Journal of Alzheimer's Disease - Volume 66, issue 3

Authors: Lei, Yang | Zhang, Zhi-Feng | Lei, Rui-Xue | Wang, Shu | Zhuang, Yang | Liu, An-Chun | Wu, Yan | Chen, Juan | Tang, Jun-Chun | Pan, Meng-Xian | Liu, Rui | Liao, Wei-Jing | Feng, Yu-Gong | Wan, Qi | Zheng, Mei

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: DJ-1 (also called PARK7) is a multifunctional redox-sensitive protein that is protective against oxidative stress-induced cell death. TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is a major protein component of pathological inclusions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. Reducing aberrant aggregation of TDP-43 is a potential approach to prevent cell death. To investigate whether DJ-1 might inhibit TDP-43 aggregation to exert a protective effect in oxidative stress-induced injury, we tested the protein level and subcellular localization of TDP-43 and DJ-1 in SH-SY5Y cells transfected with wild-type DJ-1, DJ-1 mutant (L166P) cDNA, or DJ-1 siRNA. We show that oxidative stress induced by …paraquat leads to the formation of cytosolic TDP-43 aggregation in SH-SY5Y cells. DJ-1 overexpression decreases paraquat-induced cytoplasmic accumulation of TDP-43 in SH-SY5Y cells and protects against paraquat-induced cell death. Transfection of DJ-1 L166P mutant or DJ-1 siRNA leads to increased cytosolic aggregation of TDP-43 in paraquat-treated SH-SY5Y cells and promotes cell death. These data suggest that DJ-1 may protect against oxidative stress-induced cell death through the suppression of cytoplasmic TDP-43 aggregation. Show more

Keywords: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, oxidative stress, PARK7, TAR DNA-binding protein 43

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180460

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1001-1014, 2018

Authors: Owens, Tyler E. | Machulda, Mary M. | Duffy, Joseph R. | Strand, Edythe A. | Clark, Heather M. | Boland, Sarah | Martin, Peter R. | Lowe, Val J. | Jack Jr, Clifford R | Whitwell, Jennifer L. | Josephs, Keith A.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: Neuropsychological assessment can add essential information to the characterization of individuals presenting with the logopenic variant of primary progressive aphasia (lvPPA). Objective: This study examined the neuropsychological characteristics of lvPPA patients. We also examined differences in regional and whole brain atrophy based on neuropsychological profiles. Methods: We conducted a hierarchical cluster analysis on memory, executive functioning, and visuospatial neuropsychological test data for 56 individuals with lvPPA. We then compared resultant clusters to left middle temporal, inferior parietal, and superior parietal regions-of-interest using multivariate analysis of covariance. We also performed voxel-level analyses. Results: We …identified three clusters characterized as lvPPA with no neurocognitive impairment (n  = 5), lvPPA with mild neurocognitive deficits (n  = 23), and lvPPA with marked cognitive deficits (n  = 28). WAB-AQ was associated with left middle temporal volume. Superior parietal volumes were smaller for the lvPPA group with marked cognitive symptoms compared to the less severe groups. Voxel-level analyses showed greater atrophy in temporal, parietal, lateral occipital, and frontal regions, left worse than right. Age, disease duration, gender, WAB-AQ, and PiB-PET did not account for differences between groups. Conclusions: LvPPA patients without cognitive deficits in other domains were relatively uncommon while 50% of our sample exhibited pronounced neurocognitive deficits outside the language domain. Pronounced cognitive deficits in lvPPA are associated with widespread atrophy, left worse than right. Our study underscores the importance of examining neuropsychological function in addition to language in patients with lvPPA. Show more

Keywords: Logopenic aphasia, neuropsychological assessment, primary progressive aphasia, volumetric MRI, voxel-wise analyses

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-171175

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1015-1025, 2018

Authors: Handels, Ron L.H. | Sköldunger, Anders | Bieber, Anja | Edwards, Rhiannon Tudor | Gonçalves-Pereira, Manuel | Hopper, Louise | Irving, Kate | Jelley, Hannah | Kerpershoek, Liselot | Marques, Maria J. | Meyer, Gabriele | Michelet, Mona | Portolani, Elisa | Røsvik, Janne | Selbaek, Geir | Stephan, Astrid | de Vugt, Marjolein | Wolfs, Claire | Woods, Bob | Zanetti, Orazio | Verhey, Frans | Wimo, Anders | and Actifcare consortium

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: With 10.5 million people with dementia in Europe and $301 billion associated costs, governments face challenges organizing access to care. Objective: To examine the costs related to formal and informal care use and quality of life for people with dementia in eight European countries, and explore the association with unmet needs. Methods: Cross-sectional data from 451 persons with dementia and their informal caregivers of the Actifcare cohort study were obtained. Formal and informal care use was multiplied by country specific unit prices of services. Needs were measured using the CANE and health-related quality of life …(HRQOL) of the person with dementia (both self- and proxy-rated) and informal caregiver’s quality of life using EQ-5D-5L, ICECAP-O, DEMQOL-U, and CarerQol utility scores. The association between costs and country, European region, and unmet needs was assessed using multi-level linear regression. Results: Self-rated EQ-5D-5L utility score was higher than proxy-rated (0.84 and 0.71, respectively). Informal caregivers’ utility score was 0.84. Across eight countries annual mean costs of formal and informal care were approximately € 17,000. Unmet needs were not associated with annual costs of care, nor with proxy-rated HRQOL, but were associated with self-rated HRQOL. Conclusion: We found varying relationships between unmet needs and quality of life, and no association between unmet needs and care costs, although the results were sensitive to various factors. Future research should further investigate the relation between unmet needs, quality of life and costs to generate a better understanding of the effects of (un)timely access to care. Show more

