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Volume 2
allied
academies
June 11-13, 2018 | London, UK
Neurology and Neuroscience
6
th
International Conference on
T
here is now compelling evidence that chronic brain
hypoperfusion (CBH) during advanced aging is not only
a major contributor to cognitive impairment but may also
be the underlying cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This
conclusion forms part of the vascular hypothesis of AD which
argues that AD development is dependent on the presence of
vascular risk factors for AD and on the progressive age-related
decline of cerebral blood flow.(1) Over time, this combination
of events can lead to significant cerebrovascular insufficiency.
Neuroimaging studies of aged persons with mild cognitive
impairment (MCI), a presumed precursor of AD, have shown
marked reduction of cerebral perfusion in brain regions later
attacked by Alzheimer-related neurodegeneration. These brain
regions include prefrontal, temporoparietal and posterior
cingulate cortices. We have proposed in previous reports that
CBH promotes neuronal energy hypometabolism leading to
cognitive dysfunction and AD. If CBH is a vital element in the
development of AD, then interventions that prevent or delay
neuronal hypometabolism could be a therapeutic target in
patients at high risk of AD. Transcranial infrared laser stimulation
(TILS) offers a non-invasive approach to raise neurometabolic
energy levels that can improve cerebral hemodynamics and
cognitive function in humans. TILSmay work by increasing brain
cytochrome-c-oxidase to boost mitochondrial ATP production
and neuronal energy capacity. Preliminary studies in normal
adult human volunteers indicate that using TILS in the prefrontal
cortex significantly improved memory tasks compared to a
placebo group. Pilot randomized, placebo-controlled studies
have reported that MCI patients improved memory function
following 12 weeks of daily TILS. These and other findings using
TILS to enhance mitochondrial ATP synthesis in dysfunctional
brain cells require randomized clinical trials to evaluate the
merit of this technique.
Speaker Biography
Jack de la Torre began his research studies of Alzheimer’s disease in 1990. He has
written over 200 peer-reviewed articles and edited or coedited ten volumes on the
vascular pathophysiology of dementia which he proposed in 1993 as the cause of
Alzheimer’s disease. He is the author of 4 books including the recent Alzheimer’s
Turning Point: A Vascular Approach to Clinical Prevention (Springer 2016). He has
held professorial appointments in neurosurgery and neuroscience departments at the
University of Chicago, Northwestern University and the University of Ottawa, and is
presently continuing his research as a Professor in Neuropsycholog at the University
of Texas, Austin.
e:
jcdelatorre@comcast.netJack de la Torre
University of Texas, USA
Prevention of Alzheimer’s disease may be achieved with transcranial infrared laser
stimulation