Patrick Stancu, Lisa Hentsch, Margitta Seeck, Dina Zekry, Christophe Graf, Vanessa Fleury, Frédéric Assal
{"title":"Neurology of Aging: Adapting Neurology Provision for an Aging Population.","authors":"Patrick Stancu, Lisa Hentsch, Margitta Seeck, Dina Zekry, Christophe Graf, Vanessa Fleury, Frédéric Assal","doi":"10.1159/000540972","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000540972","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Over the past few decades, advances in the neurology of aging have been considerable and have led to a better understanding of the science of age-related neurological disorders. Likewise, it changed the perception of classical neurology practice, research, and the way of looking at age-related conditions. Neurological disorders are the most frequent cause of major disability in the elderly and account for almost half of the incapacitation occurring beyond age 65 and more than 90% of serious dependency. However, a number of neurological changes occur also in the absence of a specific disease, making the assessment and management of neurological complaints and findings a specific expertise.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>Maximizing success in clinical care of the elderly requires expertise in geriatric neurology, which includes an understanding of current research regarding aging and age-related neurological dysfunctions, and the ability to work with other geriatric healthcare providers. Although current therapies for neurodegenerative diseases mainly offer symptomatic relief without slowing progression, the landscape is evolving. Biomarkers of pathology and neuroimaging have continued to develop, with a significant impact on diagnosis and treatment. These advances have not only helped to improve our knowledge of disease pathophysiology but also disease stages, guiding symptomatic monitoring, and possible therapeutic options at a pre-symptomatic stage.</p><p><strong>Key messages: </strong>Neurological disorders are a leading cause of major disability and dependency in the elderly, underscoring the need for expertise in geriatric neurology for effective clinical care of this population. Although current therapies for neurodegenerative diseases primarily provide symptomatic relief without slowing disease progression, advancements in biomarkers and neuroimaging are significantly evolving. These advancements enhance our understanding of disease pathophysiology and stages, guiding symptomatic monitoring and potential therapeutic options at a pre-symptomatic stage. As knowledge about age-associated conditions is steadily rising and geriatric medicine gains further recognition, this article argues for a new focus on the role of neurologists in geriatric medicine, emphasizing the importance of integrating current research and collaborative care approaches in the management of elderly patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":19115,"journal":{"name":"Neurodegenerative Diseases","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142381329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vineela Nagamalla, Joe Verghese, Emmeline Ayers, Nir Barzilai, Olivier Beauchet, Richard B Lipton, Hiroyuki Shimada, Velandai K Srikanth, Helena M Blumen
{"title":"Distinct Patterns of Brain Atrophy in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndromes.","authors":"Vineela Nagamalla, Joe Verghese, Emmeline Ayers, Nir Barzilai, Olivier Beauchet, Richard B Lipton, Hiroyuki Shimada, Velandai K Srikanth, Helena M Blumen","doi":"10.1159/000540512","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000540512","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Motoric cognitive risk (MCR) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) syndromes are each reliable predictors of incident Alzheimer's disease (AD), but MCR may be a stronger predictor of vascular dementia than AD. This study contrasted cortical and hippocampal atrophy patterns in MCR and aMCI.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Cross-sectional data from 733 older adults without dementia or disability (M age = 73.6; 45% women) in the multicountry MCR consortium were examined. MCR was defined as presence of slow gait and cognitive concerns. Amnestic MCI was defined as poor episodic memory performance and cognitive concerns. Cortical thickness and hippocampal volumes were quantified from structural MRIs. Multivariate and univariate general linear models were used to examine associations between cortical thickness and hippocampal volume in MCR and aMCI, adjusting for age, sex, education, total intracranial volume, white matter lesions, and study site.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The prevalence of MCR and aMCI was 7.64% and 12.96%, respectively. MCR was associated with widespread cortical atrophy, including prefrontal, insular, cingulate, motor, parietal, and temporal atrophy. aMCI was associated with hippocampal atrophy.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Distinct patterns of atrophy were associated with MCR and aMCI. A distributed pattern of cortical atrophy - that is more consistent with VaD or mixed dementia- was observed in MCR. A more restricted pattern of atrophy - that is more consistent with AD - was observed in aMCI. The biological underpinnings of MCR and aMCI likely differ and may require tailored interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":19115,"journal":{"name":"Neurodegenerative Diseases","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141893945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sarah J Carlson, Yi-Fang Chiu, Merrill R Landers, Nora E Fritz, Virendra R Mishra, Jason K Longhurst
