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1.
Eur J Neurol ; 27(10): 1805-1820, 2020 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32713125

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Dementia is one of the most common disorders and is associated with increased morbidity, mortality and decreased quality of life. The present guideline addresses important medical management issues including systematic medical follow-up, vascular risk factors in dementia, pain in dementia, use of antipsychotics in dementia and epilepsy in dementia. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was carried out. Based on the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) framework, we developed a guideline. Where recommendations based on GRADE were not possible, a good practice statement was formulated. RESULTS: Systematic management of vascular risk factors should be performed in patients with mild to moderate dementia as prevention of cerebrovascular pathology may impact on the progression of dementia (Good Practice statement). Individuals with dementia (without previous stroke) and atrial fibrillation should be treated with anticoagulants (weak recommendation). Discontinuation of opioids should be considered in certain individuals with dementia (e.g. for whom there are no signs or symptoms of pain or no clear indication, or suspicion of side effects; Good Practice statement). Behavioral symptoms in persons with dementia should not be treated with mild analgesics (weak recommendation). In all patients with dementia treated with opioids, assessment of the individual risk-benefit ratio should be performed at regular intervals. Regular, preplanned medical follow-up should be offered to all patients with dementia. The setting will depend on the organization of local health services and should, as a minimum, include general practitioners with easy access to dementia specialists (Good Practice statement). Individuals with dementia and agitation and/or aggression should be treated with atypical antipsychotics only after all non-pharmacological measures have been proven to be without benefit or in the case of severe self-harm or harm to others (weak recommendation). Antipsychotics should be discontinued after cessation of behavioral disturbances and in patients in whom there are side effects (Good Practice statement). For treatment of epilepsy in individuals with dementia, newer anticonvulsants should be considered as first-line therapy (Good Practice statement). CONCLUSION: This GRADE-based guideline offers recommendations on several important medical issues in patients with dementia, and thus adds important guidance for clinicians. For some issues, very little or no evidence was identified, highlighting the importance of further studies within these areas.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease , Dementia , Neurology , Academies and Institutes , Aged , Analgesics , Humans , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
2.
Mar Pollut Bull ; 141: 434-447, 2019 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30955754

ABSTRACT

The study focuses on the impact of life excretion and mucus released by the "biological pollutants" invasive ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi and its predator Beroe ovata on the marine environment and lower trophic levels of the Black Sea ecosystem (bacteria, pico-phytoplankton, nano-autotrophic/heterotrophic flagellates, micro-phytoplankton, chlorophyll a, primary production (PP), micro-zooplankton). The chemical and biological variables were analysed in two sets of lab experiments with natural communities from mesotrophic (Gelendzhik) and eutrophic (Varna) coastal waters. While both species altered the chemical properties of experimental media, exerting structural and functional changes in the low food-web biological compartments, the results showed a stronger effect of B. ovata, most likely related to the measured higher rate of excretion and amount of released mucus. In addition the alterations in the Gelendzhik experiment were more pronounced, indicating that environmental implications on lower food-web are more conspicuous in mesotrophic than in eutrophic coastal waters.


Subject(s)
Bacteria/growth & development , Ctenophora/growth & development , Introduced Species , Phytoplankton/growth & development , Zooplankton/growth & development , Animals , Black Sea , Chlorophyll A/metabolism , Ecosystem , Eutrophication , Food Chain , Seawater
3.
J Neural Transm (Vienna) ; 123(4): 431-8, 2016 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26852137

