Although negative age stereotypes have been found to predict adverse outcomes among older individuals, it was unknown whether the influence of stereotypes extends to brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease. To consider this possibility, we drew on dementia-free participants, in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, whose age stereotypes were assessed decades before yearly magnetic resonance images and brain autopsies were performed. Those holding more-negative age stereotypes earlier in life had significantly steeper hippocampal-volume loss and significantly greater accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques, adjusting for relevant covariates. These findings suggest a new pathway to identifying mechanisms and potential interventions related to the pathology of Alzheimer's disease.(c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Most research on exceptional longevity has investigated biomedical factors associated with survival, but recent work suggests nonbiological factors are also important. Thus, we tested whether higher optimism was associated with longer life span and greater likelihood of exceptional longevity. Data are from 2 cohorts, women from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and men from the Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study (NAS), with follow-up of 10 y (2004 to 2014) and 30 y (1986 to 2016), respectively. Optimism was assessed using the Life Orientation Test-Revised in NHS and the Revised Optimism-Pessimism Scale from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 in NAS. Exceptional longevity was defined as survival to age 85 or older. Primary analyses used accelerated failure time models to assess differences in life span associated with optimism; models adjusted for demographic confounders and health conditions, and subsequently considered the role of health behaviors. Further analyses used logistic regression to evaluate the likelihood of exceptional longevity. In both sexes, we found a dose-dependent association of higher optimism levels at baseline with increased longevity ( trend < 0.01). For example, adjusting for demographics and health conditions, women in the highest versus lowest optimism quartile had 14.9% (95% confidence interval, 11.9 to 18.0) longer life span. Findings were similar in men. Participants with highest versus lowest optimism levels had 1.5 (women) and 1.7 (men) greater odds of surviving to age 85; these relationships were maintained after adjusting for health behaviors. Given work indicating optimism is modifiable, these findings suggest optimism may provide a valuable target to test for strategies to promote longevity.

Structured activities to stimulate brain function-that is, cognitive training exercises-are promoted to slow or prevent cognitive decline, including dementia, but their effectiveness is highly debated.To summarize evidence on the effects of cognitive training on cognitive performance and incident dementia outcomes for adults with normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment (MCI).Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and PsycINFO through July 2017, supplemented by hand-searches.Trials (published in English) lasting at least 6 months that compared cognitive training with usual care, waitlist, information, or attention controls in adults without dementia.Single-reviewer extraction of study characteristics confirmed by a second reviewer; dual-reviewer risk-of-bias assessment; consensus determination of strength of evidence. Only studies with low or medium risk of bias were analyzed.Of 11 trials with low or medium risk of bias, 6 enrolled healthy adults with normal cognition and 5 enrolled adults with MCI. Trainings for healthy older adults were mostly computer based; those for adults with MCI were mostly held in group sessions. The MCI trials used attention controls more often than trials with healthy populations. For healthy older adults, training improved cognitive performance in the domain trained but not in other domains (moderate-strength evidence). Results for populations with MCI suggested no effect of training on performance (low-strength and insufficient evidence). Evidence for prevention of cognitive decline or dementia was insufficient. Adverse events were not reported.Heterogeneous interventions and outcome measures; outcomes that mostly assessed test performance rather than global function or dementia diagnosis; potential publication bias.In older adults with normal cognition, training improves cognitive performance in the domain trained. Evidence regarding prevention or delay of cognitive decline or dementia is insufficient.Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

