Loss of CB1 receptors leads to decreased cathepsin D levels and accelerated lipofuscin accumulation in the hippocampus

Early onset of age-related changes in the brain of cannabinoid 1 receptor knockout (Cnr1^−/−) mice suggests that cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptor activity significantly influences the progression of brain aging. In the present study we show that lack of CB1 receptors leads to a significant increase in lipofuscin accumulation and a reduced expression and activity of cathepsin D, lysosomal protease implicated in the degradation of damaged macromolecules, in the hippocampus of 12-month-old mice. The impaired clearance of damaged macromolecules due to the low cathepsin D levels and not enhanced oxidative stress may be responsible for the lipofuscin accumulation because macromolecule oxidation levels were comparable between the genotypes within the same age group. The altered levels of autophagy markers p62 and LC3-II suggest that autophagy is upregulated in CB1 knockout mice. Increased autophagic flux in the absence of CB1 receptors is probably a compensatory mechanism to partially counteract decreased lysosomal degradation capacity. Together, these results suggest that CB1 receptor activity affects lysosomal activity, degradation of damaged macromolecules and thus it may influence the course and onset of brain aging.     

Curcumin ameliorates impaired insulin/IGF signalling and memory deficit in a streptozotocin-treated rat model

Increased serum insulin levels and reduced peripheral insulin activities seen in insulin resistance syndrome are associated with age-dependent cognitive impairment and Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease (SAD), suggesting a disturbance in the insulin signalling system in the brain and possibly being one of the causes of dementia. Therefore, the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced animal may be an appropriate model for the investigation of SAD and related dementia. This study was designed to investigate the beneficial effect of Curcumin (CUR), a neuroprotective agent, on intracerebroventricular (ICV) STZ-induced cognitive impairment in rats. For this purpose, adult male Wistar rats were bilaterally ICV injected with STZ (3 mg/kg). An artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) was given to the control group (SHAM) instead of STZ on days 1 and 3. Learning and memory performance were assessed using the “passive avoidance task” and the “Morris water maze test”. After confirmation of acquisition impairment with these tests, the STZ group was divided into two subgroups: STZ + vehicle (Vh) and STZ + CUR. The rats in the SHAM and STZ + Vh groups were administered intraperitoneally with 0.5 ml Vh and the rats in the STZ + CUR group were treated intraperitoneally with CUR (300 mg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹ in Vh) for 10 days starting from the 25th day after STZ injection. The Morris water maze test was reapplied on the 35th day after STZ injection and all of the rats were sacrificed on day 36 for quantitation of IGF-1 and for histopathological evaluation. Rats in the STZ + CUR group were found to have a higher performance in cognitive tests than rats in the STZ + Vh group (P < 0.01). In parallel with the cognitive tests, IGF-1 levels were decreased in all of the STZ-injected groups (1.78 ± 0.34) compared to the SHAM group (3.46 ± 0.41). In contrast, CUR treatment significantly increased IGF-1 levels (P < 0.001). The degree of neuronal loss decreased after CUR treatment compared to the SHAM group (P < 0.02). These results clearly indicate that CUR treatment is effective in reducing the cognitive impairment caused by STZ in rats, and may be a potential therapeutic agent for altering neurodegeneration in SAD.     

Malignant adenolymphoma of the parotid gland: report of carcinomatous transformation

Malignant transformation of an adenolymphoma (Warthin's tumour) is a rare event. This paper presents a case of carcinoma arising in an adenolymphoma of the parotid gland.     

Juvenile subcorneal pustular dermatosis: a case report

Subcorneal pustular dermatosis is a chronic, relapsing, pustular dermatosis that usually develops in elderly women. It is rarely seen in childhood and adolescence. The hallmark of the disease is formation of a subcorneal pustule detected on histopathologic examination. Herein we present a 13-year-old girl diagnosed with subcorneal pustular dermatosis based on the typical clinical and histologic findings. Direct and indirect immunofluorescence and serum protein electrophoresis had negative results. The patient partially recovered after 5 weeks of treatment consisting of oral dapsone and a topical steroid ointment.     

Sexual satisfaction and risk of disability in older women

BACKGROUND: Most studies evaluating sexuality in older adults have focused on men, and relatively little research has evaluated the relationship between sexual satisfaction and health outcomes in older women. The aims of this study were to describe correlates of sexual satisfaction in community-dwelling older women with moderate to severe levels of disability and to examine the association of sexual satisfaction with progression of disability in this population. METHOD: A total of 980 moderately to severely disabled women aged 65 years or older who had participated in The Women's Health and Aging Study entered this study. Baseline evaluations took place from 1992 through 1995. Participants rated their satisfaction with their level of sexual activity on a 0-to-10 scale. Women scoring > or = 8 were considered sexually satisfied. The onset of new severe disability was determined by semiannual assessments, over 3 years, of disability in performing activities of daily living (ADLs) and walking across a room. RESULTS: Of 203 (49.8%) women living with a spouse, 101 were satisfied with their level of sexual activity. In this group, older age, white race, and higher level of physical function were independent predictors of sexual satisfaction. In addition, among women living with a spouse, higher sexual satisfaction was associated with a significantly decreased risk for incident disability in performing ADLs (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.36 to 0.94) and walking across a small room (HR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.18 to 0.79). Among women not living with a spouse, the response on the sexual satisfaction question showed different determinants and was not associated with disability risk. CONCLUSION: Sexual satisfaction in community-dwelling, older, disabled women living with their spouse is associated with reduced risk for subsequent new severe disabilities.     

Physical performance and longevity in aged rats

In humans, physical performance declines with increasing age, and in nondisabled older persons, scores on standardized performance measures, such as walking speed, repeated chair stands, and a balance test, predict the incidence of disability and reduced longevity. Here we show in aged rats (24-month-old Brown Norway x Fischer 344 male rats; n = 48) that conceptually similar performance measures, such as swimming speed and an inclined plane procedure, can be assessed longitudinally, and that over 6 months of follow-up from the age of 24 to 30 months, performance declines progressively with increasing age. High baseline performance scores predict long-term longevity, a relationship that is also found in humans. The application of standardized physical performance measures to a variety of animal models of aging may help to define similarities between species in the underlying mechanisms of the age-related decline in performance, disability, and longevity.     

Balloon-assisted ultrasound-guided direct percutaneous embolization of a peripheral pseudoaneurysm with n-butyl cyanoacrylate

We report the ultrasound-guided direct percutaneous injection of n-butyl cyanoacrylate to embolize an iatrogenic peripheral pseudoaneurysm secondary in a 33-year-old patient undergoing hemodialysis. We protected the parent artery with inflation of an angioplasty balloon across the neck during the cyanoacrylate injection. Complete occlusion of the pseudoaneurysm was achieved without ischemic complication.