ABSTRACT

The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) are the most commonly used scales to test cognitive impairment in Lewy body disease (LBD), but there is no consensus on which is best suited to assess cognition in clinical practice and most sensitive to cognitive decline. Retrospective cohort study of 265 LBD patients [Parkinson's disease (PD) without dementia (PDnD, N = 197), PD with dementia (PDD, N = 40), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB, N = 28)] from an international consortium who completed both the MMSE and MoCA at baseline and 1-year follow-up (N = 153). Percentage of relative standard deviation (RSD%) at baseline was the measure of inter-individual variance, and estimation of change (Cohen's d) over time was calculated. RSD% for the MoCA (21 %) was greater than for the MMSE (13 %) (p = 0.03) in the whole group. This difference was significant only in PDnD (11 vs. 5 %, p < 0.01), but not in PDD (30 vs. 19 %, p = 0.37) or DLB (15 vs. 14 %, p = 0.78). In contrast, the 1-year estimation of change did not differ between the two tests in any of the groups (Cohen's effect <0.20 in each group). MMSE and MoCA are equal in measuring the rate of cognitive changes over time in LBD. However, in PDnD, the MoCA is a better measure of cognitive status as it lacks both ceiling and floor effects.


Subject(s)
Cognition Disorders/diagnosis , Cognition Disorders/etiology , Lewy Body Disease/complications , Neuropsychological Tests , Parkinson Disease/complications , Aged , Cohort Studies , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies
4.
Clin Neurol Neurosurg ; 126: 76-81, 2014 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25215445

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To assess an impact of cognitive and behavioral impairment on QoL in a larger cohort of patients with DM1. METHODS: Sixty six genetically confirmed DM1 patients (22 with juvenile (jDM1) and 44 with adult form (aDM1) of the disease) were recruited. Following behavioral tests were used: Hamilton scales for depression and anxiety (HamD and HamA), Daytime Sleepiness Scale (DSS), and Krupp's Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Patients also underwent detailed classic neuropsychological investigation and Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Individualized Neuromuscular Quality of Life questionnaire (INQoL) was used as a measure of QoL. RESULTS: Patients with jDM1 scored lower than aDM1 patients regarding total INQoL score and all INQoL subdomains, except for myotonia. Significant predictors of total INQoL score in patients with jDM1 were severity of fatigue (ß=+0.60, p<0.01) and percentage of correct responses on Spatial Recognition Memory test from CANTAB that measures visuospatial abilities (ß=-0.38, p<0.05). The most important predictors of total INQoL score in patients with aDM1 were severity of fatigue (ß=+0.36, p<0.05) and level of education (ß=-0.29, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results showed clear influence of different central manifestations on QoL in patients with both aDM1 and jDM1.


Subject(s)
Cognition Disorders/physiopathology , Fatigue/physiopathology , Myotonic Dystrophy/physiopathology , Quality of Life , Adult , Age of Onset , Cognition Disorders/etiology , Cohort Studies , Educational Status , Fatigue/etiology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Myotonic Dystrophy/complications , Young Adult
5.
Eur J Neurol ; 21(2): 231-7, 2014 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23834502

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to analyze cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of total tau (T-tau), phosphorylated tau (P-tau) and the 42-amino-acid form of ß-amyloid (Aß42 ) in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), and their possible correlations with cognitive and behavioral manifestations in these patients. METHODS: Lumbar puncture was performed in 74 patients with DM1 [27 with the childhood/juvenile form (jDM1) and 47 with the adult form (aDM1) of the disease] and 26 control subjects who were subjected to orthopedic surgery. Sandwich ELISA was used for measuring the levels of T-tau, P-tau and Aß42. RESULTS: The CSF level of Aß42 was at its lowest in patients with jDM1 and at its highest in controls (P < 0.05). A tendency of T-tau and P-tau to increase was greater in aDM1 patients than in jDM1 patients and controls (P > 0.05). In both jDM1 and aDM1 patients, significant correlations were found between Aß42 and T-tau (rho = 0.81 and rho = 0.67, respectively, P < 0.01), as well as between Aß42 and P-tau (rho = 0.87 and rho = 0.67, respectively, P < 0.01). The Aß42/P-tau ratio decreased with age in aDM1 patients (rho = -0.30, P < 0.05). Only the level of Aß42 in the CSF of jDM1 patients was correlated with the size of the CTG expansion (rho = -0.53, P < 0.05). Only a few correlations were observed between levels of biomarkers and neuropsychological testing. CONCLUSION: The CSF level of Aß42 was decreased in patients with jDM1, whilst the Aß42/P-tau ratio was decreased in aDM1 patients. Positive correlations between Aß42 , T-tau and P-tau were observed in both forms of disease. Further studies with larger cohorts of DM1 patients are necessary.


