Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 2, 2026
12:06
Transmission Electron Microscopy as the Visualization Technique for Analysis of Circadian Synaptic Plasticity in the Mouse Barrel Cortex
Published on: August 19, 2025
1.1K
NAD+‒circadian rhythm coupling in dementia
Shi-Qi Zhang1,2, Jiyeon Lee3, Jun-Ping Pan2
1Key Laboratory of Liaoning Province for Research on the Pathogenic, Mechanisms of Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.
Summary
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) metabolism and circadian rhythms are closely linked and decline in dementia. Targeting NAD+ and circadian pathways may offer new therapeutic strategies for dementia and sleep disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biochemistry
- Gerontology
Background:
- Circadian rhythms and sleep are vital for whole-body function but deteriorate in neurodegenerative diseases like dementia.
- Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels also decline with dementia, suggesting a link to circadian dysfunction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the bidirectional relationship between NAD+ metabolism and circadian regulation in dementia.
- To explore how this interaction influences sleep and cognitive function in various dementia subtypes.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of current evidence on NAD+ metabolism and circadian pathways in dementia.
- Emphasis on nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), NAD+/sirtuin signaling, and NAD+ consumption by PARP1 and CD38.
- Examination of pharmacological and lifestyle interventions targeting NAD+ and circadian rhythms.
Main Results:
- The review highlights key molecular pathways linking NAD+ metabolism and circadian regulation in dementia.
- Evidence suggests NAD+ precursors and lifestyle interventions may impact dementia phenotypes.
- The interplay influences sleep disturbances and cognitive decline characteristic of dementia.
Conclusions:
- The bidirectional relationship between NAD+ metabolism and circadian rhythms is crucial in dementia.
- Targeting NAD+ and circadian regulation presents potential therapeutic avenues for dementia and associated sleep/cognitive issues.
- Further research into NAD+ precursors and lifestyle interventions is warranted.
Related Concept Videos
02:19Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation
3.4K
The biological clock is involved in many aspects of regulating complex physiology in all animals. It was in 1935 when German zoologists, Hans Kalmus and Erwin Bünning, discovered the existence of circadian rhythm in Drosophila melanogaster. However, the internal molecular mechanisms behind the circadian clock remained a mystery until 1984, when Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young discovered the expression of the Per gene oscillating over a 24-hour cycle. In subsequent...
3.4K
02:19Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation
2.1K
2.1K
01:23Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology
35
Alzheimer disease involves structural changes in the brain that begin long before symptoms appear. The most distinctive features are extracellular neuritic plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles.Neuritic plaques form in the cerebral cortex and around blood vessels. These plaques contain a dense core of beta-amyloid (Aβ)—a toxic protein fragment that clumps outside neurons. The core is surrounded by damaged neuronal extensions, as well as reactive astrocytes and...
35
01:22Dementia l: Introduction
35
Dementia is an acquired, progressive syndrome characterized by a decline in multiple cognitive domains severe enough to impair daily functioning and reduce independence. Although memory loss is a central feature, the diagnosis requires additional deficits involving language, executive function, visuospatial skills, judgment, calculation, or abstract reasoning. These cognitive impairments reflect underlying neurodegenerative or vascular processes that gradually disrupt neuronal networks...
35
01:29Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction
21
Alzheimer disease is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults. It leads to gradual neuronal loss, causing cognitive decline, behavioral changes, and loss of functional independence.Risk Factors and EtiologyThe disease is multifactorial. Age is the strongest risk factor, with prevalence doubling every 5 years after age 65. Genetic factors include mutations in genes such as APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2, which are associated...
21
01:26Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
1.7K
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a continually advancing neurodegenerative disorder, distinguished by escalating memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, and dementia. The disease unfolds in three stages: preclinical, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia. Its onset is insidious, and the progression gradual, with the cause not well explained by other disorders.
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ...
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ...
1.7K