Blood neutrophils, oligoclonal bands and bridging corticosteroids as predictive factors for MOGAD course: Insights from a multicentric Portuguese cohort.

Background: Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is a heterogeneous entity with either a monophasic or relapsing course. Well-established predictors of relapsing disease are lacking.

Objective: Identifying predictors of relapsing MOGAD, particularly at disease onset.

The epidemiology of multiple sclerosis in the entre Douro e Vouga region of northern Portugal: a multisource population-based study.

Background: The prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) has been increasing worldwide and the north-south gradient of prevalence may be disappearing in the Northern hemisphere. The few previous prevalence studies performed in Portugal have reported a lower prevalence than the average for Western Europe. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of MS in the Entre Douro e Vouga region, in Northern Portugal.

Determinants of age at onset in a Portuguese cohort of autosomal dominant spastic paraplegia.

Background: Hereditary spastic paraplegias present a high variability of age at onset, ranging from childhood to older age. Our objective was to identify the determinants of age at onset in autosomal dominant HSP (AD-HSP) in a large cohort of patients and families.

Methods: We included 239 patients from 89 families identified in the Portuguese multisource population-based survey of hereditary ataxias and spastic paraplegias.

Massive sequencing of 70 genes reveals a myriad of missing genes or mechanisms to be uncovered in hereditary spastic paraplegias.

Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSP) are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by lower limb spasticity and weakness that can be complicated by other neurological or non-neurological signs. Despite a high genetic heterogeneity (>60 causative genes), 40-70% of the families remain without a molecular diagnosis. Analysis of one of the pioneer cohorts of 193 HSP families generated in the early 1990s in Portugal highlighted that SPAST and SPG11 are the most frequent diagnoses.

A Pentanucleotide ATTTC Repeat Insertion in the Non-coding Region of DAB1, Mapping to SCA37, Causes Spinocerebellar Ataxia.

Advances in human genetics in recent years have largely been driven by next-generation sequencing (NGS); however, the discovery of disease-related gene mutations has been biased toward the exome because the large and very repetitive regions that characterize the non-coding genome remain difficult to reach by that technology. For autosomal-dominant spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs), 28 genes have been identified, but only five SCAs originate from non-coding mutations. Over half of SCA-affected families, however, remain without a genetic diagnosis.

Anterior biopercular syndrome caused by unilateral infarction.

The anterior biopercular syndrome is characterized by facio-pharyngo-glosso-masticatory diplegia, with automatic dissociation of movements. It generally translates bilateral opercular lesion, often of vascular etiology. There are very few cases described with unilateral lesions.

Autosomal dominant spastic paraplegias: a review of 89 families resulting from a portuguese survey.

Importance: Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs) are a group of diseases caused by corticospinal tract degeneration. Mutations in 3 genes (SPG4, SPG3, and SPG31) are said to be the cause in half of the autosomal dominant HSPs (AD-HSPs). This study is a systematic review of families with HSP resulting from a population-based survey.

Intracerebral abscess: a rare complication of Deep Brain Stimulation.

Introduction: Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a therapeutic option for some forms of Parkinson's disease (PD). The main adverse effects of this surgery are: infection (2-9%), haemorrhage (1-4%) and seizures (1-3%). We report a rare complication of DBS: an intracranial abscess.

Alu elements mediate large SPG11 gene rearrangements: further spatacsin mutations.

Purpose: Hereditary spastic paraplegias compose a group of neurodegenerative disorders with a large clinical and genetic heterogeneity. Among the autosomal recessive forms, spastic paraplegia type 11 is the most common.

Methods: To better understand the spastic paraplegia type 11 mutation spectrum, we studied a group of 54 patients with hereditary spastic paraplegia.