Subject(s)
Amyloid beta-Peptides/cerebrospinal fluid , Myotonic Dystrophy/cerebrospinal fluid , Nerve Degeneration/cerebrospinal fluid , Peptide Fragments/cerebrospinal fluid , tau Proteins/cerebrospinal fluid , Adult , Biomarkers/cerebrospinal fluid , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Myotonic Dystrophy/psychology , Nerve Degeneration/psychology , Neuropsychological Tests , Phosphorylation , Young Adult
6.
Mol Psychiatry ; 18(2): 255-63, 2013 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22105620

ABSTRACT

Unbiased genome-wide screens combined with imaging data on brain function may identify novel molecular pathways related to human cognition. Here we performed a dense genome-wide screen to identify episodic memory-related gene variants. A genomic locus encoding the brain-expressed beta-catenin-like protein 1 (CTNNBL1) was significantly (P=7 × 10(-8)) associated with verbal memory performance in a cognitively healthy cohort from Switzerland (n=1073) and was replicated in a second cohort from Serbia (n=524; P=0.003). Gene expression studies showed CTNNBL1 genotype-dependent differences in beta-catenin-like protein 1 mRNA levels in the human cortex. Functional magnetic resonance imaging in 322 subjects detected CTNNBL1 genotype-dependent differences in memory-related brain activations. Converging evidence from independent experiments and different methodological approaches suggests a role for CTNNBL1 in human memory.


Subject(s)
Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins/genetics , Brain/blood supply , Brain/physiology , Gene Expression/genetics , Memory/physiology , Nuclear Proteins/genetics , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics , Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins/metabolism , Cohort Studies , Female , Genome-Wide Association Study , Genotype , Humans , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Nuclear Proteins/metabolism , Oxygen/blood , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Serbia , Switzerland , Verbal Learning/physiology
7.
J Neurol Sci ; 322(1-2): 166-9, 2012 Nov 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22938734

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The vascular risk factors are associated with an increased risk for vascular cognitive decline (VCD), but also with Alzheimer disease (AD). OBJECTIVE: To investigate vascular risk factors in relation to AD and VCD, with a non-invasive neurosonological methods in a clinical settings. RESULTS: A total of 296 patients with AD and 237 patients with VCD were included in the study. Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, stroke, and white matter changes (p<0.001) were significantly more prevalent in VCD, although they were also present in AD patients. No statistically significant differences were obtained between groups regarding coronary disease, atrial fibrillation, average degree of carotid artery stenosis and carotid intima-media thickness (cITM). However, the patients with AD had carotid artery stenosis ">50%" (p=0.007) and present plaques (p<0.001) more frequently compared to vascular group. The significant associations between robust cognitive measure and vascular factors, diabetes mellitus, carotid stenosis, cITM, and type of plaques were identified only in VCD, but not in AD group. CONCLUSIONS: The vascular risk factors were more prevalent in VCD group, although they were also present in AD. With few treatment options available in AD, it may be important not to neglect the vascular risk factors.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/epidemiology , Cerebrovascular Disorders/epidemiology , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Alzheimer Disease/diagnosis , Carotid Arteries/diagnostic imaging , Carotid Intima-Media Thickness , Cerebrovascular Disorders/diagnosis , Female , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Mental Status Schedule , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , Statistics, Nonparametric , Tomography, X-Ray Computed
8.
Eur J Neurol ; 19(9): 1159-79, 2012 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22891773

