Physical Exercise in MCI Elderly Promotes Reduction of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines and Improvements on Cognition and BDNF Peripheral Levels

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Atividade física e sintomas depressivos em cuidadores de idosos com demência de Alzheimer

The Alzheimer's dementia (AD) is a chronic, neurodegenerative and progressive disorder, characterized by cognitive decline, affecting brain functions like memory, reasoning and communication, occurrence of behavioral disturbances and difficulty in performing activities of daily living (ADLs). These conditions lead to patient’s dependence, which can cause depressive symptoms in caregivers, due to physical and mental burden caused by of the difficulties of the act of caring. Whereupon, it became necessary to find strategies to improve the caregivers’ quality of life. An interesting hypothesis is that physical activity can be considered a non-pharmacological alternative in reducing depressive symptoms, being an important factor for maintaining the physical and mental well-being of the general population, especially on positive changes in mood and social interaction. This study aimed to analyze the effects of a physical activity protocol on depressive symptoms and burden of caregivers of patients with AD. This experimental study, of longitudinal character, comprised a sample of 19 caregivers, of both genders, divided into two groups: a) intervention group – IG (10 caregivers who participated in a physical activity protocol) and b) control group – CG (9 caregivers who didn’t participate in the physical activity protocol). This protocol, which worked the components of functional ability and social interaction of participants, was held three times a week, being 48 sessions of 60 minutes each, for 16 weeks. Data collect was performed at pre and post-intervention for both groups. The assessment instruments used were: a) Zarit Burden Interview, b) Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) and c) battery of motor tests of the American Alliance for Health Physical Education Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD). Nonparametric statistics was used, with intra-group comparison by Wilcoxon test... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Efeitos do treinamento com pesos nas atividades de vida diária básicas e instrumentais de pacientes com doença de Alzheimer

The Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative and progressive disease, mostly seen in elderly people, characterized by memory loss. This commitment leads causes deficits in functional capacity, compromising the individual in execution of activities of daily living, like dressing and bathing. This study, with a longitudinal character, aimed analyze the effects of a protocol of weights training (WT) in global cognitive status and realization of activities of daily living (ADL´s) basic and instrumental in AD patients, comparing the effects of four months of WT in the performance of ADL´s in global cognitive status. And also aimed to verify the possible relations between ADL's and global cognitive status of patients before and after the experimental period. The study included 24 patients with clinical diagnosis of AD, divided into two groups: a) training group (TG) consisted of 13 patients who underwent a protocol of WT b) Social Gathering Group (SCG) consists of 11 patients participating in a protocol of social gathering not systematized with activities of reading, writing and walking. Both protocols lasted four months, being developed in three non-consecutive weekly sessions, lasting 60 minutes each. To quantify global cognitive status and the basic and instrumental ADLs were used, respectively, the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Self Perception of Performance in Activities of Daily Living, along with the battery of tests of Activities of Daily Life of Andreotti and Okuma (1999). To analyze the results where complied the nature of the data, using analysis of variance for repeated measures ANOVA two-way and Pearson correlation for continuous data and tests of U Mann Whitney, Wilcoxon and Spearman correlation for non-continuous data, assuming level significance of 5% for all analysis. After analysis it´s possible... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Efeitos da atividade física sobre equilíbrio, risco de quedas e função cognitiva de idosos com demência de Alzheimer: Salma Stéphany Soleman Hernandez. -

The Alzheimer’s dementia represents a clinical condition inherent to many chronic and neurodegenerative diseases that are usually related to a decline in the cognitive and physical functions. The objective of this experimental design research was to analyze the effects of a regular and systemized physical activity program over the cognitive functions, balance and risk of falls of elderly with Alzheimer’s Dementia (DA). The sample was made of 16 elderly with DA, distributed in two groups: a) intervention group – GI (9 subjects that had participated in a program of physical activity, that consisted of 3 weekly sessions of 60 minutes each, in alternated days and with a duration of 6 months); b) control group – GC (7 subjects that did not participate in the program of physical activity). Both groups maintained the doctoral and pharmacological assistance routine. The subjects passed through two different evaluations (pre and post-intervention) the questionnaire (Mini-exam of Mental State for cognitive functions) and motor tests (Berg Functional Balance Scale – EEFB, Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) time (TUGs) and steps (TUGp) and the test of agility and dynamic balance (AGILEQ) of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education Recreation and Dance for elderly). The obtained results were, respectively in the pre and post-intervention moments: a) AGILEQ (GI = 39,1 ± 10,2 and 38,4 ± 8,9 and GC = 45,6 ± 16,7 and 59,9 ± 22,0 seconds) with the statistically interaction significant (ANOVA two-way; F1,14 = 32,07; p=0,01) between groups and moments; b) TUGs (GI = 9,8 ± 2,5 and 9,5 ± 3,3 and GC = 10,6 ± 4,5 and 12,7 ± 7,3 seconds) the test UMann Whitney did not appoint any significant differences between the groups in the post-intervention moment, however the analyzes of Wilcoxon evidenced a ...(Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Exercício físico, marcadores inflamatórios e genótipo da APOE em idosos com comprometimento cognitivo leve e idosos cognitivamente preservados

