J. Wesson Ashford – författare

Alzheimer’s disease is a common problem that is becoming progressively more prevalent and burdensome to the world. Through better recognition of this disease and more precise diagnosis, led by brain imaging in the appropriate clinical context, it is our sincere hope that mankind can conquer this terrible disease. This handbook was developed to provide an overview of the state of the art of brain-imaging approaches that have recently emerged to reveal the critical characteristics of brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. It provides numerous chapters that examine this critical phase of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as chapters that discuss diagnosis, early biomarkers, late changes, the role of vascular disease, treatment, progression of the disease, determining the variability of the manifestation of Alzheimer’s disease, and estimating the utility of these metrics of disease severity for examining the effects of treatments. Each of 10 sections addresses a particular neuroimaging modality that has been found to be useful in understanding or diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease. Each section features an introduction to the particular technique and its potential for informing clinical care or evaluating novel therapies for Alzheimer’s patients. Chapters in each section provide clinicians with specific information as to how the particular neuroimaging technique is or can be useful in a clinical setting, from radiology to primary care, and address specific advances in the various types of neuroimaging. The book includes brief overviews of imaging of Alzheimer’s disease and reviews fundamental principles for neuroimaging pathological changes that it causes, with an emphasis on practical and future applications.

It is almost 120 years since Alzheimer’s disease (AD) was first reported, and the concept of modifiable risk factors associated with the disease has been present from the outset. Thus, the idea of preventing AD is not new, with reference to strategies noted as early as the 1990s. This subfield of AD research has matured in recent years, with the number of modifiable risk factors – the AD preventome – rising from the 7 initially identified to the current 12, with an estimated contribution to dementia cases worldwide of about 40%. This book, the Handbook of Prevention and Alzheimer’s Disease, introduces physicians, scientists, and other stakeholders to this subfield of AD research. It investigates the AD preventome, which will continue to expand as the understanding of new factors and related biomarkers is refined. Optimizing this preventome leads to an improvement in overall brain health, an outcome which reduces the risk of developing AD and improves quality of life. The book goes on to examine other domains of prevention, from vascular risk factors to social engagement and from sleep health to spirituality. If the journey to end AD can be likened to a long and arduous challenge, understanding every possible part of the overall toolkit of approaches for disease prevention and intervention is essential.Together with its companion volume on intervention, the book provides a comprehensive overview of strategies for tackling Alzheimer’s disease, and will be of interest to all those working in the field. Cover illustration:White matter tracts showing sex differences in connectivity in men versus women as a function of increasing body mass index. Reprinted with permission from Rahmani F, Wang Q, McKay NS, Keefe S, Hantler N, Hornbeck R, Wang Y, Hassenstab J, Schindler S, Xiong C, Morris JC, Benzinger TLS, Raji CA. Sex-Specific Patterns of Body Mass Index Relationship with White Matter Connectivity. J Alzheimers Dis. 2022;86(4):1831-1848. doi: 10.3233/JAD-215329. PMID: 35180116; PMCID: PMC9108572.

It is almost 120 years since Alzheimer’s disease (AD) was first reported, and the concept of managing some of the modifiable risk factors associated with the disease has been present from the outset. Intervening to manage risk factors as a way of tackling AD is not new, but optimizing brain health as a way of minimizing risk and maximizing the potential benefits of revolutionary new treatments for AD is becoming increasingly important. This book, the Handbook of Intervention and Alzheimer’s Disease, presents 47 papers exploring factors which may either inspire or inform future treatment and clinical trials. While novel interventions such as anti-amyloid immunotherapy present great opportunities, they may also increase the risk of brain bleeds and edema, which in turn may lead to adverse clinical outcomes. Such adverse outcomes are demonstrably more likely to occur in persons with poor brain health, so improved management of the risk factors which make up the AD preventome will also minimize the risks associated with such novel therapies. The papers in this volume can therefore be thought of as offering insight into those factors that can optimize brain health or providing key insights into interventions which may achieve such outcomes. Together with its companion volume on prevention, the book provides a comprehensive overview of strategies for tackling Alzheimer’s disease, and will be of interest to all those working in the field. Cover illustration: Improved hypoperfusion (resolving blue colors) on ASL MRI Z-score maps superimposed on structural MRI scans at baseline and one year in a PET amyloid-positive research participant with cognitive complaints undergoing one year of multi-domain personalized brain health interventions (vascular disease management, dietary optimization, sustained physical activity etc.). Permission to use this figure was granted both by the study P.I. Dr. David Merrill, MD, PhD, of the Pacific Neuroscience Institute and the research participant.

This edited work is a constructive collaboration between experts and authorities worldwide on the biology, function, and translational medicine of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE) polymorphisms and protein isoforms. It encompasses various aspects of innate and acquired immunology, and gastrointestinal and neurological functions, and presents the latest literature on the basic mechanisms, signaling pathways, gene editing, and novel approaches to intervention and preventive measures against disease states throughout the lifespan.In addition, this book provides an insightful discussion on the role of APOE4 in human evolution and its potential contribution to antagonistic pleiotropy, malnutrition, fertility, and enteric infections. It offers concise topics ranging from the biochemistry and biological functions of apoE to the potential pharmacological and molecular medicine strategies for disease remediation, particularly for neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases. This book is a constructive effort to advance our understanding of APOE4 and its effects on homeostasis and disease in various body systems.

This book synthesizes complex information crucial for the understanding and treatment of depressive disorders. Depression is the most common mental illness worldwide. In 2017, WHO reported that depression was the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide with more than 300 million people living with depression, an increase of more than 18% between 2005 and 2015. Time is of the essence for busy practitioners. Applying discoveries in epigenetics and psychobiology to clinical practice with precision and avoiding misinformation is a worthy but often daunting goal. It is this book’s mission to provide a concise and practical guide.This volume begins with a discussion of the etiology of depression. Etiological considerations underpinning possible relationships between psychosocial variables and health include, but are not limited to, communication in the brain, molecular aspects, stress responses, heritability, and disease associated immune responses. Next, factors related to the ability to change behavior are considered. These include topics such as epigenetics, neuroplasticity, conditioning, therapygenetics, critical periods, and motivation. Then, evidence for efficacy of treatment approaches is presented. These include such interventions as pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, complementary interventions, and self-medication. Understanding and Treating Depressive Disorders is a concise and practical guide that will be of great value to students, psychiatrists, psychologists, behavioral medicine specialists, residents and fellows in those fields, and any clinician that works with patients suffering from depression.