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Molecular Mechanisms of Dementia

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Neurobiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2023) | Viewed by 56462

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Dr. Mariagiovanna Cantone

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Neurology Unit, University Hospital Policlinico “G. Rodolico-San Marco”, Via Santa Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy
Interests: cerebrovascular diseases; stroke; depression; dementia; non-invasive brain stimulation; neuroplasticity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Dementias and the other neurodegenerative disorders that affect memory, cognition, and behavior are a public health priority across the developed world. It has been estimated that the number of people with dementia will double every 20 years.

So far, the most pressing challenge has been to discriminate the different forms of dementia or their earliest stages from the features of normal brain aging. In the case of vascular dementia it is possible to carry out a preventive strategy based on a closer and more accurate control of vascular risk factors. In the case of degenerative dementias, although several mechanisms have been hypothesized at both the cellular and neuronal network levels, the exact molecular mechanisms that lead to dementia are not well-understood.

Moreover, the presence of clinical similarities between dementias raises the question as to whether common molecular pathways might explain shared clinical symptoms.

This Special Issue of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences focuses on dementia and welcomes both original research articles and review papers that deal with the emerging molecular mechanisms of dementia.

Dr. Mariagiovanna Cantone
Guest Editor

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Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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Keywords

neurodegenerative disorders
dementia
molecular pathways

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 200 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Molecular Mechanisms of Dementia

by Mariagiovanna Cantone

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(17), 13027; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241713027 - 22 Aug 2023

Viewed by 1066

Abstract

The various forms of dementia and the other neurodegenerative disorders that affect memory, cognition, and behavior have become a public health priority across the developed world [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Dementia)

Research

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13 pages, 785 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Long-Term Neuromodulatory Effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) on Plasmatic Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) Levels and Visuospatial Abilities in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

by Giovanni Cirillo, Roberta Pepe, Mattia Siciliano, Domenico Ippolito, Dario Ricciardi, Manuela de Stefano, Daniela Buonanno, Danilo Atripaldi, Salvatore Abbadessa, Brunella Perfetto, Minoo Sharbafshaaer, Giovanna Sepe, Simona Bonavita, Alessandro Iavarone, Vincenzo Todisco, Michele Papa, Gioacchino Tedeschi, Sabrina Esposito and Francesca Trojsi

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(4), 3231; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24043231 - 6 Feb 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2045

Abstract

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique that is used against cognitive impairment in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the rTMS therapeutic effects are still only partially investigated. Maladaptive plasticity, glial activation, and neuroinflammation, including metalloproteases (MMPs) activation, might represent new potential targets of the neurodegenerative process and progression from MCI to AD. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of bilateral rTMS over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on plasmatic levels of MMP1, -2, -9, and -10; MMPs-related tissue inhibitors TIMP1 and TIMP2; and cognitive performances in MCI patients. Patients received high-frequency (10 Hz) rTMS (MCI-TMS, n = 9) or sham stimulation (MCI-C, n = 9) daily for four weeks, and they were monitored for six months after TMS. The plasmatic levels of MMPs and TIMPs and the cognitive and behavioral scores, based on the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), Beck Depression Inventory II, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Apathy Evaluation Scale, were assessed at baseline (T0) and after 1 month (T1) and 6 months (T2) since rTMS. In the MCI-TMS group, at T2, plasmatic levels of MMP1, -9, and -10 were reduced and paralleled by increased plasmatic levels of TIMP1 and TIMP2 and improvement of visuospatial performances. In conclusion, our findings suggest that targeting DLPFC by rTMS might result in the long-term modulation of the MMPs/TIMPs system in MCI patients and the neurobiological mechanisms associated with MCI progression to dementia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Dementia)

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12 pages, 1672 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

The Effect of Clozapine and Novel Glutamate Modulator JNJ-46356479 on Nitrosative Stress in a Postnatal Murine Ketamine Model of Schizophrenia

by Nina Treder, Albert Martínez-Pinteño, Natalia Rodríguez, Néstor Arbelo, Santiago Madero, Marta Gómez, Clemente García-Rizo, Sergi Mas, Patricia Gassó, Eduard Parellada and Constanza Morén

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(2), 1022; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24021022 - 5 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1312

