Biochemical responses of the mussel Perna perna after exposure to environmental concentrations of the UV filter Benzophenone-3.

Personal care products, such as UV filters, are frequently present in aquatic ecosystems, but studies on their impact on marine organisms are still scarce. Here we addressed the effects of benzophenone-3 (BP-3) on the antioxidant status of Perna perna mussels exposed to concentrations of 0.1 and 3 µg.L-1 for 72 h and 7 days. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity and lipoperoxidation (MDA) were evaluated in the gills. A significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the activity of G6PDH and GPx was observed after exposure for 7 days to 0.1 µg.L-1. However, no significant differences were observed in GST activity and MDA levels, independently of the exposure time. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed an association of BP-3 highest concentration with GR and MDA at 72 h and only with GR at 7 days of exposure. Similarly, the integrated biomarker response (IBR) demonstrated GR and MDA alterations. In conclusion, environmentally relevant concentrations of BP-3 altered antioxidant and auxiliary enzymes, which could cause long-term damage to P.perna mussels. The need to implement more efficient techniques in wastewater treatment systems is pointed out, especially in summer, when UV filters are used more frequently and abundantly.

Remission of lifelong episodic dyscontrol after bilateral dorsolateral temporal lobe damage.

A 45-year-old married woman with fits of episodic dyscontrol since an early age suffered a bilateral injury of the dorsolateral temporal lobe after which such episodes vanished for good. The remission of her lifelong proneness to aggression was so remarkable that her relatives and friends unanimously welcomed her "new personality". The post-traumatic taming in this case was an unanticipated collateral effect of brain damage with a salutary change of personality. This change possibly resulted from the release, due to the bitemporal injury, of inclinations that had not hitherto been fully expressed in the patient's mind and behavior due to the overriding influence of episodic dyscontrol on her ordinary conduct.

Immediate story recall in elderly individuals with memory complaints: how much does it contribute to memory assessment?

BACKGROUND: Prose memory tests exhibit ecological validity, but the influence of non-memory functions on immediate recall in elderly subjects with memory complaints has not been fully investigated. This study examined (1) whether the ability to immediately recall a story can distinguish among clinical controls, amnesic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and (2) which cognitive functions contribute to immediate recall performance. METHODS: A total of 73 consecutive volunteers (50 women and 23 men) aged 47-88 (mean age = 71.85 ± 9.41) and with a mean schooling level of 12.51 (SD = 4.09) participated in the experiment. All individuals were seeking specialized evaluation because of memory complaints. Diagnoses were made by considering clinical, neuropsychological, and MRI assessments collected by a multidisciplinary team of neurologists, neuropsychologists, and speech-language therapists. A total of 26 individuals were classified as clinical controls; 27 as MCI patients; and 20 as having AD dementia. All individuals in the AD group had a Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) ≤ 1. RESULTS: Immediate recall was only able to distinguish AD subjects from MCI patients and clinical controls (p > 0.05). Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis revealed that mental status (MMSE), semantic memory (WAIS-III vocabulary) and episodic memory (RAVLT primacy) explained approximately 62% of the variance in immediate recall. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the value and limitations of immediate story recall in distinguishing between MCI and AD may help clinicians in better choosing cognitive tests to diagnose MCI.

Four-Year Training Course for Police Officers (CFOP) and Fitness Outcomes of Police Academy Cadets: A Cohort Study from 2004 to 2020.

This study examines the effect of gender, age, and a 4-year training course for police officers (CFOP) on the physical fitness attributes of Portuguese police academy cadets. This longitudinal cohort study considered 686 police cadets (female, n = 131; male, n = 555 male), corresponding to 2578 fitness assessments (female, n = 509; male, n = 2069). The database of police cadets' physical fitness evaluations (from 2004/2005 to 2019/2020) comprises body size, speed, agility, strength, flexibility, and aerobic capacity first assessment (T0) and evaluations at the end of the first four years of the CFOP (T1, T2, T3, T4). Results showed that (i) female cadets are younger (p < 0.05), shorter, lighter, less fast, less agile, less strong, and perform worse in aerobic capacity assessments than male cadets (all, p < 0.001) but perform better in the flexibility assessment (p < 0.001); (ii) female cadets > 29 years are significantly heavier, slower, jump less, perform fewer sit-ups, and perform less on the Cooper test (but they have more handgrip strength), and male cadets > 29 years are significantly heavier, slower, jump less, perform fewer sit-ups, and have less flexibility and aerobic capacity (still, they have superior back and lumbar strength and handgrip strength); and (iii) from T0 to T4 (Δ), female cadets are significantly faster (60 m, -0.32 s; slalom, -0.78 s), jump further (+4 cm), have more abdominal strength endurance (+2.6 repetitions) and more back and lumbar strength (+89.8 kg), and male cadets are significantly heavier (+3.27 kg), faster (60 m, -0.23 s; 30 m, -0.15 s; slalom, -0.91 s), jump further (+8 cm), complete more repetitions in the sit-ups (+4.9 repetitions) and in pull-ups (+2.5 repetitions) and have more back and lumbar strength (+92.1 kg) and handgrip strength (+8.6 kg) but a lower aerobic capacity (Cooper test, -74.8 m; VO2max, -1.3 mL/kg/min) when compared to T0. The study's findings lead to widely accepted conclusions within the discipline. Nevertheless, this work provides valuable insights into the impact of various factors on the physical fitness of Portuguese police academy cadets, i.e.: (i) it is an essential study with practical implications for recruitment, training, and the ongoing development of Portuguese police academy cadets and police officers; and (ii) these results can also assist in tailoring training programs to different age groups and genders, which is crucial in police training.

