Tract-specific white matter hyperintensities and neuropsychiatric syndromes: a multicentre memory clinic study.

Background: White matter hyperintensities (WMH) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia but the functional significance of WMH in specific white matter (WM) tracts is unclear. We investigate whether WMH burden within major WM fibre classes and individual WM tracts are differentially associated with different neuropsychiatric syndromes in a large multicentre study.

Method: Neuroimaging and neuropsychiatric data of seven memory clinic cohorts through the Meta VCI Map consortium were harmonised.

Enhancing Cognitive Performance Prediction through White Matter Hyperintensity Connectivity Assessment: A Multicenter Lesion Network Mapping Analysis of 3,485 Memory Clinic Patients.

Introduction: White matter hyperintensities of presumed vascular origin (WMH) are associated with cognitive impairment and are a key imaging marker in evaluating cognitive health. However, WMH volume alone does not fully account for the extent of cognitive deficits and the mechanisms linking WMH to these deficits remain unclear. We propose that lesion network mapping (LNM), enables to infer if brain networks are connected to lesions, and could be a promising technique for enhancing our understanding of the role of WMH in cognitive disorders.

Small vessel disease burden and functional brain connectivity in mild cognitive impairment.

Background: The role of small vessel disease in the development of dementia is not yet completely understood. Functional brain connectivity has been shown to differ between individuals with and without cerebral small vessel disease. However, a comprehensive measure of small vessel disease quantifying the overall damage on the brain is not consistently used and studies using such measure in mild cognitive impairment individuals are missing.

Spatial distributions of white matter hyperintensities on brain MRI: A pooled analysis of individual participant data from 11 memory clinic cohorts.

Introduction: The spatial distribution of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on MRI is often considered in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with cognitive problems. In some patients, clinicians may classify WMH patterns as "unusual", but this is largely based on expert opinion, because detailed quantitative information about WMH distribution frequencies in a memory clinic setting is lacking. Here we report voxel wise 3D WMH distribution frequencies in a large multicenter dataset and also aimed to identify individuals with unusual WMH patterns.

Young-onset dementia in memory clinics in the Netherlands: Study design and description of PRECODE-GP.

The disease trajectory and healthcare requirements of patients with young-onset dementia (YOD) differ from those of older patients. Accurate data about YOD is crucial to improve diagnosis and optimize care. PRECODE-GP aims to set up a prospective national database of patients with YOD to gain insight into the occurrence and characteristics of patients with YOD in memory clinics in the Netherlands.

Rationale and design of the ABOARD project (A Personalized Medicine Approach for Alzheimer's Disease).

Unlabelled: The key to stopping Alzheimer's disease (AD) lies in the pre-dementia stages, with the goal to stop AD before dementia has started. We present the rationale and design of the ABOARD (A Personalized Medicine Approach for Alzheimer's Disease) project, which aims to invest in personalized medicine for AD. ABOARD is a Dutch public-private partnership of 32 partners, connecting stakeholders from a scientific, clinical, and societal perspective.

Effects of the DICE Method to Improve Timely Recognition and Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Early Alzheimer's Disease at the Memory Clinic: The BEAT-IT Study.

Background: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are highly prevalent in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and are associated with negative outcomes. However, NPS are currently underrecognized at the memory clinic and non-pharmacological interventions are scarcely implemented.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Describe, Investigate, Create, Evaluate (DICE) method™ to improve the care for NPS in AD at the memory clinic.

The reporting of neuropsychiatric symptoms in electronic health records of individuals with Alzheimer's disease: a natural language processing study.

Background: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are prevalent in the early clinical stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) according to proxy-based instruments. Little is known about which NPS clinicians report and whether their judgment aligns with proxy-based instruments. We used natural language processing (NLP) to classify NPS in electronic health records (EHRs) to estimate the reporting of NPS in symptomatic AD at the memory clinic according to clinicians.

Strategic white matter hyperintensity locations for cognitive impairment: A multicenter lesion-symptom mapping study in 3525 memory clinic patients.

Introduction: Impact of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on cognition likely depends on lesion location, but a comprehensive map of strategic locations is lacking. We aimed to identify these locations in a large multicenter study.

Methods: Individual patient data (n = 3525) from 11 memory clinic cohorts were harmonized.

