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1.
Neurol Sci ; 39(9): 1597-1602, 2018 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29936556

ABSTRACT

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can include the transition from a normal state to dementia. To explore biomarkers for the development of dementia, we performed an 18-month follow-up study in 28 patients with amnestic MCI. Amyloid deposition was examined using PiB PET, and cerebral blood flow (CBF) was examined using SPECT. Cognitive function was periodically assessed. The rate of conversion to dementia was higher in the PiB-positive/equivocal group (74%) than in the PiB-negative group (33%) (p = 0.041). Perfusion SPECT was performed in 16 patients. MCI patients with an AD-characteristic pattern of reduced CBF had a higher PiB-positive/equivocal rate (82%) than those with a non-AD pattern (20%) (p = 0.018), and patients with an AD pattern had a higher conversion rate (82%) than those with a non-AD pattern (40%) (p = 0.094). Clinically, all PiB-positive converters were diagnosed as having Alzheimer's disease (AD), whereas PiB-negative converters were thought to have some form of dementia other than AD. Amyloid PET is useful for predicting conversion to AD in MCI patients. A pattern analysis of perfusion SPECT findings might also be helpful for predicting conversion to AD, but with a lower specificity.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/cerebrospinal fluid , Alzheimer Disease/diagnostic imaging , Amyloid/metabolism , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Cognitive Dysfunction/cerebrospinal fluid , Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnostic imaging , Aged , Aniline Compounds , Brain/metabolism , Disease Progression , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Neuropsychological Tests , Perfusion Imaging , Phenanthrolines , Positron-Emission Tomography , Prognosis , Radiopharmaceuticals , Retrospective Studies , Thiazoles , Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
2.
PLoS One ; 12(4): e0174630, 2017.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28394917

ABSTRACT

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) has been a candidate as a potential anti-amyloid immunotherapy for Alzheimer disease (AD) because it contains anti-amyloid ß (Aß) antibodies. Although several studies with IVIg in AD have been published, changing levels of Aß efflux from the brain, or disaggregation of Aß species induced by immunotherapy, have not been properly investigated. Here, we carried out an open label study of therapy with IVIg in five patients with AD. We collected plasma from a peripheral vein (peripheral-plasma) and from the internal jugular vein (jugular-plasma) to estimate directly the efflux of soluble Aß from the brain. We also measured high molecular weight (HMW) Aß oligomers in CSF as a marker to detect disaggregated Aß. IVIg infusions were well tolerated in the majority of cases. However, one study subject had epileptic seizures after IVIg. Levels of HMW CSF Aß oligomers in all participants were significantly increased after IVIg. Aß40 and Aß42 levels in jugular-plasma were continuously or temporarily elevated after treatment in three of five patients who showed preserved cognitive function, whereas levels of those in peripheral-plasma did not correlate with reactivity to the treatment. Other conventional biomarkers including 11C-Pittsburgh compound B retention were not altered after the treatment. These findings imply that HMW Aß oligomer levels could be a better biomarker to reflect the anti-amyloid effects of IVIg than conventional Aß species; moreover, Aß in jugular-plasma seems to be a more direct and precise biomarker to estimate clearance of Aß from the brain rather than Aß in peripheral-plasma. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN000022319.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/drug therapy , Amyloid beta-Peptides/blood , Amyloid beta-Peptides/cerebrospinal fluid , Immunoglobulins, Intravenous/therapeutic use , Immunologic Factors/therapeutic use , Aged , Alzheimer Disease/diagnostic imaging , Alzheimer Disease/metabolism , Alzheimer Disease/psychology , Biomarkers/blood , Biomarkers/cerebrospinal fluid , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Brain/drug effects , Cognition/drug effects , Cognition/physiology , Donepezil , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Humans , Immunoglobulins, Intravenous/adverse effects , Immunologic Factors/adverse effects , Indans/therapeutic use , Jugular Veins , Male , Mental Status Schedule , Middle Aged , Nootropic Agents/therapeutic use , Piperidines/therapeutic use , Positron-Emission Tomography , Seizures/chemically induced , Treatment Outcome
3.
Life Sci ; 137: 150-7, 2015 Sep 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26232557