Keywords: Access to care, costs, dementia, health-economics, quality of life, unmet needs

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180275

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1027-1040, 2018

Authors: Walker, Keenan A. | Windham, B. Gwen | Brown IV, Charles H. | Knopman, David S. | Jack Jr, Clifford R. | Mosley Jr, Thomas H. | Selvin, Elizabeth | Wong, Dean F. | Hughes, Timothy M. | Zhou, Yun | Gross, Alden L. | Gottesman, Rebecca F.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: Although inflammation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease, the effects of systemic inflammation on brain amyloid deposition remain unclear. Objective: We examined the association of midlife and late-life systemic inflammation with late-life brain amyloid levels in a community sample of non-demented older adults from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) – PET Study. Methods: 339 non-demented participants (age: 75 [SD 5]) were recruited from the ARIC Study to undergo florbetapir PET (amyloid) imaging. Blood levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of systemic inflammation, were measured 22 years (Visit 2), …16 years (Visit 4), and up to 2 years before PET imaging (Visit 5). Elevated brain amyloid deposition (standardized uptake value ratio >1.2) was the primary outcome. Results: Our primary analyses found no association of midlife and late-life CRP with late-life brain amyloid levels. However, in secondary stratified analyses, we found that higher midlife (Visit 2) CRP was associated with elevated amyloid among males (OR 1.65, 95% CI: 1.13–2.42), and among white (OR 1.33, 95% CI: 1.02–1.75), but not African American, participants (p -interactions<0.05). Among male participants, those who maintained high CRP levels (≥3 mg/L) throughout mid- and late-life were most likely to have elevated brain amyloid (OR, 8.81; 95% CI: 1.23, 62.91). Conclusions: Although our primary analysis does not support an association between systemic inflammation and brain amyloid deposition, we found evidence for sex- and race-dependent associations. However, findings from subgroup analyses should be interpreted with caution. Show more

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, amyloid-beta, C-reactive protein, florbetapir PET, immune system, inflammation

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180469

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1041-1052, 2018

Authors: Rahman, M. Mahafuzur | Westermark, Gunilla T. | Zetterberg, Henrik | Härd, Torleif | Sandgren, Mats

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Aggregation and deposition of misfolded amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide in the brain is central to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Oligomeric, protofibrillar, and fibrillar forms of Aβ are believed to be neurotoxic and cause neurodegeneration in AD, but the toxicity mechanisms are not well understood and may involve Aβ-interacting molecular partners. In a previous study, we identified potential Aβ42 protofibrillar-binding proteins in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using an engineered version of Aβ42 (Aβ42 CC) that forms protofibrils, but not fibrils. Here we studied binding of proteins to Aβ42 fibrils in AD and non-AD CSF and compared these with protofibrillar …Aβ42 CC-binding partners. Aβ42 fibrils sequestered 2.4-fold more proteins than Aβ42 CC protofibrils. Proteins with selective binding to fibrillar aggregates with low nanomolar affinity were identified. We also found that protofibrillar and fibrillar Aβ-binding proteins represent distinct functional categories. Aβ42 CC protofibrils triggered interactions with proteins involved in catalytic activities, like transferases and oxidoreductases, while Aβ42 fibrils were more likely involved in binding to proteoglycans, growth factors and neuron-associated proteins, e.g., neurexin-1, -2, and -3. Interestingly, 10 brain-enriched proteins were identified among the fibril-binding proteins, while protofibril-extracted proteins had more general expression patterns. Both types of Aβ aggregates bound several extracellular proteins. Additionally, we list a set of CSF proteins that might have potential to discriminate between AD and non-AD CSF samples. The results may be of relevance both for biomarker studies and for studies of Aβ-related toxicity mechanisms. Show more

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, amyloid-β, biomolecular interaction, cerebrospinal fluid, fibrils, protofibrils

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180596

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1053-1064, 2018

Authors: Mohammad, Dana | Ellis, Courtney | Rau, Allison | Rosenberg, Paul B. | Mintzer, Jacobo | Ruthirakuhan, Myuri | Herrmann, Nathan | Lanctôt, Krista L.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Apathy is a prevalent and problematic neuropsychiatric symptom in those with dementia that is emerging as a treatment target, necessitating accurate assessment. While many apathy scales are available, not all have been developed for use exclusively in dementia, and psychometric properties may vary across different populations. This systematic review aimed to provide an overview of the psychometric properties of apathy scales used in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias, as well as rate the methodological quality of supporting studies. In addition, for those scales identified, performance in clinical trials was reviewed. A search was conducted through Medline, Psychinfo, Embase, Cochrane …Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Articles that reported psychometric properties of an apathy scale in an AD or mixed dementia population were included. Of 15 articles, the methodological quality ratings of the studies ranged from adequate to excellent. Three clinical trials and two pooled analyses of clinical trials were included that used apathy scales evaluated in this review. Three scales emerged. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory apathy subscale (NPI-apathy) and the Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES) had the greatest number of studies evaluating psychometric properties and were also used in the clinical trials and have shown sensitivity to change. The Dementia Apathy Interview and Rating demonstrated excellent values of internal consistency, validity, and reliability for use in an AD population. Future research should address comparative scale performance and assess ability to distinguish subtypes of apathy. Validation may include evaluation of performance against specific imaging defined deficits. Show more

