Most prominent challenges in translational neuroscience and strategic solutions to bridge the gaps: Perspectives from an editorial board interrogation.

Recent progress in translational neuroscience has significantly advanced our understanding of neurological diseases. Research progress closely went in line with innovations in research methods, which have expanded our insights considerably beyond previous limits. However, despite the development of disease-modifying treatments, therapeutic options in brain diseases still lag behind fundamental discoveries in basic neuroscience.

Donanemab for Alzheimer's disease: from preclinical research to the clinical application.

Introduction: Donanemab (Kisunla) is a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody specifically targeting a modified form of β-amyloid found predominantly within plaques (characterized as N-terminal pyroglutamate Aβ). Recently, it has gained approval for the use in early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD) encompassing mild cognitive impairment due to AD or mild AD with confirmed brain amyloid pathology.

Areas Covered: This drug profile discusses donanemab's function, clinical effectiveness, safety, tolerability, health economics, access challenges, and future prospects.

Progression to Parkinson's dementia is not modulated by genetic risk variants for Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is marked by motor symptoms and often accompanied by mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI), affecting up to 50% of patients and preceding PD dementia (PDD). Genetic factors may influence this progression, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated genetic factors influencing the progression from PD-MCI to PDD using polygenic risk scores (PRS).

Hypersomnolence in focus: a white paper of the 6th Think Tank World Sleep Forum.

An international expert group (European Sleep Foundation Think Tank) convened in 2022 to discuss the state of the evidence in the domain of hypersomnolence. The expert group considered the current state of knowledge based on the most relevant recent publications, discussed the current challenges in the field and identified future priorities. The purpose of this white paper is to summarize the definition, diagnosis, and pathophysiology of hypersomnolence, the epidemiology, phenotype, and management of hypersomnolence in obstructive sleep apnea and in neurological and psychiatric disorders, and the impact of hypersomnolence on daily activities, workability and health-related quality of life.

Parkinson disease - Prevalence, trends and regional patterns in Germany. An analysis based on routine data from the statutory health insurance.

Background: As part of the German Burden of Disease Study, population-based prevalences of important diseases are estimated. This allows regional patterns and temporal trends to be identified.

Methods: The prevalence of Parkinson disease in the population was estimated cross-sectionally for the years 2017 to 2022 at the level of the Spatial Planning Regions using routine data of persons insured in the statutory health insurance AOK, adjusted for age, sex and morbidity (administrative prevalence).

Autoantibodies against α-synuclein inhibit its aggregation and cytotoxicity.

Aggregates of α-synuclein (α-Syn) are the major component of the Lewy bodies associated with Parkinson's disease. Recently, naturally occurring autoantibodies against α-synuclein (α-Syn-nAbs) were detected. Herein we have isolated and further characterized such α-Syn-nAbs.

A network perspective on cognition in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: In neuropsychological diagnostics, the assignment of cognitive tests to domains is usually not empirically based. Hence, we aimed to assess the dimensionality structure of cognition in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) and conceptually replicate the findings in cognitively healthy individuals (CHIs).

Methods: We performed Exploratory Graph Analysis (EGA) for dimensionality analysis of cognitive test scores in = 698 individuals with PD from the DEMPARK/LANDSCAPE study.

Consequences of COVID-19 for geriatric patients during a pandemic.

To investigate the outcomes of geriatric COVID-19 patients in a German academic setting during the pandemic. This study included 468 consecutive geriatric patients (≥ 70 years) who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and were treated at the University of Duisburg-Essen from 2/2020 to 3/2021. 74 patients were transferred to a geriatric hospital and a 12-month follow-up (prospective study) was performed in 51 patients.

Fractionated alpha and mixed beam radiation promote stronger pro-inflammatory effects compared to acute exposure and trigger phagocytosis.

Introduction And Methods: Aiming to evaluate safety aspects of a recently proposed approach to target Alzheimer's disease, we mimicked a complex boron neutron capture therapy field using a mixed beam consisting of high- and low-linear energy transfer (LET) radiation, Am alpha particles (α) and/or X-ray radiation respectively, in human microglial (HMC3) cells.

Results: Acute exposure to 2 Gy X-rays induced the strongest response in the formation of γH2AX foci 30 min post irradiation, while α- and mixed beam-induced damage (α:X-ray = 3:1) sustained longer. Fractionation of the same total dose (0.

Concussion in Female Athletes of Contact Sports: A Scoping Review.

Background: Recent studies have described higher incidences of concussion, with more severe symptoms and worse outcomes in female athletes compared with male athletes.

Purpose: To compile current knowledge about sex-specific differences in incidence, biomechanics, biomarkers, imaging, and outcomes of concussion in athletes participating in contact sports to better understand which fields should be explored in more detail.

Study Design: Scoping review; Level of evidence, 3.

The Burden of Sleep/Wake Disorders: Excessive Daytime Sleepiness and Insomnia Project.

