112,285 research outputs found
Cardiovascular factors and cognitive impairment: a role for unsaturated fatty acids and Mediterranean diet?
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Serum apoliprotein E levels in alzheimer's disease and extreme longevity.
No full textAims of this study were to evaluate the influence of apolipoprotein E (apoE) genotype on serum apoE levels, and, secondly, to study serum apoE concentrations in relation to age and Alzheimer's disease (AD). ApoE genotypes, serum total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), TC/HDL-C ratio, triglycerides, and serum apoE were measured in 52 healthy centenarians, 49 AD patients, 45 age-matched controls, and 72 young healthy adults. In all study population a significant trend in reduction of serum apoE levels from apoE ε2- to ε4-carriers was observed. When we adjusted for lipoprotein variables, the difference in serum apoE levels among age groups significantly decreased only including HDL-C; no significant differences between AD patients and age-matched controls were found. In these highly selected populations, serum apoE levels appear to be strongly influenced by the apoE genotype distribution, not suggesting, at present, a possible role of apoE serum concentration as a biochemical marker for AD, but only as a putative longevity factor
Role of olive oil and monounsaturated fatty acids in mitochondrial oxidative stress and aging
No full textNutritional factors, cognitive decline, and dementia
No full textNutritional factors and nutritional deficiencies have been repeatedly associated with cognitive impairment. Most of the evidence is based on
cross-sectional studies, which cannot prove whether a nutritional deficit is the cause or the consequence of an impaired cognitive status. In
fact, cognitive impairment, in turn, can determine changes in dietary habits and consequent nutritional deficiencies. We reviewed clinical and
epidemiological studies from January 1983 to June 2004. Several cross-sectional and fewer prospective studies reported an association between
dietary or supplemental intake of antioxidants and protection from cognitive decline and dementia. There are negative reports as well and some
methodological biases might have affected the consistencies across studies. Deficiencies of several B vitamins have been associated with cognitive
dysfunction in many observational studies. More recently, deficiencies of folate (B9) and cobalamine (B12) have been studied in relation to
hyperhomocysteinemia as potential determinants of cognitive impairment, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A small number of studies
assessed the association between intake of macronutrients and cognitive function or dementia. Among the others, the intake of fatty acids and
cholesterol has received particular attention. Although the results are not always consistent, most studies have reported a protective role of dietary
intakes of poly- and mono-unsaturated fatty acids against cognitive decline and AD. We point out that well designed intervention studies are
warranted in order to establish specific levels of micro- and macronutrient deficiencies and to set general recommendations for the population
Vascular genetic factors and lipoprotein metabolism in human longevity
No full textComplex inter-relationships between age-associated illnesses such as vascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) suggest that biological and genetic pathways may be worthy of examination in centenarian populations to provide insights into human longevity. The search for factors involved in aging and longevity has progressed extensively in the recent years because of increased human life expectancy and elevation of the number of elderly people. Different genetic and non genetic factors have been examined in the quest to understand the biological basis of human longevity. Indeed, it can be hypothesised that centenarians have environmental and genetic factors that confer unexpected survival advantage. Examples of such advantage are characterized by marked delay or escape from age-related diseases, such as coronary artery disease (CAD), cerebrovascular disease (CVD), and AD, respectively, the first, the third, and the fourth largest causes of mortality, in the western populatio n. Th us one can suggest that genes and biochemical factors likely to be implicated in these disorders may have a role in human longevity. In this chapter, the authors discuss the evidence that genetic factors, lipids, and lipoproteins, likely to be linked to both vascular disease and AD, may have an additional role in determining human longevity, with special emphasis placed on the APOE and ACE1 genes.Complex inter-relationships between age-associated illnesses such as vascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) suggest that biological and genetic pathways may be worthy of examination in centenarian populations to provide insights into human longevity. The search for factors involved in aging and longevity has progressed extensively in the recent years because of increased human life expectancy and elevation of the number of elderly people. Different genetic and non genetic factors have been examined in the quest to understand the biological basis of human longevity. Indeed, it can be hypothesised that centenarians have environmental and genetic factors that confer unexpected survival advantage. Examples of such advantage are characterized by marked delay or escape from age-related diseases, such as coronary artery disease (CAD), cerebrovascular disease (CVD), and AD, respectively, the first, the third, and the fourth largest causes of mortality, in the western populatio n. Th us one can suggest that genes and biochemical factors likely to be implicated in these disorders may have a role in human longevity. In this chapter, the authors discuss the evidence that genetic factors, lipids, and lipoproteins, likely to be linked to both vascular disease and AD, may have an additional role in determining human longevity, with special emphasis placed on the APOE and ACE1 genes
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