Tracking Prodromal α-Synucleinopathies: Novel Fluid and Tissue-Based Biomarker Approaches for iRBD Phenoconversion.

Isolated rapid eye movement sleep (REM) behavior disorder (iRBD) represents the strongest predictor of α-synucleinopathies, with over 90% of patients developing Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, or multiple system atrophy after a decade. As such, iRBD provides a critical window for early diagnosis and intervention. While molecular imaging techniques have been widely explored as powerful biomarkers for early disease detection, validated, more accessible tests based on biospecimens capable of reliably predicting phenoconversion remain lacking, creating a crucial gap in the clinical management of at-risk individuals.

Neurological soft signs in neurodegenerative dementias: Results of the DemeNSS study.

Aim: Neurological soft signs (NSSs) encompass subtle neurological abnormalities, often indicative of impaired motor and sensory integration, observed in various neuropsychiatric conditions. NSSs have been recently investigated as potential diagnostic markers in neurodegenerative dementias. We aimed to confirm an NSS increase in subjects with cognitive decline and evaluate them in the differential diagnosis of neurodegenerative dementias.

The dual effect of cholesterol on cognitive functions in REM sleep behavior disorder: A pilot study.

Isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) is widely recognized as a prodromal stage of α-synucleinopathies. However, the factors influencing its clinical progression to a neurological syndrome remain poorly understood. Cholesterol metabolism has increasingly been implicated in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies.

Multi-pathway blood biomarkers to target and monitor multidimensional prevention of cognitive and functional decline (nested in the IN-TeMPO study framed within the world-wide FINGERS network).

Background: As the population ages, the identification of preventive strategies able to delay cognitive and functional decline associated with aging represents a major challenge. To date, multidimensional approaches seem to be effective in reducing or delaying the onset of age-related diseases.

Objectives: The multicentric randomized controlled trial IN-TeMPO (ItaliaN study with Tailored Multidomain interventions to Prevent functional and cognitive decline in community-dwelling Older adults, ClinicalTrials.

The two cut-offs approach for plasma p-tau217 in detecting Alzheimer's disease in subjective cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment.

Background: The study aimed to explore the applicability of plasma phosphorylated tau (p-tau)217 in identifying patients with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) carrying Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology in real-world settings.

Methods: Fifty SCD, 87 MCI, and 50 AD-demented patients underwent blood collection to dose plasma p-tau217 with a fully automated Lumipulse G600II assay. Patients were classified according to the Revised Criteria of the Alzheimer's Association Workgroup as Core1+ or Core1- (based on amyloid positron emission tomography, cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] amyloid beta [Aβ]42/Aβ40, CSF p-tau181/Aβ42).

Extreme endurance training and coronary artery disease: A systematic review and a meta-analysis.

Background: Physical activity is advocated for cardiovascular health; however, excessive endurance exercise may pose risks. This systematic review and meta-analysis explore the relationship between endurance training and coronary artery disease (CAD) diagnosed at coronary CT angiography (CCTA).

Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus up to January 4th, 2024.

Core blood biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease: A single-center real-world performance study.

Background: The new criteria for Alzheimer's disease pave the way for the introduction of core blood biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (BBAD) into clinical practice. However, this depends on the demonstration of sufficient accuracy and robustness of BBADs in the intended population.

Objectives: To assess the diagnostic performance of core BBADs in our memory clinic, comparing them with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis.

Behind the scenes: exploring neurological journal editors' work habits, decisions, and potential sources of conflict of interest.

Background And Objectives: Editors of scientific journals play a key role in the health-related research process. Our study aims to characterize the demographics, work habits, decision-making processes, and ethical challenges faced by editors of neurological journals and to evaluate associations between editor or journal characteristics and editorial decisions, as well as sources of conflict of interest.

Methods: Cross-sectional study involving editors from neurological journals that fell above the 50th percentile in the Scimago rankings.

Assessing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia: a comprehensive review of current options and future perspectives.

The behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are a heterogeneous set of challenging disturbances of behavior, mood, perception, and thought that occur in almost all patients with dementia. A huge number of instruments have been developed to assess BPSD in different populations and settings. Although some of these tools are more widely used than others, no single instrument can be considered completely satisfactory, and each of these tools has its advantages and disadvantages.

BPSDiary study protocol: a multi-center randomized controlled trial to compare the efficacy of a BPSD diary vs. standard care in reducing caregiver's burden.

Unlabelled: Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) are a heterogeneous set of psychological and behavioral abnormalities seen in persons with dementia (PwD), significantly impacting their quality of life and that of their caregivers. Current assessment tools, such as the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), are limited by recall bias and lack of direct observation. This study aims to overcome this limitation by making caregiver reports more objective through the use of a novel instrument, referred to as the BPSDiary.

Clinical and neuroimaging characterization of the first frontotemporal dementia family carrying the MAPT p.K298E mutation.