What is the effect of physical exercise on cognitive decline and behavioural problems in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia? What is the effect of physical exercise on particular domains of cognitive function? How do training protocols and patients' characteristics influence the outcomes?Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials.People with MCI or dementia as their primary diagnosis.Physical exercise.Cognitive function including global cognition, memory, executive function, reasoning, attention, language, and behavioural problems.Forty-six trials involving 5099 participants were included in this review. Meta-analysis of the data estimated that aerobic exercise reduced the decline in global cognition, with a standardised mean difference (SMD) of 0.44, 95% CI 0.27 to 0.61, I = 69%. For individual cognitive functions, meta-analysis estimated that exercise lessened working memory decline (SMD 0.28, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.52, I = 40%). The estimated mean effect on reducing the decline in language function was favourable (SMD 0.17), but this estimate had substantial uncertainty (95% CI -0.03 to 0.36, I = 67%). The effects of exercise on other cognitive functions were unclear. Exercise also reduced behavioural problems (SMD 0.36, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.64, I = 81%).Physical exercise can reduce global cognitive decline and lessen behavioural problems in people with MCI or dementia. Its benefits on cognitive function can be primarily attributed to its effects on working memory. Aerobic exercise at moderate intensity or above and a total training duration of > 24 hours can lead to a more pronounced effect on global cognition.Copyright © 2019 Australian Physiotherapy Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Physical activity and sleep duration are key factors associated with cognitive function and dementia risk. How physical activity and sleep interact to influence cognitive ageing is not well explored. We aimed to examine the associations of combinations of physical activity and sleep duration with 10-year cognitive trajectories.In this longitudinal study, we analysed data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing collected between Jan 1, 2008, and July 31, 2019, with follow-up interviews every 2 years. Participants were cognitively healthy adults aged at least 50 years at baseline. Participants were asked about physical activity and nightly sleep duration at baseline. At each interview, episodic memory was assessed using immediate and delayed recall tasks and verbal fluency using an animal naming task; scores were standardised and averaged to produce a composite cognitive score. We used linear mixed models to examine independent and joint associations of physical activity (lower physical activity or higher physical activity, based on a score taking into account frequency and intensity of physical activity) and sleep duration (short [<6 h], optimal [6-8 h], or long [>8 h]) with cognitive performance at baseline, after 10 years of follow-up, and the rate of cognitive decline.We included 8958 respondents aged 50-95 years at baseline (median follow-up 10 years [IQR 2-10]). Lower physical activity and suboptimal sleep were independently associated with worse cognitive performance; short sleep was also associated with faster cognitive decline. At baseline, participants with higher physical activity and optimal sleep had higher cognitive scores than all combinations of lower physical activity and sleep categories (eg, difference between those with higher physical activity and optimal sleep vs those with lower physical activity and short sleep at baseline age 50 years was 0·14 SDs [95% CI 0·05-0·24]). We found no difference in baseline cognitive performance between sleep categories within the higher physical activity category. Those with higher physical activity and short sleep had faster rates of cognitive decline than those with higher physical activity and optimal sleep, such that their scores at 10 years were commensurate with those who reported low physical activity, regardless of sleep duration (eg, difference in cognitive performance after 10 years of follow-up between those with higher physical and optimal sleep and those with lower physical activity and short sleep was 0·20 SDs [0·08-0·33]; difference between those with higher physical activity and optimal sleep and those with lower physical activity and short sleep was 0·22 SDs [0·11-0·34]).The baseline cognitive benefit associated with more frequent, higher intensity physical activity was insufficient to ameliorate the more rapid cognitive decline associated with short sleep. Physical activity interventions should also consider sleep habits to maximise benefis of physical activity for long-term cognitive health.UK Economic and Social Research Council.Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Consciousness is lost within seconds upon cessation of cerebral blood flow. The brain cannot store oxygen, and interruption of oxidative phosphorylation is fatal within minutes. Yet only rudimentary knowledge exists regarding cortical partial oxygen tension (o) dynamics under physiological conditions. Here we introduce Green enhanced Nano-lantern (GeNL), a genetically encoded bioluminescent oxygen indicator for o imaging. In awake behaving mice, we uncover the existence of spontaneous, spatially defined "hypoxic pockets" and demonstrate their linkage to the abrogation of local capillary flow. Exercise reduced the burden of hypoxic pockets by 52% compared with rest. The study provides insight into cortical oxygen dynamics in awake behaving animals and concurrently establishes a tool to delineate the importance of oxygen tension in physiological processes and neurological diseases.