Pós-graduação em Ciências da Motricidade - IBRC

Genetic variability of inflammatory genes in the brazilian population

Inflammatory gene variants have been associated with several diseases, including cancer, diabetes, vascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, arthritis, and others. Therefore, determining the population genetic composition of inflammation-related genes can be useful for the determination of general risk, prognostic and therapeutic strategies to prevent or cure specific diseases. We have aimed to identify polymorphism genotype frequencies in genes related to the inflammatory response in the Brazilian population, namely, IjBL - 62AT, IjBL - 262CT, tumor necrosis factors alpha (TNFa) - 238GA, TNFa - 308GA, lymphotoxin-alpha (LTa) + 80AC, LTa + 252AG, FAS - 670AG, and FASL - 844TC, considering the white, black, and Pardo ethnicities of the Sa˜o Paulo State. Our results suggest that the Brazilian population is under a miscegenation process at the current time, since some genotypes are not in the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. In addition, we conclude that the Pardo ethnicity is derived from a complex mixture of ethnicities, including the native Indian population.

Effects of lithium on the proliferation and migration of neuroblasts in the rostral migratory stream in adult mice

The discovery of neurogenesis in adult brains opened the possibility of cellular therapy strategies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Neurogenesis in the adult brain occurs in two areas: subgranular zone of the hippocampus and subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricles. Neurons that originate from the SVZ migrate to the olfactory bulb (OB) through the rostral migratory stream (RMS). In Alzheimer’s disease, there is a progressive neuronal dysfunction and degeneration, resulting in brain atrophy and cognitive impairments including olfactory dysfunction. Several studies have demonstrated that pharmacological treatment with lithium exerts positive effects on adult neurogenesis, and one pathway seems to be the modulation of factors that regulate the migration of neuroblasts. The objective of this study was to investigate whether treatment with lithium promotes the increase of migratory neuroblasts using as parameter the RMS. Adult male C57BL/6 mice were divided into control and lithium-treated groups. The animals were treated for 6 weeks and, at four different time points, i.e., 10 days, 7 days, 3 days and 1 day before the end of treatments, they received an injection of BrdU (cell proliferation marker). The animals were sacrificed by perfusion fixation and the brains were immunohistochemically labeled for BrdU for analysis of migrating neuroblasts in the RMS. The results showed that the number of BrdU+ cells in the RMS was not significantly different between the two groups, suggesting that lithium, alone, is not capable of increasing the number of neuroblasts migrating from the SVZ to the OB

Estudo hodológico e neuroquímico das aferências da região noradrenérgica A5 aos neurônios da raiz coclear

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Cortical correlates of affective syndrome in dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Exercise and oxidative stress: p,otential effects of antioxidant dietary strategies in sports

Free radicals are produced during aerobic cellular metabolism and have key roles as regulatory mediators in signaling processes. Oxidative stress reflects an imbalance between production of reactive oxygen species and an adequate antioxidant defense. This adverse condition may lead to cellular and tissue damage of components, and is involved in different physiopathological states, including aging, exercise, inflammatory, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. In particular, the relationship between exercise and oxidative stress is extremely complex, depending on the mode, intensity, and duration of exercise. Regular moderate training appears beneficial for oxidative stress and health. Conversely, acute exercise leads to increased oxidative stress, although this same stimulus is necessary to allow an up-regulation in endogenous antioxidant defenses (hormesis). Supporting endogenous defenses with additional oral antioxidant supplementation may represent a suitable noninvasive tool for preventing or reducing oxidative stress during training. However, excess of exogenous antioxidants may have detrimental effects on health and performance. Whole foods, rather than capsules, contain antioxidants in natural ratios and proportions, which may act in synergy to optimize the antioxidant effect. Thus, an adequate intake of vitamins and minerals through a varied and balanced diet remains the best approach to maintain an optimal antioxidant status. Antioxidant supplementation may be warranted in particular conditions, when athletes are exposed to high oxidative stress or fail to meet dietary antioxidant requirements. Aim of this review is to discuss the evidence on the relationship between exercise and oxidative stress, and the potential effects of dietary strategies in athletes. The differences between diet and exogenous supplementation as well as available tools to estimate effectiveness of antioxidant intake are also reported. Finally, we advocate the need to adopt an individualized diet for each athlete performing a specific sport or in a specific period of training, clinically supervised with inclusion of blood analysis and physiological tests, in a comprehensive nutritional assessment. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Involvement of AMPK, IKβα-NFκB and eNOS in the sildenafil anti-inflammatory mechanism in a demyelination model

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estudo comportamental das aferências do núcleo ventral do corpo trapezóide ao primeiro núcleo do circuito neural do reflexo auditivo de sobressalto: núcleo da raiz coclear

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Atividade física para promoção da saúde de idosos com doença de Alzheimer e seus cuidadores

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Nível de atividade física, estado nutricional e níveis de BACE 1 e BACE 2 em idosos neurologicamente saudáveis e com doença de Alzheimer

Pós-graduação em Ciências da Motricidade - IBRC