bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Depression and anxiety are associated with decline in executive function over two years in adults 50 and over
Authors: Getaneh Mekdes Mulusew , Ballard Clive , Brooker Helen 
Published: December 2020

AbstractBackgroundDepression and anxiety are known to be associated with a range of physical and mental health issues, including disruptions to cognitive function. This is a particularly pertinent issue in older adults where factors which increase the risk of cognitive impairment may increase the rate of cognitive decline. However, anxiety as a potential accelerator of cognitive decline has never been investigated. The Platform for Research Online to investigate Genetics and Cognition in Ageing (PROTECT) is a study being conducted in adults aged 50 and older, to identify factors which can influence cognitive aging. This particular study was done to establish the relationship between depression and anxiety and core aspects of cognitive function. We hypothesized to see an association between both depression and anxiety with accelerated cognitive decline.MethodThe volunteers were invited at study entry to perform online cognitive tests from the CogTrackTM System and the PROTECT cognitive test system. The 6 tasks from the two test systems assessed attention, information processing, reasoning, working and episodic memory over two year follow up period. The PHQ‐9 depression severity groupings analyzed were: greater than 10 was taken to indicate clinically significant depression and GAD 7 scoring of greater than 10 was taken to indicate clinically significant anxiety. We used General Linear Model (Repeated Measures) to evaluate any differences in cognitive decline between people with or without depression and anxiety respectively. For statistical analysis, Wilk’s Lambda MANOVA was used. Covariates were Age, gender, and education level.ResultThis study has identified highly significant and clinically relevant association between both depression and anxiety and decline in grammatical reasoning.ConclusionThe result is a key finding in that executive function is what relates mostly with daily activities and that provides key insights in the types of intervention we need to maintain cognitive function in people with mood disorders. An important limitation, which will be examined as part of the final analysis, is the impact of anti‐depressants on cognitive outcome since some anti‐depressants accelerate decline in some patients, or if the mood disorder is being treated, the therapy might help slow down the cognitive decline as well.
Usage and adherence of antidementia drugs in a memory clinic cohort in Chongqing, Southwest China
Authors: Yu Xingyan , Yu Weihua , Yang Wenkai , Lü Yang 
Published: December 2020

AbstractBackgroundTo investigate the use and adherence of anti‐dementia drugs in elderly patients with dementia from the Memory Clinic of The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University.MethodPatients were recruited from the Memory Clinic of The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between December 2010 and December 2018. The medical chart was reviewed, including diagnosis, dosage of antidementia medicine, neuropsychological testing scores, and the further questionnaires were conducted via face‐to‐face or telephone, included duration of treatment, types of anti‐dementia drugs, and reasons for treatment discontinuation.ResultThe data from 422 patients were analyzed retrospectively for this study. 315 were diagnosed with AD, 67 with MCI, and 40 with other types of dementia. From the 422 patients, 26.8% were treated with original donepezil, 11.6% with generic donepezil, 24.6% with memantine, 13.3% with huperzine A, and 23.7% with a combination of drugs. However, 73% of patients discontinued treatment within one year of initiation. Patients with less than nine years of education were more likely to discontinue treatment than patients with more than nine years of education. Patients with elevated PSMS scores had a high risk of discontinuation. Patients had a higher risk of discontinuation when they had received treatment for less than 36 months.ConclusionOverall treatment compliance is relatively poor in memory clinic in Chongqing. Our study demonstrates that high education, combined medication may lead to better treatment adherence in dementia care. However, poorer PSMS is a significant risk factor for treatment discontinuation.
ENGLOBA Project — memory clinics in Spain: Patient care for those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
Authors: Palomo María Sagrario Manzano ,   ENGLOBA Group
Published: December 2020