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The last version of the EFNS dementia guidelines is from 2007. In 2010, the revised guidelines for Alzheimer's disease (AD) were published. The current guidelines involve the revision of the dementia syndromes outside of AD, notably vascular cognitive impairment, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, dementia with Lewy bodies, corticobasal syndrome, progressive supranuclear palsy, Parkinson's disease dementia, Huntington's disease, prion diseases, normal-pressure hydrocephalus, limbic encephalitis and other toxic and metabolic disorders. The aim is to present a peer-reviewed evidence-based statement for the guidance of practice for clinical neurologists, geriatricians, psychiatrists and other specialist physicians responsible for the care of patients with dementing disorders. It represents a statement of minimum desirable standards for practice guidance. METHODS: The task force working group reviewed evidence from original research articles, meta-analyses and systematic reviews, published by June 2011. The evidence was classified (I, II, III, IV) and consensus recommendations graded (A, B, or C) according to the EFNS guidance. Where there was a lack of evidence, but clear consensus, good practice points were provided. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: New recommendations and good practice points are made for clinical diagnosis, blood tests, neuropsychology, neuroimaging, electroencephalography, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis, genetic testing, disclosure of diagnosis, treatment of behavioural and psychological symptoms in dementia, legal issues, counselling and support for caregivers. All recommendations were revised as compared with the previous EFNS guidelines. The specialist neurologist together with primary care physicians play an important role in the assessment, interpretation and treatment of symptoms, disability and needs of dementia patients.


Subject(s)
Dementia , Alzheimer Disease/diagnosis , Alzheimer Disease/therapy , Dementia/diagnosis , Dementia/therapy , Dementia, Vascular/diagnosis , Dementia, Vascular/therapy , Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration/diagnosis , Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration/therapy , Humans , Huntington Disease/diagnosis , Huntington Disease/therapy , Hydrocephalus, Normal Pressure/diagnosis , Hydrocephalus, Normal Pressure/therapy , Lewy Body Disease/diagnosis , Lewy Body Disease/therapy , Limbic Encephalitis/diagnosis , Limbic Encephalitis/therapy , Parkinson Disease/diagnosis , Parkinson Disease/therapy , Primary Progressive Nonfluent Aphasia/diagnosis , Primary Progressive Nonfluent Aphasia/therapy , Prion Diseases/diagnosis , Prion Diseases/therapy , Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive/diagnosis , Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive/therapy
9.
Neurology ; 78(6): 409-16, 2012 Feb 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22282641

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether a specific pattern of gray matter (GM) tissue loss is associated with freezing of gait (FOG) in patients with Parkinson disease (PD). METHODS: Seventeen patients with PD with FOG (PD-FOG), 20 patients with PD with no FOG (PD-noFOG), and 34 healthy control subjects were recruited. PD-FOG and PD-noFOG patients were matched on an individual basis for age, disease duration, and Hoehn and Yahr stage. Patients were also administered a comprehensive neuropsychological battery focused on executive functions. The extent and distribution of GM atrophy were assessed using voxel-based morphometry. RESULTS: In patients with PD, the severity of FOG correlated with frontal executive deficits. Compared with healthy control subjects, PD-FOG patients showed a distributed pattern of GM atrophy including the dorsolateral prefrontal, medial, and lateral temporal, inferior parietal, and occipital cortices. PD-noFOG patients showed only small regions of GM atrophy in the bilateral frontal and temporal cortex. The left inferior frontal gyrus, left precentral gyrus, and left inferior parietal gyrus were more atrophic in PD-FOG patients relative to both healthy control subjects and PD-noFOG patients. In PD-FOG patients, the severity of FOG was associated with GM volumes of the frontal and parietal cortices bilaterally. CONCLUSIONS: GM frontal and parietal atrophy occur in PD-FOG patients. FOG in PD seems to share with executive dysfunction and perception deficits a common pattern of structural damage to the frontal and parietal cortices.


Subject(s)
Brain/pathology , Gait Disorders, Neurologic/pathology , Parkinson Disease/pathology , Aged , Atrophy , Female , Gait , Gait Disorders, Neurologic/physiopathology , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Middle Aged , Parkinson Disease/physiopathology , Severity of Illness Index
10.
Parkinsonism Relat Disord ; 18(4): 339-42, 2012 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22166396

