• 한국산학기술학회논문지
• /
• 제20권11호
• /
• pp.115-120
• /
• 2019

본 연구는 경증 알츠하이머 치매 노인의 베타 아밀로이드 및 혈중 지질 수준과 인지기능 간의 상관관계를 알아보고자 실시하였다. 연구의 대상자는 경증 알츠하이머 치매 노인 45명을 대상으로 실시하였다. 2018년 12월 베타 아밀로이드 및 혈중 지질 수준을 측정하기 위해 혈액 분석을 실시하였으며, 인지기능의 측정을 위해 MMSE-K 검사를 이용하여 측정하였다. 베타 아밀로이드 및 혈중 지질 수준과 인지기능 간의 상관관계를 알아보기 위해 Pearson's correlation analysis를 사용하여 분석하였다. 연구 결과 베타 아밀로이드 수준과 인지기능 간의 상관관계에서는 -.604로 유의한 음의 상관관계를 보였으며(p<.05), 혈중 지질 수준과 인지기능 간의 상관관계에서는 TC(total cholesterol)와 LDL(low density lipoprotein) 수준에서 각각 -.601, -.403로 유의한 음의 상관관계를 보였다(p<.05). 이와 같은 결과는 베타아밀로이드 및 TC, LDL 수준이 증가할수록 인지기능이 감소하는 음의 상관관계가 나타나는 것을 알 수 있었다. 이처럼 치매 환자의 예방 및 인지기능의 증진을 위해서 치매 관련 병리학적 인자의 관리가 중요하다고 사료된다.

• Communications for Statistical Applications and Methods
• /
• 제27권6호
• /
• pp.603-624
• /
• 2020

There is an emerging interest in brain functional connectivity (FC) based on functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Alzheimer's disease (AD) studies. The complex and high-dimensional structure of FC makes it challenging to explore the association between altered connectivity and AD susceptibility. We develop a pipeline to refine FC as proper covariates in a penalized logistic regression model and classify normal and AD susceptible groups. Three different quantification methods are proposed for FC refinement. One of the methods is dimension reduction based on common component analysis (CCA), which is employed to address the limitations of the other methods. We applied the proposed pipeline to the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) data and deduced pathogenic FC biomarkers associated with AD susceptibility. The refined FC biomarkers were related to brain regions for cognition, stimuli processing, and sensorimotor skills. We also demonstrated that a model using CCA performed better than others in terms of classification performance and goodness-of-fit.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• 제48권3호
• /
• pp.245-252
• /
• 2024

Ginseng is a traditional herbal medicine used for prevention and treatment of various diseases as a tonic. Recent scientific cohort studies on life prolongation with ginseng consumption support this record, as those who consumed ginseng for more than 5 years had reduced mortality and cognitive decline compared to those who did not. Clinical studies have also shown that acute or long-term intake of ginseng total extract improves acute working memory performance or cognitive function in healthy individuals and those with subjective memory impairment (SMI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or early Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia who are taking AD medication(s). Ginseng contains various components ranging from classical ginsenosides and polysaccharides to more recently described gintonin. However, it is unclear which ginseng component(s) might be the main candidate that contribute to memory or cognitive improvements or prevent cognitive decline in older individuals. This review describes recent clinical contributors to ginseng components in clinical tests and introduces emerging evidence that ginseng components could be novel candidates for cognitive improvement in older individuals, as ginseng components improve SMI cognition and exhibits add-on effects when coadministered with early AD dementia drugs. The mechanism behind the beneficial effects of ginseng components and how it improves cognition are presented. Additionally, this review shows how ginseng components can contribute to SMI, MCI, or early AD dementia when used as a supplementary food and/or medicine, and proposes a novel combination therapy of current AD medicines with ginseng component(s).

• 정신신체의학
• /
• 제24권1호
• /
• pp.94-101
• /
• 2016

연구목적 본빈혈은 노인 환자들에서 흔한 내과적 문제이다. 최근 연구는 빈혈이 인지기능 저하 및 알츠하이머병 치매와 연관성이 있다고 보고되고 있다. 본 연구는 한국 노인들에서 헤모글로빈 농도와 알츠하이머병 치매 및 경도 인지기능 장애와의 연관성에 대해 연구하기 위해 실시되었다. 방 법 116명의 대상자들이 본 연구에 참여하였다(평균 연령 : 74.67세, 여성 : 60.3%). 한국판 간이정신상태검사(MMSE-K), 임상치매평가척도(CDR), 전반적 퇴화척도(GDS)를 사용하여 대상자들을 평가하였고, 혈액학적 검사를 실시하였다. 결 과 알츠하이머병 치매 환자들이 경도인지장애군과 정상군에 비해서 유의미하게 낮은 헤모글로빈 농도와 적혈구 용적율을 가진다는 것이 관찰되었다. 헤모글로빈 농도는 MMSE-K와 양의 상관관계를 나타내었으며, overall CDR 및 GDS와는 음의 상관관계를 보였다. 결 론 한국 노인들에서 낮은 헤모글로빈 농도는 인지기능손상과 연관이 있는 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구 결과 알츠하이머병 치매는 빈혈과 연관이 있었으며, 이를 통해 낮은 헤모글로빈 농도가 알츠하이머병의 유용한 임상적 표지자로서 의미를 가지고 있다고 생각해 볼 수 있겠다. 치매에 대한 위험 요소는 더 광범위한 환자 군에서 전향적 종단 연구에 의해 확인하는 것이 필요하겠다.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
• /
• 제44권6호
• /
• pp.377-383
• /
• 2023

