Publications by authors named "Adam M Staffaroni"
Article Synopsis
- Aberrant angiogenesis may contribute to cognitive decline and could serve as a therapeutic target for dementia prevention, though most prior studies have focused on animal models.
- This study evaluated the relationship between blood markers of angiogenesis and cognitive aging in a sample of 435 older adults, revealing significant associations that varied by sex, particularly in younger women compared to men.
- Results indicated that higher levels of certain angiogenic markers were linked to better executive function and less brain atrophy, suggesting the potential for targeting angiogenesis in addressing age-related cognitive impairment.
Background: Peak-width of skeletonized mean diffusivity (PSMD), a neuroimaging marker of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), has shown excellent instrumental properties. Here, we extend our work to perform a biological validation of PSMD.
Methods: We included 396 participants from the Biomarkers for Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (MarkVCID-1) Consortium and three replication samples (Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology = 6172, Rush University Medical Center = 287, University of California Davis Alzheimer's Disease Research Center = 567).
Article Synopsis
- Postoperative cognitive recovery is vital for patients and clinicians, but there hasn't been enough research on subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) after modern surgeries and anesthesia.
- The article describes how SCC anecdotes relate to the established research diagnosis of postoperative cognitive decline (POCD) and uses recent studies to provide context.
- It aims to equip anesthesiologists with knowledge on what is currently known—and not known—about cognitive recovery following surgery and anesthesia.
Article Synopsis
- Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is characterized by a range of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) that occur frequently both early and late in the illness, impacting emotional and behavioral aspects.
- A study involving 354 participants identified four main clusters of NPS—affective, disinhibited, compulsive, and psychosis—showing that some symptoms fluctuate while others remain stable over time.
- The findings suggest that NPS could be linked to specific brain network disruptions, providing insight for potential treatments, although the variability in symptoms indicates they may not be reliable indicators of disease progression.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the role of the genetic variant rs1990622 as a potential modifier of disease risk in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), particularly among those with pathogenic variants.
- Researchers enrolled participants from the ALLFTD study, analyzing the impact of rs1990622 on gray matter volume and cognitive function across various genetic groups related to FTD.
- Results indicate that carriers of the minor allele of rs1990622 show increased gray matter volume and better cognitive performance, especially in the thalamus and among presymptomatic individuals.
The tauopathies are defined by pathological tau protein aggregates within a spectrum of clinically heterogeneous neurodegenerative diseases. The primary tauopathies meet the definition of rare diseases in the United States. There is no approved treatment for primary tauopathies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - Cardiovascular health, evaluated through Life's Simple 7 (LS7), is linked to slower cognitive decline and better brain integrity in patients with autosomal dominant frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD).
- - A study involving 247 FTLD genetic variant carriers and 189 non-carrier controls found that those with better cardiovascular health had slower memory and language declines, as well as less accumulation of frontal white matter hyperintensities (WMHs).
- - Maintaining good cardiovascular health could be a key modifiable strategy to improve cognitive outcomes and brain health in individuals at risk for genetic forms of dementia.
Article Synopsis
- Some sports and repeated head injuries (like playing football) might lead to brain problems later in life, especially conditions like Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) and Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA).
- Researchers compared people with FTD/PPA to healthy ones to see how many had Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and head impacts.
- They found that people with FTD/PPA had more sports experience causing head impacts, and those with a history of head injuries had symptoms show up earlier than those without.
Subjective cognitive concerns (SCC) are common even in cognitively normal older adults who lack objectively-detectable deficits on standard neuropsychological evaluation. The clinical relevance of these concerns, particularly considering the nature of concerns (e.g.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCerebrovascular disease (CVD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) often co-occur and may impact specific cognitive domains. This study's goal was to determine effects of CVD and AD burden on cross-sectional and longitudinal executive function (EF) and memory in older adults. Longitudinally followed participants from the National Alzheimer Coordinating Center database (n = 3342) were included.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study aimed to identify fluid biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) to aid in developing new therapies, utilizing advanced proteomic analysis methods.
- Researchers analyzed a total of 136 participants across various groups, comparing individuals with PSP (Richardson syndrome) against healthy controls, using sophisticated platforms to assess the presence of specific proteins (SOMAmers) in CSF.
- Findings revealed that many SOMAmers were differentially expressed in PSP patients, indicating potential biomarkers, with three significant biological pathways linked to disease progression identified, including synaptic functions and cytokine interactions.
Background: Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is a leading cause of dementia in individuals aged <65 years. Several challenges to conducting in-person evaluations in FTLD illustrate an urgent need to develop remote, accessible, and low-burden assessment techniques. Studies of unobtrusive monitoring of at-home computer use in older adults with mild cognitive impairment show that declining function is reflected in reduced computer use; however, associations with smartphone use are unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study investigates the effect of a specific genetic modifier on gray matter volume and cognitive function in patients with Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD), including both mutation carriers and sporadic cases.
- Participants were recruited from the ALLFTD study and were genotyped for the rs1990622 SNP to assess the relationship between this genetic variant and cognitive outcomes across different genetic groups.
- Findings indicate that the minor allele of rs1990622 is associated with increased gray matter volume and better cognitive scores in mutation carriers, especially affecting the thalamus, suggesting it may play a role in modifying the risk and impact of FTLD.
Article Synopsis
- Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is a rare condition characterized by behavioral and motor symptoms, making traditional neuropsychological assessments less effective for early detection; smartphone-based cognitive tests may provide a solution for remote evaluations.
