Genetic and Epidemiological Insights into RAB32-Linked Parkinson's Disease.

Background: The p.Ser71Arg RAB32 variant was recently associated with Parkinson's disease (PD).

Objective: The aim was to investigate the presence of RAB32 variants in a large multiethnic group of individuals affected and unaffected by PD.

Are we…social enough? Use of social media among members of the Italian Society of Neurology for the study of dementia.

Background: Clinical researchers increasingly embrace social media in their professional lives. The digital revolution has provided new routes for sharing data, disseminating results, and promoting the impact of scientific findings. In this study, we explored the attitude of the members of the Italian Society of Neurology for the study of dementia (SINdem) to use social media with the aim to set up possible corrective actions to maximize digitalization benefits at the individual and community levels.

Weighing the role of social cognition and executive functioning in pragmatics in the schizophrenia spectrum: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Pragmatic impairment is diffused in schizophrenia spectrum disorders, but the literature still debates its neurocognitive underpinnings. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the neurocognitive correlates of pragmatic disorders in schizophrenia and determine the weight of social cognition and executive functioning on such disorders. Of the 2,668 records retrieved from the literature, 16 papers were included in the systematic review, mostly focused on non-literal meanings and discourse production in schizophrenia.

A digital teleneuropsychology platform for the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment: from concept to certification as a medical device.

Background: Innovative digital solutions are shaping a new concept of dementia care, opening additional venues for prevention, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment. Hereby, we report the development of a tablet-based teleneuropsychology platform (Tenèpsia®), from concept to certification as Medical Device (MD) Class IIA, as per new MD regulation 745/2017.

Methods: The platform was designed for the remote cognitive evaluation and created thanks to the effort of a collaborative working group including experts from three Italian scientific societies and Biogen Italia S.

Diagnostic Performance of Socio-Emotional Informant-Based Questionnaires for the Clinical Detection of the Behavioral Variant of Frontotemporal Dementia.

Background: Although social cognitive dysfunction is a major feature of the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), quantitative measurement of social behavior changes is poorly available in clinical settings.

Objective: The aim of the study is to evaluate diagnostic accuracy of social-emotional questionnaires in distinguishing bvFTD from healthy control (HC) subjects and Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients.

Methods: We enrolled 29 bvFTD, 24 AD, and 18 HC subjects matched for age, sex, and education.

Risk factors for post-COVID cognitive dysfunctions: the impact of psychosocial vulnerability.

Background: Cognitive dysfunction is a well-established manifestation of the post-COVID syndrome. Psychological vulnerability to stressors can modify disease trajectories, causing long-term risk for negative outcomes. Nonetheless, how premorbid risk factors and response to stressor affect neuropsychological changes is still incompletely understood.

Neuropsychological evaluation of phenoconversion risk in REM sleep behaviour disorder: A scoping review.

The objective of this study was to assess the role of cognitive evaluation in the prediction of phenoconversion in polysomnography-confirmed idiopathic or isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder, through a scoping review focussing on a longitudinal comprehensive neuropsychological assessment of patients with idiopathic REM sleep behaviour disorder. A literature search (2006-2022) yielded 1034 records, and 20 were selected for analysis. The sample included 899 patients from eight different cohorts and five countries.

Self-assessment of empathy uncovers defective self-awareness in mild cognitive impairment.

Objective: Self-assessment scales are broadly used to evaluate empathy in neurological patients, but it is conceivable that some discrepancy with caregiver evaluation may emerge as consequence of reduced self-awareness. The aim of the present study was to verify the presence of discrepancies in the self-assessment of empathy in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and to explore their neural correlates.

Method: Twenty MCI patients and 38 healthy controls (HCs) underwent the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), exploring the following four aspects of empathy: perspective taking (PT), fantasy, empathic concern, and personal distress.

HomeCoRe system for telerehabilitation in individuals at risk of dementia: A usability and user experience study.