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, apathy, dementia, diagnosis, psychometrics

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180485

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1065-1082, 2018

Authors: Lucchelli, Federica | Saetti, Maria Cristina | Spinnler, Hans

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: A still unsettled issue of amnesia concerns the differential contributions to recall impairment of the underlying retrieval and storage abilities. The aim of the present study was to disentangle and to measure such roles in the recall of past public events comparing patients with degenerative amnesia and healthy elderly. The experiment included 44 healthy elderly and two groups of participants with degenerative amnesia, namely 17 patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment and 22 mild Alzheimer’s disease patients. Recall of famous past public events was assessed by means of a 52-item questionnaire standardized for the Italian population. A latent-variable approach was …adopted in order to infer the contributions of retrieval and storage to the recall performances. A stochastic model was adopted, which in a previous study of recall of recent and remote past public events in healthy elderly succeeded to prove reduced retrieval efficiency for more recent events. The results of the present study suggest that retrieval is more fragile than storage in all three experimental groups. A storage impairment turned out only in the Alzheimer’s disease group, where it was limited to more recent memories. In view of the combined roles of the hippocampus and cortex in past memory processing, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that the degenerative process primarily impairs the strategic memory search. However, the sufficiency criterion of the adopted Markov model fell short of significance. Due to this statistical shortcoming, our conclusions, though consistent with the clinical predictions, are to be taken as provisional. Show more

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, latent variables, Markov chains, mild cognitive impairment, past public events, retrograde memory

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180436

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1083-1094, 2018

Authors: Al-Janabi, Omar M. | Brown, Christopher A. | Bahrani, Ahmed A. | Abner, Erin L. | Barber, Justin M. | Gold, Brian T. | Goldstein, Larry B. | Murphy, Ronan R. | Nelson, Peter T. | Johnson, Nathan F. | Shaw, Leslie M. | Smith, Charles D. | Trojanowski, John Q. | Wilcock, Donna M. | Jicha, Gregory A.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology and hypertension (HTN) are risk factors for development of white matter (WM) alterations and might be independently associated with these alterations in older adults. Objective: To evaluate the independent and synergistic effects of HTN and AD pathology on WM alterations. Methods: Clinical measures of cerebrovascular disease risk were collected from 62 participants in University of Kentucky Alzheimer’s Disease Center studies who also had cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sampling and MRI brain scans. CSF Aβ1-42 levels were measured as a marker of AD, and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging and diffusion tensor imaging …were obtained to assess WM macro- and microstructural properties. Linear regression analyses were used to assess the relationships among WM alterations, cerebrovascular disease risk, and AD pathology. Voxelwise analyses were performed to examine spatial patterns of WM alteration associated with each pathology. Results: HTN and CSF Aβ1-42 levels were each associated with white matter hyperintensities (WMH). Also, CSF Aβ1-42 levels were associated with alterations in normal appearing white matter fractional anisotropy (NAWM-FA), whereas HTN was marginally associated with alterations in NAWM-FA. Linear regression analyses demonstrated significant main effects of HTN and CSF Aβ1-42 on WMH volume, but no significant HTN×CSF Aβ1-42 interaction. Furthermore, voxelwise analyses showed unique patterns of WM alteration associated with hypertension and CSF Aβ1-42 . Conclusion: Associations of HTN and lower CSF Aβ1-42 with WM alteration were statistically and spatially distinct, suggesting independent rather than synergistic effects. Considering such spatial distributions may improve diagnostic accuracy to address each underlying pathology. Show more

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, Aβ1-42 , hypertension, white matter alteration

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180663

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1095-1104, 2018

Authors: Florek, Lisa | Tiepolt, Solveig | Schroeter, Matthias L. | Berrouschot, Jörg | Saur, Dorothee | Hesse, Swen | Jochimsen, Thies | Luthardt, Julia | Sattler, Bernhard | Patt, Marianne | Hoffmann, Karl-Titus | Villringer, Arno | Classen, Joseph | Gertz, Hermann-Josef | Sabri, Osama | Barthel, Henryk

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: Current research diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to AD include biomarkers to supplement clinical testing. Recently, we demonstrated that dual time-point [18 F]FBB PET is able to deliver both blood flow and amyloid-β (Aβ) load surrogates. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether these surrogates can be utilized as AD biomarkers. Methods: 112 subjects (41 with MCI, 50 with probable/possible AD, 21 with other dementias) underwent dual time-point [18 F]FBB PET. Data were visually and relative quantitatively (Herholz scores for the early and composite SUVRs …for the late PET data) analyzed. Results: In the early images AD-typical patterns were present in 42% /27% /33% of probable/possible AD/MCI/other dementia cases. In late [18 F]FBB PET, 42% /29% /38% of probable/possible AD/ MCI/other dementia cases were Aβ-positive. 17% of the MCIs were categorized as “MCI due to AD-high likelihood”, 44% of the probable ADs as “probable AD with high evidence of AD pathophysiological process” and 28% of the possible ADs as “possible AD with evidence of AD pathophysiological process”. 27% of all subjects showed a positive diagnostic and progression biomarker. Herholz scores were lower (0.85±0.05 versus 0.88±0.04, p  = 0.015) for probable/possible AD versus MCI. Composite late phase SUVRs were significantly higher (1.65±0.23 versus 1.15±0.17, p  < 0.005) in Aβ-positive versus Aβ-negative patients. Herholz and MMSE scores were positively correlated (R = 0.30 p  = 0.006). Conclusion: Dual time-point [18 F]FBB PET provides dual biomarker information which enables to categorize MCI and AD dementia patients according to established diagnostic criteria. Thus, dual time-point [18 F]FBB PET has great potential to supplement diagnostic dementia workups. Show more

