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  • A Review on the Effects of Simvastatin (Zocor) and Atorvastatin (Lipitor) on Alzheimer's Disease and Vascular Dementia

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    Description:
    Dementia is a clinical syndrome known for its progressive cognitive decline and its interference with daily functioning. Multiple investigations have been designed and conducted on Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia, followed by research on vascular dementia. Statins, also known as 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, have been prescribed to individuals to lower LDL-cholesterol levels and to prevent or treat cardiovascular diseases. In the past decade, statins such as simvastatin and atorvastatin have exhibited pleiotropic effects in dementia treatment as these medications work to improve learning and memory abilities in mice models. Most studies designed to observe the effects of statins in reducing the risk of dementia have been performed on rodent organisms, yet, research indicates that the zebrafish, Danio rerio, is a successful model organism. The zebrafish can be utilized as a successful model to better understand the genetics, development, behavior, and reproduction of humans. Not only do zebrafish have a great ability for learning and memory functioning, but they also possess hippocampus-like structures and PSEN1 and PSEN2 genes strikingly similar to the ones found in humans with Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to this review, a suggested experiment has been designed to study two doses of simvastatin and two doses of atorvastatin in Aβ-induced zebrafish and observe how these statin types function in reducing the risk of learning and memory deficits.
    Keyword:
    Alzheimer's disease, cholesterol, atorvastatin, vascular dementia, Danio rerio, and simvastatin
    Subject:
    Biology
    Creator:
    Chacho, Chantal
    Contributor:
    Dr. Laura Twersky, Thesis Advisor
    Owner:
    lsquillante@saintpeters.edu
    Publisher:
    Saint Peter's University
    Date Uploaded:
    06/09/2021
    Date Modified:
    06/09/2021
    Date Created:
    Spring 2021
    Rights Statement:
    In Copyright
    Resource Type:
    Research Paper

  • Effects of Chemical Compounds Found in Cigarette Smoke on Cognitive Ability of Mice

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    Description:
    The purpose of this experiment was to find a conclusive link between smoking and its effects on the development of Alzheimer’s disease. This was evaluated by determining whether certain elements of cigarette smoke affect cognitive ability of mice. Five different groups of mice (control, ammonium hydroxide exposure, methanol exposure, acrylamide exposure, cigarette smoke exposure) attempted to navigate a water maze to complete the Morris water escape task. The experimental method was as follows: the five groups of mice were exposed to the suspected amyloid-inducing chemicals dissolved in their drinking water. The chemical concentrations were proportional to the concentrations human smokers are exposed to in Marlboro Red Full Flavor cigarettes. Over a three week duration, the mice completed the Morris water escape task seven times, with their time to completion recorded. The expected trend was that exposure to chemicals found in cigarette smoke would lead to an increase in the time it takes for that group of mice to navigate the maze. The results obtained actually contradicted this hypothesis: it was found that the control group had the fourth best time amongst the five groups, and one of the experimental groups (acrylamide exposure) was significantly better at solving the maze than the rest. However, these results can only be regarded as preliminary; further testing must be conducted to more positively determine the correlation between chemical exposure and mouse cognitive ability.
    Keyword:
    mice, Alzheimer's disease, cigarettes, smoking, chemical exposure, and cognitive ability
    Subject:
    Biology
    Creator:
    Oladipupo, Taofik
    Contributor:
    Dr. Laura Twersky, Thesis Advisor
    Owner:
    lsquillante@saintpeters.edu
    Publisher:
    Saint Peter's University
    Date Uploaded:
    10/14/2020
    Date Modified:
    10/14/2020
    Date Created:
    Spring 2013
    Rights Statement:
    In Copyright
    Resource Type:
    Research Paper