MIND diet, a hybrid of the Mediterranean diet and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet, is associated with a slower cognitive decline and lower risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia in older adults.We aim to examine whether the association of the MIND diet with cognition is independent of common brain pathologies.Utilizing data from the Rush Memory and Aging Project (MAP), a longitudinal clinical-pathologic study, we studied 569 decedents with valid dietary data, cognitive testing proximate to death, and complete autopsy data at the time of these analyses. A series of regression analyses were used to examine associations of the MIND diet, dementia-related brain pathologies, and global cognition proximate to death adjusting for age, sex, education, APOEɛ4, late-life cognitive activities, and total energy intake.A higher MIND diet score was associated with better global cognitive functioning proximate to death (β= 0.119, SE = 0.040, p = 0.003), and neither the strength nor the significance of association changed substantially when AD pathology and other brain pathologies were included in the model. The β-estimate after controlling for global AD pathology was 0.111 (SE = 0.037, p = 0.003). The MIND diet-cognition relationship remained significant when we restricted our analysis to individuals without mild cognitive impairment at the baseline (β= 0.121, SE = 0.042, p = 0.005) or in people diagnosed with postmortem diagnosis of AD based on NIA-Reagan consensus recommendations (β= 0.114, SE = 0.050, p = 0.023).MIND diet is associated with better cognitive functioning independently of common brain pathology, suggesting that the MIND diet may contribute to cognitive resilience in the elderly.

This study sought to determine if the MIND diet (a hybrid of the Mediterranean and Dash diets, with modifications based on the science of nutrition and the brain), is effective in preventing cognitive decline after stroke.We analyzed 106 participants of a community cohort study who had completed a diet assessment and two or more annual cognitive assessments and who also had a clinical history of stroke. Cognition in five cognitive domains was assessed using structured clinical evaluations that included a battery of 19 cognitive tests. MIND diet scores were computed using a valid food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Dietary components of the MIND diet included whole grains, leafy greens and other vegetables, berries, beans, nuts, lean meats, fish, poultry, and olive oil and reduced consumption of cheese, butter, fried foods, and sweets. MIND diet scores were modeled in tertiles. The influence of baseline MIND score on change in a global cognitive function measure and in the five cognitive domains was assessed using linear mixed models adjusted for age and other potential confounders.With adjustment for age, sex, education, APOE-ε4, caloric intake, smoking, and participation in cognitive and physical activities, the top vs lowest tertiles of MIND diet scores had a slower rate of global cognitive decline (β =.08; CI = 0.0074, 0.156) over an average of 5.9 years of follow-up.High adherence to the MIND diet was associated with a slower rate of cognitive decline after stroke.

Associations between the Mediterranean-DASH diet Intervention for Neurological Delay (MIND) diet and incidence of cognitive impairment have not been evaluated outside the United States.We investigated MIND and Mediterranean diet relations with 12-year incidence of Alzheimer's disease/Vascular dementia (National Institute of Neurological Disorders criteria) and mild cognitive impairment (Winbald criteria) in the Personality and Total Health (PATH) Through Life cohort (n = 1220) set in Canberra, Australia: wave-1 2001-2002; wave-2 2005-2006; wave-3 2009-2010; and wave-4 2013-2014. MIND diet and two alternate Mediterranean diet scores were calculated from the baseline food frequency questionnaire responses. Higher dietary scores signified greater adherence.In adjusted logistic regression models, MIND diet (OR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.24, 0.91), but not Mediterranean diet, was associated with reduced odds of 12-year cognitive impairment.Preliminary evidence suggests that protective effects of the MIND diet are geographically generalizable. Additional prospective studies are needed in diverse samples to determine the relative effects of the MIND and the Mediterranean diets against cognitive decline.Copyright © 2019 the Alzheimer's Association. All rights reserved.

