Background Life expectancy of individuals with Down Syndrome (DS) is currently 60 years. From age 40 they have an increased risk of dementia and almost all of them have histopathological features of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in their brains. Also, it is known that the ε4 allele of the APOE gene and the R47H variant of TREM2 increase the risk of AD. DS is also associated with a group of clinical manifestations of accelerated aging. DNA methylation‐based biomarkers of ageing (epigenetic clocks) can be assessed by different models. It is known that DNA methylation age (DNAm) has a positive correlation with chronological age in disomic individuals while DS subjects exhibit an age acceleration effect in blood and brain. Method We determined the DNAm age of a cohort of seven participants with chromosome 21 trisomy (confirmed by G‐banding karyotyping). Median age was 49 years. Their cognitive status was assessed by clinical and neuropsychological evaluations. AD risk variants in APOE and TREM2 were analyzed by RFLP‐PCR. DNAm age was assessed in peripheral blood leukocytes, using the Illumina 850K platform. We used the Horvath’s epigenetic clock, based on the DNAm levels of 353 specific CpG sites. Result Five participants exhibited the ε3/ε3 genotype in APOE and two of them the ε3/ε4 genotype. We did not observe the R47H risk variant in TREM2 in this group. Five participants showed a significant biological age acceleration and one participant’s DNAm age was similar to his chronological age. Of note, one participant showed a deceleration in the DNAm age. This participant also had multiple myeloma. It is known that the DNA methylation profile of multiple myeloma cells differs from normal plasma cells. On the other hand, we did not find a trend towards a greater presence of the risk allele ε4 or cognitive impairment in participants with a significant DNAm age acceleration. Conclusion The majority participants presented an acceleration in their biological age, but this fact was not correlated with a greater presence of the risk allele ε4 or cognitive impairment. This is the first dataset of DNA methylation ages of a cohort of people with Down Syndrome in Latin America.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the continuity of cognitive rehabilitation worldwide. However, the use of teleneuropsychology to provide cognitive rehabilitation has contributed significantly to the continuity of the treatment. Objectives: To measure the effects of cognitive telerehabilitation on cognition, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and memory strategies in a cohort of patients with mild cognitive impairment. Methods: A sample of 60 patients with mild cognitive impairment according to Petersen’s criteria was randomly divided into two groups: 30 treatment cases and 30 controls (waiting list group). Subjects were matched by age, sex, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment. The treatment group received ten cognitive telerehabilitation sessions of 45 minutes duration once a week. Pre-treatment (week 0) and post-treatment (week 10) measures were assessed for both groups. Different linear mixed models were estimated to test treatment effect (cognitive telerehabilitation vs. controls) on each outcome of interest over time (pre/post-intervention). Results: A significant group (control/treatment) x time (pre/post) interaction revealed that the treatment group at week 10 had better scores in cognitive variables: memory (RAVLT learning trials p=0.030; RAVLT delayed recall p=0.029), phonological fluency (p=0.001), activities of daily living (FAQ p=0.001), satisfaction with memory performance (MMQ satisfaction p=0.004) and use of memory strategies (MMQ strategy p=0.000), as well as, and a significant reduction of affective symptomatology: depression (GDS p=0.000), neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPI-Q p=0.045), forgetfulness (EDO-10 p=0.000), and stress (DAS stress p=0.000). Conclusions: Our study suggests that CTR is an effective intervention.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.