Researchers from more than 2 dozen large-scale epidemiological studies have reported a link between type 2 diabetes mellitus and cognitive impairment, cognitive decline, and dementia … Read More
When discussing the concept of cognitive impairment, many terms are used, including dementia, amnestic disorder, cognitive impairment not dementia (CIND), cognitive impairment associated with normal aging, mild cognitive impairment, vascular cognitive impairment,… Read More
Which of the following complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies may have beneficial effects on symptoms of mild cognitive impairment... More »
Mid-life hypertension is a risk factor for cognitive decline. A 10 mm/Hg rise in systolic pressure led to an intermediate cognitive decline in 7% of... More »
Less common but still important syndromes connected with Alzheimer disease include traumatic brain injury, infectious and inflammatory disorders,... More »
Atrial fibrillation can do a great deal of damage. This is a reality that those who regularly drink more than moderately need to be made aware of. More »
Age is a major risk factor for the development of Alzheimer disease and other dementias. New technologies in brain imaging represent major advances in... More »
Concussions account for the majority of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and can result in cumulative damage, neurodegeneration, and chronic neurological abnormalities. The underlying mechanisms of these detrimental effects remain poorly understood and there are presently no specific treatments for concussions. Neuroinflammation is a major contributor to secondary damage following more severe TBI, and recent findings from our laboratory suggest it may be involved in the cumulative properties of repeated con
OBJECTIVE: To differentiate Alzheimer disease (AD) from subcortical ischemic vasculardementia (SIVD) based on neuropsychological profile in an autopsy-defined cohort.
BACKGROUND: Previous studies utilizing neuropsychological assessments to differentiate clinically-diagnosed SIVD versus AD have demonstrated greater impairment in executive function and better preservation of recognition memory in SIVD. Because cognitive performance may influence clinical diagnosis, we compared neurop
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of vascular risk factors (VRF), oxidative stress, and progression of cognitive impairment.
BACKGROUND: Patients with VRF are at increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The reciprocal relationships between oxidative stress, vascular comorbidities and cognitive impairment are poorly understood.
DESIGN/METHODS: 250 subjects > 65 years were included in this longitudinal study. Fifty patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI
OBJECTIVE: To investigate cross-sectional associations of diabetes with amyloid accumulation measured using 11C-Pittsburgh Compound B (PIB) and with brain hypometabolism measured using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography.
BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes is associated with brain atrophy, mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and vasculardementia, possibly through vascular mechanisms. Some neuropathological studies have suggested greater plaque pathol
OBJECTIVE: Describe the clinical, imaging and genetic features of the first Mexican family with CADASIL.
BACKGROUND: Mutations in the NOTCH3 gene are responsable of (CADASIL, an adult onset hereditary angiopathy leading to ischemic stroke, vasculardementia and psychiatric disorders. All mutation of NOTCH3 described so far are striking stereotyped leading to the gain or loss of cystiene residue in a given epidermal growth factor (EGF).
Life expectancy is rising however with more people living longer there is a concomitant rise in the incidence of dementia. In addition to age-related cognitive decline there is a higher risk of going on to develop vasculardementia and Alzheimer's disease associated with aspects of modern lifestyle. Most worryingly, recent data reports accelerated cognitive decline in adolescents associated with poor diet (high fat and calorie intake). Thus the increase in dementia in 'old-age' may have as much to do with 'new-age' lifestyle as it does with normal ageing. It would seem wise therefore to investigate the molecular connections between lifestyle and cognitive decline in more detail. Epidemiological evidence suggests an increased risk of developing dementia (including Alzheimer's disease) in individuals with obesity and type 2 diabetes but also in those with poor insulin sensitivity without diabetes, implicating a mechanistic link between adiposity, insulin sensitivity and dementia.
Bilateral temporal lobe hyperintensity (BTH) is a commonly encountered MRI finding in a wide spectrum of clinical conditions and often poses a diagnostic challenge to the radiologist. The purpose of this paper is to elucidate several diseases that manifest as BTH on MRI, based on a retrospective review of cranial MRI of 65 cases seen in our institution between October 2007 and September 2010. We found BTH in different clinical scenarios that included infective diseases (herpes simplex virus, congenital cytomegalovirus infection), epileptic syndrome (mesial temporal sclerosis), neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, Type 1 myotonic dystrophy), neoplastic conditions (gliomatosis cerebri), metabolic disorders (mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes, Wilson's disease, hyperammonemia), dysmyelinating disease (megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts), and vascular (cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy
VaD is the second-most common form of dementia, second only to that caused by AD. As the name indicates, VaD is predominantly considered a disease caused by vascular phenomena.|In this invited review, we introduce the reader to recent developments in defining VaD as a unique form of dementia by reviewing the current pertinent literature. We discuss the clinical and experimental evidence that supports the notion that the microcirculation, specifically cell-to-cell communication, likely contributes to the development of VaD. Through exploration of the concept of the NVU, we elucidate the extensive cerebrovascular communication that exists and highlight models that may help test the contribution(s) of cell-to-cell communication at the microvascular level to the development and progression of VaD. Lastly, we explore the possibility that some dementia, generally considered to be purely neurodegenerative, may actually have a vascular component at the neurovascular level.|This latter
Dementia has become a relevant problem associated with the elderly in our countries. Increased interest in the field has yielded a copious literature, so far mostly centered on Alzheimer's dementia. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis combined with neuropsychology, even in absence of neuroimaging, represents the gold standard to reach a diagnosis when cortical cognitive impairment prevails. In view of this, low levels of CSF amyloid peptides (A) and high tau/A protein ratio, despite prominent impairment of executive functions or concomitant vascular burden, facilitate the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Conversely, an early cognitive impairment occurring in patients suffering from Parkinson's disease (PD) or Lewy body disorders (LBDs), both diagnoses posed on pure clinical grounds, remains quite elusive in term of biomarkers or neuropsychological assessment. Whether PD with dementia (PDD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) represent further steps along with a continuum of the
As the population ages, the economic and societal impacts of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders are expected to rise sharply. Like dementia, late-life depressive disorders are common and are linked to increased disability, high healthcare utilisation, cognitive decline and premature mortality. Considerable heterogeneity in the clinical presentation of major depression across the life cycle may reflect unique pathophysiological pathways to illness; differentiating those with earlier onset who have grown older (early-onset depression), from those with illness onset after the age of 50 or 60 years (late-onset depression). The last two decades have witnessed significant advances in our understanding of the neurobiology of early- and late-onset depression, and has shown that disturbances of fronto-subcortical functioning are implicated. New biomedical models extend well beyond perturbations of traditional monoamine systems to include altered neurotrophins, endocrinologic and
Reviews the evidence for and against hundreds of preventive health services, recommending tests, and counseling interventions when evidence exists that it is effective.
Five Steps to Improving Patient Access Judy Capko, May 21, 2013 Patient access is getting increased attention through reform initiatives. Here are five steps you can take to make sure patients get appropriate access to care in your office.
Growing HIPAA Threat – Ignore Windows XP at Your Own Peril Marion K. Jenkins, May 21, 2013 Chances are good that you have some major ticking software time bombs lurking in your medical practice's computer environment, namely Windows XP and Server 2003.
Three Areas to Reduce Costs at Your Medical Practice Greg Mertz, May 19, 2013 By taking a hard look at reducing costs for staffing, overhead, and technology at your medical practice, you may see increased physician compensation.
Dos and Don’ts for Starting a Physician Blog Michael Woo-Ming, MD, May 18, 2013 Starting a physician blog can provide your medical practice with marketing benefits, but it's important to do it right.
