bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Intra‐hemispheric event‐related brain functional connectivity is resilient in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment, but not Alzheimer’s disease dementia: A study of event‐related EEG oscillations
Authors: Fide Ezgi , Yener Gorsev 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundAlzheimer’s disease (AD) causes abnormalities in structural and functional brain connectivity in relation to cognitive deficits and disabilities in daily living activities.Electroencephalographic (EEG) techniques revealed the part of those abnormalities based on neurophysiological oscillatory mechanisms underpinning the maintenance of quiet vigilance in AD patients (Babiloni et al.,2020).However, it is poorly known the extent to which the brain functional connectivity based on oscillatory mechanisms may be affected in mild cognitive impairment due to AD (ADMCI) and dementia (ADD) involved in the performance of cognitive tasks.In our previous studies, event‐related (ER) EEG oscillations at delta (<4Hz), theta (4‐7Hz), and alpha (8‐12Hz) frequencies were markedly altered in ADMCI and ADD patients engaged in a classical visual oddball‐paradigm requiring focused attention, short‐term memory, and mental counting (Yener et al.,2009,2014).In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that the brain functional connectivity revealed by the ER‐EEG oscillations may be affected in ADD and ADMCI patients as a function of their clinical status.MethodWe enrolled 67 ADMCI, 44 ADD, and 73 demographically‐matched healthy cognitively‐unimpaired persons.The EEG activity was recorded during a visual oddball paradigm with mental counting. The functional brain connectivity was estimated by computing the imaginary part of coherency (ICoh) from the target‐related EEG activity recorded at electrode pairs. Delta, theta, and alpha frequency bands were considered.ICoh values within the hemispheres were compared among ADD, ADMCI, and control groups by an ANOVA design (p<0.05).ResultAll participants tolerated well the experimental setting after instructions, an adequate support, and a preliminary familiarization with the experimental apparatus.They all performed the cognitive task.Notably, the intra‐hemispheric ER‐ICoh at delta, theta, and alpha bands were reduced in the ADD group as compared to ADMCI and control groups (p<0.05).No statistical differences were observed between ADMCI and control groups (p>0.05).ConclusionThe results of the present study suggest that the neurophysiological oscillatory mechanisms underpinning the intra‐hemispheric functional connectivity are resilient during a cognitive task engaging visual focused attention and short‐term memory as they are still normal in ADMCI patients.These mechanisms become abnormal in ADD patients possibly in relation to the worsening of cognitive functions and the occurrence of disabilities in daily living.
Pandemic impact in care homes: Care homes perspectives
Authors: Da Silva Miguel Vasconcelos , Khan Zunera , Comber Tara , Aarsland Dag , Testad Ingelin , Ballard Clive 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundCare Homes (CH) are a vital resource in the health and social care system to support elderly people who may be unable to live at home independently. Older adults and carers have been disproportionately affected by coronavirus (COVID‐19). With 410 00 people living in CH, we lack data of how these major changes have impacted CH, and how CH are managing during the pandemic outbreak. We require knowledge, including what policies and procedures CH currently have; how they are mitigating risks; and how current experiences and guidance can improve care of CH residents during the current pandemic and future crises.MethodCH members of the Care Home Research Network (CHRN) were invited to take part on an online anonymous survey. An email invitation was sent to 225 CH, with surveys completed between August to October 2020. The questionnaire comprised of 49 questions, focusing on CH details, their views of the impact on the CH, staff and residents, and questions exploring strategies, ideas, and guidelines that the CH followed.ResultFifty care homes completed the survey. With 60% of the CH having between 10‐40 beds, and 40% between 50 to more than 100 beds. 76% of the respondents felt that their institution had been affected by the pandemic, with 52% having residents dying due to COVID‐19 and 68% had staff absent due to COVID‐19. 94% of respondents felt an increased level of stress in their role due to COVID‐19, with 22% saying that they could not cope with the increase in the workload and 52% hiring staff to cope with the workload. 70% of respondents felt that residents were feeling lonelier and 56% that residents were more depressed.ConclusionCH have been greatly impacted by the Pandemic, with increased anxieties and stress in staff, they lacked the support and resources needed to better overcome the challenges caused by this Pandemic. Moreover, residents were lonelier and more depressed, and their family members were more anxious/worried, requiring more resources from CH to support residents and family members. CH had to adapt, be innovative, find new working ways and using technology to meet residents and family needs.