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and insomnia (IN) complaints represent the most common sleep/wake disorders. Currently, the specific needs of these patients and their relatives, as well as the overall socio-economic burden of IN and EDS remains widely unexplored. This pilot study to be carried out in Switzerland is a retro- and prospective, national, one-center cohort observational study for the systematic evaluation of the burden of EDS and IN and its evolution 12 months after the first assessment.

Systematic review-based guideline "Parkinson's disease" of the German Society of Neurology: diagnostic use of transcranial sonography.

Background And Objective: Transcranial brain parenchyma sonography (TCS) has been recommended as a tool for the early and differential diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) in German and European clinical guidelines. Still, the brain structures to be examined for the diagnostic questions and the requirements for being a qualified investigator were not specified in detail. These issues have now been addressed in the 2023 update of the clinical guideline on PD by the German Society of Neurology (DGN).

Mid- and late-life lifestyle activities as main drivers of general and domain-specific cognitive reserve in individuals with Parkinson's disease: cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence from the LANDSCAPE study.

Background: Cognitive reserve (CR) is considered a protective factor for cognitive function and may explain interindividual differences of cognitive performance given similar levels of neurodegeneration, e.g., in Alzheimer´s disease.

Factors associated with self-rated health in people with late-stage parkinson's and cognitive impairment.

Purpose: To investigate the contributors to self-rated health in people with late-stage Parkinson's disease (PD) and cognitive impairment.

Methods: A secondary analysis of baseline data from the international Care of Late-Stage Parkinsonism (CLaSP) cohort study was conducted. Participants with PD and either dementia or mild cognitive impairment or MMSE < 24/30 in the absence of major depression were included if they had completed the EQ-5D-3L assessment (n = 277).

Which Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) instruments are currently used in Germany: a survey.

Background: The Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) records geriatric syndromes in a standardized manner, allowing individualized treatment tailored to the patient's needs and resources. Its use has shown a beneficial effect on the functional outcome and survival of geriatric patients. A recently published German S1 guideline for level 2 CGA provides recommendations for the use of a broad variety of different assessment instruments for each geriatric syndrome.

Care of Late-Stage Parkinsonism: Resource Utilization of the Disease in Five European Countries.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease that leads to progressive disability. Cost studies have mainly explored the early stages of the disease, whereas late-stage patients are underrepresented.

Objective: The aim is to evaluate the resource utilization and costs of PD management in people with late-stage disease.

The Care Needs of Patients With Cognitive Impairment in Late-Stage Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Cognitive impairment is common in Parkinson's disease (PD), but care needs and resource use for those with significant cognitive impairment are not well established.

Methods: 675 participants with PD from the international Care of Late-Stage Parkinsonism (CLaSP) study were grouped into those without (n = 333, 49%) and with cognitive impairment (MMSE < 24/30 or diagnosis of dementia or Mild Cognitive Impairment; n = 342, 51%) and their clinical features, care needs and healthcare utilisation compared. The relationship between cognition and healthcare consultations was investigated through logistic regression.

Programme Dementia Prevention (pdp): A Nationwide Program for Personalized Prevention in Luxembourg.

Background: With continuously aging societies, an increase in the number of people with cognitive decline is to be expected. Aside from the development of causative treatments, the successful implementation of prevention strategies is of utmost importance to reduce the high societal burden caused by neurodegenerative diseases leading to dementia among which the most common cause is Alzheimer's disease.

Objective: The aim of the Luxembourgish "programme dementia prevention (pdp)" is to prevent or at least delay dementia in an at-risk population through personalized multi-domain lifestyle interventions.

[Dementia with Lewy bodies: old and new knowledge-Part 2: treatment].

Background: The treatment of patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is multifaceted, as motor symptoms, cognitive symptoms, behavioral and psychological symptoms can occur in different constellations. In addition, the use of certain medications is limited (e.g.

[Dementia with Lewy bodies: old and new knowledge - Part 1: clinical aspects and diagnostics].

Background: Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is the second most common neurodegenerative dementia after Alzheimer's disease. Patients with DLB often have a poor prognosis, with worse outcomes than patients with Alzheimer's disease in terms of important parameters, such as quality of life, caregiver burden, health-related costs, frequency of hospital and nursing home admissions, shorter time to severe dementia, and lower survival. The DLB is frequently misdiagnosed and often undertreated.

Meaning in Life in Late-Stage Parkinson's Disease: Results from the Care of Late-Stage Parkinsonism Study (CLaSP) in Six European Countries.

The Care of Late-Stage Parkinsonism (CLaSP) study is a longitudinal, multicentre, prospective cohort study to assess the needs and provision of care for people with late-stage Parkinson's disease and their caregivers in six European countries. As a cross-sectional study within the CLaSP study, 509 people with Parkinson's disease completed the "Schedule-for-Meaning-in-Life-Evaluation" (SMiLE) questionnaire. We compared the results to those of a representative sample of healthy participants (n = 856).