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Good Calories, Bad Calories > Chapter Thirteen DEMENTIA, CANCER, AND AGING > Flashcards

Chapter Thirteen DEMENTIA, CANCER, AND AGING Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the relationship between heart health and brain health according to Rudolph Tanzi and Ann Parson?

A

What is good for the heart is good for the brain.

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2
Q

What are the two simple propositions of the carbohydrate hypothesis regarding chronic disease?

A
  • Increased likelihood of disease with Type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome indicates involvement of high blood sugar and/or insulin.* If blood sugar and insulin are involved, refined carbohydrates are likely involved as well.
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3
Q

How are diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease related?

A

Both are associated with insulin and blood sugar involvement in the disease process.

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4
Q

What risk factors are shared between heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease?

A
  • Hypertension * Atherosclerosis * Smoking * Inheritance of apolipoprotein E4 (apo E4)
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5
Q

What was the trend in NIH funding for Alzheimer’s research from 1975 to 1985?

A

Funding for Alzheimer’s-related research quintupled between 1982 and 1985.

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6
Q

What demographic change was observed in Japanese Americans regarding Alzheimer’s disease?

A

Their likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s increases considerably after immigrating to the United States.

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7
Q

What did studies suggest about Type 2 diabetics and their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease?

A

Type 2 diabetics have roughly twice the risk of contracting Alzheimer’s as nondiabetics.

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8
Q

What is the typical identification method for Alzheimer’s dementia?

A

Presence of neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques on autopsy.

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9
Q

How is vascular dementia typically diagnosed?

A

Diagnosis occurs shortly after a stroke or through autopsy revealing stroke-related signs.

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10
Q

What is mixed dementia?

A

A condition where Alzheimer’s dementia and vascular dementia coexist.

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11
Q

What did David Snowdon’s study suggest about vascular damage and Alzheimer’s lesions?

A

Less vascular damage allows better tolerance of Alzheimer’s lesions without showing dementia symptoms.

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12
Q

What is the primary component of amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s disease?

A

Beta-amyloid.

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13
Q

What role do advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) play in Alzheimer’s disease?

A

They are implicated in the accumulation of amyloid plaques and neuronal damage.

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14
Q

What phenomenon is suggested to initiate the process of amyloid-plaque accumulation?

A

Glycation of brain proteins by reactive blood sugars.

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15
Q

What is the effect of insulin on amyloid clearance in the brain?

A

Excess insulin monopolizes insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE), reducing amyloid clearance.

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16
Q

What did Suzanne Craft’s research indicate about insulin levels and cognitive function?

A

Boosting insulin levels can enhance memory and mental prowess in Alzheimer’s patients.

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17
Q

What did Craft’s 2003 study reveal about insulin infusion in elderly volunteers?

A

It increased the amount of amyloid in their cerebral spinal fluid.

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18
Q

What implication does the research on insulin, amyloid, and Alzheimer’s have for treatment?

A

Compounds that increase IDE activity could decrease amyloid levels in the brain.

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19
Q

What was John Higginson’s conclusion regarding cancer incidence in native African populations?

A

Most human cancers are caused by environmental factors, primarily diet and lifestyle.

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20
Q

What did Richard Doll and Richard Peto conclude about preventable cancers?

A

75 to 80 percent of cancers in the U.S. might be avoidable with diet and lifestyle changes.

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21
Q

What role do man-made chemicals play in human cancers according to Doll and Peto?

A

They play a minimal role.

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22
Q

What percentage of cancers did Higginson suggest could be prevented through lifestyle changes?

A

70 to 80 percent.

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23
Q

Fill in the blank: The accumulation of _______ in the brain is linked to the degeneration of neurons in Alzheimer’s disease.

A

amyloid plaques

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24
Q

True or False: Vascular dementia is a recognized complication of diabetes.