Reduction in posterior cortical alpha rhythms during eye opening is more abnormal in patients with dementia due to Lewy bodies than Alzheimer’s disease: An EEG study
Authors: Babiloni Claudio , Noce Giuseppe , Lorenzo Ivan , Ferri Raffaele , Lizio Roberta , Soricelli Andrea , Nobili Flavio Mariano , Buttinelli Carla , Giubilei Franco , Fuhr Peter , Gschwandtner Ute , Ransmayr Gerhard , Marizzoni Moira , D'Antonio Fabrizia , de Lena Carlo , Yener Gorsev , Emek‐Savas Derya Durusu , Stocchi Fabrizio , Frisoni Giovanni B , De Pandis Maria Francesca , Del Percio Claudio , Lopez Susanna 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is the first‐most common neurodegenerative disorder due to an abnormal accumulation of amyloid and tau proteins in the brain and explains about 60‐70% of 50 million of patients with dementia worldwide (WHO report, www.who.int). Disease with Lewy Bodies (DLB) is emerging as another important cause of dementia with visual hallucinations, cognitive fluctuations, or REM sleep behavior disorder in the pathological aging. Notably, DLB patients may show not only distinctive post‐mortem intra‐neuronal Lewy bodies but also abnormal accumulation of amyloid and proteins in the brain, raising in‐vivo diagnostic issues (Kantarci et al., 2020). Furthermore, resting state eyes‐closed electroencephalographic (rsEEG) alpha (8‐10 Hz) rhythms in posterior cortical sources showed differences between AD and DLB patients with dementia (Babiloni et al., 2017). Here we tested the hypothesis that cortical sources of rsEEG alpha rhythms during eyes opening may be more abnormal in DLB than AD patients with dementia.MethodsClinical and rsEEG rhythms in demographic‐ and age‐matched AD (N = 30), DLB (N = 28), and healthy cognitively unimpaired (Nold, N = 30) persons were available from an international archive. Pathological groups were matched as cognitive status (i.e., dementia grade). Individual alpha frequency peak was used to determine the alpha frequency band on personal basis. The eLORETA freeware estimated rsEEG alpha cortical sources. “Reactivity” to eyes opening was computed computing the percentage of the reduction in the rsEEG alpha (eLORETA) source activity during eyes open over closed condition in posterior (i.e., central, parietal, and occipital) cortical regions of interest.ResultsAs compared to the Nold subjects, the patients with dementia due to DLB and AD showed lower “reactivity” to eyes opening in posterior cortical regions (p < 0.05 corrected), this poor “reactivity” being significantly more evident in the former than the latter (Figure 1).ConclusionsThese novel results suggest that neurophysiological oscillatory mechanisms regulating cortical arousal in the visual system during external visual stimuli are more abnormal in DLB than AD patients with dementia, possibly concurring to visual misperceptions and hallucinations reported in DLB patients. References: 1) Babiloni C, et al. Neurobiol Aging. 2017 Jul;55:143‐158. 2) Kantarci K, et al. Neurology. 2020 Jan 21;94(3):e282‐e291.
Anti‐herpetic drugs: A potential way to prevent Alzheimer’s disease?
Authors: Linard Morgane , Bezin Julien , Hucteau Emilie , Joly Pierre , Letenneur Luc , Garrigue Isabelle , Dartigues Jean‐François , Pariente Antoine , Helmer Catherine 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundConsidering the potential implication of Herpes viruses in the development of dementia, anti‐herpetic drugs (AHD) may represent a new means of prevention.MethodUsing a medico‐administrative database, we assessed the association between the intake of systemic AHD and the incidence of i) dementia, ii) Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and iii) vascular dementia (VaD) among 68 291 participants over 65 followed between 2009 and 2017. Cox models using systemic AHD as time‐dependent variable were adjusted for age, sex, being beneficiary of a complementary health insurance scheme for low‐income people, the presence of several co‐morbidities (hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, stroke, heart diseases), the intake of anti‐inflammatory drugs, the number of consultations, and the number of different medications the year before inclusion.Result9.7% of the participants (n=6642) had at least one intake of systemic AHD and 8883 incident dementia were identified. The intake of at least one systemic AHD was significantly associated to a decreased risk of AD (aHR 0.85 95% confidence interval [0.75‐0.96], p=0.009) and, to a lesser extent regarding p‐values, to both dementia any cause (aHR 0.90 [0.82‐0.99], p=0.03) and VaD (aHR 0.80 [0.65‐0.995], p=0.045). As the percentage of participants with a regular intake was very low (among those with at least one intake of systemic AHD, the median number of deliveries per year of follow‐up was 0.12), the efficacy of regular intake of AHD could not be evaluated.ConclusionTaking at least one systemic AHD during follow‐up was significantly associated to a risk reduced by 15% of developing AD. Despite the low percentage of participants with a regular intake during the follow‐up, this association may reflect a protective impact of systemic AHD on the prevention of dementia in particular considering the possibility of more regular treatment in the period preceding the inclusion. It also highlights the limitations of medico‐administrative databases to assess the efficacy of a regular intake of systemic AHD given their current use in clinical practice. Thus, given the growing body of evidence supporting the infectious hypothesis, preventive clinical trials with prolonged treatment by systemic AHD are urgently needed.
