How social frailty is operationalized matters: Relationships with health and wellbeing in late adulthood.

Objectives: There are currently major inconsistencies in the methodological approaches used to index social frailty. The present study aimed to better understand which of these approaches may be most valuable in predicting older adult's physical health and psychological wellbeing.

Design: One hundred and thirty-three participants aged 60-90 years completed five measures commonly used to index social frailty, along with five measures of physical health, and psychological wellbeing.

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.

Efficacy and cost-effectiveness of an ACT and compassion-based intervention for women with breast cancer: study protocol of two randomised controlled trials {1}.

Background: Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in women worldwide and carries a considerable psychosocial burden. Interventions based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and compassion-based approaches show promise in improving adjustment and quality of life in people with cancer. The Mind programme is an integrative ACT and compassion-based intervention tailored for women with breast cancer, which aims to prepare women for survivorship by promoting psychological flexibility and self-compassion.

HLA typing in anti-GAD antibody associated epilepsy.

Objective: Anti-GAD65 antibodies have been identified in people with epilepsy for many years, but their pathophysiological relevance is still debated. Susceptibility to autoimmune disease has been associated with Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) subtypes. Therefore, this study aimed to determine if there are common HLA types in anti-GAD65 antibody associated epilepsy cases compared to epilepsy controls.

A Heat Sensitivity Scale for People with Parkinson's Disease.

Background: People living with Parkinson's disease (PD) commonly experience heat sensitivity-worsening symptoms and restricted daily activities in heat.

Objective: This study aimed to develop a scale of heat sensitivity for people with PD.

Methods: Through a search of the scientific literature and online forums, we developed 41 items relating to experiences of heat for people with PD to assess heat sensitivity.

Using disease-modifying treatments in multiple sclerosis: Association of British Neurologists (ABN) 2024 guidance.

The Association of British Neurologists last published guidelines on disease-modifying treatment (DMT) in multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2015. Since then, additional DMTs have been licensed and approved for prescribing within the National Health Service for relapsing-remitting MS, early primary progressive MS and active secondary progressive MS. This updated guidance provides a consensus-based approach to using DMTs.

Pharmacotherapy for behavioural manifestations in frontotemporal dementia: An expert consensus from the European Reference Network for Rare Neurological Diseases (ERN-RND).

Background And Purpose: Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by pervasive personality and behavioural disturbances with severe impact on patients and caregivers. In current clinical practice, treatment is based on nonpharmacological and pharmacological approaches. Unfortunately, trial-based evidence supporting symptomatic pharmacological treatment for the behavioural disturbances in FTD is scarce despite the significant burden this poses on the patients and caregivers.

Clinical Implication of Time of Ischaemic Stroke Among Post-Stroke Survivors from Eastern India: A Circadian Perspective.

The circadian variation in stroke occurrence is a well-documented phenomenon. However, the circadian effect on stroke outcome, particularly on post-stroke cognition, has not yet been fully elucidated. We aim to evaluate the influence of diurnal variation of stroke onset upon post-stroke cognition and development of post-stroke depression.

Effect of Urolithin A on Bovine Sperm Capacitation and In Vitro Fertilization.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a critical role in the functional competence of sperm cells. Conversely, excessive generation of ROS can impair sperm function, including their fertilization ability. Urolithin A (UA), a gut bacteria-derived metabolite produced from the transformation of ellagitannins, with anti-aging and antioxidant properties, was investigated for the first time in bovine sperm cells in the present study.

Evaluating the effectiveness of simvastatin in slowing the progression of disability in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS-STAT2): protocol for a multicentre, randomised controlled, double-blind, phase 3 clinical trial in the UK.

Introduction: There remains a high unmet need for disease-modifying therapies that can impact disability progression in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). Following positive results of the phase 2 MS-STAT study, the MS-STAT2 phase 3 trial will evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of repurposed high-dose simvastatin in slowing the progression of disability in SPMS.

Methods And Analysis: MS-STAT2 will be a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of participants aged between 25 and 65 (inclusive) who have SPMS with an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of 4.

