Unwanted Exacerbation of the Immune Response in Neurodegenerative Disease: A Time to Review the Impact.

The COVID-19 pandemic imposed a series of behavioral changes that resulted in increased social isolation and a more sedentary life for many across all age groups, but, above all, for the elderly population who are the most vulnerable to infections and chronic neurodegenerative diseases. Systemic inflammatory responses are known to accelerate neurodegenerative disease progression, which leads to permanent damage, loss of brain function, and the loss of autonomy for many aged people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a spectrum of inflammatory responses was generated in affected individuals, and it is expected that the elderly patients with chronic neurodegenerative diseases who survived SARSCoV-2 infection, it will be found, sooner or later, that there is a worsening of their neurodegenerative conditions. Using mouse prion disease as a model for chronic neurodegeneration, we review the effects of social isolation, sedentary living, and viral infection on the disease progression with a focus on sickness behavior and on the responses of microglia and astrocytes. Focusing on aging, we discuss the cellular and molecular mechanisms related to immunosenescence in chronic neurodegenerative diseases and how infections may accelerate their progression.

Impactos da intervenção neuropsicológica em idosos com comprometimento cognitivo leve / The impact of neuropsychological intervention in mild cognitive impairment

Objetivo: Investigar os efeitos da intervenção neuropsicológica em grupo na cognição, no estado psicológico e na qualidade de vida de idosos com Comprometimento Cognitivo Leve. Método: Estudo controlado, randomizado, cego ao avaliador. 78 idosos, divididos entre os grupos Neuropsicológico e Controle, foram avaliados por: entrevista semiestruturada, Exame Cognitivo de Addenbrooke, Índice de Katz, Escala de Lawton e Brody, Escala de Depressão Geriátrica, Inventário de Ansiedade de Beck, Escala de Desenvolvimento Pessoal, WHOQOL-bref e WHOQOL-old. Resultados: Após a intervenção, o Grupo Neuropsicológico apresentou: melhora nos subtestes cognitivos e no escore total; redução na frequência de sintomas associados à ansiedade e à depressão; melhor bem-estar psicológico e qualidade de vida. A pesquisa aponta estratégias de intervenção úteis para melhora da condição geral desses pacientes e para reabilitação de áreas prejudicadas. Conclusão: Concluiu-se existir relação entre a intervenção neuropsicológica e a melhora no desempenho cognitivo, psicológico e qualidade de vida em idosos com Comprometimento Cognitivo Leve.(AU)

Objective: We sought to investigate a neuropsychological intervention focused on improving cognition, psychological aspects, and quality of life of elderly people with Mild Cognitive Impairment. Method: A controlled and randomized study, blind to the evaluator, was executed. We evaluated 78 elderly people, divided into the Neuropsychological and Control groups, through: a semi-struc- tured interview, Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination, Katz Index, Lawton and Brody Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Personal Development Scale, WHOQOL-bref and WHOQOL-old. Results: After the intervention, the Neuropsychological Group showed: improvement in the cognitive subtests and in the total score; reduction in the frequency of symptoms associated with anxiety and depression; a better psychological well-being and quality of life. The research highlights useful intervention strategies for improving the general condition of these patients and rehabilitating damaged areas. Conclusion: We concluded that there is a relationship between neuropsychological intervention and improvement in cognitive and psychological performance, as well as in the quality of life in elderly people with Mild Cognitive Impairment.(AU)

Cognição, aspectos psicológicos e qualidade de vida em idosos com comprometimento cognitivo leve / Cognition, psychological aspects and quality of life in ancients with mild cognitive impairment

O Comprometimento Cognitivo Leve (CCL) é geralmente um estado intermediário entre a cognição normal e a demência em que as habilidades funcionais essenciais estão preservadas. Objetivos: caracterizar uma amostra de idosos com CCL residentes no sul do Brasil quanto ao desempenho em instrumentos que avaliam cognição, aspectos psicológicos e qualidade de vida. Método: 96 idosas, entre 60 e 84 anos, foram avaliadas com os seguintes instrumentos: Exame Cognitivo de Addenbrooke-Revisado, Índice de Katz, Escala de Lawton & Brody, Escala de Depressão Geriátrica, Inventário de Ansiedade de Beck, Escala de Desenvolvimento Pessoal, WHOQOL-Bref e WHOQOL-Old. O diagnóstico de CCL foi feito a partir de entrevista semiestruturada, avaliação cognitiva e funcional. O desempenho cognitivo foi ajustado conforme a idade e a escolaridade dos sujeitos. Resultados: O grupo com CCL mostrou déficit nos cinco domínios cognitivos avaliados, apresentou sintomas de ansiedade, prejuízos no bem-estar psicológico e na qualidade de vida. Conclusões: A combinação dos instrumentos utilizados neste estudo não foi feita anteriormente e explicitou os danos diversos causados pelo CCL em relação a controles saudáveis. Em geral, as pesquisas da área avaliam idosos com histórico urbano e com escolaridade e renda mais altas. Esta amostra, entretanto, caracteriza-se por escolaridade e renda familiar predominantemente baixas, além de forte tradição rural, trazendo contribuições importantes se considerarmos a heterogeneidade característica da população brasileira. Considerando que a avaliação neuropsicológica é uma ferramenta essencial para mensurar prejuízo e declínio das funções cognitivas e que não há padrão-ouro para o CCL, a metodologia proposta neste trabalho pode ser um caminho. (AU)

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is an intermediate state between normal cognition and dementia in which functional abilities are preserved. Objectives: To characterize a sample of CCL elderly living in southern Brazil in relation to the performance of instruments that evaluate cognition, psychological aspects and quality of life. Method: 96 elderly women aged 60 to 84 years were evaluated with the following instruments: Addenbrooke-Revised Cognitive Examination, Katz Index, Lawton & Brody Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Personal Development Scale, WHOQOL -Bref and WHOQOL- Old. The diagnosis of MCI was made from a semi-structured interview, cognitive and functional evaluation. Cognitive performance was adjusted according to the subjects' age and schooling. Results: The MCI group presented deficits in the five cognitive domains evaluated, anxiety symptoms, worse psychological well-being and quality of life. Conclusions: The combination of the instruments used in this study was not adopted and explicitly adopted for the various damages caused by MCI. In general, as a research area evaluates elderly with urban history, and higher education and income. This sample, however, is characterized by predominantly low schooling and family income, as well as a strong rural tradition, bringing important contributions that consider a characteristic heterogeneity of the Brazilian population. Considering that a neuropsychological evaluation is an essential tool to measure the impairment and decline of cognitive functions and that it is not the gold standard for MCI, the methodology proposed in this work may be a path. (AU)