Background: Telerehabilitation has enabled a broader application of cognitive rehabilitation programs. We have recently developed HomeCoRe, a system for supporting cognitive intervention remotely with the assistance of a family member. The main goal of the present study was to determine usability and user experience of HomeCoRe in individuals at risk of dementia and in their family members.

A Call for Drug Therapies for the Treatment of Social Behavior Disorders in Dementia: Systematic Review of Evidence and State of the Art.

Growing evidence supports the presence of social cognition deficits and social behavior alterations in major and minor neurocognitive disorders (NCDs). Even though the ability to identify socio-emotional changes has significantly improved in recent years, there is still no specific treatment available. Thus, we explored evidence of drug therapies targeting social cognition alterations in NCDs.

Predicting attitudinal and behavioral responses to COVID-19 pandemic using machine learning.

At the beginning of 2020, COVID-19 became a global problem. Despite all the efforts to emphasize the relevance of preventive measures, not everyone adhered to them. Thus, learning more about the characteristics determining attitudinal and behavioral responses to the pandemic is crucial to improving future interventions.

Early Identification of Different Behavioral Phenotypes in the Behavioral Variant of Frontotemporal Dementia with the Aid of the Mini-Frontal Behavioral Inventory (mini-FBI).

Background: The Frontal Behavioral Inventory (FBI) is a questionnaire designed to quantify behavioral changes in frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Literature showed heterogeneous FBI profiles in FTD versus Alzheimer's disease (AD) with variable occurrence of positive and negative symptoms.

Objective: In this study, we constructed a short FBI version (i.

National identity predicts public health support during a global pandemic.

Changing collective behaviour and supporting non-pharmaceutical interventions is an important component in mitigating virus transmission during a pandemic. In a large international collaboration (Study 1, N = 49,968 across 67 countries), we investigated self-reported factors associated with public health behaviours (e.g.

HomeCoRe for Telerehabilitation in Mild or Major Neurocognitive Disorders: A Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Given the limited effectiveness of pharmacological treatments for cognitive decline, non-pharmacological interventions have gained increasing attention. Evidence exists on the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation in preventing elderly subjects at risk of cognitive decline and in reducing the progression of functional disability in cognitively impaired individuals. In recent years, telerehabilitation has enabled a broader application of cognitive rehabilitation programs.

Large-Scale Functional Networks, Cognition and Brain Structures Supporting Social Cognition and Theory of Mind Performance in Prodromal to Mild Alzheimer's Disease.

Impairment of social cognition (SC) skills such as recognition and attribution of intentions and affective states of others (Theory of Mind, ToM) has been evidenced in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). This study investigated the neuropsychological, neuroanatomical and brain-functional underpinnings of SC processing to obtain an understanding of the social neurophenotype in early probable AD. Forty-six patients with mild cognitive impairment and mild probable AD underwent SC assessment including emotion recognition (Ekman-60-faces task) and cognitive and affective ToM (Reading-the-Mind-in-the-Eyes test and Story-based Empathy task).

Uncertain crisis time affects psychosocial dimensions in beta-thalassemia patients during Covid-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

Psychosocial variables are key factors influencing the delicate equilibrium of chronic patients during crisis time. In this study, we explored distress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, coping strategies, and changes in life habits in 43 beta-thalassemia patients and 86 controls during Covid-19 pandemic. Patients showed higher anxiety levels and a predominant transcendent coping profile compared to controls.

Identifying Frail Populations for Disease Risk Prediction and Intervention Planning in the Covid-19 Era: A Focus on Social Isolation and Vulnerability.

The early identification of fragile populations in the Covid-19 era would help governments to allocate resources and plan strategies to contain consequences of the pandemic. Beyond frailty, social vulnerability to environmental stressors, such as the social distancing enforced to reduce the SARS-CoV2 contagion, can modify long-term disease risk and induce health status changes in the general population. We assessed frailty and social vulnerability indices in 1,258 Italian residents during the first lockdown phase an on-line survey.