Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Alessandra Amato, Paolo Ragonese, Sonia Ingoglia, Gabriella Schiera, Giuseppe Schiro, Carlo Maria Di Liegro, Giuseppe Salemi, Italia Di Liegro, Patrizia Proia
Summary: This study investigated the effects of lactacid anaerobic training on multiple sclerosis patients. The results showed that the exercise influenced BDNF and DHEAS levels, reduced baseline lactate levels, and increased self-efficacy and self-esteem in the patients.
Review
Clinical Neurology
Nastaran Karimi, Helia Ashourizadeh, Boshra Akbarzadeh Pasha, Maryam Haghshomar, Tahmineh Jouzdani, Parnian Shobeiri, Antonio L. Teixeira, Nima Rezaie
Summary: This study found that patients with multiple sclerosis have significantly lower blood levels of BDNF compared to controls, with differences observed in both serum and plasma levels. Disease duration and male proportion are significantly correlated with BDNF levels.
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND RELATED DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Marlene Tahedl, Rangariroyashe H. Chipika, Jasmin Lope, Stacey Li Hi Shing, Orla Hardiman, Peter Bede
Summary: This study demonstrates a strategy to track progressive cortical involvement in single ALS patients using subject-specific reference cohorts. The approach successfully corrects for demographic factors and captures relevant cortical changes associated with clinical disability. It offers a framework to interpret single T1-weighted images in ALS and track cortical propagation patterns at both individual subject and cohort levels.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Giuseppe Schiro, Salvatore Iacono, Paolo Ragonese, Paolo Aridon, Giuseppe Salemi, Carmela Rita Balistreri
Summary: The growing incidence of neurodegenerative disorders is driving the search for biomarkers and treatment targets. Biomarkers provide comprehensive information about the nature of a disease by indicating molecular and cellular changes in physiological processes. These specific and reliable biomarkers can predict disease chances, aid in early diagnosis, and guide the development of new therapies. The brain neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-tropomyosin receptor kinase (Trk) pathway plays multiple roles in maintaining CNS health and has potential as a biomarker and therapeutic target for multiple sclerosis (MS).
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Marta Milewska-Jedrzejczak, Andrzej Glabinski
Summary: Physical rehabilitation and physical activity are effective non-pharmacological methods for treating multiple sclerosis. They improve physical fitness, cognitive function, and coordination in patients with movement deficits through the induction of brain plasticity. This review examines the impact of traditional and virtual reality-based rehabilitation methods on brain plasticity in multiple sclerosis patients.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Agata Gabryelska, Szymon Turkiewicz, Marta Ditmer, Marcin Sochal
Summary: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder characterized by chronic intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation. Neurotrophins (NTs), such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), have been associated with OSA and may play a role in mitigating cognitive decline. However, NTs also influence other aspects of biological functioning, such as immunity, and investigating their role in OSA could provide insights into its elusive features and associated comorbidities.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Augustine Joshua Devasahayam, Liam Patrick Kelly, John Bradley Williams, Craig Stephen Moore, Michelle Ploughman
Summary: The study found that individuals with higher fitness levels in progressive MS tend to show a shift towards a repair phenotype, with higher levels of IL-6. Progressive MS patients had significantly lower maximal oxygen consumption, and higher (V)over dotO(2max) was associated with a shift in the balance of blood biomarkers towards a repair phenotype from inflammation.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Carla Petrella, Raffaella Nenna, Laura Petrarca, Francesca Tarani, Roberto Paparella, Enrica Mancino, Greta Di Mattia, Maria Giulia Conti, Luigi Matera, Enea Bonci, Flavio Maria Ceci, Giampiero Ferraguti, Francesca Gabanella, Christian Barbato, Maria Grazia Di Certo, Luca Cavalcanti, Antonio Minni, Fabio Midulla, Luigi Tarani, Marco Fiore
Summary: COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This study aimed to investigate the changes in NGF and BDNF levels in infected adolescents and their relationship with inflammatory biomarkers. The results showed that NGF serum content was lower in post-infected-COVID-19 individuals, and BDNF levels were higher in symptomatic and future long-COVID-19 girls. Inflammatory biomarkers and oxidative stress index remained unchanged in male and female adolescents.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Xin Lin, Yuanhao Yang, Melissa Gresle, Gabriel Cuellar-Partida, Xikun Han, Jim Stankovich, Steve Simpson-Yap, Valery Fuh-Ngwa, Jac Charlesworth, Kathryn P. Burdon, Helmut Butzkueven, Bruce Taylor, Yuan Zhou
Summary: This study identifies 39 novel plasma and brain proteins associated with multiple sclerosis onset risk and assesses their expression at tissue and cell level. Almost two-thirds of the identified candidates were also associated with disability progression.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marialuisa Aragona, Caterina Porcino, Maria Cristina Guerrera, Giuseppe Montalbano, Rosaria Laura, Marzio Cometa, Maria Levanti, Francesco Abbate, Teresa Cobo, Gabriel Capitelli, Jose A. Vega, Antonino Germana
Summary: This review provides an update on the distribution and functions of the BDNF-TrkB system in the sensory organs of zebrafish, highlighting its significance in fish.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Axel Petzold, Sharon Y. L. Chua, Anthony P. Khawaja, Pearse A. Keane, Peng T. Khaw, Charles Reisman, Baljean Dhillon, Nicholas G. Strouthidis, Paul J. Foster, Praveen J. Patel
Summary: The study tested the feasibility of using retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) measures of retinal asymmetry as a diagnostic test for multiple sclerosis at the community level. The results showed that the inter-eye difference of inner retinal OCT data has potential diagnostic value for multiple sclerosis. The discriminatory power of diagnosing multiple sclerosis using these measures was higher compared to other methods and may be considered as supportive measurements for diagnostic criteria.