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, dual biomarker, dual-phase, dual time-point, florbetaben, mild cognitive impairment

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180522

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1105-1116, 2018

Authors: Kempuraj, Duraisamy | Selvakumar, Govindhasamy Pushpavathi | Thangavel, Ramasamy | Ahmed, Mohammad Ejaz | Zaheer, Smita | Kumar, Keerthana Kuppamma | Yelam, Anudeep | Kaur, Harleen | Dubova, Iuliia | Raikwar, Sudhanshu P. | Iyer, Shankar S. | Zaheer, Asgar

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by the presence of inflammation-mediated dopaminergic neurodegeneration in the substantia nigra. Inflammatory mediators from activated microglia, astrocytes, neurons, T-cells and mast cells mediate neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Administration of neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induces PD like motor deficits in rodents. 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+ ), a toxic metabolite of MPTP activates glial cells, neurons and mast cells to release neuroinflammatory mediators. Glia maturation factor (GMF), mast cells and proteinase activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) are implicated in neuroinflammation. Alpha-synuclein which induces neurodegeneration increases PAR-2 expression in the brain. However, the exact mechanisms are not yet understood. In this study, we quantified inflammatory …mediators in the brains of MPTP-administered wild type (Wt), GMF-knockout (GMF-KO), and mast cell knockout (MC-KO) mice. Additionally, we analyzed the effect of MPP+ , GMF, and mast cell proteases on PAR-2 expression in astrocytes and neurons in vitro . Results show that the levels of interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α ), and the chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) were lesser in the brains of GMF-KO mice and MC-KO mice when compared to Wt mice brain after MPTP administration. Incubation of astrocytes and neurons with MPP+ , GMF, and mouse mast cell protease-6 (MMCP-6) and MMCP-7 increased the expression of PAR-2. Our studies show that the absence of mast cells and GMF reduce the expression of neuroinflammatory mediators in the brain. We conclude that GMF along with mast cell interactions with glial cells and neurons during neuroinflammation can be explored as a new therapeutic target for PD and other neuroinflammatory disorders. Show more

Keywords: Astrocytes, cytokines, glia maturation factor, mast cells, mouse mast cell proteases, Parkinson’s disease, PAR-2

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180786

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1117-1129, 2018

Authors: Cabinio, Monia | Saresella, Marina | Piancone, Federica | LaRosa, Francesca | Marventano, Ivana | Guerini, Franca Rosa | Nemni, Raffaello | Baglio, Francesca | Clerici, Mario

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by memory impairment and general decrease in cognitive functions and daily living competences, that leads to a complete loss of autonomy. The pathogenesis of AD is characterized by the deposition of amyloid-β plaques (Aβ plaques) and neurofibrillary tangles, initially involving cortical and hippocampal structures, and neuroinflammation. To date, no studies have investigated the topological association between neuroinflammation and hippocampal shape in AD. Objective: The aim of the present study is to assess the association between hippocampal shape, cognitive profile, and neuroinflammation in a group of AD patients in the …mild stage of the disease. Methods: Thirty-one patients with typical onset AD (mild stage) underwent MRI examination (1.5T scanner); hippocampal structures were segmented using a vertex-wise analysis (FSL-FIRST). Immune parameters were evaluated on peripheral blood mononuclear cells by flow-cytometry. Correlation analyses were performed between hippocampal shape and both cognitive profile (ADAS-Cog and MMSE scores), and neuro-inflammatory variables (i.e., circulating monocytes, cytokines). Results: Statistically significant correlations (p  < 0.05FWE ) between right hippocampal shape and cognitive measurements and between left hippocampal shape and inflammatory indices were detected. The hippocampal field mostly involved was the lateral portion of bilateral hippocampi, mainly overlapping with Cornu Ammonis, extending along the entire longitudinal axis. Conclusions: A topological relationship between hippocampal atrophy and both cognitive profile and neuroinflammation is found; the association with neuroinflammatory indices is in line with the pattern of AD-associated neuronal death, whereas the association with cognitive test might account for residual cognitive functions. Show more

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, brain, flow cytometry, hippocampus, inflammation, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180250