Abstract

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a heterogeneous mental disorder, affecting ~1% of the worldwide population. One of the main pathophysiological theories of SZ is the imbalance of excitatory glutamatergic pyramidal neurons and inhibitory GABAergic interneurons, involving N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAr). This may lead to local glutamate storms coupled with excessive dendritic pruning and subsequent cellular stress, including nitrosative stress, during a critical period of neurodevelopment, such as adolescence. Nitrosative stress is mediated by nitric oxide (NO), which is released by NO synthases (NOS) and has emerged as a key signaling molecule implicated in SZ. Regarding glutamatergic models of SZ, the administration of NMDAr antagonists has been found to increase NOS levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and ventral hippocampus (HPC). We hypothesized that suboptimal NOS function in adolescence could be a target for early treatments, including clozapine (CLZ) and the novel metabotropic glutamate receptor modulator JNJ-46356479 (JNJ). We analyzed the protein levels of NOS isoforms in adult PFC and HPC of a postnatal ketamine induced murine model of SZ receiving CLZ or JNJ during adolescence by western blot. Endothelial NOS and neuronal NOS increased under ketamine administration in PFC and decreased in CLZ or JNJ treatments. The same trends were found in the HPC in neuronal NOS. In contrast, inducible NOS was increased under JNJ treatment with respect to ketamine induction in the HPC, and the same trends were found in the PFC. Taken together, our findings suggest a misbalance of the NOS system following NMDAr antagonist administration, which was then modulated under early CLZ and JNJ treatments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Dementia)

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21 pages, 4302 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Common and Specific Marks of Different Tau Strains Following Intra-Hippocampal Injection of AD, PiD, and GGT Inoculum in hTau Transgenic Mice

by Isidro Ferrer, Pol Andrés-Benito, Margarita Carmona and José Antonio del Rio

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(24), 15940; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232415940 - 14 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1590

Abstract

Heterozygous hTau mice were used for the study of tau seeding. These mice express the six human tau isoforms, with a high predominance of 3Rtau over 4Rtau. The following groups were assessed: (i) non-inoculated mice aged 9 months (n = 4); (ii) Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)-inoculated mice (n = 4); (iii) Globular Glial Tauopathy (GGT)-inoculated mice (n = 4); (iv) Pick’s disease (PiD)-inoculated mice (n = 4); (v) control-inoculated mice (n = 4); and (vi) inoculated with vehicle alone (n = 2). AD-inoculated mice showed AT8-immunoreactive neuronal pre-tangles, granular aggregates, and dots in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, dentate gyrus (DG), and hilus, and threads and dots in the ipsilateral corpus callosum. GGT-inoculated mice showed unique or multiple AT8-immunoreactive globular deposits in neurons, occasionally extended to the proximal dendrites. PiD-inoculated mice showed a few loose pre-tangles in the CA1 region, DG, and cerebral cortex near the injection site. Coiled bodies were formed in the corpus callosum in AD-inoculated mice, but GGT-inoculated mice lacked globular glial inclusions. Tau deposits in inoculated mice co-localized active kinases p38-P and SAPK/JNK-P, thus suggesting active phosphorylation of the host tau. Tau deposits were absent in hTau mice inoculated with control homogenates and vehicle alone. Deposits in AD-inoculated hTau mice contained 3Rtau and 4Rtau; those in GGT-inoculated mice were mainly stained with anti-4Rtau antibodies, but a small number of deposits contained 3Rtau. Deposits in PiD-inoculated mice were stained with anti-3Rtau antibodies, but rare neuronal, thread-like, and dot-like deposits showed 4Rtau immunoreactivity. These findings show that tau strains produce different patterns of active neuronal seeding, which also depend on the host tau. Unexpected 3Rtau and 4Rtau deposits after inoculation of homogenates from 4R and 3R tauopathies, respectively, suggests the regulation of exon 10 splicing of the host tau during the process of seeding, thus modulating the plasticity of the cytoskeleton. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Dementia)

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18 pages, 5400 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Understanding In Vitro Pathways to Drug Discovery for TDP-43 Proteinopathies

by Hei W. A. Cheng, Timothy B. Callis, Andrew P. Montgomery, Jonathan J. Danon, William T. Jorgensen, Yazi D. Ke, Lars M. Ittner, Eryn L. Werry and Michael Kassiou

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(23), 14769; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232314769 - 25 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2021

Abstract

The use of cellular models is a common means to investigate the potency of therapeutics in pre-clinical drug discovery. However, there is currently no consensus on which model most accurately replicates key aspects of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) pathology, such as accumulation of insoluble, cytoplasmic transactive response DNA-binding protein (TDP-43) and the formation of insoluble stress granules. Given this, we characterised two TDP-43 proteinopathy cellular models that were based on different aetiologies of disease. The first was a sodium arsenite-induced chronic oxidative stress model and the second expressed a disease-relevant TDP-43 mutation (TDP-43 M337V). The sodium arsenite model displayed most aspects of TDP-43, stress granule and ubiquitin pathology seen in human ALS/FTD donor tissue, whereas the mutant cell line only modelled some aspects. When these two cellular models were exposed to small molecule chemical probes, different effects were observed across the two models. For example, a previously disclosed sulfonamide compound decreased cytoplasmic TDP-43 and increased soluble levels of stress granule marker TIA-1 in the cellular stress model without impacting these levels in the mutant cell line. This study highlights the challenges of using cellular models in lead development during drug discovery for ALS and FTD and reinforces the need to perform assessments of novel therapeutics across a variety of cell lines and aetiological models. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Dementia)