We present an in-depth clinical and neuroimaging analysis of a family carrying the MAPT K298E mutation associated with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Initial identification of this mutation in a single clinical case led to a comprehensive investigation involving four affected siblings allowing to elucidate the mutation's phenotypic expression.A 60-year-old male presented with significant behavioral changes and progressed rapidly, exhibiting speech difficulties and cognitive decline.

Brain Health and Cognition in Older Adults: Roadmap and Milestones towards the Implementation of Preventive Strategies.

In this narrative review, we delve into the evolving concept of brain health, as recognized by the WHO, focusing on its intersection with cognitive decline. We emphasize the imperative need for preventive strategies, particularly in older adults. We describe the target population that might benefit the most from risk-based approaches-namely, people with subjective cognitive decline.

Can Traditional Board Games Prevent or Slow Down Cognitive Impairment? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Traditional board games can entail significant skills encompassing several cognitive functions across different domains. Therefore, they may potentially represent effective cognitive interventions in the aging population with or without Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia.

Objective: We aimed at verifying the hypothesis that traditional board games can prevent or slow down cognitive decline, through a systematic review on traditional board games and dementia.

Sensory neuropathy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a systematic review.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the degeneration of both upper and lower motoneurons, leading to motor and non-motor symptoms. Recent evidence suggests that ALS is indeed a multisystem disorder, associated with cognitive impairment, dysautonomia, pain and fatigue, excess of secretions, and sensory symptoms. To evaluate whether sensory neuropathy could broaden its spectrum, we systematically reviewed its presence and characteristics in ALS, extracting data on epidemiological, clinical, neurophysiological, neuropathological, and genetic features.

Donepezil-Induced Complex Multimodal Hallucinations: Two Cases and a Review of the Literature.

Hallucinations are common in neurodegenerative dementias, being present in a significant proportion of patients. Most of the available studies show that acetylcholinesterase inhibitors may be beneficial in preventing and treating hallucinations in patients with neurodegenerative and even psychiatric disorders, even though there are reports that they might also develop as an adverse effect of such therapy. However, a clear causal relationship for the latter association was not previously established.

Depressive Pseudodementia with Reversible AD-like Brain Hypometabolism: A Case Report and a Review of the Literature.

Recent European guidelines recommend using brain FDG-PET to differentiate between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and depressive pseudodementia (DP), with specific hypometabolism patterns across the former group, and typically normal or frontal hypometabolism in the latter. We report the case of a 74 years-old man with DP (MMSE 16/30), whose FDG-PET visual rating and semiquantitative analysis closely mimicked the typical AD pattern, showing severe hypometabolism in bilateral precuneus, parietal and temporal lobes, and sparing frontal areas, suggesting the diagnosis of moderate AD. Shortly after starting antidepressant polytherapy, he underwent formal NPS testing, which revealed moderate impairment of episodic memory and mild impairment on executive and visuospatial tests, judged consistent with neurodegenerative dementia and concomitant depression.

Predictors of response to acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in dementia: A systematic review.

Background: The mainstay of therapy for many neurodegenerative dementias still relies on acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEI); however, there is debate on various aspects of such treatment. A huge body of literature exists on possible predictors of response, but a comprehensive review is lacking. Therefore, our aim is to perform a systematic review of the predictors of response to AChEI in neurodegenerative dementias, providing a categorization and interpretation of the results.

Possible Use of Minocycline in Adjunction to Intranasal Esketamine for the Management of Difficult to Treat Depression following Extensive Pharmacogenomic Testing: Two Case Reports.

The advent of intra-nasal esketamine (ESK), one of the first so called , promises to revolutionize the management of treatment resistant depression (TRD). This NMDA receptor antagonist has proven to be rapidly effective in the short- and medium-term course of the illness, revealing its potential in targeting in TRD. Although many TRD ESK responders are able to achieve remission, a considerable portion of them undergo a metamorphosis of their depression into different clinical presentations, characterized by instable responses and high recurrence rates that can be considered closer to the concept of (DTD) than to TRD.

Neurological soft signs are increased in migraine without aura: relationship with the affective status.

Introduction: Neurological soft signs (NSS) are subtle non-localizing sensorimotor abnormalities initially reported as increased in primary headache patients. The aims of this study were confirming with full power NSS increased expression in migraine and, collaterally, determining if psychiatric traits or white matter lesions at brain imaging could influence this result.

Methods: Forty drug-free episodic migraine outpatients (MH) were recruited with 40 matched controls.

Essential tremor and cognitive impairment: who, how, and why.

Background And Aims: Recent years have witnessed the switch from considering essential tremor (ET) a monosymptomatic disorder to consider it as part of a spectrum, including other neurological signs, such as mild cognitive impairment and dementia, thus defining it as "ET plus." There are few data on cognitive impairment in ET patients. The aim of this review is to analyze the clinical characteristics of ET patients developing cognitive impairment, their neuropsychological profile, the underpinning mechanisms, and the possible biomarkers.