ABSTRACT

Apathy and depression are among the most common psychiatric and behavioral disorders associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and demographic and clinical correlates of apathy and depression in a clinical population-based sample of patients with PD and to assess whether apathy may present as a primary behavioral disturbance independent from depression and cognitive impairment. A series of 360 PD patients underwent psychiatric investigation with the Starkstein's Apathy Scale (AS), and the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17), motor scoring with Hoehn and Yahr (HY) staging, and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS); and cognitive screening with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) on the same day. Apathy coexisted with depression in 133 (36.9%) of PD patients, compared with depression without apathy in 16 (4.4%), apathy without depression in 84 (23%), and neither apathy nor depression in 127 PD patients (35.2%). Apathy was associated with higher axial UPDRS impairment score, lower MMSE score, higher l-dopa dosage, and earlier HY stages, while depression was predicted by the more advanced HY stages and younger age of PD patients. These findings suggest that apathy and depression may be separable in PD, although both are common in patients with PD. Therefore these two conditions should be systematically screened and considered in the care and management of PD.


Subject(s)
Apathy/physiology , Depression/epidemiology , Parkinson Disease/epidemiology , Parkinson Disease/physiopathology , Parkinson Disease/psychology , Aged , Analysis of Variance , Antiparkinson Agents/therapeutic use , Community Health Planning , Female , Humans , Levodopa/therapeutic use , Male , Mental Status Schedule , Middle Aged , Neuropsychological Tests , Parkinson Disease/drug therapy , Prevalence , Regression Analysis , Serbia/epidemiology
11.
Mol Psychiatry ; 16(2): 184-92, 2011 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20038948

ABSTRACT

Recent advances in the development of high-throughput genotyping platforms allow for the unbiased identification of genes and genomic sequences related to heritable traits. In this study, we analyzed human short-term memory, which refers to the ability to remember information over a brief period of time and which has been found disturbed in many neuropsychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia and depression. We performed a genome-wide survey at 909 622 polymorphic loci and report six genetic variations significantly associated with human short-term memory performance after genome-wide correction for multiple comparisons. A polymorphism within SCN1A (encoding the α subunit of the type I voltage-gated sodium channel) was replicated in three independent populations of 1699 individuals. Functional magnetic resonance imaging during an n-back working memory task detected SCN1A allele-dependent activation differences in brain regions typically involved in working memory processes. These results suggest an important role for SCN1A in human short-term memory.


Subject(s)
Genome-Wide Association Study , Memory, Short-Term/physiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Brain/blood supply , Data Collection , Europe , Female , Gene Expression Profiling , Genotype , Humans , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods , International Cooperation , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Male , NAV1.1 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel , Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics , Neuropsychological Tests , Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis/methods , Oxygen/blood , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Sodium Channels/genetics , Young Adult
12.
Biomed Pharmacother ; 63(8): 561-5, 2009 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19026516

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: While highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) allows for the considerable decline in the incidence of HIV-related opportunistic infections and tumors, its effect on treating HIV infection of the brain, such as HIV-associated dementias (HADs), remains unclear. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of consecutive series of 96 patients from the Serbian HIV/AIDS cohort, treated with HAART in our HIV unit was performed to evaluate the incidence of and risk factors for cognitive/motor complex during HAART. CD4+T cell counts and pVL values at the time of neurological evaluation were parameters of the response to HAART. The mini-mental test and neurologic examination were performed at one point of time during treatment to reveal cognitive and/or motor disorders. RESULTS: After mean HAART duration of 47 months, unimpaired cognition, minor cognitive impairment, and HIV-associated dementia were recorded in 56 (58.3%), 27 (28.1%), and 13 (13.5%), respectively. Motor abnormalities had 39 (40.6%) patients. Of these, 21, 12, and 6 patients belong to the subgroups with normal cognition, minor cognitive impairment and HAD patients, respectively. Factors predictive for HAD were age over 40 (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.07-13.28, P=0.039), and AIDS diagnosis prior to HAART initiation (OR 14.19, 95% CI 1.76-114.16, P=0.013). Conversely, factors shown to be protective against HAD were the usage of AZT and NNRTIs, as components of HAART regimens (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.046-0.76, P=0.019, and OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.034-0.6, P=0.008). CONCLUSION: Cognitive/motor complex has still remained a significant neuropathology among late presenters and elder HIV/AIDS patients. Certain HAART regimens containing AZT, and/or NNRTIs, could be protective for these patients.


