Automated and manual hippocampal segmentation techniques: Comparison of results, reproducibility and clinical applicability.

Background: Imaging techniques used to measure hippocampal atrophy are key to understanding the clinical progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Various semi-automated hippocampal segmentation techniques are available and require human expert input to learn how to accurately segment new data. Our goal was to compare 1) the performance of our automated hippocampal segmentation technique relative to manual segmentations, and 2) the performance of our automated technique when provided with a training set from two different raters.

Associations between hippocampal morphometry and neuropathologic markers of Alzheimer's disease using 7 T MRI.

Hippocampal atrophy, amyloid plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles are established pathologic markers of Alzheimer's disease. We analyzed the temporal lobes of 9 Alzheimer's dementia (AD) and 7 cognitively normal (NC) subjects. Brains were scanned post-mortem at 7 Tesla.

Cognitive and behavioral symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients with the G2019S and R1441G mutations of the LRRK2 gene.

Objective: To compare the cognitive and psychiatric status of patients with Parkinson's disease related to the G2019S and the R1441G mutations of the LRRK2 gene (LRRK2-PD) and idiopathic Parkinson's disease (iPD) patients.

Methods: We examined cognition and psychiatric symptoms in 27 patients with LRRK2-PD (12 G2019S and 15 R1441G) and 27 iPD patients.

Results: The groups were similar in age, education, disease duration, levodopa equivalent daily dose, and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) II-IV; however, the LRRK2-PD showed less impairment on UPDRS-I (2.

Relationship between hippocampal atrophy and neuropathology markers: a 7T MRI validation study of the EADC-ADNI Harmonized Hippocampal Segmentation Protocol.

Objective: The pathologic validation of European Alzheimer's Disease Consortium Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative Center Harmonized Hippocampal Segmentation Protocol (HarP).

Methods: Temporal lobes of nine Alzheimer's disease (AD) and seven cognitively normal subjects were scanned post-mortem at 7 Tesla. Hippocampal volumes were obtained with HarP.

Autonomic dysfunction in parkinsonian LRRK2 mutation carriers.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to compare autonomic function in PD symptomatic carriers of the LRRK2 mutations and idiopathic Parkinson's disease (iPD) patients.

Material And Methods: We studied 25 PD patients: 12 with the LRRK2 mutation (6 G2019S and 6 R1441G), and 13 with iPD. All patients underwent blood pressure and heart rate monitoring during head up tilt, Valsalva maneuver and deep breathing, along with recording of sympathetic skin response (SSR) and cardiac MIBG scintigraphy.

Nocturnal hypertension and dysautonomia in patients with Parkinson's disease: are they related?

Orthostatic hypotension and supine hypertension frequently coexist in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, leading to visceral damage and increased mortality rates. The aim of this paper is to analyze the frequency and association of both conditions in a sample of outpatients with PD. A total of 111 patients, diagnosed with PD, were studied.

Cerebrospinal fluid Aβ levels correlate with structural brain changes in Parkinson's disease.

ParkWest is a large Norwegian multicenter study of newly diagnosed drug-naïve subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD). Cognitively normal PD subjects (PDCN) and PD subjects with mild cognitive impairment (PDMCI) from this cohort have significant hippocampal atrophy and ventricular enlargement, compared to normal controls. Here, we aimed to investigate whether the same structural changes are associated with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of amyloid beta (Aβ)38 , Aβ40 , Aβ42 , total tau (t-tau), and phosphorylated tau (p-tau).

The applause sign and neuropsychological profile in progressive supranuclear palsy and Parkinson's disease.

Background: The applause sign has been associated with various neurodegenerative diseases. We investigate its validity in the differential diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy and Parkinson's disease, and its relationship with neuropsychological tests.

Patients And Methods: 23 patients with progressive supranuclear palsy and 106 patients with Parkinson's disease were included and administered the following scales: progressive supranuclear palsy rating scale, unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS), mini-mental state examination (MMSE), frontal assessment battery (FAB), neuropsychiatric inventory and three-clap test.

Verbal memory is associated with structural hippocampal changes in newly diagnosed Parkinson's disease.