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1131-1144, 2018

Authors: Cisternas, Pedro | Zolezzi, Juan M. | Lindsay, Carolina | Rivera, Daniela S. | Martinez, Alexis | Bozinovic, Francisco | Inestrosa, Nibaldo C.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia worldwide. Despite advances in our understanding of the molecular milieu driving AD pathophysiology, no effective therapy is currently available. Moreover, various clinical trials have continued to fail, suggesting that our approach to AD must be revised. Accordingly, the development and validation of new models are highly desirable. Over the last decade, we have been working with Octodon degus (degu), a Chilean rodent, which spontaneously develops AD-like neuropathology, including increased amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregates, tau hyperphosphorylation, and postsynaptic dysfunction. However, for proper validation of degu as an AD model, the aggregation …properties of its Aβ peptide must be analyzed. Thus, in this study, we examined the capacity of the degu Aβ peptide to aggregate in vitro . Then, we analyzed the age-dependent variation in soluble Aβ levels in the hippocampus and cortex of third- to fifth-generation captive-born degu. We also assessed the appearance and spatial distribution of amyloid plaques in O. degus and compared them with the plaques in two AD transgenic mouse models. In agreement with our previous studies, degu Aβ was able to aggregate, forming fibrillar species in vitro . Furthermore, amyloid plaques appeared in the anterior brain structures of O. degus at approximately 32 months of age and in the whole brain at 56 months, along with concomitant increases in Aβ levels and the Aβ42 /Aβ40 ratio, indicating that O. degus spontaneously develops AD-like pathology earlier than other spontaneous models. Based on these results, we can confirm that O. degus constitutes a valuable model to improve AD research. Show more

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, Aβ peptide, natural model, Octodon degus, senile plaques

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180729

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1145-1163, 2018

Authors: Janssen, Niels | Handels, Ron L. | Sköldunger, Anders | Woods, Bob | Jelley, Hannah | Edwards, Rhiannon Tudor | Orrell, Martin | Selbæk, Geir | Røsvik, Janne | Gonçalves-Pereira, Manuel | Marques, Maria J. | Zanetti, Orazio | Portolani, Elisa | Irving, Kate | Hopper, Louise | Meyer, Gabriele | Bieber, Anja | Stephan, Astrid | Kerpershoek, Liselot | Wolfs, Claire A.G. | de Vugt, Marjolein E. | Verhey, Frans R.J. | Wimo, Anders | Consortium Actifcare

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: Access to formal care is not always timely and a better understanding on the impact of untimely access is needed. Objective: To examine, from a societal perspective, the impact of untimely access to formal care in terms of total costs and quality of life over one year in community dwelling people with dementia. Methods: Within the Actifcare study, needs, resource use, and quality of life were observed for one year in a cohort of 451 community dwelling people with dementia in 8 European countries. Untimely access to care was operationalized as having at least one …unmet need for care identified by the Camberwell Assessment of Need for the Elderly (CANE) instrument. Two regression models were built for both total costs and quality of life measured by the EQ-5D-5L, one using sum of unmet needs and one using a predefined selection of need items. Results: Unmet needs were not associated with higher total costs but they were associated with a lower quality of life of people with dementia. Of all CANE items, only an unmet need for “company” was significantly related to lower total costs. Conclusion: Total costs did not seem to differ between participants with unmet and met needs. Only few associations between specific unmet needs and costs and quality of life were found. Furthermore, quality of life of people with dementia decreases when multiple unmet needs are experienced, indicating that assessing and meeting needs is important to improve quality of life. Show more

Keywords: Access to care, costs, dementia, quality of life, unmet needs, untimely

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180531

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1165-1174, 2018

Authors: Jara-Moreno, Daniela | Castro-Torres, Rubn D. | Ettcheto, Miren | Auladell, Carme | Kogan, Marcelo J. | Folch, Jaume | Verdaguer, Ester | Cano, Amanda | Busquets, Oriol | Delporte, Carla | Camins, Antoni

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by impairment in cognitive performance in aged individuals. Currently, there is no effective pharmacological treatment that cures the disease due to the lack of knowledge on the actual mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis. In the last decades, the amyloidogenic hypothesis has been the most studied theory trying to explain the origin of AD, yet it does not address all the concerns relating to its development. In the present study, a possible new preclinical treatment of AD was evaluated using the ethyl acetate extract (EAE) …of leaves of Ugni molinae Turcz. (synonym Myrtus ugni Molina Family Myrtacea). The effects were assessed on female transgenic mice from a preclinical model of familial AD (APPswe/PS1dE9) combined with a high fat diet. This preclinical model was selected due to the already available experimental and observational data proving the relationship between obesity, gender, metabolic stress, and cognitive dysfunction; related to characteristics of sporadic AD. According to chemical analyses, EAE would contain polyphenols such as tannins, flavonoid derivatives, and phenolic acids, as well as pentacyclic triterpenoids that exhibit neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. In addition, the treatment evidenced its capacity to prevent deterioration of memory capacity and reduction of progression speed of AD neuropathology. Show more

Keywords: APPswe/PS1dE9, ethyl acetate extract, high fat diet, hippocampus, neuroinflammation, Ugni molinae

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180174

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1175-1191, 2018

Authors: Porter, Tenielle | Burnham, Samantha C. | Milicic, Lidija | Savage, Greg | Maruff, Paul | Lim, Yen Ying | Li, Qiao-Xin | Ames, David | Masters, Colin L. | Rainey-Smith, Stephanie | Rowe, Christopher C. | Salvado, Olivier | Groth, David | Verdile, Giuseppe | Villemagne, Victor L. | Laws, Simon M. | for the AIBL Research Group