Subject(s)
AIDS Dementia Complex/prevention & control , Anti-HIV Agents/therapeutic use , HIV Infections/drug therapy , Neuroprotective Agents/therapeutic use , AIDS Dementia Complex/immunology , AIDS Dementia Complex/physiopathology , AIDS Dementia Complex/psychology , AIDS Dementia Complex/virology , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active , CD4 Lymphocyte Count , Cognition/drug effects , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , HIV/genetics , HIV Infections/immunology , HIV Infections/virology , Humans , Incidence , Logistic Models , Male , Middle Aged , Motor Skills/drug effects , Neurologic Examination , Odds Ratio , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , RNA, Viral/blood , Risk Assessment , Risk Factors , Serbia , Time Factors , Treatment Outcome , Viral Load , Young Adult
13.
J Neural Transm (Vienna) ; 113(2): 205-18, 2006 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-16049637

ABSTRACT

In this study 11 patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) were treated with the cholinesterase inhibitor rivastigmine (mean dose 8.6 +/- 1.3'mg) for 12 months and underwent positron emission tomography (PET) studies of cerebral glucose metabolism (CMRglc) and neuropsychological testing at baseline and after 12 months. An untreated group of 10 AD patients served as control group. While the untreated AD patients showed a significant decline of CMRglc in the temporo-parietal and frontal cortical regions after 12 months follow-up the rivastigmine-treated patients showed no decline in CMRglc in corresponding cortical brain regions. Furthermore, a significant dose-related increase in CMRglc was recorded in the right frontal association region after 12 months rivastigmine treatment. A positive correlation was observed between changes in CMRglc and several cognitive tests in patients receiving higher doses (10.5-12'mg) of rivastigmine. These results suggest a stabilization effect of rivastigmine on CMRglc in mild AD patients receiving long-term rivastigmine treatment.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/diagnostic imaging , Alzheimer Disease/drug therapy , Cholinesterase Inhibitors/administration & dosage , Phenylcarbamates/administration & dosage , Positron-Emission Tomography/methods , Adult , Aged , Alzheimer Disease/metabolism , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Brain/metabolism , Cognition/drug effects , Energy Metabolism/drug effects , Female , Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Follow-Up Studies , Glucose/metabolism , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Neuropsychological Tests , Radiopharmaceuticals , Receptors, Nicotinic/physiology , Rivastigmine , Severity of Illness Index
14.
Eur J Neurol ; 11(4): 253-61, 2004 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-15061827

ABSTRACT

Cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) have shown positive symptomatic effects on cognition, activities of daily living, and behavior in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Rivastigmine is a slowly reversible ChEI that inhibits acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase. We evaluated the effects of long-term rivastigmine treatment on cognitive function and plasma levels of ChE activity, and the relationship between ChE activity and cognition. Patients with mild AD (n = 11) treated with rivastigmine for 12 months were compared with matched groups of untreated patients with AD (n = 21) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n = 22) representing the natural course of the pre-clinical and very early stage of disease. For untreated AD patients, neuropsychological assessment was made at baseline and 12 months. Determination of ChE activity in plasma and assessment of global cognition, episodic memory, visuospatial ability, and attention were performed at 0 (baseline), 3, 6, and 12 months for treated AD patients and untreated MCI patients. At 12 months, cognitive function was slightly improved or maintained in mild AD patients treated with rivastigmine. In contrast, cognition was markedly worsened in untreated AD patients and unchanged or slightly worsened in untreated MCI patients. In the group of treated AD patients, there was a significant correlation between plasma ChE inhibition and cognition, particularly in relation to attention. This effect was most apparent at 3 months of treatment. In conclusion, a clear beneficial effect of rivastigmine was shown on cognitive function for patients with mild AD and plasma values of ChE inhibition were associated with attention.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/drug therapy , Carbamates/therapeutic use , Cognition Disorders/drug therapy , Neuroprotective Agents/therapeutic use , Phenylcarbamates , Aged , Alzheimer Disease/complications , Apolipoproteins E/genetics , Attention/drug effects , Case-Control Studies , Chi-Square Distribution , Cholinesterases/blood , Cognition Disorders/etiology , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Neuropsychological Tests/statistics & numerical data , Rivastigmine , Statistics as Topic , Time Factors
15.
Neurosci Lett ; 338(2): 159-63, 2003 Feb 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-12566177

