Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the role of multiple pathologies in the expression of dementia in the oldest-old.Methods: A total of 183 participants of The 901 Study with longitudinal follow-up and autopsy were included in this clinical-pathologic investigation. Eight pathologic diagnoses (Alzheimer disease [AD], microinfarcts, hippocampal sclerosis, macroinfarcts, Lewy body disease, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, white matter disease, and others) were dichotomized. We estimated the odds of dementia in relation to each individual pathologic diagnosis and to the total number of diagnoses. We also examined dementia severity in relation to number of pathologic diagnoses.Results: The presence of multiple pathologic diagnoses was common and occurred more frequently in those with dementia compared with those without dementia (45% vs 14%). Higher numbers of pathologic diagnoses were also associated with greater dementia severity. Participants with intermediate/high AD pathology alone were 3 times more likely to have dementia (odds ratio 5 3.5), but those with single non-AD pathologies were 12 times more likely to have dementia (odds ratio 5 12.4). When a second pathology was present, the likelihood of dementia increased 4-fold in those with intermediate/high AD pathology but did not change in those with non-AD pathologies, suggesting that pathologies may interrelate in different ways. Conclusions:In the oldest-old, the presence of multiple pathologies is associated with increased likelihood and severity of dementia. The effect of the individual pathologies may be additive or perhaps synergistic and requires further research. Multiple pathologies will need to be targeted to reduce the burden of dementia in the population. Neurology ® 2015;85:535-542

Introduction We investigated the association between age of onset of hypertension and dementia risk in an oldest-old cohort. Methods Participants are from The 90+ Study, a population-based longitudinal study of people aged 90+ who are survivors from the Leisure World Cohort Study (LWCS). We estimated hypertension onset age using self-reported information from The 90+ Study and LWCS, collected about 20 years earlier. 559 participants without dementia were followed every 6 months for up to 10 years. Results 224 participants developed dementia during follow-up (mean=2.8 years). Compared with those without hypertension, participants whose hypertension onset age was 80-89 years had a lower dementia risk (HR=0.58, p=0.04) and participants with an onset age of 90+ years had the lowest risk (HR=0.37, p=0.004). Discussion Developing hypertension at older ages may protect against dementia. Understanding the mechanisms for this lower risk is important for determining ways to prevent dementia in the very elderly.

BackgroundMild cognitive impairment (MCI) has an uncertain etiology and prognosis and may be challenging for clinicians to discuss with patients and families. Amyloid imaging may aid specialists in determining MCI etiology and prognosis, but creates novel challenges related to disease labeling.MethodsWe convened a workgroup to formulate recommendations for clinicians providing care to MCI patients.ResultsClinicians should use the MCI diagnosis to validate patient and family concerns and educate them that the patient’s cognitive impairment is not normal for his or her age and education level. The MCI diagnosis should not be used to avoid delivering a diagnosis of dementia. For patients who meet Appropriate Use Criteria after standard-of-care clinical workup, amyloid imaging may position specialists to offer more information about etiology and prognosis. Clinicians must set appropriate expectations, including ensuring that patients and families understand the limitations of amyloid imaging. Communication of negative results should include that patients remain at elevated risk for dementia and that negative scans do not indicate a specific diagnosis or signify brain health. Positive amyloid imaging results should elicit further monitoring and conversations about appropriate advance planning. Clinicians should offer written summaries, including referral to appropriate social services.ConclusionsIn patients with MCI, there is a need to devote considerable time and attention to patient education and shared decision-making. Amyloid imaging may be a tool to aid clinicians. Careful management of patient expectations and communication of scan results will be critical to the appropriate use of amyloid imaging information.

No abstract

The oldest old-people aged 90 years and older-are the fastest-growing segment of society and have the highest rates of dementia in the population. The risk factors, diagnostic challenges, and underlying neuropathologic features of dementia are strikingly different in the 90-years-and-older population compared to younger elderly. Special consideration of these unique features of dementia is necessary when evaluating oldest-old subjects with cognitive impairment.

Background The goal of this study was to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between cognitive performance and beta amyloid (Aβ) load determined by florbetapir F18 positron emission tomography (PET) in non-demented oldest-old. Methods Thirteen non-demented (normal or cognitively impaired non-demented) participants (median age=94.2 years) from The 90+ Study underwent florbetapir-PET scanning within 3 months of baseline neuropsychological testing. Amyloid load was measured with a semiautomated quantitative analysis of average cortical to cerebellar standard uptake values (SUVr) ratio and a visual interpretation (Aβ- or Aβ+). Neuropsychological testing was repeated every 6 months. Results At baseline, SUVr correlated significantly with tests of global cognition and memory. During follow-up (median=1.5 years), the Aβ+ group had steeper declines on most cognitive tests, particularly global cognitive measures. Conclusion This preliminary study suggests that greater amyloid load is associated with poorer cognition and faster cognitive decline in non-demented oldest-old. Amyloid load may identify individuals at increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

To examine the cross-sectional relationship between physical performance and dementia in the oldest old (those Ն90 years of age).

Object-Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is characterized by neovascularization, raising the question of whether angiogenic blockade may be a useful therapeutic strategy for this disease. It has been suggested, however, that, to be useful, angiogenic blockade must be persistent and at levels sufficient to overcome proangiogenic signals from tumor cells. In this report, the authors tested the hypothesis that sustained high concentrations of 2 different antiangiogenic proteins, delivered using a systemic gene therapy strategy, could inhibit the growth of established intracranial U87 human GBM xenografts in nude mice.Methods-Mice harboring established U87 intracranial tumors received intravenous injections of adenoviral vectors encoding either the extracellular domain of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2-Fc fusion protein (Ad-VEGFR2-Fc) alone, soluble endostatin (Ad-ES) alone, a combination of Ad-VEGFR2-Fc and Ad-ES, or immunoglobulin 1-Fc (Ad-Fc) as a control.Results-Three weeks after treatment, magnetic resonance imaging-based determination of tumor volume showed that treatment with Ad-VEGFR2-Fc, Ad-ES, or Ad-VEGFR2-Fc in combination with Ad-ES, produced 69, 59, and 74% growth inhibition, respectively. Bioluminescent monitoring of tumor growth revealed growth inhibition in the same treatment groups to be 62, 74, and 72%, respectively. Staining with proliferating cell nuclear antigen and with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling showed reduced tumor cell proliferation and increased apoptosis in all antiangiogenic treatment groups. HHS Public AccessConclusions-These results suggest that systemic delivery and sustained production of endostatin and soluble VEGFR2 can slow intracranial glial tumor growth by both reducing cell proliferation and increasing tumor apoptosis. This work adds further support to the concept of using antiangiogenesis therapy for intracranial GBM. Keywordsantiangiogenesis; endostatin; gene therapy; glioblastoma multiforme; vascular endothelial growth factor High-grade astrocytic tumors are the most common primary tumors of the central nervous system. Despite combined multimodal treatments (surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy with oral alkylating agents such as temozolomide), the median survival time for patients with GBM is approximately 12-18 months. 7,27,45,78 The identification and development of novel therapeutic strategies therefore remains an important priority in this disease. Because GBM is characterized by endothelial cell proliferation and a high degree of vascularity, it has been suggested that antiangiogenic approaches may be an especially useful adjunct to other therapies.Use of antiangiogenic therapy for brain tumors is based on the premise that the progressively higher grade of glial tumors requires an extensive network of blood vessels. 20,25,34,60,61,91 Strategies to abrogate new blood vessel formation have been explored in preclinical models of GBM and have shown some success. 23,[31][32][33]37,41,62,69...