Clinical and genetic factors affecting diagnostic timeline of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a 15-year retrospective study.

Objectives: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis can take 10-16 months from symptom onset, leading to delays in treatment and patient counselling. We studied the impact of clinical and genetic risk factors on the diagnostic timeline of ALS.

Methods: Baseline characteristics, family history, gene testing, onset location, time from symptom onset to diagnosis, and time from first doctor visit to suspected ALS was collected.

Pausing before verb production is associated with mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease.

Background: Cognitive dysfunction and communication impairment are common and disabling symptoms in Parkinson's Disease (PD). Action verb deficits occur in PD, but it remains unclear if these impairments are related to motor system dysfunction and/or cognitive decline. The objective of our study was to evaluate relative contributions of cognitive and motor dysfunction to action verb production in naturalistic speech of patients with PD.