Репозиторий Университета

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Pesticides are widely-used chemicals commonly applied in agriculture for the protection of crops from pests. Depending on the class of pesticides, the specific substances may have a specific set of adverse effects on humans, especially in cases of acute poisoning. In past years, evidence regarding sequelae of chronic, low-level exposure has been accumulating. Cognitive impairment and dementia heavily affect a person's quality of life and scientific data has been hinting towards an association between them and antecedent chronic pesticide exposure. Here, we reviewed animal and human studies exploring the association between pesticide exposure, cognition and dementia. Additionally, we present potential mechanisms through which pesticides may act neurotoxically and lead to neurodegeneration. Study designs rarely presented homogeneity and the estimation of the exposure to pesticides has been most frequently performed without measuring the synergic effects and the possible interactions between the toxicants within mixtures, and also overlooking low exposures to environmental toxicants. It is possible that a Real-Life Risk Simulation approach would represent a robust alternative for future studies, so that the safe exposure limits and the net risk that pesticides confer to impaired cognitive function can be examined. Previous studies that evaluated the effect of low dose chronic exposure to mixtures of pesticides and other chemicals intending to simulate real life exposure scenarios showed that hermetic neurobehavioral effects can appear after mixture exposure at doses considered safe for individual compounds and these effects can be exacerbated by a coexistence with specific conditions such as vitamin deficiency. However, there is an overall indication, derived from both epidemiologic and laboratory evidence, supporting an association between exposure to neurotoxic pesticides and cognitive dysfunction, dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Pesticides are widely-used chemicals commonly applied in agriculture for the protection of crops from pests. Depending on the class of pesticides, the specific substances may have a specific set of adverse effects on humans, especially in cases of acute poisoning. In past years, evidence regarding sequelae of chronic, low-level exposure has been accumulating. Cognitive impairment and dementia heavily affect a person's quality of life and scientific data has been hinting towards an association between them and antecedent chronic pesticide exposure. Here, we reviewed animal and human studies exploring the association between pesticide exposure, cognition and dementia. Additionally, we present potential mechanisms through which pesticides may act neurotoxically and lead to neurodegeneration. Study designs rarely presented homogeneity and the estimation of the exposure to pesticides has been most frequently performed without measuring the synergic effects and the possible interactions between the toxicants within mixtures, and also overlooking low exposures to environmental toxicants. It is possible that a Real-Life Risk Simulation approach would represent a robust alternative for future studies, so that the safe exposure limits and the net risk that pesticides confer to impaired cognitive function can be examined. Previous studies that evaluated the effect of low dose chronic exposure to mixtures of pesticides and other chemicals intending to simulate real life exposure scenarios showed that hermetic neurobehavioral effects can appear after mixture exposure at doses considered safe for individual compounds and these effects can be exacerbated by a coexistence with specific conditions such as vitamin deficiency. However, there is an overall indication, derived from both epidemiologic and laboratory evidence, supporting an association between exposure to neurotoxic pesticides and cognitive dysfunction, dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

© 2018 Ima-Press Publishing House. All Rights Reserved. Objective: to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive and motor training as an additional method to basic therapy in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). Patients and methods: The investigation enrolled 41 patients (15 women and 26 men; mean age. 73.59±6.3 years), including 32 patients with AD (mean age 74.94±5.15 years) and 9 patients with VCI (mean age, 72.31±4.98 years). Cognitive impairment (CI) corresponded to mild dementia in 15 patients (5 women and 10 men; mean age 74.6±2.8 years) and to moderate dementia in 29 (10 women and 19 men; mean age 72.1±3.2 years). The patients were randomly assigned to individual, group, and mixed (individual and then group) cognitive training groups. Quantitative scales were used to assess changes in CI and emotional and behavioral disorders after 1.5, 3, and 6 months of therapy. Results and discussion: During cognitive and motor training, all the groups showed a significant decrease in the severity of CI (p < 0.05), depression, anxiety, and apathy. The effectiveness of the training was further influenced by the severity of concomitant cardiovascular disease, the degree of apathy, adherence to the training, and the early initiation of basic symptomatic therapy. The greatest positive changes in anxiety and depressive disorders were noted in the patients receiving group cognitive and motor training. Conclusion: The results of the investigation allow group cognitive and motor training to be recommended as a mainstay in the therapy of patients with CI concurrent with emotional disorders.

© 2018 Ima-Press Publishing House. All rights reservbed. Dementia develops as a result of continuous long-term progression of less severe cognitive impairment (CI). Social and psychological methods (neurocognitive stimulation and neurocognitive training) are the mainstay of treatment for dementia. At the moment, there are no drugs both to cure dementia and to stop the degeneration of nerve tissue. Modern pharmacotherapy for dementia aims to maintain cognitive functions in the patient for as long as possible and to slow down disability, thus ensuring higher living standards. CI therapy most often consists of compensation for cognitive defect. Among the whole variety of pharmacological agents, the effective drugs to treat dementia are only two groups, such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor antagonists. Atypical neuroleptics are employed for the treatment of psychotic disorders; antidepressants from a group of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are for depression. Cognitive behavioral therapy and cognitive stimulation deserve special attention. A high educational level and physical, social, and intellectual and activities can prevent dementia.

© 2018 Izdatel'stvo Meditsina. All Rights Reserved. Introduction. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerathe disease in the population. Often, patients with AD have a combined brain lesion of vascular etiology (cerebral microangiopathy). Arterial blood spin labeling (ASL - Arterial spin labeling) is one of the most modem and promising methods for quantifying cerebral perfusion in patients with AD. Objective. To assess regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) using the ASL method in patients with AD with chronic cerebral ischemia - cerebral microangiopathy (CMA) and without it. Material and methods. A group of 20patients (mean age 66 ± 10 years), consisting of 11 patients with AD without CAIA and 9patients with AD with CMA, was examined. The study was conducted on a Siemens Magnetom Skyra magnetic resonance imaging scanner with a magnetic field induction of3T. The examination protocol included an impulse sequence of arterial blood spin labeling. Using the software for postprocessing data processing Olea Medical Sphere 3.0, the indicators of regional cerebral blood flow in various parts of the gray matter of the brain were measured in a manual mode. A neuro-psychological study was performed, confirming a presence of mild to moderate dementia in all patients. Results. A decrease of CBF was revealed in AD patients with CAIA in comparison with AD patients without CMA. The lowest CBF were found in the upper temporal; middle temporal; occipital-temporal; upper frontal and angular gyrus. No correlation was found between CBF measures and neuropsychological results. C onclusion. ASL is a sensitive method in assessing cerebral perfusion in AD patients.