Physical Exercise and Alzheimer's Disease: Effects on Pathophysiological Molecular Pathways of the Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of neurodegenerative dementia in adults worldwide, is a multifactorial and heterogeneous disorder characterized by the interaction of genetic and epigenetic factors and the dysregulation of numerous intracellular signaling and cellular/molecular pathways. The introduction of the systems biology framework is revolutionizing the study of complex diseases by allowing the identification and integration of cellular/molecular pathways and networks of interaction. Here, we reviewed the relationship between physical activity and the next pathophysiological processes involved in the risk of developing AD, based on some crucial molecular pathways and biological process dysregulated in AD: (1) Immune system and inflammation; (2) Endothelial function and cerebrovascular insufficiency; (3) Apoptosis and cell death; (4) Intercellular communication; (5) Metabolism, oxidative stress and neurotoxicity; (6) DNA damage and repair; (7) Cytoskeleton and membrane proteins; (8) Synaptic plasticity. Moreover, we highlighted the increasingly relevant role played by advanced neuroimaging technologies, including structural/functional magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, and arterial spin labelling, in exploring the link between AD and physical exercise. Regular physical exercise seems to have a protective effect against AD by inhibiting different pathophysiological molecular pathways implicated in AD.

Relationship between physical prowess and cognitive function.

There is some evidence about the low relationship between physical prowess and cognitive function (Posthuma, Mulder, Boomsma & de Geus, 2002). The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between cognitive variables (spatial ability, reasoning, numerical ability, inductive reasoning, and reasoning and verbal comprehension) and physical prowess in sport performance (agility circuit, coordination circuit, horizontal jump, swimming and sprint racing). Two studies were performance. In the first one we applied a battery of standardized cognitive tests and a battery of physical grading tests to 400 subjects. When we applied factor analysis to the physical prowess and the cognitive variables, we found one general factor in cognitive variables and one general factor in physical prowess. We found a low relationship between both factors (.21). In the second study we compare the cognitive abilities in elite and amateur sport people. Results show that elite gymnastics people present higher cognitive abilities than amateur sportspeople. It should be relevant in order to clarify the total set of variables involved in sport performance.

Modifications of academic competences and intelligence in a university grade.

The aim of the study was to analyze differences in intelligence, academic competences, and academic achievement by gender and academic course in sports science university students. To reach the study aim we analyzed in 267 (226 males and 41 females) first and last year students' degree the variables of intelligence (Reasoning scale of the Primary Mental Abilities Test), academic achievement and self-perception of 40 academic competences (30 general competences and 10 specific competences). We found how last year degree students presented higher general and specific competences than first year students, not presenting differences in intelligence and academic achievement. Female students presented higher academic achievement and higher values in some general and specific competences but not in intelligence.

Relationship between Short-Form Health SF36 Questionnaire and oxygen uptake in healthy workers.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity is associated with better health levels, and cardiopulmonary fitness is recognized as one of the best indicators of physical performance, which can be related with some items of quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between the QoL and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max) of healthy workers, measured with the Short-Form Health Survey SF36 and incremental cardiopulmonary Test. METHODS: Sample was formed by 250 healthy workers (90 men, mean age 37.25 and 160 female, mean age 37.91). RESULTS: Analyzing the results, VO2's Mean values were higher in men (39.00 mL/kg/min SD 7.56) than in women (29.70 mL/kg/min SD 5.73) with significant differences (P<0.01). We found differences in all dimensions of SF36 indicating that men had higher scores than women, but significant differences between both are present only in physical functioning (PF) (P<0.01). Correlating the values obtained in the domains of Questionnaire SF36 and the Vo2 Max, correlation was significant (positive) in PF (0.276), bodily pain (0.189), general health (0.155), vitality (0.241) and mental health (0.129). Results showed that better cardiorespiratory fitness is related to higher scores in SF36. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that if the values of oxygen uptake in healthy workers are higher, results in SF36 will be better. Therefore it can be assumed that having a good fitness means having a better QoL.

[Fracture dislocation of the thoracolumbar spine in pregnant patient: diagnostic by image and treatment]. / Fractura-luxación de columna toracolumbar en paciente gestante: diagnóstico por imagen y tratamiento.