Background And Objective: Cognitive impairment, including impairment of episodic memory, is frequently found in newly diagnosed Parkinson's disease (PD). In this longitudinal observational study we investigated whether performance in memory encoding, retention, recognition and free recall is associated with reduced hippocampal radial distance.

Methods: We analysed baseline T1-weighted brain MRI data from 114 PD subjects without cognitive impairment, 29 PD subjects with mild cognitive impairment and 99 normal controls from the ParkWest study.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms in amnestic mild cognitive impairment: increased risk and faster progression to dementia.

Introduction: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are common in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) but its role as a predictive factor for the progression to dementia is still not clear. The objective of this study is to identify NPS that predict the progression from amnestic MCI (a-MCI) to dementia using an easy to administer screening tool for NPS.

Material And Methods: 132 patients with a-MCI were assessed for NPS by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and followed to detect progression to dementia.

Cardiac sympathetic denervation in symptomatic and asymptomatic carriers of the E46K mutation in the α synuclein gene.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze autonomic function and cardiac sympathetic innervation in symptomatic and asymptomatic carriers of the E46K alpha-synuclein gene (SNCA) mutation.

Patients And Methods: Autonomic function tests were performed in six patients, four of whom were symptomatic carriers (ages: 46, 59, 52 and 28-years) and two who were asymptomatic carriers (ages: 52 and 29 years). Autopsy studies were performed on an additional two symptomatic carriers not eligible for autonomic testing.

Comparing hippocampal atrophy in Alzheimer's dementia and dementia with lewy bodies.

Background/aims: Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are the two most common neurodegenerative dementias. During the early stages, clinical distinction between them is often challenging. Our objective is to compare hippocampal atrophy patterns in mild AD and mild DLB.

SCOPA-AUT scale in different parkinsonisms and its correlation with (123) I-MIBG cardiac scintigraphy.

Introduction: Our objective was to assess the usefulness of the Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson's disease - Autonomic (SCOPA-AUT) in the differential diagnosis of Parkinsonisms and clarify its relation with 123-I-MIBG cardiac scintigraphy.

Methods: A total of 112 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), 12 with multiple system atrophy parkinsonian variant (MSA-P) and 20 with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) participated in the study. The following variables were collected: age, sex, age at onset, length of illness, type and dose of anti-Parkinson medication, and score on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale.

Initial neuropsychological impairments in patients with the E46K mutation of the α-synuclein gene (PARK 1).

Introduction: In 2004 we described the mutation E46K of the α-Synuclein (SNCA). These patients show Parkinson's disease with early cognitive impairment, sleep disorders and autonomic dysfunction.

Objective: The main objective is to identify early neuropsychological impairments in patients with the E46K mutation.

Impact of psychiatric symptoms and sleep disorders on the quality of life of patients with Parkinson's disease.

The objective of this study is to assess how the non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD), such as depression, cognitive deterioration, neuropsychiatric and sleep disorders, affect the quality of life, and to compare them with the motor symptoms in order to determine their real impact. A cross-sectional study was designed including 99 patients (mean age 68.5 ± 9.

Factors influencing the symmetry of Parkinson's disease symptoms.

Introduction: The presence of asymmetry in symptoms and clinical signs favours the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of this study is to analyse this symptom asymmetry as a function of different variables and compare it with other parkinsonisms.

Materials And Methods: 201 Patients with PD were studied.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome and serotonin syndrome in a female patient: a clinicopathologic case.

We report the case of a 24-year-old female patient who initially developed a neuroleptic malignant syndrome after haloperidol exposure and experienced 6 years later a serotonin syndrome after repeated fluoxetine exposure. The patient did not respond to symptomatic treatment and died in this latter episode. At necropsy, no gross or microscopic changes were seen with conventional histological stains, and immunohistochemical stains were negative.

Application of depression criteria (DSM-IV) in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: The aim of this study is to analyze the clinical differences between Parkinson's disease patients with major (MD) and minor depression (md) and to see how both affect the quality of life.

Material And Methods: 118 patients diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. The mean age of onset was 60.