Article
Biology
Danuta Piotrzkowska, Elzbieta Miller, Ewa Kucharska, Marta Niwald, Ireneusz Majsterek
Summary: The study focused on the impact of microRNAs on the expression of neuroprotective proteins in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in multiple sclerosis patients. The results suggest dysregulation of gene expression in immune cells, potentially inhibiting neuroprotective functions and contributing to inflammation in multiple sclerosis development.
Review
Psychiatry
Adriana Farcas, Charles Hindmarch, Felicia Iftene
Summary: This article reviews recent research findings on the contribution of the BDNF gene Val66Met polymorphisms to schizophrenia. The Met/Met genotype is associated with higher positive symptom scores, while increased BDNF levels under Risperidone treatment correlate with weight gain in Val/Val genotype carriers.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Tatiana A. Gudasheva, Polina Y. Povarnina, Aleksey V. Tarasiuk, Sergey B. Seredenin
Summary: This review discusses the efforts to create low-molecular-weight mimetics of neurotrophins NGF and BDNF with improved pharmacokinetic properties and lacking side effects. Various peptide and nonpeptide mimetics have been produced to mimic the therapeutic effects of full-sized proteins by targeting specific receptors. The relationship between the structure of these mimetics and their action mechanisms and pharmacological properties are analyzed, with special attention given to dipeptide mimetics and their activation of different signal transduction pathways. Promising compounds at different stages of preclinical and clinical studies are also summarized.
MEDICINAL RESEARCH REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Nicolas Fissolo, Laura Calvo-Barreiro, Herena Eixarch, Ursula Boschert, Luisa M. Villar, Lucienne Costa-Frossard, Mireia Ferrer, Alex Sanchez, Eva Borras, Eduard Sabido, Carmen Espejo, Xavier Montalban, Manuel Comabella
Summary: This study characterized the transcriptomic and proteomic profiles induced by cladribine in blood cells, and identified potential treatment response biomarkers to cladribine in patients with multiple sclerosis.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Mariele Lino Silva, Lais Bhering Martins, Luana Caroline dos Santos, Gilberto Simeone Henriques, Antonio Lucio Teixeira, Ana Maria dos Santos Rodrigues, Adaliene Versiani Matos Ferreira
Summary: This study suggests that patients with migraine have lower plasma levels of minerals and lower dietary intake of minerals compared to individuals without migraine. It highlights the importance of dietary intervention to ensure adequate mineral intake as a therapeutic strategy for migraine.
NUTRITIONAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Mario A. Parra, Paulina Orellana, Tomas Leon, Cabello G. Victoria, Fernando Henriquez, Rodrigo Gomez, Constanza Avalos, Andres Damian, Andrea Slachevsky, Agustin Ibanez, Henrik Zetterberg, Betty M. Tijms, Jennifer S. Yokoyama, Stefanie D. Pina-Escudero, J. Nicholas Cochran, Diana L. Matallana, Daisy Acosta, Ricardo Allegri, Bianca P. Arias-Suarez, Bernardo Barra, Maria Isabel Behrens, SoniaM. D. Brucki, Geraldo Busatto, Paulo Caramelli, Sheila Castro-Suarez, Valeria Contreras, Nilton Custodio, Sergio Dansilio, Myriam De la Cruz-Puebla, Leonardo Cruz de Souza, Monica M. Diaz, Lissette Duque, Gonzalo A. Farias, Sergio T. Ferreira, Nahuel Magrath Guimet, Ana Kmaid, David Lira, Francisco Lopera, Beatriz Mar Meza, Eliane C. Miotto, Ricardo Nitrini, Alberto Nunez, Santiago O'Neill, John Ochoa, Maritza Pintado-Caipa, Elisa de Paula Franca Resende, Shannon Risacher, Luz Angela Rojas, Valentina Sabaj, Lucas Schilling, Allis F. Sellek, Ana Sosa, Leonel T. Takada, Antonio L. Teixeira, Martha Unaucho-Pilalumbo, Claudia Duran-Aniotz
Summary: Limited knowledge and funding, as well as inadequate infrastructure, present significant barriers to dementia biomarker research in Latin American and Caribbean countries. However, the region shows great potential for advancements in this field.
ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Lais B. Martins, Ana L. M. Silveira, Antonio L. Teixeira
Summary: This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the involvement of the kynurenine pathway (KP) in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) and discuss potential therapeutic opportunities. The results showed altered levels of KP metabolites in the brains of AD and PD patients, and associations between peripheral levels of KP metabolites and cognitive function in these patients.
CURRENT NEUROPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Jose Alcides Almeida de Arruda, Fernanda Vieira Heimlich, Victor Zanetti Drumond, Lauren Frenzel Schuch, Manoela Domingues Martins, Lucas Guimaraes Abreu, Antonio Lucio Teixeira, Ricardo Alves Mesquita, Tarcilia Aparecida Silva
Summary: This systematic review examined the potential association between anxiety and depression and chemo/radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis. The results showed that there is a connection between anxiety and depression and the severity of oral mucositis in a significant number of participants. However, the limited number of cases and heterogeneity in the data hindered a conclusive conclusion about this association.
Article
Neurosciences
Haitham Salem, Robert Suchting, Mitzi M. Gonzales, Sudha Seshadri, Antonio L. Teixeira
Summary: This study aimed to detect conversion rates from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and determine the effect of apathy on the progression to AD in patients with MCI. The study found that 17.3% of individuals had conversion from MCI to AD over a period of 8.21 years. Patients with apathy had a higher conversion rate and shorter time-to-conversion. Age and cognitive performance were found to moderate the relationship between apathy and time-to-conversion.
JOURNAL OF ALZHEIMERS DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Eliana C. B. Toscano, Erica L. M. Vieira, Lea T. Grinberg, Natalia P. Rocha, Joseane A. S. Brant, Regina S. Paradela, Alexandre V. Giannetti, Claudia K. Suemoto, Renata E. P. Leite, Ricardo Nitrini, Milene A. Rachid, Antonio L. Teixeira
Summary: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is associated with cognitive deficits, and this study investigates the underlying neuronal basis. The researchers found that an increase in p-tau burden is potentially involved in cognitive deficits in mesial TLE, particularly attention impairment and seizure frequency.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Izabela Guimaraes Barbosa, Flavia da Mata Chiacchio Leite, Maxime Bertoux, Henrique Cerqueira Guimaraes, Luciano Inacio Mariano, Leandro Boson Gambogi, Antonio Lucio Teixeira, Paulo Caramelli, Leonardo Cruz de Souza
Summary: This study found that bipolar disorder type 1 (BD1) and behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) have similar deficits in social cognition functions. The results of the Facial Emotion Recognition (FER) and Modified Faux-Pas (mFP) tests can be used to differentiate between the two disorders.
BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Geraldine Martorella, Hongyu Miao, Duo Wang, Lindsey Park, Kenneth Mathis, JuYoung Park, Julia Sheffler, Lisa Granville, Antonio L. Teixeira, Paul E. Schulz, Hyochol Ahn
Summary: This pilot study aimed to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on chronic pain in older adults with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). The study found that after 5 sessions of 20-minute home-based tDCS, patients in the active tDCS group experienced significant reductions in pain intensity, suggesting that tDCS is a feasible and acceptable intervention for pain in ADRD.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Natalia Pessoa Rocha, Eduarda Xavier Carreira, Ana Carolina de Almeida Prado, Fabiola Tavares, Mayra Tavares, Francisco Cardoso, Antonio Jaeger, Leonardo Cruz de Souza, Antonio Lucio Teixeira
Summary: The International Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorder Society (MDS) developed diagnostic criteria for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia in Parkinson disease (PD). However, the applicability of these criteria was limited for PD patients with low levels of formal education in Brazil. There is a need for revision of the guidelines to account for differences among populations, especially related to educational level.
