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Unintentional weight loss in older adults is linked to multiple factors, being most often associated with comorbidities such as cancer, dementia syndromes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chronic kidney disease. Difficulty in managing this condition can quickly lead to malnutrition and, consequently, a state of cachexia. There is a dearth of studies in the literature regarding pharmacotherapeutic interventions for this population, with megestrol acetate (MA) being the most commonly studied medication. In this systematic review, we evaluated the use of MA to improve appetite and treat unintentional weight loss and/or the anorexia-cachexia syndrome in older adults. Randomized studies published up to December 2023 in three languages (Portuguese, Spanish, or English) were retrieved from five databases. We included 25 studies, most of which addressed the use of MA for treatment of patients diagnosed with cancer and the anorexia-cachexia syndrome. We used the PEDro scale to assess methodological quality of the included studies and calculated measures of heterogeneity, such as the tau-squared (τ2), I-squared (I2), and Q test, to assess consistency across studies. Although the studies selected for the systematic review suggest that patients with the anorexia-cachexia syndrome secondary to cancer may benefit from MA therapy, a meta-analysis of 8 selected studies (total n = 592) did not confirm this effect (p = 0.104). The indication of MA for treatment of patients with weight loss required further studies with better methodological designs to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of this medication in older adults. PROSPERO registry number CDR42024497640.

INTRODUCTION: Manual tracing is an effective method to measure hippocampal volume. OsiriX™ is a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) viewer with an intuitive user interface that has been widely used by radiologists and other specialists in their daily practice. OBJECTIVE: To describe OsiriX™, a tool for in office manual measurement of hippocampal volume. METHODS: The open-source OsiriX™ viewer was used with three dimensions (3D) T1 weighted spoiled gradient recalled echo (SPGR) sequence images, with 1 mm slice thickness and 0.1mm gap (voxel size 1 mm3). Magnetic Resonance Imagings (MRI) were obtained on a 1.5 T system. The entire procedure lasted less than 15 minutes for each hippocampus. CONCLUSION: OsiriX™ viewer is a feasible tool for in office manual hippocampal measurement. There is no standard hippocampal volume for Alzheimer’s disease, thus comparison could be regarded as the rate of hippocampal atrophy over time, correlated with clinical evaluation and cognitive tests.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare spongiform encephalopathy characterized by a rapid neurodegenerative progress, caused by a misfolded variant of the cellular prion protein (PrP) known as PrPSc. The clinical presentation of sCJD includes a wide range of neurological signs of cortical, subcortical, or cerebellar origin, either isolated or in various combinations. Due to this protean clinical presentation form, sCJD must be distinguished from other dementias. In this case report, we discuss the Heidenhain variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (HvCJD), a rare variant characterized by early visual symptoms and typical findings in imaging scans. Our patient presented rapidly progressive dementia and a history of visual hallucinations. As for other prion diseases, only symptomatic treatment is available for HvCJD. Thirty years of clinical investigation of patients with prion disease have resulted in little progress in either defining or evaluating potential treatments.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of a multicomponent physical exercise program on clinical variables associated with the glymphatic clearance system, sleep-awake patterns, and cognitive function in individuals with mild cognitive impairment or mild Alzheimer’s disease. Methods: This is a single-center parallel randomized controlled trial involving pre- and post-intervention assessments. The intervention consists of a 12 (±3)-week multicomponent aerobic and resistance physical exercise program of moderate intensity divided into 2 groups: an experimental group (undergoing multicomponent training) and a control group (no intervention). Eligible participants are those diagnosed with probable mild cognitive impairment or mild Alzheimer’s disease. Expected results: Anticipated outcomes suggest that the multicomponent training protocol, incorporating both aerobic and resistance physical exercises at a moderate intensity, will yield improvements in glymphatic clearance dynamics, sleep-awake parameters, and performance on cognitive, functional, and behavioral tasks among eligible patients. Relevance: The need to move beyond cognitive clinical testing justifies our trial, which proposes an assessment employing neuroimaging techniques and the analysis of biomarkers present in cerebrospinal fluid in conjunction with clinical tests for physical and cognitive assessment.

Cerebellar atrophy is a rare and challenging disease with few descriptions in the medical literature. Motor impairment is mild, but behavioral and linguistic alterations stand out, in what is known as the cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome secondary to cerebellar atrophy. We report the case of an older woman with early-onset (age 45) signs and symptoms of this syndrome, including impairment of executive functions and visuospatial cognition, personality changes, and language deficits, who was followed at a geriatric medical center for 14 years. Neuropsychological, imaging, and behavioral aspects during this period are discussed in light of scientific evidence. This case report contributes to the scientific literature by describing the progression of the signs and symptoms of cerebellar atrophy over the years, which can help guide medical management and support advice for patients and their families.