BACKGROUND: Fracture dislocations of the thoracolumbar spine are, to a great extent, associated with neurologic deficit and instability, so a large percentage of them require surgical treatment. Being pregnant does not rule out the possibility of having this type of lesions. There are only a few bibliographic references concerning these cases and medical and treatment ignorance about them is frequent. OBJECTIVE: Present a review of concepts and specifications for the correct and safe imaging diagnosis as well as considerations on the surgical treatment of patients with traumatic thoracolumbar spine lesions who are pregnant. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A bibliographic review will be presented together with a clinical case of the CALRM, a 31-year-old female with a fracture dislocation at T12-L1, ASIA E, who at the time of the lesion was nine weeks pregnant, and was managed with a multidisciplinary approach that included the following services: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Anesthesiology, Radiology and Imaging, Legal Medicine, Spine Surgery, and the hospital's Ethics Committee. RESULTS: The diagnosis and characteristics of the lesion were assessed properly with standard X-rays and the support of MRI. The patient underwent posterior stabilization with a transpedicular system while she was pregnant, and bone graft harvesting and application with an anterior approach after the pregnancy, without any complications. CONCLUSIONS: The correct understanding of the nature of ionizing radiation allows using an acceptable dose range according to the study performed and the patient's gestational age. Any patient with a fracture dislocation of the thoracolumbar spine who can tolerate the procedure should be stabilized. Moreover, the fetal risks of the surgical and anesthetic procedure may be avoided with an appropriate selection of the technique and the anesthetic agents, as well as with continuous maternal and fetal monitoring.

Secular gains in fluid intelligence: evidence from the Culture-Fair intelligence test.

There is no doubt about the reality of the secular increase in cognitive test scores. However, there is disagreement about a key issue: does the observed increase reflect a genuine upward trend in intelligence? Evidence from the Raven test is clear, although there are some doubts about its adequacy as a fine-grained measure of fluid intelligence. Evidence from the so-called 'method of correlated vectors' is much less clear. When a crystallized battery is considered, the results leave little doubt: the increase does not reflect gains in general intelligence. However, when a fluid battery is analysed, the increase does reflect gains in general intelligence. The present study uses one of the best available measures of fluid intelligence (the Culture-Fair intelligence test) to provide new evidence for the secular increase in fluid intelligence, beyond the findings from the Raven test and the method of correlated vectors. A total of 4498 Spanish high school students and high school graduates were tested within a time interval of 20 and 23 years, respectively. The results show that there is a clear upward trend in intelligence. Moreover, students show an average increase equivalent to 6 IQ points, while graduates show an average increase of 4 IQ points. Therefore, more selected people (graduates) show a smaller increase than less selected people (students). Some implications are discussed.

Cirugía endoscópica de la columna vertebral / Endoscopic surgery of vertebral spine

El estudio hace un análisis prospectivo del resultado obtenido en los primeros 10 casos tratados con la técnica de cirugía endoscópica de columna vertebral en diferentes patologías. El objetivo es analizar la factibilidad para realizar los procedimientos habituales en el campo quirúrgico a través del abordaje endoscópico. En 1995, se inició en el Centro de Atención de Lesionados Raquimedulares de la Ciudad de México DGSS del D.F., el protocolo de estudio de la técnica de cirugía endoscópica en tratamientos que requerían de abordaje anterior. Se trataron dos casos de enfermedad de Scheuermann, mediante discotomía y resección del ligamento vertebral común anterior en cinco niveles torácicos, T-VI a T-X y T-V a T-XI con aplicación intersomática de injertos óseos. Un caso de tuberculosis vertebral de los niveles T-IX a T-XI, con dos semanas de evolución de daño neurológico motor, se efectuó debridación del absceso descompresión del canal raquídeo y se colocó injerto óseo intersomático. Un caso de proceso tumoral localizado en el cuerpo de T-XI, con integridad neurológica, (diagnóstico preoperatorio de hemangioma), se realizó corpectomía y aplicación de injerto óseo. Seis casos de fracturas con invasión a canal raquídeo en los niveles: T-VI, T-VIII, T-IX, T-X y dos casos en el nivel T-XI; clasificados con la escala de Frankel: dos E, uno D, tres a: Se realizó en un caso descompresión del saco dural con sección parcial del cuerpo vertebral sin aplicación de injerto óseo, en cinco casos se colocó injerto óseo posterior a la descompresión y en un caso se realizó además fijación anterior con placa y dos tornillos del tipo HMA Hollw Screw, en nueve casos se practicó una segunda cirugía por vía posterior para la colocación de un sistema de fijación y artrodesis con injerto óseo. Los promedios de los parámetros evaluados fueron los siguientes: Tiempo de cirugía 4 h, con 24 min, sangrado transoperatoria 390 cc., tiempo de pleurostomía de 2.7 días con una colección de 300 cc., tiempo para efectuar la segunda cirugía en 9 casos 3.3 días, tiempo de estancia hospitalaria 19 días. No se presentaron complicaciones durante el acto quirúrgico relacionadas con el procedimiento endoscópico. La técnica de endoscopía para la cirugía de la columna vertebral en la región torácica reduce las complicaciones traumáticas de la toracotomía y permite una pronta recuperación del paciente