with AD, presenting potential as blood biomarkers. However, no study has evaluated whether peripheral blood (PB) epigenetic biomarkers are associated with brain metabolism, indexed by FDG-PET, a classic Imaging AD biomarker.

Biomarkers.

Background: Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Huntington's disease (HD), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and Parkinson's disease (PD) are characterized by the accumulation of misfolded proteins and progressive loss of neurons. However, whether a neurodegeneration transcriptomic signature exists remains uncertain. Thus, we aimed to explore differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in common to AD, HD, MS, and PD.

Biomarkers.

Background: Long-COVID is characterized by persistent symptoms post-infection with SARS-CoV-2. This condition includes neurological manifestations and has been proposed as a potential risk factor for the development of dementia. Individuals presenting with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease have dysfunctional brain metabolism, including metabolic brain network (MBN) hypoconnectivity.

Biomarkers.

Background: Frailty, characterized by increased physical vulnerability, is associated with a higher incidence and severity of cognitive impairment and also a higher burden of neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular diseases. This study investigates the association between frailty and neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular pathologies.

Method: Cross-sectional analysis using clinical and neuropathological data from individuals aged 60 or older, enrolled in the Biobank for Aging Studies between 2004 and 2023.

Biomarkers.

Background: Hippocampus has a key role in the memory and cognitive functions and its volume tends to decrease during aging and is severely affected in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The hippocampal atrophy can be assessed by quantitative volumetry or classified by the Mesial Temporal Atrophy Score (MTA). Here, we perform a comparison between the values of automatic hippocampal volumetry and the MTA score, to analyze possible variations through a correlation curve and their impacts on quantitative and qualitative measures.

Biomarkers.

Background: The APOE ε4 variant is the largest known genetic risk factor for late-onset sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent blood biomarker models include APOE ε4 status with plasma p-tau217 for higher accuracy for AD pathology. Thus, protein assays that can accurately determine ε4 carriership simultaneously with plasma p-tau217 would be advantageous for clinical use.

Biomarkers.

Background: The persistent neurological symptoms seen in long COVID survivors are attributed to immune system dysfunctions and changes in the microbiome induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection. In addition to the initial respiratory manifestations, a significant portion of COVID-19 patients present with neurodegenerative symptoms. Our hypothesis suggests that disruptions in inflammatory signals and alterations in the gut microbiome post-COVID-19 play pivotal roles in the development of neurodegenerative complications among individuals experiencing prolonged effects of the disease.

Biomarkers.

Background: The potential clinical utility of plasma biomarkers for biological staging of AD demands definition and validation of cutoff values. Plasma ptau-217 and GFAP have accurately predicted core pathological changes such as tau aggregation and amyloid (Aβ) deposition, being proposed as complementary biomarkers. Thus, we aim to test a staging framework with plasma GFAP and ptau-217 using cuttof values to predict Aβ/Tau PET stages and compare its performance with an artificial intelligence (AI) prediction model.

Biomarkers.

Background: Blood-based biomarkers are gaining attention lately, and recent evidence supports the potential role of ADAM10 as an Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarker. However, most available information on these biomarkers comes from high-income countries, where the population is usually highly educated. The influence of years of education (YoE) and older age on cognitive performance is well described in the literature, and they are risk factors for dementia.

Biomarkers.

Background: The default-mode network (DMN) consists of brain regions with higher resting activity levels. Amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition in Alzheimer's disease (AD) occurs predominantly throughout the DMN, suggesting that activity within the network may facilitate disease processes. Indeed, increased neural activity is positively associated with Aβ production.

Biomarkers.

Background: Blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) are increasingly prevalent and accessible beyond research environments. Consequently, it is crucial to determine whether confounding factors, particularly highly prevalent comorbidities, influence the levels of these blood biomarkers, thereby refining their clinical interpretation. In this study, we examined the impact of comorbidities on plasma AD biomarker levels within a memory-clinic cohort.