Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Infectious Hypothesis Of Alzheimer Disease, Charles E. Seaks, Donna M. Wilcock

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Distribution Of Microglial Phenotypes As A Function Of Age And Alzheimer's Disease Neuropathology In The Brains Of People With Down Syndrome, Alessandra C. Martini, Alex M. Helman, Katie L. Mccarty, Ira T. Lott, Eric Doran, Frederick A. Schmitt, Elizabeth Head

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Introduction: Microglial cells play an important role in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). People with Down syndrome (DS) inevitably develop AD neuropathology (DSAD) by 40 years of age. We characterized the distribution of different microglial phenotypes in the brains of people with DS and DSAD.

Methods: Autopsy tissue from the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) from people with DS, DSAD, and neurotypical controls was immunostained with the microglial marker Iba1 to assess five microglia morphological types.

Results: Individuals with DS have more hypertrophic microglial cells in their white matter. In the gray matter, individuals with DSAD had significantly fewer ramified …

Feasibility Of Dual-Task Gait To Estimate Alzheimer's Related Cognitive Decline In Down Syndrome, Kathryn L. Van Pelt, Lisa Mason Koehl, Allison M. Caban-Holt, Amelia J. Anderson-Mooney, Elizabeth Head, Frederick A. Schmitt

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Introduction: The striatum and frontal lobes have been shown to have early Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology and are critical for motor and cognitive function. We hypothesized gait would be associated with early-stage dementia in Down syndrome (DS), a cohort at risk for AD.

Methods: Twenty-eight participants with DS were enrolled in the study. Participants walked at their self-selected pace and while completing a dual task (counting, obstacle, or counting+obstacle).

Results: All participants were able to complete the self-paced condition and 78.57-96.42% completed the dual-task conditions. There was a trend for greater dual-task effects on gait velocity based on dementia diagnosis. …

State Variability In The Prevalence And Healthcare Utilization Of Assisted Living Residents With Dementia, Kali S. Thomas, Wenhan Zhang, Portia Y. Cornell, Lindsey Smith, Brian Kaskie, Paula C. Carder

Institute on Aging Publications

Objectives: Almost 1 million older and disabled adults who require long‐term care reside in assisted living (AL), approximately 40% of whom have a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). States vary in their regulations specific to dementia care that may influence the presence of residents with ADRD in AL and their outcomes. The objectives of this study were to describe the state variability in the prevalence of ADRD among Medicare beneficiaries residing in larger (25+ bed) ALs and their healthcare utilization.

Design: Retrospective observational national study.

Participants: National cohort of 293,336 Medicare fee‐for‐service enrollees residing in larger (25+ …

Will "Social Distancing" Lead To Future "Research Distancing": A Reflection On Covid-19 Impacts On Alzheimer's Disease Research, Shoshana H. Bardach, Allison K. Gibson, Elizabeth K. Rhodus, Gregory A. Jicha

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has dramatically altered everyday life, including the field of Alzheimer's disease (AD) research. This perspective article explores some of the ways in which COVID-19 has already impacted the field, anticipates some of the long-lasting effects, and explores strategies for addressing current and future needs. Areas of impact include study integrity, regulatory and industry issues, and participant engagement. Proposed strategies for addressing these challenges include analytic methods to deal with large degrees of missing data and development of patient-centered, user-friendly, remote data collection tools and assessments. We also highlight the importance of maintaining participant well-being as a …