{"title":"Dual-Task Performance and Brain Morphologic Characteristics in Parkinson's Disease.","authors":"Sarah J Carlson, Yi-Fang Chiu, Merrill R Landers, Nora E Fritz, Virendra R Mishra, Jason K Longhurst","doi":"10.1159/000540393","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000540393","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Parkinson's disease (PD) reduces an individual's capacity for automaticity which limits their ability to perform two tasks simultaneously, negatively impacting daily function. Understanding the neural correlates of dual tasks (DTs) may pave the way for targeted therapies. To better understand automaticity in PD, we aimed to explore whether individuals with differing DT performances possessed differences in brain morphologic characteristics.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were obtained from 34 individuals with PD and 47 healthy older adults including (1) demographics (age, sex), (2) disease severity (Movement Disorder Society - Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale [MDS-UPDRS], Hoehn and Yahr, levodopa equivalent daily dose [LEDD]), (3) cognition (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), (4) LEDD, (5) single-task and DT performance during a DT-timed-up-and-go test utilizing a serial subtraction task, and (6) cortical thicknesses and subcortical volumes obtained from volumetric MRI. Participants were categorized as low or high DT performers if their combined DT effect was greater than the previously determined mean value for healthy older adults (μ = -74.2). Nonparametric testing using Quade's ANCOVA was conducted to compare cortical thicknesses and brain volumes between the highDT and lowDT groups while controlling for covariates: age, sex, MDS-UPDRS part III, LEDD, and intracranial volume. Secondarily, similar comparisons were made between the healthy older adult group and the highDT and lowDT groups. Lastly, a hierarchical linear regression model was conducted regressing combined DT effect on covariates (block one) and cortical thicknesses (block 2) in stepwise fashion.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The highDT group had thicker cortices than the lowDT group in the right primary somatosensory cortex (p = 0.001), bilateral primary motor cortices (p ≤ 0.001, left; p = 0.002, right), bilateral supplementary motor areas (p = 0.001, left; p < 0.001, right), and mean of the bilateral hemispheres (p = 0.001, left; p < 0.001, right). Of note, left primary cortex thickness (p = 0.002), left prefrontal cortex thickness (p < 0.001), and right supplementary motor area thickness (p = 0.003) differed when adding a healthy comparison group. Additionally, the regression analysis found that the left paracentral lobule thickness explained 20.8% of the variability in combined DT effect (p = 0.011) beyond the influence of covariates.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These results suggest regions underlying DT performance, specifically, a convergence of neural control relying on sensorimotor integration, motor planning, and motor activation to achieve higher levels of DT performance for individuals with PD.</p>","PeriodicalId":19115,"journal":{"name":"Neurodegenerative Diseases","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141860420","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Juan P Vazquez, Joe Verghese, Nir Barzilai, Sofiya Milman, Helena M Blumen
{"title":"White Matter Hyperintensities Are Associated with Slower Gait Speed in Older Adults without Dementia.","authors":"Juan P Vazquez, Joe Verghese, Nir Barzilai, Sofiya Milman, Helena M Blumen","doi":"10.1159/000538944","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000538944","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Slow gait speed is associated with poor health outcomes in aging, but the relationship between cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) pathologies and gait speed in aging is not well understood. We investigated the relationships between CSVD imaging markers and gait speed during simple (normal pace walking [NPW]) and complex (walking while talking [WWT]) as both measures are associated with shared health outcomes such as falls, frailty, disability, mortality, and dementia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 113 Ashkenazi Jewish adults over 65 (M age = 78.6 ± 6.3 years, 45.8% women) and without dementia were examined. Established rating systems were used to quantify white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) and lacunes of presumed vascular origin from fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images. Linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, global health, and total intracranial volume were used to examine associations between CSVD markers and gait speed during NPW and WWT. Student t tests were used to contrast gait speed in those with \"confluent-diffuse\" WMH and those with \"mild or no\" WMH.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The number of WMH in the basal ganglia (β = -3.274 cm/s p = 0.047) and temporal lobes (β = -3.113 cm/s p = 0.048) were associated with slower NPW speed in adjusted models. Participants with higher CSVD burden (confluent-diffuse pattern) in the frontal lobe (94.65 cm/s vs. 105.21 cm/s, p = 0.018) and globally (98.98 cm/s vs. 107.24 cm/s, p = 0.028) also had lower NPW speed. WMHs were not associated with WWT speeds. Lacunes were not associated with NPW or WWT speed.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Adjusted models found higher CSVD burden as measured by the presence of WMH in the basal ganglia and temporal lobes were associated with slower normal pace gait speed in older adults, but not with complex walking speeds. Participants with confluent-diffuse WMHs in the frontal lobes were found to have slower average normal gait speed. Further studies are needed to establish the temporality of WMH and gait speed decline as well as mechanistic links between the two.</p>","PeriodicalId":19115,"journal":{"name":"Neurodegenerative Diseases","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141724092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Luc Nwamekang Belinga, Jeanne Espourteille, Yembe Wepnyu Njamnshi, Ariole Zafack Zeukang, Olivier Rouaud, Alfred Kongnyu Njamnshi, Gilles Allali, Kevin Richetin