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: With the exception of APOE, genetic variants associated with increased Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk are characterized by small effect sizes. Polygenic risk scores (PRS) have shown utility in predicting AD risk; however, their utility for predicting decline in cognition at preclinical stages of AD is poorly understood. Objective: To validate associations of a 22-variant AD-risk-weighted PRS with AD risk and related biomarkers and to assess its utility to predict cognitive decline. Methods: The PRS was evaluated with respect to brain amyloid-β (Aβ) burden, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aβ42 , total-tau, and phospho-tau, and decline in …cognition in 643 (570 cognitively normal (CN), 73 AD) PET-imaged participants from the longitudinal Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) Study of Ageing. Cognition was assessed using three composite measures; global cognition, verbal episodic memory, and a Pre-Alzheimer’s Cognitive Composite (PACC). Results: PRS, both with and without APOE, were positively correlated with brain Aβ burden, CSF total-tau, and phospho-tau in CN older adults. Further, in CN biomarker positive (Aβhigh ) participants, significant associations were observed with baseline and longitudinal cognition. However, this association was not observed after the removal of APOE. Partitioning the PRS into quartiles revealed that the PRS associations with cognitive decline in Aβhigh CN older adults is due to a saturating effect of APOE genotype. Conclusions: An AD-risk-weighted PRS is associated with cognitive decline in CN older adults. However, this association is absent when APOE genotype is excluded from the PRS, suggesting that associations with cognitive decline in this model of polygenic risk are driven by APOE genotype alone. Further research is needed to define appropriate PRSs with greater utility for predicting preclinical AD cognitive decline. Show more

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, amyloid-β , cognitive decline, episodic memory, polygenic risk scores

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180713

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1193-1211, 2018

Authors: Babulal, Ganesh M. | Chen, Suzie | Williams, Monique M. | Trani, Jean-Francois | Bakhshi, Parul | Chao, Grace L. | Stout, Sarah H. | Fagan, Anne M. | Benzinger, Tammie L.S. | Holtzman, David M. | Morris, John C. | Roe, Catherine M.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: Symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and depression independently increase crash risk. Additionally, depression is both a risk factor for and a consequence of AD. Objective: To examine whether a depression diagnosis, antidepressant use, and preclinical AD are associated with driving decline among cognitively normal older adults. Methods: Cognitively normal participants, age ≥65, were enrolled. Cox proportional hazards models evaluated whether a depression diagnosis, depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale), antidepressant use, cerebrospinal fluid (amyloid-β 42 [Aβ 42 ], tau, phosphorylated tau181 [ptau181 ]), and amyloid imaging biomarkers (Pittsburgh Compound B and Florbetapir) were associated with …time to receiving a rating of marginal/fail on a road test. Age was adjusted for in all models. Results: Data were available from 131 participants with age ranging from 65.4 to 88.2 years and mean follow up of 2.4 years (SD = 1.0). A depression diagnosis was associated with a faster time to receiving a marginal/fail rating on a road test and antidepressant use (p  = 0.024, HR = 2.62). Depression diagnosis and CSF and amyloid PET imaging biomarkers were associated with driving performance on the road test (p ≤0.05, HR = 2.51–3.15). In the CSF ptau181 model, depression diagnosis (p  = 0.031, HR = 2.51) and antidepressant use (p  = 0.037, HR = 2.50) were statistically significant predictors. There were no interaction effects between depression diagnosis, antidepressant use, and biomarker groups. Depressive symptomology was not a statistically significant predictor of driving performance. Conclusions: While, as previously shown, preclinical AD alone predicts a faster time to receiving a marginal/fail rating, these results suggest that also having a diagnosis of depression accelerates the onset of driving problems in cognitively normal older adults. Show more

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, antidepressants, biomarkers, depression, driving, older adults

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180564

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1213-1221, 2018

Authors: Banks, Sarah J. | Zhuang, Xiaowei | Bayram, Ece | Bird, Chris | Cordes, Dietmar | Caldwell, Jessica Z.K. | Cummings, Jeffrey L. | for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Lateralization of default mode network (DMN) functioning has been shown to change with age. Similarly, lateralization of frontal lobe function has been shown to decline in age. The impact of amyloid pathology and the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) on resting state lateralization has not been investigated. Due to the preferential involvement of the left hemisphere in verbal tasks, there may be a benefit to higher levels of left-lateralization in the performance of verbal memory tasks. Here we compared functional lateralization of the anterior and posterior DMN between four groups of participants: amyloid negative (Aβ-) and amyloid positive (Aβ+) groups …with normal cognition (NC), and Aβ+ groups with mild cognitive impairment (Aβ+MCI) or dementia (Aβ+AD). Differences were evident between groups in posterior DMN; the Aβ-NC group was more left-lateralized than both cognitively impaired Aβ+ groups. There was no difference in anterior DMN. No differences in overall network connectivity between groups were observed, suggesting that the functional lateralization finding is not secondary to general changes in connectivity. Left-lateralization of both networks was associated with better verbal recall performance. Older subjects, overall, had less left functional lateralization of the anterior DMN. Show more

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, amyloid-β, default mode network, resting state fMRI

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180541

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1223-1234, 2018

Authors: Baghallab, Ibtisam | Reyes-Ruiz, Jorge Mauricio | Abulnaja, Khalid | Huwait, Etimad | Glabe, Charles