A

True

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25
What did early reports by Higginson and the World Health Organization identify as the primary causes of most cancers?
Extrinsic factors and environmental factors, primarily lifestyle and diet. ## Footnote These reports were interpreted by the public as referring to man-made chemicals.
26
According to Higginson, what portion of the total cancer burden can be directly related to industrialization?
Only a very small part. ## Footnote This statement challenges the perception that industrial chemicals are the primary cause of cancer.
27
What was the focus of cancer researchers at the 1976 meeting at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory?
Chemicals shown to be carcinogens in animals and their possible presence in human diets, drinking water, or pharmaceuticals.
28
What dietary components were primarily focused on by cancer epidemiologists in the mid-1970s?
Fat, fiber, red meat, and the protective nature of vitamins, vegetables, and fruits.
29
What evidence was often cited to suggest that meat is carcinogenic?
The low incidence of cancer in vegetarians and Seventh-day Adventists. ## Footnote This view was complicated by data showing similar cancer rates among different dietary groups.
30
What major conclusion was reached by the end of the 1990s regarding dietary fat and fiber's role in cancer?
They were almost assuredly wrong as cancer-causing agents.
31
What dietary elements received little attention in cancer causation discussions until recently?
Refined carbohydrates and sugars.
32
What correlation did John Yudkin note regarding breast cancer mortality and sugar consumption?
Countries with the highest breast-cancer mortality also had the highest sugar consumption.
33
What did the National Academy of Sciences conclude about carbohydrates and cancer in its 1989 report?
There is little epidemiologic evidence to support a role for carbohydrates per se in the etiology of cancer.
34
What cancers are often associated with diet and lifestyle, excluding tobacco-related cancers?
Cancers of the gastrointestinal tract and endocrine-dependent organs (breast, uterus, ovaries, prostate).
35
What hormone is suggested to play an important role in breast and endometrial cancers?
Estrogen.
36
What significant connection is suggested between obesity and cancer incidence?
Obesity increases estrogen production, which may lead to higher incidence of certain cancers.
37
What animal experiments demonstrated the link between undernutrition and cancer growth?
Peyton Rous showed that tumors grow slowly in semi-starved animals.
38
What metabolic process do tumor cells utilize that is less efficient than normal respiration?
Fermentation.
39
What role does insulin play in cancer cell growth?
Insulin acts as a promoter of growth and proliferation in both healthy and malignant tissues.
40
What did researchers find about insulin receptors in malignant breast tumors compared to healthy tissue?
Malignant breast tumors had more receptors for insulin than healthy tissue.
41
What is the process by which a healthy cell becomes malignant?
A gradual evolution driven by a series of mutations in the DNA of the genes.
42
What do cancer-causing mutations often result from?
Errors in the replication of DNA during cell division and multiplication.
43
What is the role of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) in cancer?
IGF serves as a necessary intermediary between growth hormone and the availability of food for cell growth.
44
How do insulin and IGF interact with cancer cells?
Insulin stimulates IGF receptors, which send growth signals into cells.
45
What critical role do IGF receptors play in cancer growth according to Renato Baserga?
Functioning IGF receptors are a necessity for cancer growth.
46
What happens to IGF when it is bound to proteins in the bloodstream?
It becomes too large to pass through blood vessel walls and stimulate cells.
47
What did the research by Kent Osborne and colleagues reveal about aggressive breast-cancer cells?
They were exquisitely sensitive to insulin.
48
What do IGFs do when attached to binding proteins?
They become too large to pass through blood vessel walls and reach tissues. ## Footnote Only a small percentage of IGF in circulation is unbound and available for cell growth.
49
How does insulin affect IGF-binding proteins?
Insulin depresses the concentration of IGF-binding proteins. ## Footnote High insulin levels increase the availability of IGF for cell growth.
50
What is the relationship between IGF, insulin, and breast cancer?
Elevated insulin levels can increase IGF availability, potentially leading to breast cancer. ## Footnote Insulin affects estrogen, contributing to cancer risk.
51
What role does IGF play in cancer cell growth?
IGF enhances the growth and formation of tumor cells and prompts cell division. ## Footnote This effect is stronger in breast-cancer cells when IGF and estrogen are combined.
52
How do tumor cells interact with IGF receptors?
Tumor cells overexpress IGF receptors, with two to three times as many receptors as healthy cells. ## Footnote This increases their responsiveness to IGF.
53
What effect does insulin have on cancer cells?
It allows cancerous cells to receive excess insulin, providing more blood sugar for growth. ## Footnote Extra IGF receptors ensure strong proliferation signals.
54
What is the function of IGF in relation to cell death?
IGF can inhibit or override the cell suicide program, allowing damaged cells to proliferate. ## Footnote This contributes to cancer cell survival.
55
What have studies shown about IGF levels in genetically engineered mice?
Mice without IGF secretion have slower tumor growth and metastasis compared to normal mice. ## Footnote Reintroducing IGF accelerates tumor growth.
