Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation does not enhance the effects of motor imagery training of a sequential finger-tapping task in young adults.

When applied over the primary motor cortex (M), anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) could enhance the effects of a single motor imagery training (MIt) session on the learning of a sequential finger-tapping task (SFTT). This study aimed to investigate the effect of a-tDCS on the learning of an SFTT during multiple MIt sessions. Two groups of 16 healthy young adults participated in three consecutive MIt sessions over 3 days, followed by a retention test 1 week later.

Anodal tDCS does not enhance the learning of the sequential finger-tapping task by motor imagery practice in healthy older adults.

Background: Motor imagery practice (MIP) and anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) are innovative methods with independent positive influence on motor sequence learning (MSL) in older adults.

Objective: The present study investigated the effect of MIP combined with a-tDCS over the primary motor cortex (M1) on the learning of a finger tapping sequence of the non-dominant hand in healthy older adults.

Methods: Thirty participants participated in this double-blind sham-controlled study.

Accuracy of bedside bidimensional transcranial ultrasound versus tomodensitometric measurement of the third ventricle.

Background And Purpose: To evaluate the accuracy of transcranial duplex sonography (TCS) for measuring the diameter of the third ventricle (DTV) and the brain midline shift (MLS), as compared to cerebral CT.

Methods: Single-center retrospective study including 177 patients admitted to the neurological intensive care unit (NICU). We studied the correlation between TCS and CT measurements of DTV and MLS using a Bland-Altman analysis.

Association between executive function and the evolution of behavioral disorders in Alzheimer's disease.

Objective: This study was aimed at evaluating the association between cognitive functioning and the occurrence of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods/design: The population is derived from the PACO cohort, including 237 patients with prodromal or mild AD. A neuropsychological tests battery exploring verbal and visual memory, language, attention, and executive functions was performed at baseline.

Comparison of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living assessment by face-to-face or telephone interviews: a randomized, crossover study.

Background: The functional autonomy assessment is essential to manage patients with a neurodegenerative disease, but its evaluation is not always possible during a consultation. To optimize ambulatory autonomy assessment, we compared the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) questionnaire collected by telephone and face-to-face interviews.

Methods: A randomized, crossover study was carried out among patients attending a memory clinic (MC).

Neuroticism-Withdrawal and Neuroticism-Volatility Differently Influence the Risk of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Neuroticism is recognized as the personality domain that is most strongly associated with behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPS) of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Two sub-components of neuroticism have been recently isolated. Neuroticism-withdrawal (N-withdrawal) refers to the tendency to internalize negative emotion, whereas neuroticism-volatility (N-volatility) reflect the predisposition to externalize negative emotions.

Brain Volume Predicts Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are frequent and troublesome for patients and caregivers. Considering possible preventive approaches, a better understanding of underlying neural correlates of BPSD is crucial.

Objective: The aim is to assess whether brain regional volume predicts behavioral changes in mild AD.

Personality Traits are Related to Selective Cognitive Impairment in Early Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: A link between personality traits and cognitive performance has been shown in normal adults and elderly individuals. Very few studies have evaluated this link in Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Objective: To better understand cognitive performance as regards to personality traits, our study was aimed to evaluate the role of premorbid personality on cognitive functioning in a population of patients presenting prodromal or mild AD.

Does Personality Predict Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia? Results from PACO Prospective Study.

Background: Premorbid personality could play a role in the onset of behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPS) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) but prospective studies are lacking.

Objective: The present study aimed at prospectively assessing the influence of premorbid personality traits on BPS evolution in a population of patients with prodromal or mild AD.

Methods: We used a multicenter prospective cohort study of 237 patients followed-up for 18 months.

Study protocol on Alzheimer's disease and related disorders: focus on clinical and imaging predictive markers in co-existing lesions.

Background: One of the crucial challenges for the future of therapeutic approaches to Alzheimer's disease (AD) is to target the main pathological processes responsible for disability and dependency. However, a progressive cognitive impairment occurring after the age of 70, the main population affected by dementia, is often related to mixed lesions of neurodegenerative and vascular origins. Whereas young patients are mostly affected by pure lesions, ageing favours the occurrence of co-lesions of AD, cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and Lewy body dementia (LBD).

Cone Beam CT Versus Multislice CT: Radiologic Diagnostic Agreement in the Postoperative Assessment of Cochlear Implantation.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic concordance between multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in the early postoperative assessment of patients after cochlear implantation.

