Publications by authors named "Aaron Kakazu"

Tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by hyperphosphorylated tau protein aggregates in the brain. In addition to protein aggregates, microglia-mediated inflammation and iron dyshomeostasis are other pathological features observed in AD and other tauopathies. It is known that these alterations at the subcellular level occur much before the onset of macroscopic tissue atrophy or cognitive deficits.

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Altered cerebral metabolism and blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction are emerging as critical contributors to the preclinical phase of Alzheimer's disease (AD), underscoring their role in early pathogenesis. To identify sensitive biomarkers before irreversible neuronal loss and cognitive decline, we examined 5XFAD mice at 3 months of age by applying multiple advanced MRI techniques. Arterial spin tagging based MRI revealed increased BBB permeability and water extraction fraction, indicating compromised BBB integrity at the early stage of pathogenesis in 5×FAD mice.

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Background: The lingual artery (LA) is an important branch of the external carotid artery with a distinct course and vascular supply. However, the knowledge of the LA's angiographic anatomy and variation may represent an obscure area for practicing neurosurgeons. Inconsistencies in the origin, shape, three-dimensional orientation, exact course, and branches are key features of the LA, necessitating a better understanding of its detailed angio-anatomical characteristics.

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Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG-repeat expansion in exon-1 of the gene. Currently, no disease-modifying therapies are available, with a significant challenge in evaluating therapeutic efficacy before clinical symptoms emerge. This highlights the need for early biomarkers and intervention strategies.

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Article Synopsis
  • Cellular senescence contributes to age-related diseases and tauopathies, making it a target for potential therapies.
  • This study explored the effectiveness of a senolytic therapy (dasatinib and quercetin) on a tauopathy mouse model, revealing improvements in brain health and cognitive function.
  • Non-invasive MRI techniques were used to monitor brain changes, showing that the treatment preserved blood-brain barrier integrity and reduced brain atrophy, suggesting that this therapy could be promising for clinical trials in tauopathy disorders.
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Tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by hyperphosphorylated tau protein aggregates in the brain. In addition to protein aggregates, microglia-mediated inflammation and iron dyshomeostasis are other pathological features observed in AD and other tauopathies. It is known that these alterations at the subcellular level occur much before the onset of macroscopic tissue atrophy or cognitive deficits.

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Cellular senescence, characterized by expressing the cell cycle inhibitory proteins, is evident in driving age-related diseases. Senescent cells play a crucial role in the initiation and progression of tau-mediated pathology, suggesting that targeting cell senescence offers a therapeutic potential for treating tauopathy associated diseases. This study focuses on identifying non-invasive biomarkers and validating their responses to a well-characterized senolytic therapy combining dasatinib and quercetin (D+Q), in a widely used tauopathy mouse model, PS19.

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