ABSTRACT

AIMS: To elucidate the role of cerebral serotonin neurotransmission in visceral perception in functional dyspepsia (FD), we observationally examined the regional expression level of the serotonin transporter (SERT) and its correlation with clinical symptoms. MAIN METHODS: FD patients (Rome III criteria; N=9, age range: 36-76years) and healthy controls (N=8, age range: 25-61years) participated in this study. Positron emission tomography scanning with [(11)C]N,N-dimethyl-2-(2-amino-4-cyanophenylthio) benzylamine ([(11)C]DASB), which binds specifically to SERT, was used to quantify the binding potential (BPND) of [(11)C]DASB in the midbrain, thalamus, caudate, putamen, amygdala, and hippocampus with reference to co-registered magnetic resonance images. Clinical symptoms were assessed using the Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale (GSRS). Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). KEY FINDINGS: BPND of the midbrain (P=0.041) and thalamus (P=0.031) was higher in FD patients than in controls. The BPND values in the midbrain correlated with total GSRS (r=0.663, P=0.004) and abdominal pain (r=0.419, P=0.047) scores. Its values in the thalamus correlated with total GSRS (r=0.423, P=0.044), abdominal pain (r=0.502, P=0.022), and indigestion (r=0.476, P=0.028) scores. Its value in the hippocampus correlated with abdominal pain and state-STAI scores (r=0.528, P=0.017; r=0.428, P=0.043). SIGNIFICANCE: Up-regulation of the SERT level in the midbrain and thalamus may underlie the pathogenesis of FD such as abdominal and psychological symptoms via a brain-gut interaction.


Subject(s)
Dyspepsia/metabolism , Hippocampus/metabolism , Mesencephalon/metabolism , Serotonin/metabolism , Synaptic Transmission , Thalamus/metabolism , Adult , Benzylamines , Carbon Radioisotopes , Case-Control Studies , Dyspepsia/diagnosis , Female , Functional Neuroimaging , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Positron-Emission Tomography , Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins/biosynthesis , Symptom Assessment
4.
Intern Med ; 54(2): 205-8, 2015.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25743013

ABSTRACT

A 59-year-old woman developed early-onset, slowly progressive dementia and spastic paraplegia. positron emission tomography (PET) imaging revealed a large reduction in the level of glucose uptake without amyloid deposition in the cerebral cortex. We identified a homozygous microdeletion within the amyloid ß (Aß) coding sequence in the amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene (c.2080_2082delGAA, p.E693del) in three affected siblings and a heterozygous microdeletion in an unaffected sibling. The identical mutation was previously reported in the first Alzheimer's pedigree without amyloid deposits. Furthermore, an increase in high-molecular-weight Aß-reactive bands was detected in the patient's CSF. Our findings suggest that soluble Aß-oligomers induce neuronal toxicity, independent of insoluble Aß fibrils.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/genetics , Alzheimer Disease/physiopathology , Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor/genetics , Aged , Amyloid/metabolism , Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor/metabolism , Female , Humans , Japan , Male , Middle Aged , Plaque, Amyloid/physiopathology , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Positron-Emission Tomography
5.
Geriatr Gerontol Int ; 14(3): 716-23, 2014 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24020590

