Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia associated with a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, with a prevalence of 44 million people throughout the world in 2015, and this figure is estimated to double by 2050. This disease is characterized by blood-brain barrier disruption, oxidative stress, mitochondrial impairment, neuroinflammation, and hypometabolism; it is related to amyloid-β peptide accumulation and tau hyperphosphorylation as well as a decrease in acetylcholine levels and a reduction of cerebral blood flow. Obesity is a major risk factor for AD, because it induces adipokine dysregulation, which consists of the release of the proinflammatory adipokines and decreased anti-inflammatory adipokines, among other processes. The pharmacological treatments for AD can be divided into two categories: symptomatic treatments such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists and etiology-based treatments such as secretase inhibitors, amyloid binders, and tau therapies. Strategies for prevention of AD through nonpharmacological treatments are associated with lifestyle interventions such as exercise, mental challenges, and socialization as well as caloric restriction and a healthy diet. AD is an important health issue on which all people should be informed so that prevention strategies that minimize the risk of its development may be implemented.

Dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease (AD) is mainly characterized by accumulation in the brain of extra- and intraneuronal amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau proteins, respectively, which selectively affect specific regions, particularly the neocortex and the hippocampus. Sporadic AD is mainly caused by an increase in apolipoprotein E, a component of chylomicrons, which are cholesterol transporters in the brain. Recent studies have shown that high lipid levels, especially cholesterol, are linked to AD. Adenosine is an atypical neurotransmitter that regulates a wide range of physiological functions by activating four P1 receptors (A1, A2A, A2B, and A3) and P2 purinergic receptors that are G protein-coupled. A1 receptors are involved in the inhibition of neurotransmitter release, which could be related to AD. The aim of the present work was to study the effects of a lard-enriched diet (LED) on cognitive and memory processes in adult rats (6 months of age) as well as the effect of theobromine on these processes. The results indicated that the fat-enriched diet resulted in a long-term deterioration in cognitive and memory functions. Increased levels of Aβ protein and IL-1β were also observed in the rats fed with a high-cholesterol diet, which were used to validate the AD animal model. In addition, the results of qPCR and immunohistochemistry indicated a decrease in gene expression and distribution of A1 purinegic receptor, respectively, in the hippocampus of LED-fed rats. Interestingly, theobromine, at both concentrations tested, restored A1 receptor levels and improved cognitive functions and Aβ levels for a dose of 30 mg/L drinking water.

HighlightsValerenic acid modulates the neuropathological markers of Parkinson´s disease.Valerenic acid attenuates neuroinflammation in a Parkinson´s disease model.Astrocytes and cytokines are targets in the anti-inflammatory effect of valerenic acid.The molecular docking confirms the interaction of valerenic acid with 5-HT5A receptors.

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Hoy en día, en la educación, la tecnología de realidad aumentada es una herramienta con gran potencial debido a que permite a los docentes y al alumnado (hombres y mujeres) abordar de una manera más dinámica el tema de estudio, de tal forma que el objetivo de la presente investigación abarca el diagnóstico de la comprensión y uso de la realidad aumentada en una muestra de la población institucional de la Escuela de Bachilleres de la Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro. Los resultados sugieren que se tiene un mínimo conocimiento respecto a la implementación y gestión de esta tecnología como parte de las estrategias de enseñanza-aprendizaje, motivo por el cual esta herramienta, actualmente, tiene un escaso uso en el proceso de enseñanza. Con respecto a lo anterior, se propone la creación de entornos de aprendizaje que integren la realidad aumentada para así aspirar a aumentar la comprensión de los temas de estudio.