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Review

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16 pages, 925 KiB

Open AccessReview

Cholinergic Antagonists and Behavioral Disturbances in Neurodegenerative Diseases

by Rachid Mahmoudi, Jean Luc Novella, Sarah Laurent-Badr, Sarah Boulahrouz, David Tran, Isabella Morrone and Yacine Jaïdi

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(8), 6921; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24086921 - 7 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3177

Abstract

Cholinergic antagonists interfere with synaptic transmission in the central nervous system and are involved in pathological processes in patients with neurocognitive disorders (NCD), such as behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). In this commentary, we will briefly review the current knowledge on the impact of cholinergic burden on BPSD in persons with NCD, including the main pathophysiological mechanisms. Given the lack of clear consensus regarding symptomatic management of BPSD, special attention must be paid to this preventable, iatrogenic condition in patients with NCD, and de-prescription of cholinergic antagonists should be considered in patients with BPSD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Dementia)

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43 pages, 2700 KiB

Open AccessReview

Light, Water, and Melatonin: The Synergistic Regulation of Phase Separation in Dementia

by Doris Loh and Russel J. Reiter

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(6), 5835; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065835 - 19 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 24988

Abstract

The swift rise in acceptance of molecular principles defining phase separation by a broad array of scientific disciplines is shadowed by increasing discoveries linking phase separation to pathological aggregations associated with numerous neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, that contribute to dementia. Phase separation is powered by multivalent macromolecular interactions. Importantly, the release of water molecules from protein hydration shells into bulk creates entropic gains that promote phase separation and the subsequent generation of insoluble cytotoxic aggregates that drive healthy brain cells into diseased states. Higher viscosity in interfacial waters and limited hydration in interiors of biomolecular condensates facilitate phase separation. Light, water, and melatonin constitute an ancient synergy that ensures adequate protein hydration to prevent aberrant phase separation. The 670 nm visible red wavelength found in sunlight and employed in photobiomodulation reduces interfacial and mitochondrial matrix viscosity to enhance ATP production via increasing ATP synthase motor efficiency. Melatonin is a potent antioxidant that lowers viscosity to increase ATP by scavenging excess reactive oxygen species and free radicals. Reduced viscosity by light and melatonin elevates the availability of free water molecules that allow melatonin to adopt favorable conformations that enhance intrinsic features, including binding interactions with adenosine that reinforces the adenosine moiety effect of ATP responsible for preventing water removal that causes hydrophobic collapse and aggregation in phase separation. Precise recalibration of interspecies melatonin dosages that account for differences in metabolic rates and bioavailability will ensure the efficacious reinstatement of the once-powerful ancient synergy between light, water, and melatonin in a modern world. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Dementia)

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17 pages, 1759 KiB

Open AccessReview

Aducanumab—Hope or Disappointment for Alzheimer’s Disease

by Karolina Wojtunik-Kulesza, Monika Rudkowska and Anna Orzeł-Sajdłowska

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(5), 4367; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24054367 - 22 Feb 2023

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3161

Abstract

In June 2021, the world was informed about a new drug for Alzheimer’s disease approved by the FDA. Aducanumab (BIIB037, ADU), being a monoclonal antibody IgG1, is the newest AD treatment. The activity of the drug is targeted towards amyloid β, which is considered one of the main causes of Alzheimer’s disease. Clinical trials have revealed time- and dose-dependent activity towards Aβ reduction, as well as cognition improvement. Biogen, the company responsible for conducting research and introducing the drug to the market, presents the drug as a solution to cognitive impairment, but its limitations, costs, and side effects are controversial. The framework of the paper focuses on the mechanism of aducanumab’s action along with the positive and negative sides of the therapy. The review presents the basis of the amyloid hypothesis that is the cornerstone of therapy, as well as the latest information about aducanumab, its mechanism of action, and the possibility of the use of the drug. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Dementia)

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23 pages, 1216 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Interplay between α-Synuclein and Microglia in α-Synucleinopathies

by Jacob S. Deyell, Manjari Sriparna, Mingyao Ying and Xiaobo Mao

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(3), 2477; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24032477 - 27 Jan 2023