ABSTRACT

AIM: Decreased amyloid ß (Aß) clearance from the brain to blood might play a key role in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aß is normally bound to and transported by albumin in blood, thus possibly maintaining constant concentration of free Aß in the blood. We therefore hypothesized that decreased blood levels of albumin-Aß complexes could be associated with decreased Aß removal from the brain to blood, resulting in Aß accumulation in the brain. METHODS: We carried out a cross-sectional investigation of the association between serum levels of albumin-Aß complexes (SLAAC) and AD prevalence in 89 patients who visited our outpatient clinic, and gave written informed consent between August 2008 and May 2012. RESULTS: We confirmed 45 cases of AD. Low SLAAC was associated with an increased prevalence of AD (OR 0.27; 95% CI 0.14-0.51) in a univariable logistic model and multivariable logistic models. In addition, decreased SLAAC was associated with decreased levels of Aß42 in CSF (r = 0.38, P = 0.0221) and increased levels of p-tau in CSF (r = -0.43, P = 0.0090), findings that have been shown to be associated with AD progression. CONCLUSIONS: This novel method might be very useful for monitoring of the progression of AD.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/blood , Alzheimer Disease/epidemiology , Amyloid beta-Peptides/blood , Serum Albumin/metabolism , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Apolipoprotein E4/blood , Biomarkers/blood , Case-Control Studies , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Japan , Male , Prevalence
6.
Mult Scler Relat Disord ; 3(3): 391-7, 2014 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25876479

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To describe an unusual case of a male patient with anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis who presented with multiple white matter lesions. Brain biopsy of the patient was performed, and follow-up evaluation of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) NMDAR antibody titer was implemented. DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENT: A 35-year-old man with anti-NMDAR encephalitis initially presented with fever and psychiatric symptoms. After an initial attack of anti-NMDAR encephalitis, 2 atypical relapses occurred, which presented with myelitis and multifocal white matter lesions; the lesions were open-ring-shaped and partially enhanced. INTERVENTION: Analysis of the brain biopsy specimen revealed the presence of demyelinated lesions with discrete borders. Subsequent intravenous methylprednisolone therapy resulted in improvement in the brain lesions. Prednisolone and cyclophosphamide were orally administered thereafter. Clinical progression of the disease paralleled observed changes in the CSF NMDAR antibody titer. CONCLUSION: The demyelinated lesions observed in this case were similar to lesions found in multiple sclerosis. On the basis of our finding that the clinical progression of the disease and the associated symptoms paralleled changes in the CSF NMDAR antibody titer, we speculate that the lesions formed as a result of anti-NMDAR encephalitis.

7.
Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord ; 34(2): 112-20, 2012.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22947919

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We previously found that some cases of clinically diagnosed Alzheimer's disease (AD) were rated as Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) negative by amyloid imaging (i.e. cases of PiB-negative dementia). The present study was designed to analyze the clinical features of PiB-negative dementia patients in detail. METHODS: Of the 64 cases of clinically diagnosed AD, 14 were rated PiB negative. Eleven of these were further analyzed using CSF biomarker levels and findings from MRI, FDG-PET, (123)I-MIBG myocardial scintigraphy and voxel-based morphometry (VBM). RESULTS: When examined by (123)I-MIBG myocardial scintigraphy, the heart/mediastinum ratio was significantly higher in the PiB-negative dementia group than in the dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) group. Analyses of CSF biomarkers and MRI and FDG-PET findings suggested argyrophilic grain disease (AGD) in 3 cases, frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) in 3 cases, neurofibrillary tangle-predominant dementia (NFTD) in 1 case, and AD in 2 cases. In the VBM data analysis, the PiB-positive AD group showed significant atrophy of both hippocampi compared with the healthy control group, while the PiB-negative dementia group presented with significant atrophy of the left precuneus. CONCLUSION: PiB-negative dementia is unlikely to include DLB, while it most likely includes diseases of tauopathy, such as FTLD, AGD and NFTD. A better understanding of PiB-negative dementia is expected to further improve the accuracy of the clinical AD diagnosis.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease , Aniline Compounds/metabolism , Dementia , Thiazoles/metabolism , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Alzheimer Disease/diagnosis , Alzheimer Disease/metabolism , Amyloid beta-Peptides/cerebrospinal fluid , Case-Control Studies , Dementia/diagnosis , Dementia/metabolism , Female , Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Humans , Iodine Radioisotopes , Lewy Body Disease/diagnosis , Lewy Body Disease/metabolism , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Middle Aged , Myocardial Perfusion Imaging , Positron-Emission Tomography , Radiopharmaceuticals , tau Proteins/cerebrospinal fluid
8.
Neurol Sci ; 33(1): 87-92, 2012 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21298310