- A study conducted over four years involved 360 participants with varying stages of FTLD using smartphone apps to assess cognitive function, splitting them into discovery and validation groups, with a majority being asymptomatic or at preclinical stages.
- Results indicate the smartphone-based tests showed moderate to excellent reliability in measuring cognitive function, suggesting they could serve as valid tools for remote assessments in FTLD patients.
Article Synopsis
- Lewy body disease (LBD) is involved in various neurodegenerative syndromes, and the αSyn-SAA assay shows excellent sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing cortical LBD cases.
- However, the assay has lower sensitivity in amygdala-predominant and brainstem-predominant LBD cases, though positive results may indicate early disease progression.
- Overall, the αSyn-SAA assay offers precise diagnosis of LBD and may help identify co-pathologies, which could influence treatment outcomes and aid in clinical trials.
Background And Objectives: Cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) is a common but nonspecific MRI finding in individuals with prior head trauma. The type and extent of head trauma related to CSP, CSP features specific to head trauma, and the impact of brain atrophy on CSP are unknown. We evaluated CSP cross-sectionally and longitudinally in healthy and clinically impaired older adults who underwent detailed lifetime head trauma characterization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Both physical and cognitive impairments are common in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Performing a cognitive task while walking (i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - The study examines the relationship between brain atrophy and functional connectivity in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) using MRI data from 221 patients and 100 healthy individuals.
- - Three main structure-function components were identified: overall atrophy related to general hypo- and hyper-connectivity, and syndrome-specific atrophy linked to connectivity changes around brain lesions.
- - The findings suggest that changes in brain connectivity are tied to cognitive deficits, with specific alterations in brain activity patterns that might explain the observed atrophy-driven connectivity issues.
Article Synopsis
- Traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES) is linked to repetitive head impacts and presents cognitive symptoms similar to Alzheimer's disease (AD), complicating diagnosis due to overlapping neuropathological features.
- A study of 154 participants compared cognitive performance, brain volume, and plasma biomarkers among those with TES, AD, and healthy controls, revealing that Aβ[+] TES patients performed worse on specific cognitive tests compared to Aβ[-] TES patients.
- Results showed that both Aβ[+] and Aβ[-] TES groups had lower brain volumes in certain areas than healthy controls, but their volumes were similar to those of AD patients; additionally, Aβ[+] TES had higher levels of specific plasma biomarkers.
Introduction: Remote smartphone assessments of cognition, speech/language, and motor functioning in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) could enable decentralized clinical trials and improve access to research. We studied the feasibility and acceptability of remote smartphone data collection in FTD research using the ALLFTD Mobile App (ALLFTD-mApp).
Methods: A diagnostically mixed sample of 214 participants with FTD or from familial FTD kindreds (asymptomatic: CDR®+NACC-FTLD = 0 [ = 101]; prodromal: 0.
Article Synopsis
- - Type 2 diabetes is linked to cognitive decline, making the study of early detection of cognitive impairment increasingly important.
- - Digital tools such as remote cognitive assessments and sensors show promise for better monitoring and understanding cognitive issues in people with T2D.
- - This commentary reviews how effective these digital methods are for spotting cognitive decline and discusses their potential benefits for enhancing patient care in T2D.
Evaluation of Plasma Phosphorylated Tau217 for Differentiation Between Alzheimer Disease and Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration Subtypes Among Patients With Corticobasal Syndrome.
JAMA Neurol
May 2023
Importance: Plasma phosphorylated tau217 (p-tau217), a biomarker of Alzheimer disease (AD), is of special interest in corticobasal syndrome (CBS) because autopsy studies have revealed AD is the driving neuropathology in up to 40% of cases. This differentiates CBS from other 4-repeat tauopathy (4RT)-associated syndromes, such as progressive supranuclear palsy Richardson syndrome (PSP-RS) and nonfluent primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA), where underlying frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is typically the primary neuropathology.
Objective: To validate plasma p-tau217 against positron emission tomography (PET) in 4RT-associated syndromes, especially CBS.
Background: Measuring systemic inflammatory markers may improve clinical prognosis and help identify targetable pathways for treatment in patients with autosomal dominant forms of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD).
Methods: We measured plasma concentrations of IL-6, TNFα and YKL-40 in pathogenic variant carriers () and non-carrier family members enrolled in the ARTFL-LEFFTDS Longitudinal Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration consortium. We evaluated associations between baseline plasma inflammation and rate of clinical and neuroimaging changes (linear mixed effects models with standardised (z) outcomes).
Article Synopsis
- Empathy, the ability to understand how others feel, is affected early on in a disease called bvFTD, which makes people behave differently.
- The study followed 431 people with different types of FTD and found that their ability to empathize decreased as the disease got worse, especially between the first signs of symptoms and very mild symptoms.
- By measuring empathy using a specific questionnaire, researchers can track how it changes over time, which could help in treating people with this disease.
Introduction: To evaluate the clinical validity of free water (FW), a diffusion tensor imaging-based biomarker kit proposed by the MarkVCID consortium, by investigating the association between mean FW (mFW) and executive function.
Methods: Baseline mFW was related to a baseline composite measure of executive function (EFC), adjusting for relevant covariates, in three MarkVCID sub-cohorts, and replicated in five, large, independent legacy cohorts. In addition, we tested whether baseline mFW predicted accelerated EFC score decline (mean follow-up time: 1.