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The monoclonal antibodies 6E10 and 4G8 are among the first anti-amyloid monoclonal antibodies against Aβ and the most widely used antibodies in Alzheimer’s disease research. Although the epitopes for 6E10 and 4G8 have been reported to correspond to residues 1–16 and 17–24, a more recent high-resolution mapping approach indicates that 6E10 maps to residues 4–10 while 4G8 maps to residues 18–23. To characterize the binding specificity of both antibodies in greater detail, we used immunoselection of random sequences from phage display library followed by deep sequencing and analysis of resulting patterns from thousands of immunoselected sequences. We found that the …minimum sequence required for 6E10 binding is R-x-D with over half (53%) of the immunoselected sequences conforming to this pattern. The vast majority of these sequences contain an H at position x (R-H-D), corresponding to residues 5–7 of the Aβ target sequences, but Y is also permitted at this position in a minority of sequences. For 4G8 we found that the most frequent pattern is F-x-A contained in approximately 30% of the sequences, followed by F-A, L-x(3)-A, L-x-F, and F-F each accounting for approximately 18% of the sequences. The F-x-A motif also occurs in islet amyloid poly peptide which may explain why 4G8 also recognizes amyloid fibrils of this peptide. Immunoselection of random sequences and deep sequencing may also be a facile and efficient means of determining residues critical for antibody binding and validating the specificity of monoclonal antibodies and polyclonal antisera. Show more

Keywords: Amyloid antibodies, epitope mapping, epitopes, informatics, specificity

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180582

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1235-1244, 2018

Authors: Zhang, Hanlin | Chen, Kang | Wang, Naili | Zhang, Di | Yang, Qian | Zhang, Qing | Liu, Pan | Wan, Mengyao | Gong, Changlin | Hong, Xinyu | Qiu, Wenying | Qian, Xiaojing | Chen, Yongmei | Ma, Chao

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS/PUMC) Human Brain Bank was established in December 2012 and had accomplished 197 brain donations by November 2017. The brain bank was based on a large-scale willed body donation program in CAMS/PUMC starting from 1999. Demographic and medical characteristic analysis of brain donors was conducted to facilitate the construction of the brain bank. The average postmortem delay of brain donors was 17.7 h and 77.7% of these donors died less than 15 km away from the brain bank. Donors were predominantly with higher-level education (p  < 0.001) and at an older age …when registration (p  < 0.001) and donation (p  < 0.001) occurred. Our results elucidated the characteristics of donors in the CAMS/PUMC Human Brain Bank, which may provide useful information to target potential donors and improve the quality and quantity of brain specimens. The current study may pave the way for the construction of a nationwide network of standardized human brain banks in China. Show more

Keywords: Demography, tissue and organ procurement, tissue banks, tissue preservation

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180779

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1245-1254, 2018

Authors: Gilbert, Thomas | Roche, Sylvain | Blond, Emilie | Bar, Jean-Yves | Drai, Jocelyne | Cuerq, Charlotte | Haution-Bitker, Marine | Ecochard, René | Bonnefoy, Marc

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: There is evidence that adipokines have roles in brain functioning and cognitive decline. Objective: Assess the role of leptin and adiponectin levels in predicting changes in neuro-cognitive disorders (NCD). Methods: The study included 205 patients over 65 years of age presenting for a one-day hospitalization for current assessment of cognitive function. Peripheral blood leptin and adiponectin levels were measured at admission. Demographic variables, body mass index (BMI), and history of hypertension were also recorded. Cognitive function was assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) at admission and at later scheduled visits over a median follow-up …period of 14.5 months. Conventional univariate comparisons were made between diagnosis groups (Alzheimer’s disease (AD), mild NCD, vascular/mixed dementia). Changes in MMSE scores over time were examined with regard to the above variables using a linear mixed model. Results: The mean BMI was significantly lower (by 2 kg/m2 , p  = 0.01) in patients with AD than in patients with either mild-NCD or vascular/mixed dementia. Leptin levels were significantly higher (p  = 0.043) and adiponectin levels significantly lower (p  = 0.045) in patients with mild-NCD than in patients with major-NCD (AD or vascular/mixed dementia). However, the mixed model suggested no influence of the baseline levels of these two biomarkers on the course of cognitive decline. Conclusion: The present study confirms the associations between leptin and adiponectin and AD or AD-related disorders but did not confirm that these peptides may be used as predictive biomarkers of cognitive decline. Show more

Keywords: Adiponectin, alzheimer’s disease, body composition, dementia, leptin

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180533

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1255-1264, 2018

Authors: Tuna, Gamze | Yener, Görsev Gülmen | Oktay, Gülgün | İşlekel, Gül Hüray | Kİrkalİ, Fatoş Güldal

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are substantial regulators of learning and memory and might be involved in neurodegeneration. It is known that MMPs are involved in pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and are particularly involved in the amyloid-β processing pathway. However, information on circulating levels of these proteins and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) in AD and other neurodegenerative dementia (ND) diseases such as dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is not clear. Therefore, this study was directed toward finding out how plasma levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 vary in AD, DLB, and FTD; and investigating the …correlation of the levels of MMPs and their inhibitors with clinical parameters of the patients. MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 levels were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Plasma MMP-2 levels were significantly lower in all the patient groups than in the age-matched healthy controls (HCs) (p  < 0.05). MMP-9 levels were significantly lower in the FTD patients than in the HCs (p  < 0.05). Also, TIMP-1 levels were lower in the AD and FTD patients than in the HCs (p  < 0.05). TIMP-2 levels were similar in all the groups. These findings highlight the importance of circulating MMPs in ND and suggest that MMPs and their inhibitors might play a role in impaired amyloid-β peptide metabolism which is responsible for the genesis and progression of ND. Furthermore, measurement of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and their inhibitors may be of great importance for large scale basic research and clinical studies of ND. Show more