ABSTRACT

We described the cases of two patients with dementia associated with motor neuron disease, the former with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and the latter with Alzheimer's disease (AD), studied by the Pittsburgh compound B-positron emission tomography (PIB-PET). In the FTD patient, the PIB-PET revealed no amyloid accumulation in the cortex, whilst in the AD patient showed amyloid accumulation mainly in the frontal, parietal and lateral temporal lobes, besides the posterior cingulate gyrus and the precuneus. Thus, PIB-PET might facilitate the discrimination of different proteinopathies that cause neurodegenerative diseases, as dementia associated with ALS.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/diagnostic imaging , Aniline Compounds , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Frontotemporal Dementia/diagnostic imaging , Thiazoles , Aged , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Motor Neuron Disease/diagnostic imaging , Positron-Emission Tomography/methods
9.
Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord ; 32(1): 45-54, 2011.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21846988

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Oligomeric amyloid ß (Aß) is currently considered to induce Alzheimer's disease (AD). We examined 2 patients with familial AD who possessed the Osaka (E693Δ) mutation in amyloid precursor protein. To the best of our knowledge, these patients are the first AD cases presumably affected with Aß oligomers in the absence of senile plaques, and they support the Aß oligomer hypothesis. METHODS: We evaluated the clinical course, neuropsychological data, cerebrospinal fluid biomarker levels, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (PET) scans, and Pittsburgh compound B (PiB)-PET images of these patients. RESULTS: In the early stages, these patients developed memory disturbances in a similar rate to patients with sporadic AD. Despite their memory disturbances, both patients showed only limited brain atrophy on MRI and little amyloid accumulation on PiB-PET. Subsequent to the development of memory disturbances, both patients suffered from motor dysfunction, probably due to cerebellar ataxia, and, within a few years, the patients fell into an apallic state. CONCLUSIONS: Familial AD patients with Osaka (E693Δ) mutation show severe dementia, cerebellar ataxia, and gait disturbances.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/genetics , Alzheimer Disease/psychology , Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor/genetics , Plaque, Amyloid/genetics , Alzheimer Disease/pathology , Aniline Compounds , Apolipoproteins E/genetics , Atrophy , Benzothiazoles , Brain/pathology , Cerebellar Ataxia/etiology , Cognition/physiology , Disease Progression , Female , Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Gait Disorders, Neurologic/etiology , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Memory Disorders/etiology , Memory Disorders/genetics , Middle Aged , Mutation/physiology , Neuropsychological Tests , Pedigree , Plaque, Amyloid/pathology , Positron-Emission Tomography , Radiopharmaceuticals , Thiazoles
10.
J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol ; 24(3): 123-6, 2011 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21750305

ABSTRACT

Amyloid imaging has been used to detect amyloid deposition in the brain. We performed Pittsburgh compound B (PiB)-positron emission tomography on 63 patients with dementia having cognitive decline or memory disturbance. In addition, we measured the patients' apolipoprotein E4 (apo E4) status and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of amyloid-ß (Aß)1-42, tau, and P-tau. Finally, the patients were diagnosed as having probable Alzheimer disease (AD) on the basis of their neuropsychological findings and because they met the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria. Among the patients diagnosed with probable AD, 10 patients were PiB negative. The CSF levels of P-tau and tau in PiB-negative patients were significantly lower than those in the PiB-positive patients. In addition, the CSF levels of Aß1-42 in the PiB-negative patients were significantly higher than those in the PiB-positive patients. None of the PiB-negative patients were apo E4 carriers. These results suggest that the PiB-negative patient group included not only AD patients but also non-AD-type dementia patients. However, our finding is based on a relatively small number of patients and therefore should be replicated in a larger cohort. In addition, it will be necessary to categorize these participants by longitudinal follow-up and postmortem pathological examinations.