Cardiovascular and dementia risk scores and their association with dementia‐related biomarkers in a memory clinic population
Authors: Rosenberg Anna , Solomon Alina , Hagman Göran , Wiggenraad Fleur , Kivipelto Miia 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundRisk scores for dementia and cardiovascular disease (CVD) predict dementia development, but their link to underlying brain pathology remains unclear. This study explored the cross‐sectional associations between well‐validated CVD and dementia risk scores and dementia‐related cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and imaging markers in memory clinic patients without dementia,MethodThe study population consisted of 207 patients with subjective cognitive impairment or mild cognitive impairment from the Karolinska University Hospital, Theme Aging, Memory Clinic, who had CSF (Aβ42, phosphorylated tau, total tau, neurofilament light chain NfL), visual MRI ratings (medial temporal lobe atrophy MTA, Fazekas for white matter lesions WML), and available clinical data to calculate risk scores. CVD risk score (FINRISK) was calculated for all patients; data for the CAIDE Dementia Risk Score (with and without APOE) were available for a subsample (N=88). The associations between risk scores and biomarkers were analyzed with linear regression (zero‐skewness log‐transformed CSF biomarkers as dependent variables) and ordinal regression (MTA and WML ratings as dependent variables). Risk scores were categorized into 3 similar‐sized groups (lower‐, intermediate‐, and higher‐risk groups; lower‐risk group used as reference),ResultHigher FINRISK score and CAIDE score (with APOE) were associated with lower levels of CSF Aβ42 (coefficients in the higher‐risk groups ‐0.05, p=0.02 for FINRISK and ‐0.08, p=0.04 for CAIDE). Higher CAIDE score (with APOE) was also associated with a lower CSF Aβ42/p‐tau ratio (coefficient ‐0.03, p=0.03 in the higher‐risk group). With respect to neuronal injury markers, a higher risk of CVD and dementia was associated with higher CSF NfL levels (coefficients in the higher‐risk groups 0.58, p<0.001 for FINRISK; 0.38, p=0.001 for CAIDE; 0.34, p=0.005 for CAIDE with APOE). Furthermore, higher‐risk patients had more pronounced MTA (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2–4.5 for FINRISK; OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.2–7.4 for CAIDE), and WML (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.2–4.5 for FINRISK),ConclusionHaving a higher risk of CVD or dementia was associated with several dementia‐related CSF and imaging markers. Follow‐up studies are needed to explore the utility of different risk scores in assessing risk of cognitive decline and disease progression in memory clinic patients.