Adherence to the Mediterranean-DASH for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet has previously been associated with cognitive decline and dementia. To our knowledge, no prior study has investigated the association between the MIND diet and measures of brain volume, silent brain infarcts (SBIs), or brain atrophy.We evaluated whether adherence to the MIND diet associated with superior cognitive function, larger brain volumes, fewer SBIs, and less cognitive decline in the community-based Framingham Heart Study.2,092 participants (mean±SD, age 61±9) completed Food Frequency Questionnaires, averaged across a maximum of 3-time points (examination cycles 5, 6, and 7), cognitive testing at examination cycle 7 (present study baseline: 1998-2001) and after a mean±SD of 6.6±1.1 years from baseline (n = 1,584). A subset of participants also completed brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at examination cycle 7 (n = 1,904). In addition, participants with dementia, stroke, and other relevant neurological diseases such as significant head trauma, subdural hematoma, or multiple sclerosis were excluded from the analyses.Higher MIND diet scores were associated with better global cognitive function (β±SE,+0.03SD±0.01; p = 0.004), verbal memory, visual memory, processing speed, verbal comprehension/reasoning, and with larger total brain volume (TBV) following adjustments for clinical, lifestyle and demographic covariates, but not with other brain MRI measures (i.e., hippocampal volume, lateral ventricular volume, white matter hyperintensity volume, SBIs) or cognitive decline.Higher MIND diet scores associated with better cognitive performance and larger TBV at baseline, but not with cognitive decline. Clinical trials are needed to ascertain whether adopting the MIND diet affects trajectories of cognitive decline.

There is increasing attention for dietary patterns as a potential strategy to prevent cognitive decline. We examined the association between adherence to a recently developed Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet with cognitive function and cognitive decline, taking into account the interaction between the apolipoprotein E ε4 genotype and the MIND diet.Population-based prospective cohort study.A total of 16,058 older women aged 70 and over from the Nurses' Health Study.Dietary intake was assessed five times between 1984 and 1998 with a 116-item Food Frequency Questionnaire. The MIND score includes ten brain-healthy foods and five unhealthy foods. Cognition was assessed four times by telephone from 1995 to 2001 (baseline) with the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS) and by calculating composite scores of verbal memory and global cognition. Linear regression modelling and linear mixed modelling were used to examine the associations of adherence to the MIND diet with average cognitive function and cognitive change over six years, respectively.Greater long-term adherence to the MIND diet was associated with a better verbal memory score (multivariable-adjusted mean differences between extreme MIND quintiles=0.04 (95%CI 0.01-0.07), p-trend=0.006), but not with cognitive decline over 6 years in global cognition, verbal memory or TICS.Long-term adherence to the MIND diet was moderately associated with better verbal memory in later life. Future studies should address this association within populations at greater risk of cognitive decline.

轻度认知障碍的治疗是老年健康需要解决的难题。基于中医“脑病耳治”理论的新型神经调控技术——耳甲电针（taVNS），可辅助治疗多种神经、精神系统疾病，近年研究发现其对轻度认知障碍有效。对目前国内外耳甲电针治疗轻度认知障碍的研究现状进行综述，探讨其疗效、机制，展示其研究成果，提出进一步研究方向。将为MCI非药物疗法提供可借鉴的新思路，为广大老年患者的认知功能改善和生活品质提高提供新技术。

Physical exercise has been shown to increase brain volume and improve cognition in randomized trials of non-demented elderly. Although greater social engagement was found to reduce dementia risk in observational studies, randomized trials of social interventions have not been reported. A representative sample of 120 elderly from Shanghai, China was randomized to four groups (Tai Chi, Walking, Social Interaction, No Intervention) for 40 weeks. Two MRIs were obtained, one before the intervention period, the other after. A neuropsychological battery was administered at baseline, 20 weeks, and 40 weeks. Comparison of changes in brain volumes in intervention groups with the No Intervention group were assessed by t-tests. Time-intervention group interactions for neuropsychological measures were evaluated with repeated-measures mixed models. Compared to the No Intervention group, significant increases in brain volume were seen in the Tai Chi and Social Intervention groups (p < 0.05). Improvements also were observed in several neuropsychological measures in the Tai Chi group, including the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale score (p = 0.004), the Trailmaking Test A (p = 0.002) and B (p = 0.0002), the Auditory Verbal Learning Test (p = 0.009), and verbal fluency for animals (p = 0.01). The Social Interaction group showed improvement on some, but fewer neuropsychological indices. No differences were observed between the Walking and No Intervention groups. The findings differ from previous clinical trials in showing increases in brain volume and improvements in cognition with a largely non-aerobic exercise (Tai Chi). In addition, intellectual stimulation through social interaction was associated with increases in brain volume as well as with some cognitive improvements.