Subject(s)
Aniline Compounds , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Dementia/diagnostic imaging , Positron-Emission Tomography/methods , Thiazoles , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Alzheimer Disease/cerebrospinal fluid , Alzheimer Disease/diagnostic imaging , Alzheimer Disease/psychology , Amyloid beta-Peptides/cerebrospinal fluid , Dementia/cerebrospinal fluid , Dementia/psychology , Diagnostic Errors , Female , Humans , Male , Neuropsychological Tests , Peptide Fragments/cerebrospinal fluid , tau Proteins/cerebrospinal fluid
11.
Diabetes Res Clin Pract ; 87(2): 224-7, 2010 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19875189

ABSTRACT

AIM: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an important risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) but the relationship between DM and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), characterized by isolated memory loss, is unclear. We studied the prevalence of MCI in DM patients. METHODS: Neuropsychological status was evaluated using the Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test (RBMT) and the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Subjects consisted of 103 consecutive diabetic patients hospitalized for diabetic education. Patients with severe diabetic complications or cerebrovascular accidents were excluded. RESULTS: Neuropsychological evaluation of DM patients showed that 71% were normal (MMSE score > or =24 and RBMT score > or =15), 5% had amnestic MCI (aMCI) (MMSE score > or =24 and RBMT score <15) and the remaining 23% had dementia (MMSE score <24). The percentage of patients with dementia was significantly higher in the DM group than in the control group (p<0.04). RBMT score and HbA1c were mildly correlated in diabetic patients. CONCLUSION: High blood sugar may cause deterioration in not only memory function but also other cognitive domains in elderly patients with DM. Monitoring the neuropsychological status of this patient population is important.


Subject(s)
Cognition Disorders/epidemiology , Diabetes Mellitus/physiopathology , Diabetes Mellitus/psychology , Neuropsychology/classification , Administration, Oral , Aged , Alzheimer Disease/epidemiology , Blood Glucose/analysis , Diet, Diabetic , Female , Glycated Hemoglobin/analysis , Humans , Hypoglycemic Agents/administration & dosage , Hypoglycemic Agents/therapeutic use , Insulin/therapeutic use , Male , Memory , Middle Aged , Prevalence , Psychological Tests
12.
Arch Neurol ; 66(12): 1537-44, 2009 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20008660

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Supported by compelling genetic data regarding early-onset familial Alzheimer disease (AD), the amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta)-centric theory holds that Abeta is involved in the pathogenesis of sporadic AD. Mutations in the amyloid precursor protein (APP), presenilin 1 (PSEN1), and presenilin 2 (PSEN2) genes lead to increased Abeta levels before symptoms arise. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the pattern of Pittsburgh Compound B (PiB) retention in subjects with different autosomal dominant mutations associated with familial AD vs that in healthy age-matched control subjects and subjects with probable sporadic AD, to correlate Abeta burden as measured by PiB with available clinical and cognitive data, and to compare the regional brain patterns of PiB retention and fluorodeoxyglucose F 18 (FDG) uptake. DESIGN: Correlation analysis of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging studies. SETTING: Academic research. PARTICIPANTS: Seven PSEN1 mutation carriers and 1 APP mutation carrier underwent PiB and FDG PET imaging. Amyloid beta-peptide burden and FDG uptake were established using standardized uptake values normalized to pons. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Primary outcomes were PET results, which were compared with those of a well-characterized cohort of 30 healthy control subjects and 30 subjects with probable sporadic AD. RESULTS: All mutation carriers had high PiB retention in the striatum, with some also having cortical PiB retention in ventrofrontal and posterior cingulate/precuneus areas. The striatal pattern of PiB retention was similar in the PSEN1 and APP mutation carriers. Neither striatal nor cortical Abeta burden was related to cognitive status. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with previous studies, the pattern of Abeta deposition in familial AD differs from that in sporadic AD, with higher striatal and somewhat lower cortical PiB retention in familial AD. The pattern and degree of Abeta deposition were not associated with mutation type nor cognitive status.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/diagnostic imaging , Alzheimer Disease/genetics , Amyloid beta-Peptides/genetics , Corpus Striatum/diagnostic imaging , Mutation/genetics , Adult , Alzheimer Disease/pathology , Cohort Studies , Corpus Striatum/pathology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Peptide Fragments/genetics , Positron-Emission Tomography
13.
Nutr Res ; 29(3): 145-50, 2009 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19358927