{"title":"Circulating Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease: Unlocking the Diagnostic Potential in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, Focusing on Africa.","authors":"Luc Nwamekang Belinga, Jeanne Espourteille, Yembe Wepnyu Njamnshi, Ariole Zafack Zeukang, Olivier Rouaud, Alfred Kongnyu Njamnshi, Gilles Allali, Kevin Richetin","doi":"10.1159/000538623","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000538623","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Alzheimer's disease (AD) is emerging as a significant public health challenge in Africa, with predictions indicating a tripling in incidence by 2050. The diagnosis of AD on the African continent is notably difficult, leading to late detection that severely limits treatment options and significantly impacts the quality of life for patients and their families.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>This review focuses on the potential of high-sensitivity specific blood biomarkers as promising tools for improving AD diagnosis and management globally, particularly in Africa. These advances are particularly pertinent in the continent, where access to medical and technical resources is often limited.</p><p><strong>Key messages: </strong>Identifying precise, sensitive, and specific blood biomarkers could contribute to the biological characterization and management of AD in Africa. Such advances promise to improve patient care and pave the way for new regional opportunities in pharmaceutical research and drug trials on the continent for AD.</p>","PeriodicalId":19115,"journal":{"name":"Neurodegenerative Diseases","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11251669/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140331930","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"20th Anniversary of Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Parallel (R)Evolution between the 20th and the 21st Century?","authors":"Gilles Allali","doi":"10.1159/000539440","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000539440","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19115,"journal":{"name":"Neurodegenerative Diseases","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141081933","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Impact of Drug Interactions on the Results of DAT-SPECT Imaging in a Specialty Movement Disorders Practice: A Retrospective Analysis of Outcomes.","authors":"Isabelle Heewon Kang, Danny Bega","doi":"10.1159/000540105","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000540105","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>DAT-SPECT imaging is approved as a diagnostic tool for the evaluation of suspected Parkinsonian syndromes, but the FDA-approved package insert lists 16 potential drugs that may interfere with the image obtained. The clinical impact of these drugs on imaging results has not been established. This study aimed to determine the accuracy of DAT-SPECT imaging in assessing presynaptic dopaminergic denervation in the setting of these drugs.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This is a retrospective chart review of patients at a single center who underwent DAT-SPECT imaging while taking \"contraindicated\" drugs between December 2012 and December 2022.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 1,224 charts were screened, and 153 (12.5%) charts met the inclusion criteria. Bupropion (32%, n = 49) and sertraline (26%, n = 40) were the most common contraindicated drugs. The false-positive rate was 9.2%.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This retrospective analysis supports the concern that certain drugs may interfere with DAT-SPECT imaging results, leading to potential false positives. This has implications for how clinicians interpret DAT-SPECT imaging in patients taking these medications and whether they should advise patients to stop these medications before a scan is performed.</p>","PeriodicalId":19115,"journal":{"name":"Neurodegenerative Diseases","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141476956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ran Chen, Chao Zhou, Yun Peng, Pengcheng Huang, Yanyan Yu, Min Zhu, Meihong Zhou, Daojun Hong, Dandan Tan
{"title":"Whole Exome Sequencing Indicating GGCCTG Hexanucleotide Repeat in Patients with Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 36.","authors":"Ran Chen, Chao Zhou, Yun Peng, Pengcheng Huang, Yanyan Yu, Min Zhu, Meihong Zhou, Daojun Hong, Dandan Tan","doi":"10.1159/000540006","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000540006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Spinocerebellar ataxia type 36 (SCA36) is caused by large GGCCTG repeat expansion in the NOP56 gene. The genetic diagnosis based on Southern blot is expensive and time-consuming. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and effectiveness of whole exome sequencing (WES) for routine genetic diagnosis of suspected SCA36 patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Pathogenic repeat expansions for SCAs including SCA36 were first analyzed based on WES data using ExpansionHunter in five probands from SCA families, then the results were confirmed by triplet repeat primed polymerase chain reaction (TP-PCR) and Southern blot.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>GGCCTG repeat expansion in NOP56 was indicated in all five probands by WES, then it was found in 11 SCA patients and three asymptomatic individuals by TP-PCR. The sizes of GGCCTG repeat expansions were confirmed to be 1,390-1,556 by Southern blot. The mean age at onset of the patients was 51.0 ± 9.3 (ranging from 41 to 71), and they presented slowly progressive cerebellar ataxia, atrophy and fasciculation in tongue or limb muscles.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The patients were clinically and genetically diagnosed as SCA36. This study proposed that WES could be a rapid, reliable, and cost-effective routine test for the preliminarily detection of SCA36 and other ataxia diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":19115,"journal":{"name":"Neurodegenerative Diseases","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141458331","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vincent Koppelmans, Marit F L Ruitenberg, Sydney Y Schaefer, Jace B King, Jasmine M Jacobo, Benjamin P Silvester, Amanda F Mejia, Jos van der Geest, John M Hoffman, Tolga Tasdizen, Kevin Duff
