Increased Blood Pressure Dipping in Restless Legs Syndrome With Rotigotine: A Randomized Trial.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the rotigotine effect on the nocturnal blood pressure (BP) dip by 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring and on endothelial function in patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) compared with placebo.

Methods: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 76 adult patients with moderate to severe RLS and periodic legs movements in sleep index ≥10/hour were randomized to rotigotine at optimal dose of 3 mg per day or placebo for 6 weeks. A total of 6 patients had a major protocol deviation.

Rhythm disturbances as a potential early marker of Parkinson's disease in idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder.

Objective: We aimed to identify timing distortions in production and perception of rhythmic events in patients with idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) as early markers of Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods: Rhythmic skills, clinical characteristics, dysautonomia, depression, and olfaction were compared in 97 participants, including 21 participants with iRBD, 38 patients with PD, and 38 controls, matched for age, gender, and education level. Rhythmic disturbances can be easily detected with dedicated motor tasks via a tablet application.

Reduced brain amyloid burden in elderly patients with narcolepsy type 1.

Objective: To determine whether brain amyloid burden in elderly patients with narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) is lower than in controls, and to assess in patients with NT1 the relationships between amyloid burden, cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) markers of Alzheimer disease (AD), CSF orexin-A, and cognitive profile.

Methods: Cognitive and F-florbetapir positron emission tomography (PET) data were compared in patients with NT1 aged ≥ 65 years (n = 23) and in age- and sex-matched controls free of clinical dementia selected from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI; n = 69) and the Multi-Domain Intervention Alzheimer's Prevention Trial (MAPT-18F AV45-PET; n = 23) cohorts. The standardized uptake values (SUVs) of the cortical retention index for 6 regions of interest were computed and averaged to create a mean SUV ratio normalized to 3 subcortical reference regions (cerebellum, pons, and a composite region).

Measurement of narcolepsy symptoms: The Narcolepsy Severity Scale.

Objective: To validate the Narcolepsy Severity Scale (NSS), a brief clinical instrument to evaluate the severity and consequences of symptoms in patients with narcolepsy type 1 (NT1).

Methods: A 15-item scale to assess the frequency and severity of excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, sleep paralysis, and disrupted nighttime sleep was developed and validated by sleep experts with patients' feedback. Seventy untreated and 146 treated adult patients with NT1 were evaluated and completed the NSS in a single reference sleep center.

Vitamin D deficiency in type 1 narcolepsy: a reappraisal.

Objectives: Narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) is considered to be an immune-mediated disease in which environmental factors, such as vitamin D, might play a major role. The association between NT1 and vitamin D deficiency has previously been reported. The aim of this case-control study was to reassess vitamin D levels in a large clinic-based adult and paediatric population of patients with NT1 by considering several potential confounding factors.

Mini-Exome Coupled to Read-Depth Based Copy Number Variation Analysis in Patients with Inherited Ataxias.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has an established diagnostic value for inherited ataxia. However, the need of a rigorous process of analysis and validation remains challenging. Moreover, copy number variations (CNV) or dynamic expansions of repeated sequence are classically considered not adequately detected by exome sequencing technique.

Supine sleep and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in Parkinson's disease.

Objective: Supine sleep is associated with increased obstructive sleep apnea. People with Parkinson's disease (PD) complain about difficulties turning around in bed. The relationship between supine sleep and sleep-disordered breathing has never been explored in people with Parkinson's disease.

Risk factors for neurodegeneration in idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder: a multicenter study.

Objective: To assess whether risk factors for Parkinson disease and dementia with Lewy bodies increase rate of defined neurodegenerative disease in idiopathic rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD).

Methods: Twelve centers administered a detailed questionnaire assessing risk factors for neurodegenerative synucleinopathy to patients with idiopathic RBD. Variables included demographics, lifestyle factors, pesticide exposures, occupation, comorbid conditions, medication use, family history, and autonomic/motor symptoms.

Impulse control disorder and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder in Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: The relationship between ICD and RBD is still not yet understood and the results from the current literature are contradictory in PD. We aimed to explore the association between rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and impulse control disorder in Parkinson's disease.

Methods: Ninety-eight non-demented patients with Parkinson's disease underwent one night of video-polysomnography recording.

Daytime sleepiness in Parkinson's disease: a reappraisal.