The recognition and management of neuropsychiatric symptoms in early Alzheimer's disease: a qualitative study among Dutch memory clinic physicians.

Background: Timely recognition and treatment of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia may improve quality of life, reduce caregiver burden, and delay disease progression. However, management of NPS in early AD dementia remains challenging. To date, little is known about the specific challenges for memory clinic-based physicians.

Biweekly fluctuations of neuropsychiatric symptoms according to the Neuropsychiatric Inventory: Erratic symptoms or scores?

Objectives: This study investigates the stability of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) assessed biweekly using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) in a memory clinic population during a 6 week period.

Methods: Twenty-three spousal caregivers (mean [SD] age = 69.7 [8.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Pre-symptomatic Genetic Frontotemporal Dementia: A Pilot Study.

Pre-symptomatic frontotemporal dementia (FTD) mutation carriers and first-degree family members that are 50% at-risk for FTD may experience symptoms of anxiety and depression as a result of the ambiguity of when or if symptoms of the disease will manifest. We conducted a pilot study to investigate the use of an online mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in presymptomatic frontotemporal dementia (FTD) mutation carriers and individuals 50% at-risk. Seven known mutation carriers and six individuals 50% at-risk completed a standardized 8-week MBSR course, and filled out pre- and post and two-month follow-up questionnaires.

Pre-Diagnostic Symptoms of Young-Onset Dementia in the General Practice up to Five Years Before Diagnosis.

Background: Young-onset dementia (YOD) has many underlying etiologies, leading to a large heterogeneity in first symptoms. This makes it difficult for general practitioners (GPs) to recognize YOD.

Objective: Identify early symptoms that are more common in the pre-diagnostic phase of YOD.

The Multidimensional Prognostic Index Predicts Mortality in Older Outpatients with Cognitive Decline.

Since the heterogeneity of the growing group of older outpatients with cognitive decline, it is challenging to evaluate survival rates in clinical shared decision making. The primary outcome was to determine whether the Multidimensional Prognostic Index (MPI) predicts mortality, whilst assessing the MPI distribution was considered secondary. This retrospective chart review included 311 outpatients aged ≥65 years and diagnosed with dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Longitudinal Cognitive Changes in Genetic Frontotemporal Dementia Within the GENFI Cohort.

Background And Objectives: Disease-modifying therapeutic trials for genetic frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are underway, but sensitive cognitive outcome measures are lacking. The aim of this study was to identify such cognitive tests in early stage FTD by investigating cognitive decline in a large cohort of genetic FTD pathogenic variant carriers and by investigating whether gene-specific differences are moderated by disease stage (asymptomatic, prodromal, and symptomatic).

Methods: , , and pathogenic variant carriers as well as controls underwent a yearly neuropsychological assessment covering 8 cognitive domains as part of the Genetic FTD Initiative, a prospective multicenter cohort study.

Sex differences in neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease dementia: a meta-analysis.

Background: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are common in individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia, but substantial heterogeneity exists in the manifestation of NPS. Sex differences may explain this clinical variability. We aimed to investigate the sex differences in the prevalence and severity of NPS in AD dementia.

Ten years of image analysis and machine learning competitions in dementia.

Machine learning methods exploiting multi-parametric biomarkers, especially based on neuroimaging, have huge potential to improve early diagnosis of dementia and to predict which individuals are at-risk of developing dementia. To benchmark algorithms in the field of machine learning and neuroimaging in dementia and assess their potential for use in clinical practice and clinical trials, seven grand challenges have been organized in the last decade: MIRIAD (2012), Alzheimer's Disease Big Data DREAM (2014), CADDementia (2014), Machine Learning Challenge (2014), MCI Neuroimaging (2017), TADPOLE (2017), and the Predictive Analytics Competition (2019). Based on two challenge evaluation frameworks, we analyzed how these grand challenges are complementing each other regarding research questions, datasets, validation approaches, results and impact.

Neuropsychological assessment in the multicultural memory clinic: Development and feasibility of the TULIPA battery.

Neuropsychological assessment of culturally diverse populations is hindered by barriers in language, culture, education, and a lack of suitable tests. Furthermore, individuals from diverse backgrounds are often unfamiliar with being cognitively tested. The aim of this study was to develop a new neuropsychological test battery and study its feasibility in multicultural memory clinics.