Keywords: ELISA, matrix metalloproteinases, neurodegenerative dementia, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180752

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1265-1273, 2018

Authors: Peloso, Gina M. | Beiser, Alexa S. | Destefano, Anita L. | Seshadri, Sudha

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Epidemiological and genetic studies have pointed to the role of cholesterol in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We explored the interaction of a genetic risk score (GRS) of AD risk alleles with mid-life plasma lipid levels (LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglycerides) on risk for AD in the Framingham Heart Study (FHS). Mid-life (between the ages of 40–60 years old) lipid levels were obtained from individuals in the FHS Original and Offspring cohorts (157 cases and 2,882 controls) with genetic data and AD status available. Cox proportional hazards regression was performed to test the interaction between mid-life lipid levels and an AD GRS, as …well as the individual contributing SNPs, on risk of incident AD adjusting for age, sex, and cohort. We found a significant interaction between a GRS of AD loci and log triglyceride levels on risk of clinical AD (p  = 0.006), but no interaction of the GRS with HDL-C (p  = 0.458) or LDL-C (p  = 0.366). We then tested the interaction between the individual SNPs contributing to the GRS and log triglycerides. We found two SNPs that had interactions with triglycerides on AD risk that reached a p -value < 0.05 (rs11218343 and APOE ɛ 4). The association between some AD SNPs and risk of AD may be modified by triglyceride levels. Furthermore, sequential testing of a GRS with a set of traits on disease followed by testing individual SNPs for interaction provides a framework for narrowing the associations that need to be tested for interaction analyses. Replication is needed to confirm these findings. Show more

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, association studies in genetics, cohort studies, risk factors in epidemiology

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180751

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1275-1282, 2018

Authors: van Rooden, Sanneke | van den Berg-Huysmans, Annette A. | Croll, Pauline H. | Labadie, Gerda | Hayes, Jessica M. | Viviano, Raymond | van der Grond, Jeroen | Rombouts, Serge A.R.B. | Damoiseaux, Jessica S.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: Research in older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) has mainly focused on Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-related MRI markers, such as hippocampal volume. However, small vessel disease (SVD) is currently established as serious comorbidity in dementia and its preliminary stages. It is therefore important to examine SVD markers in addition to AD markers in older adults presenting with SCD. Objective: The aim of our study was to elucidate the role of SVD markers in late middle-aged to older adults with and without SCD in addition to the commonly found role of AD markers (hippocampal volume). Methods: …67 healthy late middle-aged to older adults participated in this study (mean age 68 years); 25 participants with SCD and 42 participants without SCD. We evaluated quantitative as well as qualitative AD markers (i.e., hippocampal volume and medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA) scale) and SVD markers (i.e., white matter hyperintensities (WMH) volume, Fazekas scale, microbleeds, and lacunar infarcts), and neuropsychological function and amount of memory complaints. Results: We found a significant effect of SCD on hippocampal atrophy, as assessed using the MTA scale, but not on hippocampal volume. In addition, we found a significant effect of SCD, and amount of memory complaints, on WMH volume and Fazekas score, suggesting larger WMH volumes in participants with SCD. Conclusion: SVD MRI markers are related to amount of memory complaints, in addition to the commonly observed AD MRI markers, as demonstrated by the greater WMHs in healthy late middle-aged to older adults with SCD. Show more

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, cerebral small vessel disease, magnetic resonance imaging, subjective cognitive decline

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180285

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1283-1294, 2018

Authors: Deane, Catherine A.S. | Brown, Ian R.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: HSPA6 (Hsp70B’) is an inducible member of the Hsp70 (HSPA) family of heat shock proteins that is present in the human genome and not found in mouse and rat. Hence it is lacking in current animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. To advance knowledge of the little studied HSPA6, differentiated human neuronal SH-SY5Y cells were treated with the proteotoxic stress-inducing agent MG132. A robust induction of HSPA6 was apparent which localized to the periphery of MG132-induced protein aggregates in the neuronal cytoplasm. Components of the protein disaggregation/refolding machine that co-operate with Hsp70 also targeted the periphery of cytoplasmic protein aggregates, including …DNAJB1 (Hsp40–1), HSPH1 (Hsp105α ), and HSPB1 (Hsp27). These data suggest that HSPA6 is involved in the response of human neuronal cells to proteotoxic stress that is a feature of neurodegenerative diseases which have been characterized as protein misfolding disorders. Constitutively expressed HSPA8 (Hsc70) also localized tothe periphery of cytoplasmic protein aggregates following the treatment of differentiated human neuronal cells with MG132. HSPA8 could provide a rapid response to proteotoxic stress in neuronal cells, circumventing the time required to upregulate inducible Hsps. Show more

Keywords: Heat shock protein (Hsp), HSPA6 (Hsp70B’), HSPA8 (Hsc70), human neuronal SH-SY5Y cells, MG132, protein disaggregation/refolding machine, proteotoxic stress

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180536

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1295-1308, 2018