Age-linked suppression of lipoxin A4 associates with cognitive deficits in mice and humans.

Age increases the risk for cognitive impairment and is the single major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most prevalent form of dementia in the elderly. The pathophysiological processes triggered by aging that render the brain vulnerable to dementia involve, at least in part, changes in inflammatory mediators. Here we show that lipoxin A4 (LXA4), a lipid mediator of inflammation resolution known to stimulate endocannabinoid signaling in the brain, is reduced in the aging central nervous system. We demonstrate that genetic suppression of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), the enzyme mediating LXA4 synthesis, promotes learning impairment in mice. Conversely, administration of exogenous LXA4 attenuated cytokine production and memory loss induced by inflammation in mice. We further show that cerebrospinal fluid LXA4 is reduced in patients with dementia and positively associated with cognitive performance, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and AD-linked amyloid-ß. Our findings suggest that reduced LXA4 levels may lead to vulnerability to age-related cognitive disorders and that promoting LXA4 signaling may comprise an effective strategy to prevent early cognitive decline in AD.

Assessment of executive functions in obese individuals with binge eating disorder.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess executive functions of obese individuals with binge eating disorder. METHOD: Thirty-eight obese individuals with binge eating disorder were compared to thirty-eight obese controls without binge eating disorder in terms of their executive functions. All individuals were assessed using the following instruments: Digit Span, Trail Making Tests A and B, Stroop Test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. In addition, four subtests from the Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome Battery were also used, namely the Zoo Map Test, the Modified Six Elements Test, the Action Program Test and the Rule Shift Cards Test. RESULTS: When compared to obese controls, obese individuals with binge eating disorder presented significant impairment in the following tests: Digit Span backward, Zoo Map Test, Modified Six Elements Test, and Action Program Test. Subjects with binge eating disorder also showed significant more set shifting and perseverative errors in the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. In other measures such as the Digit Span Forward, the Trail Making Test, the Stroop Test and the Rule Shift Cards Test, obese subjects with binge eating disorder did not differ significantly from obese subjects without binge eating disorder. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that, in the present sample, obese individuals with binge eating disorder presented executive deficits, especially impairments relating to problem-solving, cognitive flexibility and working memory.

Fractional Anisotropy changes in Parahippocampal Cingulum due to Alzheimer's Disease.

Current treatments for Alzheimer's disease are only symptomatic and limited to reduce the progression rate of the mental deterioration. Mild Cognitive Impairment, a transitional stage in which the patient is not cognitively normal but do not meet the criteria for specific dementia, is associated with high risk for development of Alzheimer's disease. Thus, non-invasive techniques to predict the individual's risk to develop Alzheimer's disease can be very helpful, considering the possibility of early treatment. Diffusion Tensor Imaging, as an indicator of cerebral white matter integrity, may detect and track earlier evidence of white matter abnormalities in patients developing Alzheimer's disease. Here we performed a voxel-based analysis of fractional anisotropy in three classes of subjects: Alzheimer's disease patients, Mild Cognitive Impairment patients, and healthy controls. We performed Support Vector Machine classification between the three groups, using Fisher Score feature selection and Leave-one-out cross-validation. Bilateral intersection of hippocampal cingulum and parahippocampal gyrus (referred as parahippocampal cingulum) is the region that best discriminates Alzheimer's disease fractional anisotropy values, resulting in an accuracy of 93% for discriminating between Alzheimer's disease and controls, and 90% between Alzheimer's disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment. These results suggest that pattern classification of Diffusion Tensor Imaging can help diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, specially when focusing on the parahippocampal cingulum.

Multilevel diffusion tensor imaging classification technique for characterizing neurobehavioral disorders.

