Evidence of Impaired Glucose Tolerance and Insulin Resistance in Patients With Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and diabetes rarely occur together, a finding that provides a possible clue as to the development of AD. Abnormal glucose metabolism is not limited to diabetes, but also can include impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and hyperinsulinemia. AD patients have significantly varying insulin levels after drinking sugared sodas and thus may be classified as insulin resistant. After reviewing the literature on impaired glucose tolerance and insulin production in AD, we present several hypotheses as possible explanations for the relationship between insulin resistance and AD. Finally, we suggest future studies, including studies on use of thiazolidinediones (currently used in the treatment of diabetes) in AD.     

Hypertension and cognitive function

Previous research indicates that blood pressure may impact a variety of cognitive functions, including short-term memory, abstract reasoning, visual-spatial abilities, and attention (Boller, Vrtunski, Mack, & Kim, 1977; Elias, Robbins, Schultz, & Pierce, 1990; Franceschi, Tancredi, Smirne, Mercinelli, & Canal, 1982; Mazzucchiet al., 1986). However, studies which have assessed the cognitive functioning of hypertensive adults have offered conflicting results, particularly when hypertension levels were in the mild range (e.g., Bolleret al., 1977; Eliaset al., 1990; Elias, Wolf, D'Agostino, Cobb, & White, 1993; Farmeret al., 1987, 1990; Franceschiet al., 1982; Pérez-Stable, Coates, Halliday, Gardiner, & Hauck, 1992; Schmidtet al., 1991; Waldstein, Ryan, Manuck, Parkinson, & Bromet, 1991). A number of factors may contribute to the inconsistent findings in this area. Researchers have employed a wide range of neuropsychological instruments to assess varying domains of cognitive function. Sample sizes in some studies have been too small to ensure sufficient power. Finally, studies have employed varying methodological control over potential confounding factors such as concurrent medical conditions, alcohol abuse, psychiatric disorders, or antihypertensive medication. This study compared male veterans with blood pressures in the mildly hypertensive range (n=166) to normotensive veterans (n=176) on neuropsychological measures of verbal fluency, visual-spatial ability, verbal and visual memory, dexterity, attention, and executive functions. Results revealed that, after controlling for differences in education and income, there was no relationship between mild hypertension and combined measures of cognitive performance. The present findings suggest that mild hypertension alone has little effect on cognitive function in adults.     

动、静态视觉信息在真实世界视觉搜索中的作用

真实环境中的视觉搜索是人和动物赖以生存的重要能力。目前的视觉搜索研究多使用静态的观察者和静止的二维搜索对象, 侧重于探究注意在搜索中的作用; 现有的视觉搜索理论模型主要概括了影响搜索的自上而下的注意因素, 而将自下而上影响因素简单归结为影像显著性, 然而在真实环境中, 观察者或搜索对象是可以运动的, 搜索时可利用的视觉信息包括动态光流和静态影像结构信息。已有的视觉识别研究发现这两种信息相结合可以使观察者准确持久地识别场景、事件和三维结构。在现有视觉搜索理论模型中引入两种视觉信息可以较好还原真实环境中的搜索任务。我们提出研究构想和实验方案,探究利用动、静态视觉信息的视觉搜索过程, 从而完善现有的视觉搜索模型。我们认为充分利用环境信息可以提高搜索效率, 且在视觉搜索训练和智能搜索设计等方面有重要的应用价值。     

脐血内皮祖细胞的研究与应用

近年来,脐带血内皮祖细胞以其取材方便,数量丰富等独特优势受到越来越多科学家的青睐,其不仅能在体外扩增并移植到缺血组织、损伤血管中,并能参与组织修复和血管新生过程。本文归纳总结了脐带血来源内皮祖细胞的最新研究与应用现状及其在缺血性疾病治疗、血管修复及组织工程学中的临床运用中的重要意义。     

甘精胰岛素注射时段对2型糖尿病患者空腹血糖的影响

比较甘精胰岛素在不同时段注射对2型糖尿病患者空腹血糖的影响。最终选择89例2型糖尿病患者随机分为两组接受甘精胰岛素早餐前（A组,n=46）和夜间睡前（B组,n=43）注射治疗,观察两组患者空腹血糖的变化。结果显示,所有患者使用甘精胰岛素治疗以后,空腹血糖水平较治疗前均有明显下降,具有统计学差异（P均〈0.001）。但B...     

公务员正常高值血压的流行现状及危险因素分析

对吉林省516名公务员的血压及心血管疾病危险因素进行描述性分析,用二分类Logistic回归法筛选危险因素。公务员正常高值血压现患率为34．9％。正常高值血压人群体重指数、腰围、空腹血糖、总胆固醇、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇、甘油三酯、血清肌酐、血尿酸、心一踝血管指数水平以及代谢综合征患病率均高于正常血压组低于高血压组,高密度...     

糖尿病与睡眠的相互关系

人一生中有1／3的时间在睡眠中度过,睡眠质量直接关系到一个人的身体健康。睡眠时间过少或过多的人糖尿病患病率大大增加。糖尿病本身的病理、生理特点,严重影响患者的睡眠质量,睡眠质量又可以反过来影响糖尿病患者的血糖水平。有研究显示,糖尿病患者最佳睡眠时间为8小时。同时糖尿病患者中睡眠呼吸暂停综合征（OSAS）患病率高,0SA...     

胰岛素抵抗与2型糖尿病关系的新思考

胰岛素抵抗(IR)与2型糖尿病关系密切,对IR的认识,经历了几十年反复的过程,胰岛素抵抗综合征(IRS)的提出使2型糖尿病防治观念发生了根本的转变,提出了2型糖尿病防治新策略:从以降糖治疗为主到全面防治心血管疾病.对IR的认识和IR与2型糖尿病的关系,体现了辩证唯物主义认识论和系统论的观点.     

The pop out of scene-relative object movement against retinal motion due to self-movement

An object that moves is spotted almost effortlessly; it "pops out". When the observer is stationary, a moving object is uniquely identified by retinal motion. This is not so when the observer is also moving; as the eye travels through space all scene objects change position relative to the eye producing a complicated field of retinal motion. Without the unique identifier of retinal motion an object moving relative to the scene should be difficult to locate. Using a search task, we investigated this proposition. Computer-rendered objects were moved and transformed in a manner consistent with movement of the observer. Despite the complex pattern of retinal motion, objects moving relative to the scene were found to pop out. We suggest the brain uses its sensitivity to optic flow to "stabilise" the scene, allowing the scene-relative movement of an object to be identified.