ARQUIVOS DE NEURO-PSIQUIATRIA
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Lijin Jose, Lais Bhering Martins, Thiago M. Cordeiro, Keya Lee, Alexandre Paim Diaz, Hyochol Ahn, Antonio L. Teixeira
Summary: This systematic review aims to investigate the effectiveness of noninvasive neuromodulation in HD-associated motor, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms. 19 studies were identified, exploring the use of ECT, TMS, and tDCS in the treatment of HD. The results showed improvement in HD symptoms, particularly depression and psychosis after ECT protocols, although the impact on cognitive and motor symptoms is more controversial.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Karina Braga Gomes, Ramon Goncalves Pereira, Alexandre Alberto Braga, Henrique Cerqueira Guimaraes, Elisa de Paula Franca Resende, Antonio Lucio Teixeira, Maira Tonidandel Barbosa, Wagner Meira Junior, Maria das Gracas Carvalho, Paulo Caramelli
Summary: This study used machine learning algorithms to assess the ability of routine laboratory variables in predicting cognitive and functional decline in older adults. The random forest model was found to be the most accurate in predicting cognitive decline, including variables such as triglycerides, glucose, and hemoglobin. For functional decline, platelet count, hemoglobin, and cortisol were identified as important features. The findings suggest that routine laboratory variables can be used to predict cognitive and functional decline in older populations using machine learning algorithms.
Review
Rheumatology
Parnian Shobeiri, Saba Maleki, Mobina Amanollahi, Amirhossein Habibzadeh, Antonio L. Teixeira, Nima Rezaei
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the blood BDNF levels in patients with SLE. The meta-analysis of 8 studies showed no significant differences in blood BDNF concentrations between SLE patients and healthy controls. Further high-quality studies are needed to explore the potential role and relevance of BDNF in SLE.
ADVANCES IN RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Antonio L. Teixeira, Lais Bhering Martins, Thiago Macedo e Cordeiro, Lijin Jose, Robert Suchting, Holly M. Holmes, Ron Acierno, Hyochol Ahn
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for the treatment of apathy in Alzheimer's disease (AD). A randomized, sham-controlled pilot clinical trial will be conducted involving 40 subjects with AD, with their caregivers administering tDCS at home under remote televideo supervision. The findings from this study will contribute to the development of non-pharmacological treatment strategies and have great potential for clinical translation.
PILOT AND FEASIBILITY STUDIES
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Natalia P. Rocha, Antonio L. Teixeira, Gabriela D. Colpo, Michelle A. Babicz, Jennifer L. Thompson, Steven Paul Woods
Summary: This study found a significant association between plasma levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HANDs), suggesting that NfL may serve as a promising biomarker for assessing cognitive function in people living with HIV.
DEMENTIA AND GERIATRIC COGNITIVE DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Mario A. Parra, Paulina Orellana, Tomas Leon, Cabello G. Victoria, Fernando Henriquez, Rodrigo Gomez, Constanza Avalos, Andres Damian, Andrea Slachevsky, Agustin Ibanez, Henrik Zetterberg, Betty M. Tijms, Jennifer S. Yokoyama, Stefanie D. Pina-Escudero, J. Nicholas Cochran, Diana L. Matallana, Daisy Acosta, Ricardo Allegri, Bianca P. Arias-Suarez, Bernardo Barra, Maria Isabel Behrens, SoniaM. D. Brucki, Geraldo Busatto, Paulo Caramelli, Sheila Castro-Suarez, Valeria Contreras, Nilton Custodio, Sergio Dansilio, Myriam De la Cruz-Puebla, Leonardo Cruz de Souza, Monica M. Diaz, Lissette Duque, Gonzalo A. Farias, Sergio T. Ferreira, Nahuel Magrath Guimet, Ana Kmaid, David Lira, Francisco Lopera, Beatriz Mar Meza, Eliane C. Miotto, Ricardo Nitrini, Alberto Nunez, Santiago O'Neill, John Ochoa, Maritza Pintado-Caipa, Elisa de Paula Franca Resende, Shannon Risacher, Luz Angela Rojas, Valentina Sabaj, Lucas Schilling, Allis F. Sellek, Ana Sosa, Leonel T. Takada, Antonio L. Teixeira, Martha Unaucho-Pilalumbo, Claudia Duran-Aniotz
Summary: Limited knowledge on dementia biomarkers in Latin American and Caribbean countries due to lack of funding, infrastructure, and training. However, the region holds great potential to advance dementia biomarkers research and it is crucial to expand research in this field.
ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA
(2023)