Background: Excessive daytime sleepiness is a frequent complaint in Parkinson's disease (PD); however the frequency and risk factors for objective sleepiness remain mostly unknown. We investigated both the frequency and determinants of self-reported and objective daytime sleepiness in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) using a wide range of potential predictors.

Methods: One hundred and thirty four consecutive patients with PD, without selection bias for sleep complaint, underwent a semi-structured clinical interview and a one night polysomnography followed by a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT).

Hypothalamic immunopathology in anti-Ma-associated diencephalitis with narcolepsy-cataplexy.

Importance: Idiopathic narcolepsy with cataplexy is thought to be an autoimmune disorder targeting hypothalamic hypocretin neurons. Symptomatic narcolepsy with low hypocretin level has been described in Ma antibody–associated encephalitis; however, the mechanisms underlying such an association remain unknown.

Observations: We described a 63-year-old man with clinical criteria for diencephalic encephalitis with sleepiness, cataplexy, hypocretin deficiency, and central hypothyroidism, together with brainstem encephalitis reflected by supranuclear ophtalmoparesis and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder with underlying abnormalities on brain magnetic resonance imaging.

Ipsilateral uveitis and optic neuritis in multiple sclerosis.

Background. Uveitis is 20 times more frequent in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients than in the general population. Methods.

Subcutaneous IFN-β1a to treat relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the main nontraumatic cause of handicap in young adults. Immunomodulators and treatments limiting lymphocyte migration have been proven efficient to treat relapsing-remitting MS. Subcutaneous IFN-β1a improve relapse rate and MRI parameters in a series of double-blind, placebo-controlled trials in relapsing-remitting MS patients.

Suggested immobilization test for diagnosis of restless legs syndrome in Parkinson's disease.

Diagnosis of restless leg syndrome (RLS) in Parkinson's disease (PD) is difficult because of clinical confounds. The suggested immobilization test (SIT) is validated for diagnosis of primary RLS. This study evaluated the usefulness of the SIT for diagnosis of RLS in PD.

Low vitamin D in narcolepsy with cataplexy.

Background: Narcolepsy with cataplexy (NC) is currently thought to be an autoimmune-mediated disorder in which environmental risk factors make a significant contribution to its development. It was proposed that vitamin D deficiency plays a role in autoimmune diseases. Here we investigated whether NC can be associated with 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level deficiency in patients with NC compared with gender- and age-matched normal controls.

Decision making in narcolepsy with cataplexy.

Objectives: To investigate decision-making and addictive behaviors in narcolepsy-cataplexy (NC). NC is caused by the loss of hypothalamic neurons that produce hypocretins. The hypocretin system plays a crucial role in sleep, wakefulness, and energy homeostasis, and is also involved in emotion regulation, reward processing, and addiction.

Increased immune complexes of hypocretin autoantibodies in narcolepsy.

Background: Hypocretin peptides participate in the regulation of sleep-wake cycle while deficiency in hypocretin signaling and loss of hypocretin neurons are causative for narcolepsy-cataplexy. However, the mechanism responsible for alteration of the hypocretin system in narcolepsy-cataplexy and its relevance to other central hypersomnias remain unknown. Here we studied whether central hypersomnias can be associated with autoantibodies reacting with hypocretin-1 peptide present as immune complexes.

Decision making in restless legs syndrome.

The dopamine system is implicated in reward-based decision making with explicit information (decision making under risk) and implicit probabilities (decision making under ambiguity). Although the pathophysiology of restless legs syndrome (RLS) is not yet fully understood, the genetic factors, iron status, and dopaminergic system are thought to play a role. RLS provides an opportunity to test the dopaminergic hypothesis in a drug-free population and to characterize reward processing using decision-making paradigms.

A brain PET study in patients with narcolepsy-cataplexy.

Objective: To investigate brain changes in both basal and cataplectic conditions in awake patients with narcolepsy-cataplexy.

Background: Recent insights in pathophysiology have demonstrated that narcolepsy-cataplexy is caused by early loss of hypothalamus hypocretin neurons. However, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying sleepiness and the dramatic cataplexy reaction to positive emotion remain unclear.

Migraine and topiramate induced dyspnea.

Topiramate is effective in migraine headache prophylaxis. Pulmonary symptoms are rarely described as adverse effects. We report the case of a 42-year-old woman with migraine headaches who developed chronic shortness of breath while taking topiramate.