ABSTRACT

This study compared the effects of placebo with a carotenoid compound, crocetin, as well as an antioxidant, ascorbic acid, on physical fatigue in humans. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, 3-way crossover study, 14 Japanese healthy volunteers (7 men and 7 women) were randomized to oral administration of crocetin (15 mg), ascorbic acid (3,000 mg), or placebo for 8 days. Subjects performed workload tests on a bicycle ergometer at fixed workloads for 120 minutes at 2 times (a total of 240 minutes) as a fatigue-inducing physical task. During the physical task, subjects performed nonworkload tests at maximum velocity (MV) of 10 seconds at 30 minutes (30-minute test) after the start of the physical task and at 30 minutes before the end of the task (210-minute test). The change in MV from the 30- to the 210-minute test was significantly higher in men who received crocetin compared with men who received placebo (P < .05). This effect of crocetin was specific to males. Administration of ascorbic acid did not change in MV from the 30-minute to the 210-minute test on males or females. These results suggest that daily administration of crocetin may attenuate physical fatigue in men.


Subject(s)
Antioxidants/therapeutic use , Ascorbic Acid/therapeutic use , Carotenoids/therapeutic use , Fatigue/drug therapy , Physical Exertion/drug effects , Administration, Oral , Adult , Antioxidants/pharmacology , Ascorbic Acid/administration & dosage , Ascorbic Acid/pharmacology , Bicycling/physiology , Carotenoids/administration & dosage , Carotenoids/pharmacology , Double-Blind Method , Drug Administration Schedule , Exercise/physiology , Exercise Test , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Sex Factors , Vitamin A/analogs & derivatives
14.
Nutrition ; 25(1): 51-7, 2009 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18834718

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To confirm fatigue-related biochemical alterations, we measured various parameters just before and after relaxation and fatigue-inducing mental or physical sessions. METHODS: Fifty-four healthy volunteers were randomized to perform relaxation and fatigue-inducing mental and physical sessions for 4 h in a double-blind, three-crossover design. Before and after each session, subjects were asked to rate their subjective sensations of fatigue, and blood, saliva, and urine samples were taken. RESULTS: After the fatigue-inducing mental and physical sessions, subjective scores of fatigue were increased. After the fatigue-inducing mental session, the vanillylmandelic acid level in urine was higher and plasma valine level was lower than after the relaxation session. In contrast, after the fatigue-inducing physical session, serum citric acid, triacylglycerol, free fatty acid, ketone bodies, total carnitine, acylcarnitine, uric acid, creatine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, plasma branched-chain amino acids, transforming growth factor-beta1 and -beta2, white blood cell and neutrophil counts, saliva cortisol and amylase, and urine vanillylmandelic acid levels were higher and serum free carnitine and plasma total amino acids and alanine levels were lower than those after the relaxation session. CONCLUSION: Some mental or physical fatigue-related biochemical changes were determined. Various biochemical alterations reflecting homeostatic perturbation and its responses might be shown. We believe that our results contribute to clarifying the mechanism of fatigue, developing evaluation methods, and establishing a basis for treatment.


Subject(s)
Fatigue/metabolism , Fatigue/physiopathology , Mental Fatigue/metabolism , Mental Fatigue/physiopathology , Muscle Fatigue/physiology , Relaxation/physiology , Adult , Blood Chemical Analysis , Cross-Over Studies , Double-Blind Method , Fatigue/blood , Fatigue/urine , Female , Humans , Male , Mental Fatigue/blood , Mental Fatigue/urine , Saliva/chemistry , Time Factors , Urinalysis
15.
Nutrition ; 24(4): 293-9, 2008 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18272335