Study Design: Prospective, randomized, single-center, interventional, pilot study on the diagnostic performance of a medical device.

Setting: Tertiary referral center.

Neuroimaging correlates of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease: a review of 20 years of research.

Assessing morphological, perfusion and metabolic brain changes preceding or associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) will help in the understanding of pathophysiological underlying processes in Alzheimer's disease (AD). This review aimed to highlight the main findings on significant associations between neuroimaging and NPSs, the pathophysiology to elucidate possible underlying mechanisms, and methodological issues to aid future research. Research papers published from January 1990 to October 2015 were identified in the databases PsycInfo, Embase, PubMed and Medline, using key words related to NPSs and imaging techniques.

Neuroanatomical Correlates of Recognizing Face Expressions in Mild Stages of Alzheimer's Disease.

Early Alzheimer's disease can involve social disinvestment, possibly as a consequence of impairment of nonverbal communication skills. This study explores whether patients with Alzheimer's disease at the mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia stage have impaired recognition of emotions in facial expressions, and describes neuroanatomical correlates of emotion processing impairment. As part of the ongoing PACO study (personality, Alzheimer's disease and behaviour), 39 patients with Alzheimer's disease at the mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia stage and 39 matched controls completed tests involving discrimination of four basic emotions-happiness, fear, anger, and disgust-on photographs of faces.

Personality, Alzheimer's disease and behavioural and cognitive symptoms of dementia: the PACO prospective cohort study protocol.

Background: Alzheimer's disease is characterised by a loss of cognitive function and behavioural problems as set out in the term "Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia". These behavioural symptoms have heavy consequences for the patients and their families. A greater understanding of behavioural symptoms risk factors would allow better detection of those patients, a better understanding of crisis situations and better management of these patients.

In Vivo response to compression of 35 breast lesions observed with a two-dimensional locally regularized strain estimation method.

The objective of this study was to assess the in vivo performance of our 2-D locally regularized strain estimation method with 35 breast lesions, mainly cysts, fibroadenomas and carcinomas. The specific 2-D deformation model used, as well as the method's adaptability, led to an algorithm that is able to track tissue motion from radiofrequency ultrasound images acquired in clinical conditions. Particular attention was paid to strain estimation reliability, implying analysis of the mean normalized correlation coefficient maps.

Multilevel assessment of atherosclerotic extent using a 40-section multidetector scanner after transient ischemic attack or ischemic stroke.

Background And Purpose: The first part of this study assessed the potential of MDCT with a CTA examination of the aorta and the coronary, cervical, and intracranial vessels in the etiologic work-up of TIA or ischemic stroke compared with established imaging methods. The objective of the second part of this study was to assess the atherosclerotic extent by use of MDCT in these patients.

Materials And Methods: From August 2007 to August 2011, a total of 96 patients with ischemic stroke or TIA without an evident cardioembolic source were enrolled.

Evaluation of shearwave elastography for the characterisation of focal liver lesions on ultrasound.

Objectives: To determine the elasticity characteristics of focal liver lesions (FLLs) by shearwave elastography (SWE).

Methods: We used SWE in 108 patients with 161 FLLs and in the adjacent liver for quantitative and qualitative FLLs stiffness assessment. The Mann-Whitney test was used to assess the difference between the groups of lesions where a P value less than 0.

Impact of diffusion-weighted MR imaging on the characterization of small hepatocellular carcinoma in the cirrhotic liver.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not adding diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) to conventional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging sequences improves the characterization of small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (≤2 cm) in the setting of cirrhotic liver compared to conventional sequences alone.

Materials And Methods: A total of 62 cirrhotic liver patients with 82 nodules smaller than 2 cm in diameter were enrolled, and all lesions were pathologically confirmed. For the first reading session, which included precontrast T1- and T2-weighted images and T1 dynamic contrast-enhanced images, preindicated lesions by a study coordinator were characterized by two radiologists.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound: a new method for TIPS follow-up.

Purpose: To determine the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for the detection of TIPS (transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt) complications.

Materials And Method: 67 cirrhotic patients who underwent TIPS between 2001 and 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. Sixty-two vascular examinations in 37 patients for suspicion of TIPS dysfunction based on the clinical or radiological criteria were analyzed and compared with the 62 related Doppler and CEUS examinations obtained previously.