Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by amyloid-β (Aβ) plaque deposition and neurofibrillary tangle accumulation in the brain. Although several studies have been conducted to unravel the complex and interconnected pathophysiology of AD, clinical trial failure rates have been high, and no disease-modifying therapies are presently available. Fluid biomarker discovery for AD is a rapidly expanding field of research aimed at anticipating disease diagnosis and following disease progression over time. Currently, Aβ_1–42, phosphorylated tau, and total tau levels in the cerebrospinal fluid are the best-studied fluid biomarkers for AD, but the need for novel, cheap, less-invasive, easily detectable, and more-accessible markers has recently led to the search for new blood-based molecules. However, despite considerable research activity, a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the main blood-based biomarker candidates is still lacking. In this narrative review, we discuss the role of proteins, lipids, metabolites, oxidative-stress-related molecules, and cytokines as possible disease biomarkers. Furthermore, we highlight the potential of the emerging miRNAs and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as diagnostic tools, and we briefly present the role of vitamins and gut-microbiome-related molecules as novel candidates for AD detection and monitoring, thus offering new insights into the diagnosis and progression of this devastating disease.

Cellular senescence is an irreversible state of cell cycle arrest occurring in response to stressful stimuli, such as telomere attrition, DNA damage, reactive oxygen species, and oncogenic proteins. Although beneficial and protective in several physiological processes, an excessive senescent cell burden has been involved in various pathological conditions including aging, tissue dysfunction and chronic diseases. Oxidative stress (OS) can drive senescence due to a loss of balance between pro-oxidant stimuli and antioxidant defences. Therefore, the identification and characterization of antioxidant compounds capable of preventing or counteracting the senescent phenotype is of major interest. However, despite the considerable number of studies, a comprehensive overview of the main antioxidant molecules capable of counteracting OS-induced senescence is still lacking. Here, besides a brief description of the molecular mechanisms implicated in OS-mediated aging, we review and discuss the role of enzymes, mitochondria-targeting compounds, vitamins, carotenoids, organosulfur compounds, nitrogen non-protein molecules, minerals, flavonoids, and non-flavonoids as antioxidant compounds with an anti-aging potential, therefore offering insights into innovative lifespan-extending approaches.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive memory loss and cognitive decline. Although substantial research has been conducted to elucidate the complex pathophysiology of AD, the therapeutic approach still has limited efficacy in clinical practice. Oxidative stress (OS) has been established as an early driver of several age-related diseases, including neurodegeneration. In AD, increased levels of reactive oxygen species mediate neuronal lipid, protein, and nucleic acid peroxidation, mitochondrial dysfunction, synaptic damage, and inflammation. Thus, the identification of novel antioxidant molecules capable of detecting, preventing, and counteracting AD onset and progression is of the utmost importance. However, although several studies have been published, comprehensive and up-to-date overviews of the principal anti-AD agents harboring antioxidant properties remain scarce. In this narrative review, we summarize the role of vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, non-flavonoids, mitochondria-targeting molecules, organosulfur compounds, and carotenoids as non-enzymatic antioxidants with AD diagnostic, preventative, and therapeutic potential, thereby offering insights into the relationship between OS and neurodegeneration.

Disturbances in body perception are a consistent feature of Restrictive Eating Disorders (REDs). In adult patients diagnosed with REDs, body dissatisfaction and overestimation of body weight have been associated with altered tactile acuity and biases in proprioceptive localization. Whether similar alterations are present in adolescents-when the disorder often emerges-remains unclear. This study aimed to characterize possible alterations in tactile and body perception in adolescents diagnosed with REDs. Patients (N = 48) and age-matched healthy controls (HCs, N = 45) completed tasks measuring tactile acuity and body landmark localization accuracy on the hand and abdomen. Body dissatisfaction was also measured with clinical questionnaires. The REDs group showed greater bias in abdomen perception, whereas hand perception was similar to that of HCs. No differences in tactile processing emerged between REDs and HCs. The relations between perceptual biases, tactile acuity, and self-reported body dissatisfaction were not statistically significant. Our results suggest that biases in body perception in REDs are present in adolescence, but limited to specific body parts, such as the abdomen.

Background: Clinical High Risk for Psychosis (CHR-P) is a psychopathological condition requiring early prevention, particularly in adolescence. Methods: We enrolled 151 patients to assess the potential of the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS) in predicting the course of CHR-P and transitions to psychosis. Adolescents with DSM-5 Attenuated Psychotic Symptoms (APS) at baseline were compared with those diagnosed with Early-Onset Psychosis (EOP) and those with other conditions (non-APS). We also examined whether antipsychotics influenced patients’ performance in the R-PAS. Finally, we analyzed correlations between DSM-5 diagnoses at one-year follow-up and baseline R-PAS indexes. Results: APS and EOP patients exhibited similar R-PAS profiles, with APS showing greater impairments in specific Perception and Thinking Problem indexes. Antipsychotic use did not confound results. A distinct R-PAS profile emerged for individuals at risk of psychosis after one year, with the most significant alterations in the Self and Other Representation and the Stress and Distress domains. Conclusions: This study highlights the R-PAS as a valuable tool for early psychosis risk detection and prevention strategies. Targeted, person-centered interventions (i.e., psychotherapy, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques) are recommended to address vulnerabilities. Integrating psychological assessment into early intervention frameworks may enhance outcomes and improve patients and families’ quality of life.