Multiplexed quantification of dementia biomarkers in the CSF of patients with early dementias and MCI: a multicenter study.

In this report we evaluated the clinical performance of APOE genotyping and three protein biomarkers (total tau, beta-amyloid(1-42), and tau phosphorylated at threonine 181) in a prospective multicenter study using the INNO-BIA AlzBio3 assay applied on Luminex platform. Concentration of biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was measured with multiplexing technology (n=223), and compared to the results of ELISA assays in patients with early dementias or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) collected at 12 gerontopsychiatric university departments, and APOE genotyping was performed. Concentrations of Abeta(1-42) were statistically significantly lower in MCI-AD subjects compared to MCI-O, and significantly lower in D-AD patients compared to MCI-O. P-tau(181P) concentrations were significantly higher in MCI-AD patients compared to MCI-O, and significantly higher in D-AD patients compared to MCI-O. The total tau concentrations in MCI-AD patients were significantly higher compared to MCI-O, and higher in D-AD compared to MCI-O, moreover, the concentration of total tau was significantly higher in D-AD compared to MCI-AD patients. For the differential diagnosis between D-AD and D-O, the optimal cutoff concentration of Abeta(1-42) was 197.7 pg/mL, and that for P-tau(181P) was 47.9 pg/mL. These cutoff values were also applied to discriminate between MCI-AD and MCI-O subjects. Simultaneous measurement of the biomarkers significantly improves management of the samples and quality control of the assays' performance.

Disturbance in the neural circuitry underlying positive emotional processing in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). An fMRI study.

This study was designed to investigate the circuitry underlying movie-induced positive emotional processing in subjects with chronic PTSD. Ten male subjects with chronic PTSD and ten matched controls were studied. In an fMRI-paradigm a sequence of a wellknown Walt Disney cartoon with positive emotional valence was shown. PTSD subjects showed an increased activation in the right posterior temporal, precentral and superior frontal cortex. Controls recruited more emotion-related regions bilateral in the temporal pole and areas of the left fusiform and parahippocampal gyrus. This pilot study is the first to reveal alterations in the processing of positive emotions in PTSD possibly reflecting a neuronal correlate of the symptom of emotional numbness in PTSD.

Longitudinal study on the relationship between symptomatology of dementia and levels of subjective burden and depression among family caregivers in memory clinic patients.

The objective was to evaluate the course and severity of dementia-related symptoms and their relationship to caregivers' subjective burden and depression over time. Forty-five patients with dementia and their caregivers were followed over a period of 2 years. Patients' cognition, function, and behavioral/psychological symptoms were assessed by the Mini Mental State Examination, Syndrome Kurz Test, Geriatric Depression Screening scale, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, Physical Self Maintenance Scale, Behavioral Abnormalities in Alzheimer's Disease Rating Scale, and Nurses Observation Scale for Geriatric Patients. Caregivers' depression and subjective burden were evaluated by the Geriatric Depression Screening scale or Beck Depression Inventory and the Caregiver Burden Interview. Global dementia severity, functional impairment, and behavioral disturbances increased significantly over the 2-year observation period. Caregivers' burden remained stable, and severe depression decreased over time. There were significant associations between burden and dementia-related symptoms. For deficits in activities of daily living as well as behavioral disturbances, these associations became stronger over time. It was concluded that stage of dementia, functional deficits, and behavioral disturbances are important factors when evaluating the relationship between patients' symptoms and caregivers' well-being.

[Frontal dysfunctions in Huntington's disease -- neuropsychology and therapy]. / Frontale Dysfunktion bei Chorea Huntington -- Neuropsychologische und therapeutische Aspekte.

Huntington's disease is a hereditary and progressive disease of the central nervous system. Sudden and irregular hyperkinesias are prominent. Psychopathological findings are very frequent and often proceed the decline of motor functions for years. Almost all the patients develop a dementia in later stages of the illness. This case study shows the treatment of a patient with Huntington's disease, verified by genetic analysis, with the atypical antipsychotic drug amisulpride. In this case the psychiatric disturbances and cognitive impairments were the only signs of the disease. The treatment showed an impressive improvement. Neuropsychological aspects of the disease are discussed.