Purpose: There is increasing attention to the application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for enhancing cognitive functions in subjects to aging, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Despite varying treatment outcomes in tDCS which depend on the amount of current reaching the brain, there is no general information on the impacts of anatomical features associated with AD on tDCS-induced electric field. Objective: The objective of this study is to examine how AD-related anatomical variation affects the tDCS-induced electric field using computational modeling. Methods: We collected 180 magnetic resonance images (MRI) of AD patients and healthy controls from a publicly available database (Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative; ADNI), and MRIs were divided into female-AD, male-AD, female-normal, and male-normal groups. For each group, segmented brain volumes (cerebrospinal fluid, gray matter, ventricle, rostral middle frontal (RMF), and hippocampus/amygdala complex) using MRI were measured, and tDCS-induced electric fields were simulated, targeting RMF. Results: For segmented brain volumes, significant sex differences were observed in the gray matter and RMF, and considerable disease differences were found in cerebrospinal fluid, ventricle, and hippocampus/amygdala complex. There were no differences in the tDCS-induced electric field among AD and normal groups; however, higher peak values of electric field were observed in the female group than the male group. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated the presence of sex and disease differences in segmented brain volumes; however, this pattern differed in tDCS-induced electric field, resulting in significant sex differences only. Further studies, we will adjust the brain stimulation conditions to target the deep brain and examine the effects, because of significant differences in the ventricles and deep brain regions between AD and normal groups.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• 제35권1호
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2018

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with extracellular plaques, composed of amyloid-beta ($A{\beta}$), in the brain. Although the precise mechanism underlying the neurotoxicity of $A{\beta}$ has not been established, $A{\beta}$ accumulation is the primary event in a cascade of events that lead to neurofibrillary degeneration and dementia. In particular, the $A{\beta}$ burden, as assessed by neuroimaging, has proved to be an excellent predictive biomarker. Positron emission tomography, using ligands such as $^{11}C$-labeled Pittsburgh Compound B or $^{18}F$-labeled tracers, such as $^{18}F$-florbetaben, $^{18}F$-florbetapir, and $^{18}F$-flutemetamol, which bind to $A{\beta}$ deposits in the brain, has been a valuable technique for visualizing and quantifying the deposition of $A{\beta}$ throughout the brain in living subjects. $A{\beta}$ imaging has very high sensitivity for detecting AD pathology. In addition, it can predict the progression from mild cognitive impairment to AD, and contribute to the development of disease-specific therapies.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• 제22권1호
• /
• pp.53-60
• /
• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effects of an exercise program on activities of daily living (ADL), balance and cognition in elderly individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. Methods: Thirty-two patients with mild to moderate cognitive impairment were assigned to one of two groups: an exercise group (n=16) and a control group (n=16). The exercise group carried on regular exercise for 60 minutes a day, 4-5 times per week for 8 weeks. The exercise group participated in an exercise program (treadmill training and physical training). ADL, balance and cognitive function were evaluated before and at the end of the program using the Korean modified Bathel Index (K-MBI), the Functional independence measure (FIM), the Berg balance scale (BBS), the Balance performance monitor (BPM), and the Mini mental state examination (MMSE) in both groups. Results: There were significant exercise-induced improvements in ADL and Balance from pre to post tests; but not in MMSE. Conclusion: Exercise programs can improve ADL and balance in elderly with Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.

• 한국융합학회논문지
• /
• 제10권5호
• /
• pp.103-110
• /
• 2019

알츠하이머형 치매(Alzheimer's disease, AD)가 입체시 지각에 영향을 미치는지를 규명하고자 정상노인, AD환자, 경도인지장애(mild cognitive impairment, MCI)환자 각각 20명을 대상으로 입체시 지각능력을 검사했다. 화면 좌우에 두 개의 정육면체가 제시되었으며, 참가자들은 둘 중 자신에게 더 가까운 물체를 지적하였다. 이 때 물체들 간의 상대적 거리를 절대부등과 상대부등으로 분리하여 조작하였으며, 각 부등 유형에서 교차부등과 비교차부등으로 부등의 방향도 함께 변화시켰다. 그 결과 MCI환자들과 AD환자들이 정상노인 못지않게 정확하게 수행한 것으로 나타났다. 이런 결과는 입체시 지각과정이 AD의 영향을 거의 받지 않는 증거로 볼 수 있다. 이런 결과를 AD로 인해 영향을 받는 고차원 시각 과정과 비교하면서 논의하였다.

• 대한자기공명의과학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 대한자기공명의과학회.한국자기공명학회 2005년도 공동학술대회
• /
• pp.45-46
• /
• 2005

• 대한한방내과학회지
• /
• 제42권5호
• /
• pp.1082-1093
• /
• 2021

Objective: Alzheimer's disease is characterized by progressive, irreversible brain damage and cognitive decline. Although the diagnosis and treatment of the prodromal symptoms of dementia are important, no treatment for mild cognitive impairment has been currently established. Herein, we report the case of an 80-year-old female patient with memory complaints treated with Gugijihwang-tang, a traditional Korean medicine herbal formula, as an add-on medication. Case Presentation: The patient was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment based on clinical examinations using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD), Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Scale, Global Deterioration (GDR) Scale, and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) Scale. She was treated with Gugijihwang-tang bis in die for 12 months while continuing her original medications, including 5-mg donepezil and 590-mg acetyl-l-carnitine. The MMSE score in the Korean Version of the CERAD Assessment Packet increased from 21 to 27 during the 12-month treatment period, and the CERAD 2 score increased from 33 to 62. The instrumental ADL scale score improved from 11 to 5. Other clinical examination results also showed improvement. The patient was satisfied and experienced no significant adverse events related to the Gugijihwang-tang treatment. Conclusion: This case suggests that Gugijihwang-tang could be considered as a treatment method for patients with mild cognitive impairment.