Cognition aging declines

SWS/SWA, in particular, may play an important role in somatic and cognitive restoration, including the consolidation of certain forms of procedural and declarative memory. A substantial diminution in the amount of SWS/SWA occurs across the human lifespan. This decline is beginning already in adolescence and middle-aged adults have only 25% of the SWS observed in young adults, whereas the elderly have almost none. While the clinical importance of these phenomena is unknown, it is reasonable to speculate that they may be related to the increase of sleep complaints associated with aging. 

Riedel, W. and Jolles, J., Cognition enhancers in age related cognitive decline. Drugs Aging, 8(4), 245-474, 1996. 

Cenacchi B, Bertoldin T, Farina C, Fiori MG and Crepaldi G (1993). Cognitive decline in the elderly A double blind, placebo-controlled multicenter study on efficacy of phosphati-dylserine administration. Aging, Clinical and Experimental Research, 5, 123-133. 

Lyketsos CG, Garrett E, Liang KY and Anthony M (1999). Cannabis use and cognitive decline in persons under 65 years of age. American Journal of Epidemiology, 149, 794—800. 

Kang J, Asherio A and Grodstein F. 2005. Fruit and vegetable consumption and cognitive decline in aging women. Am Neurol 2005 713—720. 

Joseph JA, Shukitt-Hale B, Denisova NA, Bielinski D, Martin A, McEwen JJ and Bickford PC. 1999. Reversals of age-related declines in neuronal signal transduction, cognitive, and motor behavioral deficits with blueberry, spinach, or strawberry dietary supplementation. J Neurosci 19(18) 8114-8121. 

Alzheimer s disease is the most common form of age-related dementia and one of the most serious health problems in the industrialized world. AD is an insidious and progressive neurodegenerative disorder that accounts for the vast majority of dementia and is characterized by global cognitive decline and the accumulation of P-amyloid deposits and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. Family history is the second greatest risk factor for... 

The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (CLN), also referred to as Batten s disease, are a group of disorders characterized by the accumulation of autofluorescent lipopigments. Clinical hallmarks include blindness, seizures, cognitive and motor decline and early death. Age of onset varies from infancy to adulthood. Eight genetic forms have been identified [4]. Two involve lysosomal acid hydrolases. CLN1 codes for palmitoyl protein thioesterase 1. Clinically it presents most often in infancy and leads to loss of active movement and visual contact by 3 years of age. It is most common in Finland, where its incidence is 1 20,000. CLN2 codes for a lysosomal pepstatin-insensitive acid protease. 

Dementia is characterised by a progressive decline in cognitive function. The prevalence of dementia increases with age. With the demographical changes, the number of patients with dementia will increase. There are three major forms of dementia Alzheimer s disease, vascular dementia and a mixed dementia. Beside these, there are several less common subtypes of dementia. 

Ginkgo has been examined in a number of clinical populations, including Alzheimer s disease, vascular dementia, and age-associated cognitive decline. Most studies employed the extracts EGb 761 or LI 1370. Many have methodological flaws including limited sample size or insufficient description of randomization, patient characteristics, measurement techniques, or result presentation, but there are a number of well-controlled studies available for drawing preliminary conclusions (Field and Vadnal 1998). 

Stevens A, Kircher T. (1998). Cognitive decline unlike normal aging is associated with alterations of EEG temporo-spatial characteristics. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 248(5) 259-66. 

AD, as a defined medical condition, has only existed for about 100 years, but the loss of memory and cognitive decline as a feature of old age has been documented throughout human history. Ancient writings describe the symptoms but also suggest remedies, based usually on plant extracts, some of which have shown to have relevant activities in recent research and have yielded active compounds of interest. 

Aoki C, Go CG, Venkatesan C, Kurose H (1994) Perikaryal and synaptic localization of OjA-adrenergic receptor-like immunoreactivity. Brain Res 650 181-204 Arnsten AFT, Goldman-Rakic PS (1985) O Adrenergic mechanism in prefrontal cortex associated with cognitive decline in aged nonhuman primates. Science 230 1273-1376... 

Alzheimer s disease, the most prevalent form of dementia, afflicts approximately 10% of the population over age 65. The cardinal features of Alzheimer s disease are progressive loss of memory and disordered cognitive function. Alterations in behavior and a decline in Ian-... 

Vitamins B12 and B6 have preventive effects against age-related chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke, and cognitive decline... 

A decline in trophic factors may contribute to aging, and a reduced level of hippocampal 5-HT, receptors in Alzheimer s disease would lead to decreased release of S-100 and increased levels of S-100 within cells (Griffin et al. 1989). The relevance of such changes to neuronal cell loss in the hippocampus and cortex remains to be established. The possibility that other serotonin receptor subtypes may also regulate the release of trophic factors remains to be determined (Whitaker-Azmitia and Azmitia 1991], as does the search for other neuronal growth factors (Zhou and Azmitia 1991]. However, such factors and the involvement of serotonin in their release may subsequently be shown to afford a site of drug action to attenuate cell decline and cognitive impairment. 

Arnsten AET, Goldman-Rakic PS Alpha-2-adrenergic mechanisms in prefrontal cortex associated with cognitive decline in aged nonhuman primates. Science 1230 1273-1276, 1985... 

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