Approaches to engage an aging cohort in rural India during the COVID‐19 crisis and the psychological impact of COVID‐19 in this cohort
Authors: Sundarakumar Jonas S , M L Abhishek , Hameed Shafeeq K Shahul , Dilip Babu , Kumar B R Vinay , Deepak Shylashree , Ravindranath Vijayalakshmi 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundThe COVID‐19 crisis brought most cohort studies around the world to a standstill. India, which had implemented one of the strictest nation‐wide lockdowns in the world, was no exception. Owing to this, recruitments and assessments in our aging cohort in rural India, namely, Srinivaspura Aging Neurosenescence and COGnition (SANSCOG), had to be abruptly suspended.MethodThe SANSCOG study team undertook active measures to keep our subjects engaged remotely during the COVID‐19‐related lockdown period and also, provided useful services telephonically, to address their anxiety and distress. We collaborated with a local digital health service initiative, to offer counselling on awareness about the disease and safety precautions to be adopted. To assess the psychological impact of the pandemic on our cohort, the study team’s clinicians telephonically administered the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS‐7) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD‐7) questionnaire to consenting subjects. These instruments are brief, validated and sensitive instruments to screen for depression and anxiety disorder, respectively. Among subjects who had pre‐COVID GDS scores (obtained from their baseline clinical assessments), the proportion of subjects having pre‐COVID versus post‐COVID depression was compared.ResultA total of 1890 subjects from the rural (SANSCOG) cohort were contacted during the lockdown period. Our periodic telephone calls to enquire about the subjects’ well‐being as well as our providing of psychological support and medical advice, when necessary, were appreciated by our subjects. Our collaborative initiative to provide awareness about the pandemic was well‐received, as many of our subjects had inadequate awareness about the pandemic. Overall, these strategies resulted in better bonding between our study team and our cohort. On screening for depression and anxiety disorder, 28.4% scored above the threshold score for depressive disorder on GDS‐7, whereas 5.5% scored above the threshold score for anxiety disorder on GAD‐7. We found that the proportion of subjects with depression had quadrupled after the COVID‐19 pandemic (pre‐COVID ‐ 7.74%, post‐COVID ‐ 28.98%).ConclusionThe above approaches of cohort engagement during times of crisis are deemed valuable by subjects and we envisage that this would improve subject retention. This rural Indian cohort had a severe psychological impact due to the COVID‐19 pandemic.
Adopting the FINGER multimodal intervention methodology to prevent cognitive decline in Southern Europe: The GOIZ ZAINDU pilot study
Authors: Tainta Mikel , Ecay Mirian , Iriondo Ane , Estanga Ainara , Clerigue Montserrat , Saldias Jon , de Arriba Maria , Garcia‐Sebastian Maite , Aurtenetxe Sara , Barandiaran Myriam , Gabilondo Alazne , Mar Javier , Arrospide Arantzazu , Vergara Itziar , Mugica Justo , Mangialasche Francesca , Ngandu Tiia , Kivipelto Miia , Martinez‐Lage Pablo 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundGOIZ ZAINDU (“caring early” in Basque) is a pilot study to adapt FINGER methodology to the Basque Population and evaluate feasibility and adherence to a FINGER‐like multimodal intervention program. Additional exploratory aims included assessment of efficacy on cognition and collection of necessary data to design a large efficacy trial.MethodGOIZ ZAINDU is a one year, randomized, controlled trial of a multimodal intervention in persons aged 60+ with increased CAIDE score (≥ 6), no dementia, and below‐than‐expected performance in at least one of three cognitive screening tests. Participants were recruited from a previous program on early diagnosis and risk awareness (GOIZ‐ALZHEIMER). Randomization to a Multimodal intervention (MI) or to Regular Health Advice (RHA) was stratified by cognitive status (MCI/normal) and age (>/≤ 75). MI included cardiovascular risk factors control, nutritional counseling, physical activity and cognitive training. Primary outcome was adherence to intervention program. Cognitive outcomes included Neuropsychological Test Battery z scores change. Analyses were carried out by intention to treat.Result125 participants were recruited (mean age: 75.64 (6.46); 58% women). MI (n=61) and RHA (n=64) groups were balanced in demographics and cognition (Table 1). 52 (85%) participants from RHA and 56 (88%) from MI group completed the study. 55% of participants had attended all intervention activities; 70% attended more than half of cognitive sessions; and 55% attended more than half of cardiovascular, nutritional and physical activity program sessions Risk of cognitive decline was higher in RHA group compared with MI in executive Function (EF)(p=.019) and Processing Speed (PS) scores (p=.026) (Table 2). 32 (64%) participants In the RHA and 22 (40%) in the MI group declined in EF; 30 persons (61%) in the RHA and 22 (39%) in the MI declined in PS,ConclusionThe GOIZ‐ZAINDU study has proved that the FINGER methodology is adaptable and feasible in a different socio‐cultural environment. Exploratory efficacy results show lower risk of decline in EF and PS. These results support the design of a large‐scale efficacy FINGER‐like trial in Southern Europe, the GO‐ON study.
