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Objective To investigate early and differential diagnosis of Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia (VD)using FDG-PET scan. Methods Clinical data was collected from AD,VD and normal control(NC). 18F-2-fluo-ro-deoxy-D-glucose(18F-FDG)PET scan was conducted to detect the cerebral FDG metabolism. The average standard uptake value (SUV) of cerebral regions was expressed as semiquantitative index relative to ipsilateral cerebellum. Re-sults There were no differences in age and the mean total scores of the mini mental status examination (MMSE) between patients with VD and those with AD.The AD group showed that the SUV was significantly decreased in the right frontal, parietal,temporal lobe,hippocampus,temporo-parietal junction,and bilateral posterior cingulate cortex compared to the VD and in the bilateral posterior cingulate cortex,temporo-parietal junction,frontal and temporal lobe comparing to the NC(P≤0.01). SUV was significantly increased in the right parietal,posterior cingulate cortex and hippocampus whereas was significantly decreased in the left frontal lobe,temporo-parietal junction and thalamus in the VD compared with NC group(P≤0.01). Conclusion AD patients have typical features of 18F-FDG PET which may be helpful for the diagnosis of AD in the early stage.
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Objective To study the effect of erythropoietin (EPO) on neural function and brain cell apoptosis in rats after cardiopulmonary resuscitation.Methods Adult male SD rats were randomly divided into control group and EPO group with 24 in each group.A rat model of asphyxial cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was established.The neurological functions were assessed using neurological deficit score (NDS) 12 h and 24 h after cardiopulmonary resuscitation.The expressions of the apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and caspase-3 mRNA in cerebral cortex tissue were detected using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) at 0 h,12 h,and 24 h,respectively.Results Compared with the DNS scores in the control group (12 h:(60.00± 3.38) ;24 h:(54.50±2.56),respectively),12 h and 24 h NDS scores were (70.50±4.04) and (65.88±2.64) in EPO group after cardiopulmonary resuscitation,and the difference was statistically different (P＜0.01).The AIF mRNA expression levels of 12 h (1.31±0.26) and 24 h (1.87±0.17) after cardiopulmonary resuscitation in EPO group were obviously lower than those in the control group (12 h:(1.88 ± 0.18),24h:(2.71 ± 0.24),respectively),and the differences were statistically different (P＜0.01).The Caspas-3 mRNA expression levels of 12 h (1.49± 0.15) and 24 h (1.56±0.10) after cardiopuhmonary resuscitation in EPO group were obviously lower than those in the control group (12 h:(1.68± 0.10),24h:(1.84 ± 0.16),respectively),and the differences were statistically significant (P＜0.01).Conclusion EPO can reduce AIF and caspase-3 mRNA transcription,reduce apoptosis in cortical neurons caused by the cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury after cardiopulmonary resuscitation,and therefore improve brain function.
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Objective To study the functional connectivity (FC) pattern of thalamus in patients with Alzheimer' s disease (AD).Methods In the present study,resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were obtained from 30 patients with AD and 26 subjects with normal cognition (NC).The altered functional connectivity pattern in AD was evaluated by comparing to NC.Then a correlation analysis was performed between the strength of FC of the identified regions and various clinical variables for evaluating the relationships between the strength of FC and the cognitive abilities (MMSE,immediate recall and delayed recall of Auditory Verbal Learning Test) of the AD patients.Results The MMSE(19.7 ± 4.1),immediate recall (2.8 ± 1.7) and delayed recall (0.7 ± 1.3) of Auditory Verbal Learning Test in AD patients were lower than NC group (28.8 ± 1.0,5.9 ± 1.2,5.7 ± 2.2 ; t =11.09,8.09,10.51,all P ＜0.05).Compared to NC,AD patients showed decreased FC between the left thalamus and several regions of brain including right posterior/middle cingulate cortex (PCC/MCC.R),left medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC.L) and right superior frontal gyms/medial prefrontal cortex (SFG/MPFC.R).For the right thalamus,decreased FC was found in SFG/MPFC.R,PCC/MCC.R and right hippocampus.We also found increased FC between the bilateral thalamus and many regions of brain including inferior temporal gyrus,medial temporal gyrus,SFG,postcentral gyrus,paracentral lobule,inferior frontal gyms and insula.Significant correlations between the fitted FC strength and clinical variables were also detected.Conclusions FC pattern of thalamus in AD group is impaired.Increased FC in AD may indicate the presence of a compensatory mechanism.The alteration is related with cognitive function in AD.
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Objective To study the effects of butylphthalide (NBP) on memory and apoptosis related protein as well as neuronal pathology in hippocampus of vascular dementia (VD) rats. Methods VD model was generated by the permanent occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries in SD rats to produce the forebran ischemia. Male SD rats were randomly allocated into sham-operation group, VD model group, NBP treatment group and nimodipine treatment group. The function of memory was tested by the Morris water maze. The neuronal pathological changes and the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins in the hippocampus were observed with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. Results The impaired memory of VD rats was proved by the lengthened mean escape latency [(78.79±21.93)vs.(16.96±7.44),P＜0.05] and the neuron in hippocampus was severely damaged. The decveased ratio of Bcl-2/Bax resulted from the overexpression of Bax proteins in VD model group versus the sham-operation group [(43.00±6.72)vs.(6.00±1.29),P＜0.05]. The treatment of NBP notably improved the memory function of VD rats and reduced the hippocampus pathological injury (P＜0.05). The expression of Bcl-2 protein raised [(33.14±8.05)vs.(21.81±4.97),P＜0.05] along with reduced expression of Bax protein [(32.93±4.99)vs.(43.00±6.72),P＜0.05] after NBP treatment. However, there was no significant difference in the treatment effects between nimodipine and NBP group (P＞0.05). Conclusions NBP treatment could improve memory of VD rats and reduce the hippocampus pathological lesion by inhibiting the apoptosis related protein.
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Objective To investigate the association between the polymorphisms of brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) gene C270T and sporadic Alzheimer's disease(SAD) in Han Chinese.Methods The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RELP) was used to detect BDNF gene C270T genotype and allele frequencies in 55 SAD patients and 80 age-and sex-matched healthy people(as normal control group).Results The frequencies distribution of BDNF gene C270T genotype and allele in the normal control group were suit to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium(?2=0.167,P=0.682).The frequencies distribution of genotype and allele in the SAD group[C/C:52(94.5%),C/T:3(5.5%) and C:97.27%,T:2.73%]and normal control group[C/C:74(92.5%),C/T:6(7.5%) and C:96.25%,T:3.75%] were no statistical differences.Conclusion There is no association between the polymorphisms of BDNF gene C270T and SAD in Han Chinese.