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effects of coenzyme Q10 administration on physical fatigue. METHODS: In a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, three crossover design, 17 healthy volunteers were randomized to oral coenzyme Q10 (100 or 300 mg/d) or placebo administration for 8 d. As a fatigue-inducing physical task, subjects performed workload trials on a bicycle ergometer at fixed workloads twice for 2 h and then rested for 4 h. During the physical tasks, subjects performed non-workload trials with maximum velocity for 10 s at 30 min (30-min trial) after the start of physical tasks and 30 min before the end of the tasks (210-min trial). RESULTS: The change in maximum velocity from the 30- to the 210-min trial in the 300-mg coenzyme Q10-administered group was higher than that in the placebo group. In addition, subjective fatigue sensation measured on a visual analog scale in the 300-mg coenzyme Q10-administered group after the fatigue-inducing physical task and recovery period was alleviated when compared with that in the placebo group. CONCLUSION: Oral administration of coenzyme Q10 improved subjective fatigue sensation and physical performance during fatigue-inducing workload trials and might prevent unfavorable conditions as a result of physical fatigue.


Subject(s)
Bicycling/physiology , Muscle Fatigue/drug effects , Physical Endurance/drug effects , Ubiquinone/analogs & derivatives , Vitamins/pharmacology , Adult , Cross-Over Studies , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Double-Blind Method , Exercise Test , Female , Humans , Male , Muscle Fatigue/physiology , Physical Endurance/physiology , Ubiquinone/pharmacology
16.
Ann Neurol ; 63(3): 377-87, 2008 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18300294

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Soluble oligomers of amyloid beta (Abeta), rather than amyloid fibrils, have been proposed to initiate synaptic and cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, there is no direct evidence in humans that this mechanism can cause AD. Here, we report a novel amyloid precursor protein (APP) mutation that may provide evidence to address this question. METHODS: A Japanese pedigree showing Alzheimer's-type dementia was examined for mutations in APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2. In addition, 5,310 Japanese people, including 2,121 patients with AD, were screened for the novel APP mutation. The pathogenic effects of this mutation on Abeta production, degradation, aggregation, and synaptotoxicity were also investigated. RESULTS: We identified a novel APP mutation (E693Delta) producing variant Abeta lacking gulutamate-22 (E22Delta) in Japanese pedigrees showing Alzheimer's-type dementia and AD. Although the secretion of total Abeta was markedly reduced by this mutation, the variant Abeta was more resistant to proteolytic degradation. The mutant peptides showed the unique aggregation property of enhanced oligomerization but no fibrillization, and inhibited hippocampal long-term potentiation more potently than wild-type peptide in rats in vivo. Consistent with the nonfibrillogenic property of the variant Abeta, a very low amyloid signal was observed in the patient's brain on positron emission tomography using Pittsburgh compound-B. INTERPRETATION: The E693Delta mutation has been suggested as a cause of dementia because of enhanced formation of synaptotoxic Abeta oligomers. Our findings may provide genetic validation in humans for the emerging hypothesis that the synaptic and cognitive impairment in AD is primarily caused by soluble Abeta oligomers.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/genetics , Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor/genetics , Genetic Variation/genetics , Adult , Aged , Alzheimer Disease/diagnosis , Amyloid beta-Peptides/genetics , Asian People/genetics , Female , Genetic Markers/genetics , Haplotypes/genetics , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Mutation/genetics , Pedigree
17.
Nutrition ; 24(3): 233-8, 2008 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18178380

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: We examined the effects of administering two different candidate antifatigue substances, caffeine and D-ribose, on mental fatigue. METHODS: In a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, three-way crossover design, 17 healthy volunteers were randomized to oral caffeine (200 mg/d), D-ribose (2000 mg/d), or placebo for 8 d. As fatigue-inducing mental tasks, subjects performed a 30-min Uchida-Kraepelin psychodiagnostic test and a 30-min advanced trail-making test on four occasions. RESULTS: During the tasks, the task performance of the caffeine group was better than that of the placebo group. However, after the fatigue-inducing tasks, although subjective perception of fatigue, motivation, or sleepiness was not significantly different, plasma branched-chain amino acid levels in the caffeine group were lower than those of the placebo group. Administration of D-ribose had no effect. CONCLUSION: Because plasma branched-chain amino acid levels are decreased by mental fatigue, these results suggest that administration of caffeine improved task performance through the enhancement of central nervous system activity without increasing the sensation of fatigue. However, further decreases in branched-chain amino acid levels indicate that caffeine might promote deeper fatigue than placebo. Unfortunately, research subsequent to our study design has shown that D-ribose dosing higher than we used is needed to see a clinical effect and therefore no conclusions can be made from this study as to the efficacy of D-ribose.


