Death-mediating proteases such as caspases and caspase-3 in particular, have been implicated in neurodegenerative processes, aging and Alzheimer＇s disease. However, emerging evidence suggests that in addition to thei...Death-mediating proteases such as caspases and caspase-3 in particular, have been implicated in neurodegenerative processes, aging and Alzheimer＇s disease. However, emerging evidence suggests that in addition to their classical role in cell death, caspases play a key role in modulating synaptic function. It is remarkable that active caspases-3, which can trigger widespread damage and degeneration, aggregates in structures as delicate as synapses and persists in neurons without causing acute cell death. Here, we evaluate this dichotomy, and discuss the hypothesis that caspase-3 may be a bifurcation point in cellular signaling, able to orient the neuronal response to stress down either pathological/apoptotic pathways or towards physiological cellular remodeling. We propose that temporal, spatial and other regulators of caspase activity are key determinants of the ultimate effect of caspase-3 activation in neurons. This concept has implications for differential roles of caspase-3 activation across the lifespan. Specifically, we propose that limited caspase-3 activation is critical for synaptic function in the healthy adult brain while chronic activation is involved in degenerative processes in the aging brain.展开更多
Objective:To observe the curative effect of combined Chinese medicine,acupuncture and rehabilitation therapy on vascular dementia(VD),and to compare the Western medicine piracetam.Methods:Total 134 VD patients screene...Objective:To observe the curative effect of combined Chinese medicine,acupuncture and rehabilitation therapy on vascular dementia(VD),and to compare the Western medicine piracetam.Methods:Total 134 VD patients screened in reference to the standard for VD diagnosis in DSM-IV were randomly divided into a Chinese medicine plus rehabilitation group(32 cases),a Chinese medicine plus acupuncture group(33 cases),a Chinese medicine and acupuncture plus rehabilitation group(37 cases) and a Western medicine piracetam group(32 cases).Mini Mental State Examination(MMSE) and Bless Behavior Scale(BBS) were used to assess changes in intelligence disorder before treatment and after 12-week treatment.Results:BBS score,living ability and daily habit were enhanced after treatment in all groups.Cognitive function and behavioral ability were improved with similar total curative effects in all the 4 groups.Directional ability and short-term memory ability were significantly enhanced after treatment(P<0.05) in both the Chinese medicine plus rehabilitation group and the Chinese medicine plus acupuncture group groups.Living ability was significantly improved after treatment in the Chinese medicine and acupuncture plus rehabilitation group(P<0.01).However,no obvious difference was shown before and after treatment in the piracetam group.Conclusion:The improvement of living ability in the comprehensive treatment group is better than that in the other groups.Chinese medicine and acupuncture plus rehabilitation treatment can improve intelligence and living ability of senile VD patients.展开更多
基金supported by a grant (AG012694-16) from the National Institue of Aging,USA
文摘Death-mediating proteases such as caspases and caspase-3 in particular, have been implicated in neurodegenerative processes, aging and Alzheimer＇s disease. However, emerging evidence suggests that in addition to their classical role in cell death, caspases play a key role in modulating synaptic function. It is remarkable that active caspases-3, which can trigger widespread damage and degeneration, aggregates in structures as delicate as synapses and persists in neurons without causing acute cell death. Here, we evaluate this dichotomy, and discuss the hypothesis that caspase-3 may be a bifurcation point in cellular signaling, able to orient the neuronal response to stress down either pathological/apoptotic pathways or towards physiological cellular remodeling. We propose that temporal, spatial and other regulators of caspase activity are key determinants of the ultimate effect of caspase-3 activation in neurons. This concept has implications for differential roles of caspase-3 activation across the lifespan. Specifically, we propose that limited caspase-3 activation is critical for synaptic function in the healthy adult brain while chronic activation is involved in degenerative processes in the aging brain.
基金supported by Research and Development Fund in Sci-tech Plan of Beijing Municipal Science Committee (No. Z07050700690709)
文摘Objective:To observe the curative effect of combined Chinese medicine,acupuncture and rehabilitation therapy on vascular dementia(VD),and to compare the Western medicine piracetam.Methods:Total 134 VD patients screened in reference to the standard for VD diagnosis in DSM-IV were randomly divided into a Chinese medicine plus rehabilitation group(32 cases),a Chinese medicine plus acupuncture group(33 cases),a Chinese medicine and acupuncture plus rehabilitation group(37 cases) and a Western medicine piracetam group(32 cases).Mini Mental State Examination(MMSE) and Bless Behavior Scale(BBS) were used to assess changes in intelligence disorder before treatment and after 12-week treatment.Results:BBS score,living ability and daily habit were enhanced after treatment in all groups.Cognitive function and behavioral ability were improved with similar total curative effects in all the 4 groups.Directional ability and short-term memory ability were significantly enhanced after treatment(P<0.05) in both the Chinese medicine plus rehabilitation group and the Chinese medicine plus acupuncture group groups.Living ability was significantly improved after treatment in the Chinese medicine and acupuncture plus rehabilitation group(P<0.01).However,no obvious difference was shown before and after treatment in the piracetam group.Conclusion:The improvement of living ability in the comprehensive treatment group is better than that in the other groups.Chinese medicine and acupuncture plus rehabilitation treatment can improve intelligence and living ability of senile VD patients.