Prevalence of neuropsychiatric conditions in two parallel, aging study cohorts from rural and urban India
Authors: Sundarakumar Jonas S. , Abhishek M. L. , Ravindranath Vijayalakshmi 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundNeuropsychiatric conditions occur more frequently among elderly. With rising proportion of elderly in India, the burden due to neuropsychiatric disorders is bound to escalate. Many of these disorders have been associated with dementia, though the relationship is complex.MethodPrevalence of neuropsychiatric conditions, such as stroke, head injury, depression and early‐life stress were assessed in two parallel, longitudinal, aging cohorts, from rural and urban India, namely, the Srinivaspura Aging Neurosenescence and COGnition (SANSCOG) study and Tata Longitudinal Study of Aging (TLSA), respectively. As part of their baseline clinical assessments, subjects from both cohorts were screened for depression using the self‐rated, Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the clinician‐rated, Hamilton’s Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Past history of depression and history of early life stressors, such as parental death and parental divorce in childhood were obtained. Self‐reported history of stroke, head injury and risk for vascular dementia using Hatchinski’s Ischemic Index (HIS) were also assessed.ResultProportion of subjects diagnosed with depression using GDS was 9.77% in the rural and 9.66% in the urban cohort, whereas corresponding numbers using HDRS were 6.55% and 3.82%, with female preponderance in both cohorts. Proportion of subjects with past history of depression was 4.82% and 5.07% in the rural and urban cohorts, respectively. Early life parental death was more in the rural 10.91%) as compared with the urban cohort (3.66%). History of stroke was reported in 1.25% and 2.31% of the rural and urban cohorts, respectively. There was no significant difference in proportion of subjects with history of head injury between the rural (4.16%) and urban (4.77%) cohorts. In the rural cohort, 0.23% scored above the threshold for vascular dementia on HIS, whereas none of the subjects scored above the threshold in the urban cohort.ConclusionGDS is a more sensitive tool than HDRS at screening for depression in elderly. Neuropsychiatric conditions such as history of stroke, head injury and risk for vascular dementia did not show any consistent trend of variation between both the cohorts. Further longitudinal assessments of these neuropsychiatric conditions along with parallel monitoring of cognitive changes will help in identifying their causal relationship with dementia.
Cross‐sectional association between cardiovascular risk score and cognitive performance in middle‐aged UK Biobank participants
Authors: Li Peng , Zheng Xi , Ulsa Ma Cherrysse , Yang Hui‐Wen , Gao Lei , Hu Kun 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundCardiovascular diseases (CVD) have been linked with faster cognitive decline and incident dementia. The actual risk factors for CVD also tie to these adverse cognitive consequences in elderly adults. The cardiovascular risk score (CRS) provides direct estimation of total cardiovascular risk that suits well to the constraints of primary prevention. Further data especially in larger populations are required to examine whether CRS is also associated with cognitive performance in middle age.MethodsWe evaluated data from 420,381 participants [aged 37‐73 (mean: 55.9; SD: 8.1) years old; female: 234,464 (55.8%)] in the UK Biobank who were free from dementia and circulatory system diseases at enrollment. Four neurocognitive tests were administered to assess cognition in different domains, i.e., information processing speed (reaction time test, RT), visual episodic memory (pairs matching test, pairs), reasoning (fluid intelligence test, FI), and prospective memory (PM). Longer RT, making more errors during pairs test, lower FI, or making incorrect first choice during PM indicates poorer cognitive performance. To estimate CRS, we applied the 10‐year risk of fatal CVD estimation—the SCORE system—that is based on age, sex, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol level, and current smoking status. Linear regression models (or logistic regression for PM) examined the associations of CRS with each cognitive outcome, with adjustment for ethnicity, college, social‐economic status, mental and behavioral disorders, diseases of the nervous system, and number of treatments/medications. Sensitivity analyses were done 10 times with randomly chosen subsets of 1/10 participants.ResultsThe cohort had a median 10‐year risk of 2.51% (inter‐quantile range: 1.02%‐4.84%; range: 0.08%‐74.3%) in developing fatal CVD. Increased CRS was associated with worse cognitive performance. Specifically, compared with those with CRS<5%, participants with CRS≥5%(higher CVD risk) took 1 ms longer in RT, made 1 more mistake in pairs test, had lower FI score by 0.27, and had 31.4% lower chance of making the correct choice during PM (all p’s<1E‐93). These observations were consistent across 10 sensitivity analyses.ConclusionIncreased cardiovascular risk during middle life is associated with poorer cognitive performance. Further studies are required to examine whether cardiovascular risk predicts future cognitive decline or dementia.