Subject(s)
Amino Acids, Branched-Chain/blood , Caffeine/therapeutic use , Central Nervous System Stimulants/therapeutic use , Fatigue/drug therapy , Ribose/therapeutic use , Administration, Oral , Adrenocorticotropic Hormone/blood , Adult , Caffeine/administration & dosage , Central Nervous System Stimulants/administration & dosage , Cross-Over Studies , Double-Blind Method , Fatigue/blood , Female , Humans , Hydrocortisone/blood , Male , Mental Processes/drug effects , Reaction Time/drug effects , Ribose/administration & dosage , Task Performance and Analysis , Treatment Outcome
18.
Nutrition ; 23(5): 419-23, 2007 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17483009

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: We examined the effects of Applephenon and ascorbic acid administration on physical fatigue. METHODS: In a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, three-way crossover design, 18 healthy volunteers were randomized to oral Applephenon (1200 mg/d), ascorbic acid (1000 mg/d), or placebo for 8 d. The fatigue-inducing physical task consisted of workload trials on a bicycle ergometer at fixed workloads for 2 h on two occasions. During the test, subjects performed non-workload trials with maximum velocity for 10 s at 30 min (30-min trial) after the start of the test and 30 min before the end of the test (210-min trial). RESULTS: The change in maximum velocity between the 30- and 210-min trials was higher in the group given Applephenon than in the group given placebo; ascorbic acid had no effect. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that Applephenon attenuates physical fatigue, whereas ascorbic acid does not.


Subject(s)
Antioxidants/pharmacology , Ascorbic Acid/pharmacology , Flavonoids/pharmacology , Muscle Fatigue/drug effects , Phenols/pharmacology , Physical Endurance/drug effects , Adult , Cross-Over Studies , Double-Blind Method , Female , Humans , Male , Malus/chemistry , Muscle Fatigue/physiology , Oxygen Consumption , Physical Endurance/physiology , Polyphenols
19.
Arch Neurol ; 61(11): 1773-6, 2004 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-15534188

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Early-onset familial Alzheimer disease is caused by mutations in the amyloid precursor protein (APP), presenilin-1 (PSEN1), or presenilin-2 (PSEN2) genes. Phenotypic diversity has been reported to be associated with various mutations in PSEN1. Various mutations of PSEN1 have been reported in cases of early-onset Alzheimer disease with spastic paraparesis. OBJECTIVE: To describe a novel mutation in the PSEN1 gene associated with early-onset Alzheimer disease with spastic paraparesis. PATIENT AND METHODS: The patient was a 27-year-old man who developed early-onset dementia with spastic paraparesis. We examined sequences of the PSEN1, PSEN2, and APP genes from the patient and his family. To detect a possible mutation effect on the production of amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta), transfected HEK293 cells were examined for Abeta42 and Abeta40 production. RESULTS: We found a novel mutation (Leu85Pro) in PSEN1. This mutation influenced the production of Abeta, resulting in a 2-fold elevation of Abeta42 production and of the Abeta42/40 ratio. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first report of very early-onset Alzheimer disease with spastic paraparesis and with the visual variant form of the disease, which is associated with visuospatial cognitive disorder. The Leu85Pro mutation in PSEN1 was pathogenic.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/genetics , Alzheimer Disease/physiopathology , Membrane Proteins/genetics , Paraparesis, Spastic/etiology , Adult , Age of Onset , Alzheimer Disease/complications , Amyloid beta-Peptides/analysis , Amyloid beta-Peptides/genetics , DNA Mutational Analysis , Humans , Male , Point Mutation , Presenilin-1 , Vision Disorders/etiology
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