Search

Aims: To investigate the roles of neurotrophic factors on cognition in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) carrying Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4. Methods: Totals of 173 patients with AD were divided into APOE ε4 carrier and non‐carrier groups, and their demographics, cognition, and neurotrophic factors in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were compared. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to assess correlations among APOE ε4, neurotrophic factors and cognition. Mediation analyses were conducted to assess the sequential associations among APOE ε4, nerve growth factor (NGF), and cognition. Results: Global cognition and multiple domains were impaired in the APOE ε4 carrier group (all p < 0.05). NGF level in the APOE ε4 carrier group was lower than that in the non‐carrier group (p = 0.016). NGF level showed significant correlations with both global and multiple domains cognitions. Specifically, NGF mediated the association between APOE ε4 and Animal Fluency Test score (β, −0.45; 95% CI [−0.96, −0.07]; p < 0.001) and Trail Making Test‐A (time) (β, 0.15; 95% CI [0.01, 0.33]; p < 0.001). Conclusion: APOE ε4 is associated with cognitive impairment, and those carrying APOE ε4 have decreased NGF level in CSF. Declined NGF level is correlated with compromised cognition. NGF mediates APOE ε4‐associated cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aimed to comprehensively explore the nutrition and gait of AD patients at different stages and the relationship between them. Methods: A total of 85 AD patients were consecutively enrolled in this cross‐sectional study and divided into the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to AD (AD‐MCI) and the dementia due to AD (AD‐D) groups. Demographic information, nutritional status, and gait performance were compared between the two groups, and the correlation between nutritional status and gait performance was subsequently analyzed by Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses. Results: The AD‐D group had lower scores on Mini‐Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and MNAm scales, lower levels of urea nitrogen, folic acid, and vitamin B12 in blood, and higher homocysteine level than those in the AD‐MCI group (all p < 0.05). The AD‐D group had slower step speed, shorter step length, and shorter stride length than those in the AD‐MCI group (all p < 0.05). AD patients with decreased scores of MNA and MNAm scales, and declined levels of urea nitrogen and vitamin B12 in blood had reduced gait speed and gait cadence, and prolonged step length time and stride length time, whereas homocysteine showed the almost opposite results (all p < 0.05). In the AD‐MCI group, the score of scale was negatively correlated with the coefficient of variation (CV) of stride length, and the folic acid level was negatively correlated with the CV of stride length and cadence (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: AD patients at the dementia stage had worse nutritional status and gait performance than those at the MCI stage, which was associated with worse global cognition and activities of daily living. Poorer nutritional status was associated with higher gait variability in patients at the MCI stage and with poorer gait performance in patients at the dementia stage. Early identification and intervention of patients with nutritional risk or malnutrition may improve gait performance, thus reducing the risk of falling and cognitive decline, as well as the mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To explore the roles of apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 on the neuropathology and neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Methods: AD patients were divided into the APOE ε4 carrier and the APOE ε4 non‐carrier groups according to APOE genotype. Demographic information, cognitive function, the levels of neuropathological proteins and neuroinflammatory factors in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were compared between the two groups, and their correlations were subsequently analyzed. Results: β amyloid protein (Aβ)1–42 level from the APOE ε4 carrier group was significantly lower than that from the non‐carrier group (p = 0.023), which was associated with worse cognitive function. The nitric oxide (NO) level was significantly elevated in the APOE ε4 carrier group compared to the non‐carrier group (p = 0.016), which was significantly and positively correlated with the Trail Making Test (TMT)‐A‐time (r = 0.21, p = 0.026) and TMT‐B‐time (r = 0.38, p < 0.01). Conclusion: APOE ε4 is associated with poorer cognition, particularly the early symptoms of memory, language, and attention. APOE ε4 is associated with lower Aβ1–42 level, and the more numbers of APOE ε4 are carried, the lower level of Aβ1–42 is measured. APOE ε4 is associated with elevated NO level, which is linked to the impaired attention and executive function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]