Dietary levels of pure flavonoids improve spatial memory performance and increase hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

Evidence suggests that flavonoid-rich foods are capable of inducing improvements in memory and cognition in animals and humans. However, there is a lack of clarity concerning whether flavonoids are the causal agents in inducing such behavioral responses. Here we show that supplementation with pure anthocyanins or pure flavanols for 6 weeks, at levels similar to that found in blueberry (2% w/w), results in an enhancement of spatial memory in 18 month old rats. Pure flavanols and pure anthocyanins were observed to induce significant improvements in spatial working memory (p = 0.002 and p = 0.006 respectively), to a similar extent to that following blueberry supplementation (p = 0.002). These behavioral changes were paralleled by increases in hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (R = 0.46, p<0.01), suggesting a common mechanism for the enhancement of memory. However, unlike protein levels of BDNF, the regional enhancement of BDNF mRNA expression in the hippocampus appeared to be predominantly enhanced by anthocyanins. Our data support the claim that flavonoids are likely causal agents in mediating the cognitive effects of flavonoid-rich foods

Experiencia preliminar en cirugías ambulatorias en el Servicio de Cirugía Pediátrica del Hospital Clínico Regional de Valdivia

Se presenta en forma preliminar la experiencia en cirugía ambulatoria de 300 pacientes en edades entre los 30 días y 15 años realizadas en el Servicio de Cirugía Infantil del Hospital Base de Valdivia, entre los años 1997 y Octubre 2002, entendiendo por cirugía ambulatoria a la internación electiva, tratamiento y alta de pacientes durante el transcurso de un día hábil, excluyendo las cirugías menores efectuadas a pacientes no internados o a pacientes accidentados o tratados en la Unidad de Emergencia. Se utilizaron criterios de selección como la edad (&gt;30 días a &lt;15 años), problemas anestésicos previsibles de acuerdo a la clasificación de estado físico de la Sociedad Americana de Anestesiología (status ASA I y II). Las patologías más frecuentemente resueltas mediante cirugía ambulatoria fueron las hernias inguinales, fimosis y testículos no descendidos. Las complicaciones no superaron el 1% y no obligaron a prolongar la estadía de los pacientes. La experiencia presentada sugiere continuar y extender esta práctica

A Novel Neurotrophic Drug for Cognitive Enhancement and Alzheimer's Disease

Currently, the major drug discovery paradigm for neurodegenerative diseases is based upon high affinity ligands for single disease-specific targets. For Alzheimer's disease (AD), the focus is the amyloid beta peptide (Aß) that mediates familial Alzheimer's disease pathology. However, given that age is the greatest risk factor for AD, we explored an alternative drug discovery scheme that is based upon efficacy in multiple cell culture models of age-associated pathologies rather than exclusively amyloid metabolism. Using this approach, we identified an exceptionally potent, orally active, neurotrophic molecule that facilitates memory in normal rodents, and prevents the loss of synaptic proteins and cognitive decline in a transgenic AD mouse model

Neuroregeneration in neurodegenerative disorders

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Neuroregeneration is a relatively recent concept that includes neurogenesis, neuroplasticity, and neurorestoration - implantation of viable cells as a therapeutical approach.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity are impaired in brains of patients suffering from Alzheimer's Disease or Parkinson's Disease and correlate with low endogenous protection, as a result of a diminished growth factors expression. However, we hypothesize that the brain possesses, at least in early and medium stages of disease, a "neuroregenerative reserve", that could be exploited by growth factors or stem cells-neurorestoration therapies.</p> <p>Summary</p> <p>In this paper we review the current data regarding all three aspects of neuroregeneration in Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease.</p

Serum BDNF Concentrations Show Strong Seasonal Variation and Correlations with the Amount of Ambient Sunlight

Contains fulltext : 109494.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)Earlier findings show seasonality in processes and behaviors such as brain plasticity and depression that in part are regulated by Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). Based on this we investigated seasonal variation in serum BDNF concentrations in 2,851 persons who took part in the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA). Analyses by month of sampling (monthly n's >196) showed pronounced seasonal variation in serum BDNF concentrations (P<.0001) with increasing concentrations in the spring-summer period (standardized regression weight (ss) = 0.19, P<.0001) and decreasing concentrations in the autumn-winter period (ss = -0.17, P<.0001). Effect sizes [Cohen's d] ranged from 0.27 to 0.66 for monthly significant differences. We found similar seasonal variation for both sexes and for persons with a DSM-IV depression diagnosis and healthy control subjects. In explorative analyses we found that the number of sunshine hours (a major trigger to entrain seasonality) in the week of blood withdrawal and the 10 weeks prior to this event positively correlated with serum BDNF concentrations (Pearson's correlation coefficients ranged: 0.05-0.18) and this could partly explain the observed monthly variation. These results provide strong evidence that serum BDNF concentrations systematically vary over the year. This finding is important for our understanding of those factors that regulate BDNF expression and may provide novel avenues to understand seasonal dependent changes in behavior and illness such as depression. Finally, the findings reported here should be taken into account when designing and interpreting studies on BDNF

Mild cognitive impairment (part 2): biological markers for diagnosis and prediction of dementia in Alzheimer's disease

To present a critical review of publications reporting on the rationale and clinical implications of the use of biomarkers for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: We conducted a systematic search of the PubMed and Web of Science electronic databases, limited to articles published in English between 1999 and 2012, and based on the following terms: mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease OR dementia, biomarkers. We retrieved 1,130 articles, of which 175 were reviews. Overall, 955 original articles were eligible. Results: The following points were considered relevant for the present review: a) rationale for biomarkers research in AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI); b) usefulness of distinct biomarkers for the diagnosis and prediction of AD; c) the role of multimodality biomarkers for the diagnosis and prediction of AD; d) the role of biomarkers in clinical trials of patients with AD and MCI; and e) current limitations to the widespread use of biomarkers in research and clinical settings. Conclusion: Different biomarkers are useful for the early diagnosis and prediction of AD in at-risk subjects. Nonetheless, important methodological limitations need to be overcome for widespread use of biomarkers in research and clinical settings. © 2013 Associação Brasileira de Psiquiatria.Laboratory of Neuroscience (LIM-27) Department and Institute of Psychiatry School of Medicine, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SPDepartment of Mental Health School of Medicine Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MGNeuroimmunology Group Laboratory of Immunopharmacology Institute of Biological Sciences, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MGDepartment of Internal Medicine School of Medicine UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MGBiosciences Institute Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro, SPBiosciences Institute Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro, S

Concomitant changes in CRH mRNA levels in rat hippocampus and hypothalamus following immobilization stress.

International audienceBy using in situ hybridization, we have demonstrated an increased expression of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) mRNA in the hippocampus following immobilization stress (3 h) in rats. It paralleled that measured in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Pretreatment of control and stressed rats with MK-801 (a NMDA receptor antagonist) further increased CRH mRNA expression, in the two structures. The concomitant up-regulation of CRH mRNA expression in these structures suggests a common regulatory finality for a single molecule at two different loci