AbstractBackgroundENGLOBA Project is focus on knowing the reality about MCI care in Spain and building the bases to improve it, regarding expert opinions.MethodThe MC were randomized from all over the country.The questionnaire included descriptive answers in order to obtain more information.Part I: about the professional and the Memory Clinic (MC) where performs its activity.Part II: about circuit of MCI care, diagnosis and treatment.Result20 neurologist of 19 hospitals in Spain were included, with 2‐25 years of experience in dementia field. The majority of MC involved aren´t accredited by a governmental agency. In the research unit, 70% make clinical research, 30% biomarkers and 10% clinical trials. 95% of them work in a multidisciplinary team and have the possibility to attend conferences or make publications(79%). Neuropsychologists work full time only in 37% of cases. They don´t have basic researchers(79%) or specialized nurses(100%). 74% of neurologists haven´t the possibility of a Day Hospital to implement treatments. The etiology of MCI is neurodegenerative in 60% of cases. 76 % diagnosis MCI due to Alzheimer´s Disease(AD). The delay from General Practitioner to MC is 2,5 months, but, in 78% of cases, thy have the possibility to contact with them via e‐mail or phone. Neurologists have almost 40 minutes to explore patients in the first visit. In 63% of cases they have joint interview (patient and caregiver). 63% implement biomarkers: 32% CSF, 16% FDG‐PET scans,11% amyloid PET scans. In 78% of cases the diagnosis is confessed to patients, 100% to families and in 95% they used “Cognitive Impairment (CI)” to reveal it. 21% of patients were indifferent, but 8% of relatives showed a severe emotional impact after the diagnosis.Treatment: 94% treat vascular MCI(57% citicoline;22% galantamine, EGB 761 14%). 76% use nutraceuticals to treat MCI. 76% use colinesterase inhibitors to treat MCI due to AD.ConclusionThe neurologist who treat cognitive impairment work usually in a multidisciplinary team (95%). The majority of the MC reveals the diagnosis to the family as ”Cognitive Impairment”. They usually use biomarkers in clinical practice. CSF is the more frequent. They treat MCI in many different ways, according to the etiology.
Transcranial detection of amyloid‐beta at single plaque resolution in vivo with large‐field multifocal illumination fluorescence microscopy
Authors: Ni Ruiqing , Chen Zhenyue , Shi Gloria , Villois Alessia , Zhou Quanyu , Arosio Paolo , Nitsch Roger M. , Nilsson K. Peter R. , Klohs Jan , Razansky Daniel 
Published: December 2020

AbstractBackgroundThe abnormal deposition of beta‐amyloid proteins in the brain is one of the major histopathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. Currently available intravital microscopy techniques for high‐resolution plaque visualization commonly involve highly invasive procedures and are limited to small field‐of‐views within the rodent brain.MethodWe devised a large‐field multi‐focal illumination (LMI) fluorescence microscopy method that provides a 20 × 20 mm field‐of‐view and an axial resolution of ∼15 mm. In vivo and ex vivo transcranial LMI fluorescence microscopy and wide‐field fluorescence microscopy for amyloid deposits were performed in APP/PS1 and arcAb mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease amyloidosis using luminescent conjugated oligothiophene probe HS‐169. Immunohistochemical staining with HS‐169, anti‐Ab antibody 6E10, and conformation antibodies OC (fibrillar) of brain tissue sectionsResultLMI fluorescence microscopy detected amyloid‐beta deposits at a single plaque level in APP/PS1 and arcAb mice with high sensitivity and specificity. The contrast‐to‐noise ratio was approximately 24 times higher in LMI fluorescence microscopy of amyloid deposits compared to wide‐field fluorescence microscopy. Immunohistochemical staining showed HS‐169 co‐localized with 6E10 and OC stained compact parenchymal and vessel‐associated amyloid deposits.ConclusionThe novel LMI in vivo amyloid imaging platform offers new prospects for studies into Alzheimer’s disease mechanisms in animal models as well as longitudinal monitoring of therapeutic responses at a single plaque level.
Companion robot for elderly residents with dementia: A cognitive behavioral analysis for neuropsychiatric symptoms
Authors: Tsoi Kelvin KF , Chan Tak Kit , Cheung Ruby SM , Wong Yuk Sheung , WAI Man Yi , Chan Lai Kok , Tan Kelvin , Lou Vivian 
Published: December 2020

AbstractBackgroundElderly with cognitive impairment may be benefit from interacting with companion toys. This study aims to investigate the daily living behavior of cognitive impaired elders interact with a five‐year‐old childlike companion robot under supervision of Occupational Therapist by a motion sensor installed. The active users of the robot were further evaluated for emotional and behavioral symptoms.MethodSubjects with cognitive impairment were recruited from elderly residential care homes in Hong Kong. Each participant was assigned with the robot for eight weeks. The motion sensor captured the time and duration of interaction between the robot and the participants. The activity time was set between 7:00 am and 9:00 pm of each day. Participants were classified into active and non‐active users according to the days of interacting the robots. The time length of interacting was summarized by hours. Participants were also interviewed with questionnaires of Activity of Daily Living (ADL) Scale, Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), and Geriatric Depressive Scale (GDS) before and after using robots.ResultForty‐eight participants with cognitive impairment were recruited from seven residential care homes, but finally only twenty‐eight participants were completed the data collection. Majority of the participants were female (82%) and aged over 80 years old(86%). There are active (57%) and non‐active (43%) groups were defined. Eleven (39%) were the long‐term active users whose had interaction until the end of the study. The interaction peak hours were at around 11:00 am and the period from 3:00 to 4:00pm. The findings showed that there is significant improvement on neuropsychiatric symptoms. (Mean change (SD) of NPI‐Behaviour and NPI‐Distress = ‐2.39 (3.56), p<0.01 and ‐2.50 (5.00), p=0.013), no significant improvement on daily living activities or depressive symptom.ConclusionThe findings of this study confirmed that elderly residents with cognitive impairment can obtain benefits from the use of companion robots and relived from neuropsychiatric symptoms. However, almost half of the participants were inactive users which limited our analysis. Further study with a larger number of participant and more sophisticated research design is recommended.
Alteration of inflammatory factors between chronic stroke and post‐stroke dementia: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Liu Yu‐Li , Chen Yi‐Chun , Chou Wen‐Hai , Tsou Hsiao‐Hui , Liu Tung‐Hsia , Kuo Hsiang‐Wei , Fang Chiu‐Ping , Liu Chia‐Chen 
Published: December 2020