This proposed novel method consists of three levels of analyses of diffusion tensor imaging data: 1) voxel level analysis of fractional anisotropy of white matter tracks, 2) connection level analysis, based on fiber tracks between specific brain regions, and 3) network level analysis, based connections among multiple brain regions. Machine-learning techniques of (Fisher score) feature selection, (Support Vector Machine) pattern classification, and (Leave-one-out) cross-validation are performed, for recognition of the neural connectivity patterns for diagnostic purposes. For validation proposes, this multilevel approach achieved an average classification accuracy of 90% between Alzheimer's disease and healthy controls, 83% between Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment, and 83% between mild cognitive impairment and healthy controls. The results indicate that the multilevel diffusion tensor imaging approach used in this analysis is a potential diagnostic tool for clinical evaluations of brain disorders. The presented pipeline is now available as a tool for scientifically applications in a broad range of studies from both clinical and behavioral spectrum, which includes studies about autism, dyslexia, schizophrenia, dementia, motor body performance, among others.

Diagnostic accuracy of early cognitive indicators in mild cognitive impairment.

The aging of the population leads to an increase in the prevalence of dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. Recent studies highlight the early non-amnestic deficits in AD and MCI. The European Union report shows the importance of thoroughly assessing cognitive aspects that have been poorly evaluated, such as processing speed (PS), which could represent early indicators of cognitive decline. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the diagnostic accuracy of PS measures in older adults with MCI, AD, and those who are cognitively-healthy. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted by performing an extensive neuropsychological assessment in three samples: 26 control participants, 22 individuals with MCI, and 21 individuals with AD. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to test the relationship between dependent variables and the clinical group. Post hoc tests (Bonferroni test) were used when a significant ANOVA result was found. Finally, the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve for PS measures was performed in older adults with MCI and AD compared with cognitively-healthy older adults. RESULTS: The results showed that deficits in PS measures can be early indicators of cognitive decline in cases of MCI, even when executive functions (EFs) and functionality are preserved. Conversely, AD versus MCI presented differences in PS, EFs, and functionality. CONCLUSIONS: The ROC analyses showed that PS measures had discriminative capacities to differentiate individuals with MCI, AD, and cognitively-healthy older adults.

O envelhecimento da população leva ao aumento da prevalência de demência e comprometimento cognitivo leve (CCL). A doença de Alzheimer (DA) é a causa mais comum de demência. Estudos recentes destacam os déficits precoces não amnésicos em DA e CCL. O relatório da União Europeia mostra a necessidade de avaliar em maior profundidade aspectos cognitivos que atualmente são negligenciados, como a velocidade de processamento (VP), e que podem representar indicadores precoces de declínio cognitivo. OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a acurácia diagnóstica de medidas de VP em idosos com CCL, DA e participantes controles. MÉTODOS: um estudo transversal foi desenvolvido, no qual realizou-se uma extensa avaliação neuropsicológica em 3 amostras: 26 participantes controles, 22 casos de CCL e 21 DA. A relação entre as variáveis dependentes e o grupo clínico foi testada com uma análise de variância (ANOVA). Se uma ANOVA significativa fosse encontrada, testes post hoc foram utilizados. Por fim, a curva ROC para medidas de VP foi realizada em CCL e DA em comparação com indivíduos controles. RESULTADOS: os resultados mostraram que déficits nas medidas de VP podem ser indicadores precoces do declínio cognitivo nos casos de CCL, mesmo quando as funções executivas (FE) e a funcionalidade estão preservadas. Por outro lado, DA versus CCL mostrou diferenças em VP, EF e funcionalidade. CONCLUSÕES: As análises ROC mostraram que as medidas de PS tinham capacidades discriminativas para diferenciar CCL, DA e participantes controles.

Neuropsychological differences between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and control children and adolescents referred for academic impairment.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the performances of children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with a group of control comparison subjects, both taken from a large clinical sample, using some of the most widely employed attention-based Brazilian tests. METHOD: The performances of 186 children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were compared to that of 80 control individuals based on attention and working memory scores. Both groups had been referred due to academic impairment. All individuals were submitted to the TAVIS-3 sustained, shifted and focused attention tests, as well as to the working memory tests that make up the WISC-III Freedom from Distractibility Index (Digit Span and Arithmetic). RESULTS: The control group was slightly older than the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder group (p = 0.07); IQ and schooling did not differ between groups (p = 0.34 and p = 0.38, respectively). While performing a test requiring sustained attention for a longer period of time, the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder group showed a significantly higher number of commission errors compared to the controls, thus presenting sustained attention deficits (p = 0.003); when the influence of IQ, age and schooling was reduced, the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder group also made more omission errors during a sustained attention task in comparison to the control group, thus achieving a borderline significance level (p = 0.08); the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder group also performed worse in Digit Span forward and backward (p = 0.013 and p = 0.01, respectively) and in Arithmetic (p = 0.008). Other scores did not achieve significance. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that some of the most commonly used Brazilian attention-based tests - especially the sustained attention and working memory tests - may be useful to help distinguish subjects with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder from control subjects.