Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia characterized by the progressive cognitive and social decline. Clinical drug targets have heavily focused on the amyloid hypothesis, with amyloid beta (Aβ), and tau proteins as key pathophysiologic markers of AD. However, no effective treatment has been developed so far, which prompts researchers to focus on other aspects of AD beyond Aβ, and tau proteins. Additionally, there is a mounting epidemiologic evidence that various environmental factors influence the development of dementia and that dementia etiology is likely heterogenous. In the past decades, new risk factors or potential etiologies have been widely studied. Here, we review several novel epidemiologic and clinical research developments that focus on sleep, hypoxia, diet, gut microbiota, and hearing impairment and their links to AD published in recent years. At the frontiers of AD research, these findings and updates could be worthy of further attention.
Alzheimer Disease/etiology* ; Amyloid ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; Humans ; Risk Factors ; tau Proteins

OBJECTIVETo understand that whether initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) would impact on the change and its reasons regarding the HIV-related high risk behaviors among HIV-positive clients who attending the methadone maintenance treatment (MMT).

METHODSIn-depth interviews were conducted among 34 MMT clients in Yunnan province who were under ART. The related contents would include information on general demographic charicteristics, HIV infection,MMT, number of sexual partners before and after ART, sexual behavior and frequency of condom use, drug use, needle sharing, changes in risk behaviors before and after the ART, reasons for high-risk behavior, of the clients.

RESULTSThe average age of the interviewees was 38.5 years, and most of them were male (70.6%). The clients under this study all admitted that the frequencies of unsafe sex and needle sharing did not increase after the ART initiation, with the main reasons as increasing HIV related awareness, the use of methadone, high accessibility of free condoms and access to clean needles etc. However, 12 of 34 reported being relapsed and 3 reported inconsistent condom use. The interaction of ART and dosage of methadone were connected to the episodes of relapsing and the ART optimism would result in inconsistent condom use.

CONCLUSIONNo evidence supported that the ART initiation would increase the risk behaviors among the HIV-infected MMT clients. However, attention needs to be paid to the new challenges caused by high expectation of ART.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Condoms ; Female ; HIV Infections ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Male ; Methadone ; therapeutic use ; Needle Sharing ; Opiate Substitution Treatment ; Qualitative Research ; Risk-Taking ; Safe Sex ; Sexual Behavior ; Sexual Partners ; Substance-Related Disorders ; drug therapy ; Unsafe Sex