AbstractBackgroundInflammation may play a role in the pathological processes of stroke and post‐stroke dementia. However, there has not been compared and discussed upon the alterations among the plasma inflammatory factors from stroke to post‐stroke dementia.MethodIn this study, an age‐ and gender‐matched normal controls and ischemic stroke patients with (PSD) or without (PSNoD) dementia had been recruited. The ischemic stroke patients had further examined the 30‐day Modified Rankin scale (MRS), stroke infarction subtypes, anti‐cholinergic treatment status and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR). Levels of plasma inflammatory factors epidermal growth factor (EGF), growth‐regulated oncogene (GRO), soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L), Interleukin 7 (IL‐7) and Interleukin 4 (IL‐4) were measured by Milliplex map human cytokine/chemokine magnetic bead panel assay. The butylcholinesterase (BChE) activity and plasma D‐amino acid oxidase (DAO) were also included in these analyses due to our previous published report [1, 2].ResultThe ischemic stroke patients showed significantly higher percentage of hypertension (HTN), Diabetes mellitus (DM) and self‐report smoking than normal controls (p<0.01). Normal controls had significant higher plasma EGF, GRO, sCD40L, IL‐7, but lower plasma DAO levels than the ischemic stroke patients (p<0.003). In comparisons between the PSD and PSNoD patients, the PSD showed significantly higher 30‐day MRS, CDR, percentage of anti‐cholinergic treatment than the PSNoD (p<0.014) after adjust with age. The plasma BChE activity showed lower levels in PSD than PSNoD (p=0.0002) after adjust with age.ConclusionThe inflammatory factors of EGF, GRO, sCD40L, IL‐7 and plasma DAO levels were mainly associated with ischemic stroke. The BChE activity may be a better indicator for the post‐stroke dementia. References: (1) Chen, Y.‐C., et al., Serum level and activity of butylcholinesterase: A biomarker for post‐stroke dementia. Journal of clinical medicine, 2019. 8(11): p. 1778. (2) Chen, Y.‐C., et al., A Post‐hoc Study of D‐amino Acid Oxidase in Blood as an Indicator of Post‐stroke Dementia. Frontiers in neurology, 2019. 10: p. 402.
Path integration changes as a cognitive biomarker for vascular cognitive impairment? A pilot study
Authors: Lowry Ellen , Puthusseryppady Vaisakh , Coughlan Gillian , Jeffs Stephen , Hornberger Michael 
Published: December 2020

AbstractBackgroundPath integration spatial navigation processes are emerging as promising cognitive biomarkers for prodromal and clinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, such path integration changes have been little explored in Vascular Cognitive Impairment (VCI),despite neurovascular change being a major contributing factor to dementia and potentially AD. In particular, the sensitivity and specificity of path integration impairments in VCI compared to AD is unclear. In the current pilot study, we explore path integration performance in AD and VCI patient groups and hypothesise that i) medial parietal mediated egocentric processes will be more affected in VCI and ii) medial temporal mediated allocentric processes will be more affected in AD.MethodThe cross‐sectional study included early stage VCI patients (n=9), AD patients (n=10) and healthy age‐matched controls (n=20). All participants underwent extensive neuropsychological testing, as well as spatial navigation testing. The spatial navigation tests included the virtual reality ‘Supermarket’ task assessing egocentric (body‐based) and allocentric (map‐based) navigation as well as the ‘Clock Orientation’ test assessing egocentric and path integration processes.ResultFindings showed that egocentric path integration processes are only impaired in VCI, potentially distinguishing it from AD. Whereas, allocentric path integration was similarly impaired for VCI and AD. Egocentric scores of Supermarket and Clock Orientation predictors explained 77% (Nagelkerke R
2
) of variance in VCI and AD patients and correctly classified 84% of patients (7 out of 9 VCI; 9 out of 10 AD) into their respective cohorts. ROC curves were computed and similarly, Area Under the Curve (AUC) values indicated that egocentric orientation in the Supermarket (AUC = .8, SE = .12; 95% CI [.56, 1]) and Clock test (AUC= .91, SE = .06, 95% CI [.8, 1]) had strong diagnostic accuracy in distinguishing VCI from AD patients.ConclusionThese preliminary findings suggest egocentric path integration deficits emerge as more specific to VCI, potentially allowing for more specific diagnostic and treatment outcome measures for vascular impairment in dementia. By contrast, there was limited specificity of allocentric path integration deficits between VCI and AD.
AlzPED: Improving the predictive power and translational validity of preclinical testing of candidate therapeutics in Alzheimer’s disease animal models
Authors: Chakroborty Shreaya , Sharma Ali , Mancevska Katerina , Martin Zane , Yuan Jean , Sheffield Cindy , Petanceska Suzana S. , Refolo Larry 
Published: December 2020