56
What is the working hypothesis regarding IGF and cancer initiation?
IGF does not initiate cancer but accelerates the process by promoting cell survival and proliferation. ## Footnote It’s linked to chronic high insulin and IGF levels from modern diets.
57
What is the link between diet and cancer progression according to researchers?
Diet changes the environment around cells, promoting survival and growth of cancer cells. ## Footnote This contrasts with the previous belief that diet primarily introduced carcinogens.
58
What physiological effects can calorie restriction have?
It may lead to reduced oxidative stress and lower insulin and IGF levels. ## Footnote This contributes to longer lifespans and delayed age-related diseases.
59
What is the significance of the ob/ob mouse in calorie restriction studies?
These mice can live longer on a low-calorie diet despite being obese, indicating longevity is related to food consumption, not body fat. ## Footnote They live as long as lean mice under caloric restriction.
60
What is the hypothesis regarding calorie restriction and free radicals?
Calorie restriction reduces free radical production, slowing oxidative stress and aging. ## Footnote This has been observed in various organisms, although effects vary.
61
What do long-lived organisms typically exhibit in terms of insulin levels?
Reduced insulin resistance and low levels of blood sugar, insulin, and IGF. ## Footnote This correlates with longer and healthier lives.
62
What have genetic studies revealed about longevity in various organisms?
Mutations that extend lifespan are linked to insulin and IGF signaling pathways. ## Footnote This has been confirmed in yeast, worms, fruit flies, and mice.
63
What did Cynthia Kenyon discover about longevity in nematodes?
A genetic mutation allowed worms to live twice as long by regulating their entry into a dauer state. ## Footnote This state is similar to hibernation and depends on food availability.
64
What was the finding of Martin Holzenberger regarding IGF receptor knockout mice?
Mice with one IGF receptor copy lived 25% longer than normal mice. ## Footnote Their weight remained the same despite increased longevity.
65
What was the outcome of genetically engineered mice lacking insulin receptors in fat cells?
These mice weighed 25% less and lived almost 20% longer than normal mice. ## Footnote They could not accumulate fat due to the lack of insulin receptors.
66
What is the evolutionary role of insulin and IGF in simple organisms?
They promote survival when food is scarce, regulating metabolism, fat storage, and reproduction. ## Footnote IGF regulates cell division and growth.
67
What is the role of insulin in fat synthesis?
Fat cells require insulin for fat synthesis. If they lack receptors for insulin, fat cannot accumulate.
68
How much longer did transgenic mice live compared to normal mice?
Transgenic mice lived almost 20 percent longer than normal mice.
69
What do insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) regulate?
They regulate metabolism, fat storage, and reproduction.
70
What happens to insulin and IGF activity when food is plentiful?
Activity increases, promoting growth, maturation, and reproduction.
71
What is the effect of reduced insulin and IGF activity when food is scarce?
It favors long-term survival over immediate reproduction.
72
What do organisms lacking the insulin-IGF system face when food is limited?
They risk dying of starvation or producing progeny that die of starvation.
73
What does IGF regulate?
Cell division and growth.
74
What does insulin do with the calories consumed?
It apportions them into immediate fuel and those stored for later use.
75
What hypothesis did Cynthia Kenyon propose regarding glucose and worm lifespan?
Glucose shortens lifespan by increasing activity in the insulin-IGF pathway.
76
What dietary change did Cynthia Kenyon make after her research findings?
She restricted her carbohydrate consumption to a bare minimum.
77
What were the effects of Kenyon's dietary changes on her health?
She lost thirty pounds, and her blood pressure, triglycerides, and blood-sugar levels dropped; her HDL increased.
78
What therapeutic implications were suggested by Dennis Selkoe and Rudolph Tanzi regarding insulin and Alzheimer's?
Creating compounds to increase insulin-degrading enzyme activity.
79
What dream did Ronald Kahn's research imply for overweight Americans?
To eat whatever they want without becoming fat and live longer.
80
What is the common approach to addressing hyperinsulinemia in clinical settings?
Focus on normalizing blood sugar primarily through intensive insulin therapy.
81
What is the prevailing wisdom regarding the cause of chronic diseases?
Excess weight due to high-calorie diets and physical inactivity.
82
What is the alternative hypothesis regarding excess weight and chronic diseases?
They are caused by the hormonal effects of a diet rich in refined carbohydrates.
83
What is the relationship between apo E4 gene and Alzheimer's disease risk?
Individuals with a single copy of the apo E4 gene are nearly three times as likely to have both heart disease and Alzheimer's.
84
What did researchers localize to a chromosome associated with age-related Alzheimer's?
The gene for insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE).
85
What did Tannenbaum's study compare to assess cancer inhibition?
Chronically underfed mice versus control mice fed with cornstarch.
86
What does IGF stand for?
Insulin-like growth factor.
87
Fill in the blank: The molecular storage form of glucose is _______.
glycogen
88
True or False: Elevated insulin and IGF levels are linked to increased risk of disease.
True

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