{"title":"Classification of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease Using Manual Motor Measures.","authors":"Vincent Koppelmans, Marit F L Ruitenberg, Sydney Y Schaefer, Jace B King, Jasmine M Jacobo, Benjamin P Silvester, Amanda F Mejia, Jos van der Geest, John M Hoffman, Tolga Tasdizen, Kevin Duff","doi":"10.1159/000539800","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000539800","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Manual motor problems have been reported in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the specific aspects that are affected, their neuropathology, and potential value for classification modeling is unknown. The current study examined if multiple measures of motor strength, dexterity, and speed are affected in MCI and AD, related to AD biomarkers, and are able to classify MCI or AD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Fifty-three cognitively normal (CN), 33 amnestic MCI, and 28 AD subjects completed five manual motor measures: grip force, Trail Making Test A, spiral tracing, finger tapping, and a simulated feeding task. Analyses included (1) group differences in manual performance; (2) associations between manual function and AD biomarkers (PET amyloid β, hippocampal volume, and APOE ε4 alleles); and (3) group classification accuracy of manual motor function using machine learning.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Amnestic MCI and AD subjects exhibited slower psychomotor speed and AD subjects had weaker dominant hand grip strength than CN subjects. Performance on these measures was related to amyloid β deposition (both) and hippocampal volume (psychomotor speed only). Support vector classification well-discriminated control and AD subjects (area under the curve of 0.73 and 0.77, respectively) but poorly discriminated MCI from controls or AD.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Grip strength and spiral tracing appear preserved, while psychomotor speed is affected in amnestic MCI and AD. The association of motor performance with amyloid β deposition and atrophy could indicate that this is due to amyloid deposition in and atrophy of motor brain regions, which generally occurs later in the disease process. The promising discriminatory abilities of manual motor measures for AD emphasize their value alongside other cognitive and motor assessment outcomes in classification and prediction models, as well as potential enrichment of outcome variables in AD clinical trials.</p>","PeriodicalId":19115,"journal":{"name":"Neurodegenerative Diseases","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11381162/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141311268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ali Ghanem, Diane S Berry, Stephanie Cosentino, Phyllis L Faust, Elan D Louis
{"title":"Subjective Sleep Disturbance and Lewy Pathology: Data from a Cohort of Essential Tremor Brain Donors.","authors":"Ali Ghanem, Diane S Berry, Stephanie Cosentino, Phyllis L Faust, Elan D Louis","doi":"10.1159/000539032","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000539032","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Sleep disturbances have been associated with essential tremor (ET). However, their pathophysiological underpinnings remain unknown. In this exploratory study, we examined the association between subjective sleep disturbances and the presence of Lewy pathology (LP) on postmortem brain examination in ET cases.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Fifty-two ET cases enrolled in a prospective, longitudinal study were assessed over an average period of 42 months. Cases completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), which yields seven component scores (e.g., sleep quality, sleep latency). For each component score, we calculated the difference between the last score and the baseline score. Brains were harvested at death. Each had a complete neuropathological assessment, including extensive α-synuclein immunostaining. We examined the associations between baseline PSQI scores and the change in PSQI scores (last - first), and LP on postmortem brain examination.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>ET cases had a mean baseline age of 87.1 ± 4.8 years. LP was observed in 12 (23.1%) of 52 cases; in 7 of these 12, LP was observed in the locus coeruleus (LC). Change in time needed to fall asleep (last - first sleep latency component score) was associated with presence of LP on postmortem brain examination - greater increase in sleep latency was associated with higher odds of LP (odds ratio = 2.98, p = 0.02). The greatest increase in sleep latency was observed in cases with LP in the LC (p = 0.04).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In ET cases, increases in sleep latency over time could be a marker of underlying LP, especially in the LC.</p>","PeriodicalId":19115,"journal":{"name":"Neurodegenerative Diseases","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11257784/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141306424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}