ABSTRACT

We evaluated cerebral glucose metabolism (CMRglc) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of tau and beta-amyloid(1-42) (Abeta42), in relation to apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotype, in patients with mild Alzheimer disease (AD) treated with rivastigmine (n=11) and tacrine (n=16) for 1 year; and two untreated AD groups. The rivastigmine-treated AD patients showed a significant increase in CMRglc as compared to both tacrine-treated and untreated AD subjects. The rivastigmine-treated AD group showed no change in CSF-tau levels after 1 year, while in contrast a significant increase as seen in tacrine-treated and untreated AD patients. The CSF-tau changes were mainly seen in ApoE epsilon4 carriers. There was no significant change in Abeta42 after 1-year treatment with either rivastigmine or tacrine. This study shows that the two long-term cholinesterase inhibitor treatments exert different effects on biological markers for AD.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/drug therapy , Amyloid beta-Peptides/cerebrospinal fluid , Apolipoproteins E/genetics , Brain/metabolism , Cholinesterase Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Glucose/metabolism , Peptide Fragments/cerebrospinal fluid , Phenylcarbamates , tau Proteins/genetics , Aged , Alzheimer Disease/cerebrospinal fluid , Alzheimer Disease/metabolism , Apolipoprotein E2 , Apolipoprotein E4 , Biomarkers/analysis , Carbamates/therapeutic use , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Female , Genotype , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Rivastigmine , Tacrine/therapeutic use
16.
Eur J Neurol ; 9(1): 9-14, 2002 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11784369

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to ascertain whether the stage of Parkinson's disease (PD) (according to the Hoehn and Yahr staging system) would affect the length of time between the introduction of levodopa therapy and appearance of levodopa-associated motor complications. Forty patients with clinically definite PD were studied. In all, clinical and therapeutic data were collected from the time of diagnosis to the time of levodopa-associated motor complications (i.e. dyskinesia, motor fluctuations). In 17 patients, levodopa could be started in Hoehn and Yahr stage I (H & Y-I; 16.2 months after the onset of PD), whilst in 13 patients levodopa could be started in H & Y-II (19.6 months after the onset of the disease) and in 10 in H & Y-III (45.1 months after the onset of PD). Cox proportional hazard regression model shows that the PD patients in whom the initial levodopa treatment was introduced at stage III develop both dyskinesias and motor fluctuations significantly earlier than the patients whose levodopa started in stage I and II of PD. The median interval to develop dyskinesias was 66, 72 and 24 months for patients in whom levodopa was introduced in stage I, II and III, respectively. These values were 64, 55 and 14 months for motor fluctuations. These findings add to the clinical arguments that favour an essential role of severity of PD at levodopa initiation as a risk factor for the development of levodopa-associated motor complications.


Subject(s)
Antiparkinson Agents/therapeutic use , Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced/etiology , Levodopa/therapeutic use , Movement/physiology , Parkinson Disease/drug therapy , Parkinson Disease/physiopathology , Age of Onset , Aged , Antiparkinson Agents/adverse effects , Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced/physiopathology , Female , Humans , Levodopa/adverse effects , Male , Middle Aged , Movement/drug effects , Muscle Rigidity/physiopathology , Sex Characteristics , Tremor/physiopathology
17.
Mov Disord ; 16(4): 719-23, 2001 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11481698

ABSTRACT

The frequency and type of dystonic movements, as well as brain abnormalities, as depicted with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which might correlate with dystonia, were studied in 27 consecutive patients with a neurologic form of Wilson's disease (WD) and optimized treatment. Dystonia was found in 10 patients (37%), being generalized in half of them, while two patients had segmental, two patients multifocal dystonia, and one patient bilateral foot dystonia. Dystonia was a presenting sign in four patients and developed later in the course of the disease in six patients, despite the administered therapy for WD. Putamen was the only structure significantly more frequently lesioned in dystonic (80%) in comparison to WD patients without dystonia (24%), suggesting a relation between abnormalities in this brain region and dystonic movements in WD.