AbstractBackgroundAlzPED is a publicly available database created by the National Institute on Aging to address key factors contributing to poor translation of preclinical efficacy from animal models to the clinic in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) therapy development. Specifically, AlzPED is missioned to identify critical experimental design elements and methodology missing from studies that make them susceptible to misinterpretation and reduce their reproducibility and translational value, as well as serve as a platform for reporting unpublished negative findings. AlzPED provides funding agencies with a tool for enforcement of the requirements for transparent reporting and rigorous study design. Through these capabilities, AlzPED is intended to guide the development and implementation of strategies and recommendations for standardized best practices for the rigorous preclinical testing of AD candidate therapeutics and mitigate the publication bias that favors the reporting of positive findings.MethodUsing key word‐driven literature searches published studies are acquired and curated by two experts for data on authors, funding source, AD animal models, therapeutic targets and therapeutic agents, study design, and outcome measures, prior to publication in the database. Rigor in study design is evaluated with an experimental design scorecard that summarizes the elements of experimental design reported in each study in the database.ResultAlzPED currently houses curated summaries from 917 published studies. Summaries are searchable by author, funding source, animal model, therapeutic target and therapeutic agent. At present, the database contains data on 185 animal models, 175 therapeutic targets, 804 therapeutic agents and, more than 1500 AD‐related outcome measures. Evaluation of experimental design scorecards from each study demonstrates significant under‐reporting of critical elements of methodology even in high impact factor journals and highly cited published preclinical research.ConclusionAnalysis of curated studies demonstrates serious deficiencies in reporting critical elements of methodology such as power/sample size calculation, blinding for treatment/outcomes, randomization, balancing for sex, animal genetic background and others, irrespective of journal impact factor and number of citations. These deficiencies diminish the scientific rigor, reproducibility and translational value of the preclinical studies. Thus, it is evident that a standardized set of best practices is required for successful translation of therapeutic efficacy in AD research.
Development of international practice recommendations for the recognition and management of hearing, vision and cognitive impairment
Authors: Littlejohn Jenna Louise , Leroi Iracema ,   The International Hearing, Vision and Dementia Practice Recommendations’ Task Force
Published: December 2020

AbstractBackgroundUnrecognised hearing and vision impairment complicates the assessment and management of people living with dementia (PwD). Hearing and vision impairment may be more likely to go unrecognised among PwD, because PwD may be less likely to recognise and report difficulties. Communication difficulties and behaviours that challenge in PwD may be wrongly attributed to cognitive impairment by carers and clinicians, when actually they are the consequence of remediable sensory loss. Despite these issues, practice recommendations for recognition and management of hearing, vision and cognitive impairment are non‐existent. The aim was to develop internationally relevant, multi‐disciplinary practice recommendations for professionals involved in the diagnosis, care and management of older people with concurrent cognitive, hearing and/or vision impairment.MethodThe International Hearing, Vision and Dementia Practice Recommendations’ Task Force consisted of 16 interdisciplinary professionals from Europe, Australia, Canada and the USA. We adapted core elements of the Who Handbook for Guideline Development as it allows for flexibility to develop evidence‐based practice recommendations considering benefits and limitations of the existing evidence while emphasising the need for individualised professional judgement. Three phases were involved in the development of the guidance, (1) collating existing evidence; (2) filling the gaps in evidence; (3) refining the final list of recommendations. Phases 1 to 3 encompassed various methodologies including a review of existing guidelines within the three clinical domains, systematic reviews, qualitative studies, expert reference groups, clinical professional consortium, and consensus meetings. Recommendations were developed with the input of clinical and lay stakeholders.ResultA consensus was reached on 16 recommendations, classified into six domains regarding Awareness and Knowledge, Recognition and Detection, Evaluation, Management, Support and Policy.ConclusionThis is the first set of international, interdisciplinary practice recommendations regarding care of concurrent cognitive, hearing and/or vision impairment in older people. These recommendations may help guide development of services and policy to improve the lives of older people with dual or triple impairments.