Unveiling the neurolipidome of obsessive-compulsive disorder: A scoping review navigating future diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) poses a multifaceted challenge in psychiatry, with various subtypes and severities greatly impacting well-being. Recent scientific attention has turned towards lipid metabolism, particularly the neurolipidome, in response to clinical demands for cost-effective diagnostics and therapies. This scoping review integrates recent animal, translational, and clinical studies to explore impaired neurolipid metabolism mechanisms in OCD's pathogenesis, aiming to enhance future diagnostics and therapeutics.

VEGFD signaling balances stability and activity-dependent structural plasticity of dendrites.

Mature neurons have stable dendritic architecture, which is essential for the nervous system to operate correctly. The ability to undergo structural plasticity, required to support adaptive processes like memory formation, is still present in mature neurons. It is unclear what molecular and cellular processes control this delicate balance between dendritic structural plasticity and stabilization.

Melatonin: A potential nighttime guardian against Alzheimer's.

In the context of the escalating global health challenge posed by Alzheimer's disease (AD), this comprehensive review considers the potential of melatonin in both preventive and therapeutic capacities. As a naturally occurring hormone and robust antioxidant, accumulating evidence suggests melatonin is a compelling candidate to consider in the context of AD-related pathologies. The review considers several mechanisms, including potential effects on amyloid-beta and pathologic tau burden, antioxidant defense, immune modulation, and regulation of circadian rhythms.

Epigenetic Cross-Talk Between Sirt1 and Dnmt1 Promotes Axonal Regeneration After Spinal Cord Injury in Zebrafish.

Though spinal cord injury (SCI) causes irreversible sensory and motor impairments in human, adult zebrafish retain the potent regenerative capacity by injury-induced proliferation of central nervous system (CNS)-resident progenitor cells to develop new functional neurons at the lesion site. The hallmark of SCI in zebrafish lies in a series of changes in the epigenetic landscape, specifically DNA methylation and histone modifications. Decoding the post-SCI epigenetic modifications is therefore critical for the development of therapeutic remedies that boost SCI recovery process.

Duration of spreading depression is the electrophysiological correlate of infarct growth in malignant hemispheric stroke.

Spreading depolarizations (SD) contribute to lesion progression after experimental focal cerebral ischemia while such correlation has never been shown in stroke patients. In this prospective, diagnostic study, we investigate the association of SDs and secondary infarct progression after malignant hemispheric stroke. SDs were continuously monitored for 3-9 days with electrocorticography after decompressive hemicraniectomy for malignant hemispheric stroke.

Fruit ripening retardant Daminozide induces cognitive impairment, cell specific neurotoxicity, and genotoxicity in Drosophila melanogaster.

Background: We explored neurotoxic and genotoxic effects of Daminozide, a fruit ripening retardant, on the brain of Drosophila melanogaster, based on our previous finding of DNA fragmentation in larval brain cell in the flies experimentally exposed to this chemicals.

Methods: Adult flies were subjected to two distinct concentrations of daminozide (200 mg/L and 400 mg/L) mixed in culture medium, followed by an examination of specific behaviors such as courtship conditioning and aversive phototaxis, which serve as indicators of cognitive functions. We investigated brain histology and histochemistry to assess the overall toxicity of daminozide, focusing on neuron type-specific effects.

A novel tool for characterising upper limb function in progressive multiple sclerosis through kinematic assessment.

Introduction: Current upper limb assessment methods in MS rely on measuring duration in tasks like the nine-hole peg test (9HPT). Kinematic techniques may provide a more useful measure of functional change in clinical and research practice. The aim of this study was to assess upper limb function prospectively in people with progressive MS using a kinematic 3D motion capture system and compare with current measures.

Neurolipidomic insights into anxiety disorders: Uncovering lipid dynamics for potential therapeutic advances.

Anxiety disorders constitute a spectrum of psychological conditions affecting millions of individuals worldwide, imposing a significant health burden. Historically, the development of anxiolytic medications has been largely focused on neurotransmitter function and modulation. However, in recent years, neurolipids emerged as a prime target for understanding psychiatric pathogenesis and developing novel medications.