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3565

Abstract

Synucleinopathies are a set of devastating neurodegenerative diseases that share a pathologic accumulation of the protein α-synuclein (α-syn). This accumulation causes neuronal death resulting in irreversible dementia, deteriorating motor symptoms, and devastating cognitive decline. While the etiology of these conditions remains largely unknown, microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS), have been consistently implicated in the pathogenesis of synucleinopathies. Microglia are generally believed to be neuroprotective in the early stages of α-syn accumulation and contribute to further neurodegeneration in chronic disease states. While the molecular mechanisms by which microglia achieve this role are still being investigated, here we highlight the major findings to date. In this review, we describe how structural varieties of inherently disordered α-syn result in varied microglial receptor-mediated interactions. We also summarize which microglial receptors enable cellular recognition and uptake of α-syn. Lastly, we review the downstream effects of α-syn processing within microglia, including spread to other brain regions resulting in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in chronic disease states. Understanding the mechanism of microglial interactions with α-syn is vital to conceptualizing molecular targets for novel therapeutic interventions. In addition, given the significant diversity in the pathophysiology of synucleinopathies, such molecular interactions are vital in gauging all potential pathways of neurodegeneration in the disease state. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Dementia)

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25 pages, 409 KiB

Open AccessReview

Pathogenesis of Dementia

by Janusz Wiesław Błaszczyk

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(1), 543; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24010543 - 29 Dec 2022

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4811

Abstract

According to Alzheimer’s Disease International, 55 million people worldwide are living with dementia. Dementia is a disorder that manifests as a set of related symptoms, which usually result from the brain being damaged by injury or disease. The symptoms involve progressive impairments in memory, thinking, and behavior, usually accompanied by emotional problems, difficulties with language, and decreased motivation. The most common variant of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease with symptoms dominated by cognitive disorders, particularly memory loss, impaired personality, and judgmental disorders. So far, all attempts to treat dementias by removing their symptoms rather than their causes have failed. Therefore, in the presented narrative review, I will attempt to explain the etiology of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease from the perspective of energy and cognitive metabolism dysfunction in an aging brain. I hope that this perspective, though perhaps too simplified, will bring us closer to the essence of aging-related neurodegenerative disorders and will soon allow us to develop new preventive/therapeutic strategies in our struggle with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Dementia)

19 pages, 1170 KiB

Open AccessReview

Potential Protective Mechanisms of S-equol, a Metabolite of Soy Isoflavone by the Gut Microbiome, on Cognitive Decline and Dementia

by Akira Sekikawa, Whitney Wharton, Brittany Butts, Cole V. Veliky, Joshua Garfein, Jiatong Li, Shatabdi Goon, Annamaria Fort, Mengyi Li and Timothy M. Hughes

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(19), 11921; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231911921 - 7 Oct 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4818

Abstract

S-equol, a metabolite of soy isoflavone daidzein transformed by the gut microbiome, is the most biologically potent among all soy isoflavones and their metabolites. Soy isoflavones are phytoestrogens and exert their actions through estrogen receptor-β. Epidemiological studies in East Asia, where soy isoflavones are regularly consumed, show that dietary isoflavone intake is inversely associated with cognitive decline and dementia; however, randomized controlled trials of soy isoflavones in Western countries did not generally show their cognitive benefit. The discrepant results may be attributed to S-equol production capability; after consuming soy isoflavones, 40–70% of East Asians produce S-equol, whereas 20–30% of Westerners do. Recent observational and clinical studies in Japan show that S-equol but not soy isoflavones is inversely associated with multiple vascular pathologies, contributing to cognitive impairment and dementia, including arterial stiffness and white matter lesion volume. S-equol has better permeability to the blood–brain barrier than soy isoflavones, although their affinity to estrogen receptor-β is similar. S-equol is also the most potent antioxidant among all known soy isoflavones. Although S-equol is available as a dietary supplement, no long-term trials in humans have examined the effect of S-equol supplementation on arterial stiffness, cerebrovascular disease, cognitive decline, or dementia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Dementia)

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25 pages, 1341 KiB

Open AccessReview

Towards a Mechanistic Model of Tau-Mediated Pathology in Tauopathies: What Can We Learn from Cell-Based In Vitro Assays?

by Julia Sala-Jarque, Karolina Zimkowska, Jesús Ávila, Isidro Ferrer and José Antonio del Río

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(19), 11527; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231911527 - 29 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2730

Abstract

Tauopathies are a group of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the hyperphosphorylation and deposition of tau proteins in the brain. In Alzheimer’s disease, and other related tauopathies, the pattern of tau deposition follows a stereotypical progression between anatomically connected brain regions. Increasing evidence suggests that tau behaves in a “prion-like” manner, and that seeding and spreading of pathological tau drive progressive neurodegeneration. Although several advances have been made in recent years, the exact cellular and molecular mechanisms involved remain largely unknown. Since there are no effective therapies for any tauopathy, there is a growing need for reliable experimental models that would provide us with better knowledge and understanding of their etiology and identify novel molecular targets. In this review, we will summarize the development of cellular models for modeling tau pathology. We will discuss their different applications and contributions to our current understanding of the “prion-like” nature of pathological tau. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Dementia)

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