Subject(s)
Dystonia/diagnosis , Hepatolenticular Degeneration/diagnosis , Adult , Female , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Middle Aged , Neurologic Examination , Putamen/pathology
18.
J Clin Exp Neuropsychol ; 23(5): 581-91, 2001 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11778635

ABSTRACT

This study tested the question of whether executive failure associated with frontal lobe deficit is associated with, and therefore, may influence declarative memory dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD). A variety of memory and 'frontal sensitive' tasks were used. The 'frontal lobe dysfunction' hypothesis was tested in part, by examining the serial position effects (SPE) of word list learning across five successive trials. The relationship between memory and 'frontal sensitive' task scores was tested also. A total of 39 PD patients early in the course of the disease and 31 matched controls were included in the study. The PD subjects showed mild memory deficits in comparison to the healthy control group. In the face of any hypothesized selective 'dysexecutive' syndrome in PD group, the latter groups learning strategy across five trials did not differ from that of the control group. Also, the expected interrelation between memory and 'frontal sensitive' scores was not obtained. Therefore, the hypothesis that frontal dysfunction alone may account for memory impairments in PD is not fully supported.


Subject(s)
Memory/physiology , Parkinson Disease/psychology , Case-Control Studies , Cues , Female , Frontal Lobe/physiopathology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neuropsychological Tests , Parkinson Disease/physiopathology , Practice, Psychological , Verbal Learning , Visual Perception
19.
Mov Disord ; 15(6): 1095-103, 2000 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11104191

ABSTRACT

This study tested the role of basal ganglia in visuomotor skill learning. Thirty-nine patients early in the course of Parkinson's disease (PD) and 30 patients after operation for an aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery (ACoA) were compared with 31 matched control subjects on a Serial Reaction Time test (SRTt). The patients with PD showed impaired visuomotor skill learning across the repeating blocks, in the presence of preserved declarative knowledge of embedded sequences, in contrast to the ACoA group in whom the reverse pattern was observed. The significant correlation in patients with PD between the standard neuropsychological and motor measures and the performance observed in the skill acquisition test, in the ACoA group and control subjects was not observed. The suggestion that this learning impairment could not be attributed to a motor deficit per se was also confirmed more directly for patients with PD. Accuracy of performance after the initial learning phase on the SRTt in patients with PD was associated predominantly with visual span capacity measures. Declarative knowledge of the embedded sequence of the SRTt was correlated to general cognitive and verbal span abilities in the PD group. The impairment observed in the PD group was not the result of a general decline in cognitive functioning, mood disturbances, or the severity of the motor symptoms.


Subject(s)
Basal Ganglia/physiopathology , Intracranial Aneurysm/psychology , Parkinson Disease/psychology , Psychomotor Performance , Serial Learning , Adult , Aneurysm, Ruptured/psychology , Aneurysm, Ruptured/surgery , Case-Control Studies , Female , Humans , Intracranial Aneurysm/physiopathology , Intracranial Aneurysm/surgery , Male , Memory , Middle Aged , Motor Skills , Neuropsychological Tests , Parkinson Disease/physiopathology , Reaction Time , Severity of Illness Index , Visual Perception
20.
Behav Neurol ; 11(2): 105-108, 1998.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11568408

ABSTRACT

A 19-year-old man developed the Kleine-Levin syndrome three weeks after the head trauma and subsequent neurosurgical evacuation of right-sided, fronto-temporal epidural hematoma. The expression of periodic episodes was observed for hypersomnolence and, to a lesser degree, for behavioral disturbances, while the hyperphagia was constantly present during a period of 1.5 years. These clinical features were associated with the focal, right-sided hypothalamic lesion and ipsilateral posttraumatic parenchymal temporal lobe damage on NMR imaging.

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