The Taiwan-ADNI workflow toward integrating plasma p-tau217 into prediction models for the risk of Alzheimer's disease and tau burden.

Introduction: We integrated plasma biomarkers from the Taiwan Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative and propose a workflow to identify individuals showing amyloid-positive positron emission tomography (PET) with low/intermediate tau burden based on [18F]Florzolotau PET-based quantification.

Methods: We assessed 361 participants across the Alzheimer's disease (AD) and non-AD continuum and measured plasma phosphorylated tau (p-tau)217, p-tau181, amyloid beta (Aβ)42/40 ratio, neurofilament light chain, and glial fibrillary acidic protein levels at two medical centers. We evaluated the diagnostic potential of these biomarkers.

Differences in Topography of Individual Amyloid Brain Networks by Amyloid PET Images in Healthy Control, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer's Disease.

Amyloid plaques, implicated in Alzheimer's disease, exhibit a spatial propagation pattern through interconnected brain regions, suggesting network-driven dissemination. This study utilizes PET imaging to investigate these brain connections and introduces an innovative method for analyzing the amyloid network. A modified version of a previously established method is applied to explore distinctive patterns of connectivity alterations across cognitive performance domains.

Clinical Significance of the Plasma Biomarker Panels in Amyloid-Negative and Tau PET-Positive Amnestic Patients: Comparisons with Alzheimer's Disease and Unimpaired Cognitive Controls.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether plasma biomarkers can help to diagnose, differentiate from Alzheimer disease (AD), and stage cognitive performance in patients with positron emission tomography (PET)-confirmed primary age-related tauopathy, termed tau-first cognitive proteinopathy (TCP) in this study. In this multi-center study, we enrolled 285 subjects with young-onset AD (YOAD; = 55), late-onset AD (LOAD; = 96), TCP ( = 44), and cognitively unimpaired controls (CTL; = 90) and analyzed plasma Aβ42/Aβ40, pTau181, neurofilament light (NFL), and total-tau using single-molecule assays. Amyloid and tau centiloids reflected pathological burden, and hippocampal volume reflected structural integrity.

Human biodistribution and radiation dosimetry for the tau tracer [F]Florzolotau in healthy subjects.

Background: Tau pathology plays a crucial role in neurodegeneration diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and non-AD diseases such as progressive supranuclear palsy. Tau positron emission tomography (PET) is an in-vivo and non-invasive medical imaging technique for detecting and visualizing tau deposition within a human brain. In this work, we aim to investigate the biodistribution of the dosimetry in the whole body and various organs for the [F]Florzolotau tau-PET tracer.

Dominance of Tau Burden in Cortical Over Subcortical Regions Mediates Glymphatic Activity and Clinical Severity in PSP.

Background: Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a tauopathy that involves subcortical regions but also extends to cortical areas. The clinical impact of different tau protein sites and their influence on glymphatic dysfunction have not been investigated.

Patients And Methods: Participants (n = 55; 65.

Assessment for Tactile Perception in Children With Cerebral Palsy.

Importance: Impaired tactile perception frequently accompanies motor deficits in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Assessing tactile perception precisely for children with CP remains challenging because of a lack of assessments with robust psychometric evidence or standard procedures.

Objective: To develop a standardized assessment tool, the Tactile Perceptual Test (TPT), for measuring tactile perception in children with CP and to examine its psychometric properties.

Visual reading for [F]Florzolotau ([F]APN-1607) tau PET imaging in clinical assessment of Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: Tau-targeted positron emission tomography (tau-PET) is a potential tool for the differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to clarify the distribution of tau deposition. In addition to the quantitative analysis of tau-PET scans, visual reading supports the assessment of tau loading for clinical diagnosis. This study aimed to propose a method for visually interpreting tau-PET using the [F] Florzolotau tracer and investigate the performance and utility of the visual reading.

Automatic identification of early ischemic lesions on non-contrast CT with deep learning approach.

Early ischemic lesion on non-contrast computed tomogram (NCCT) in acute stroke can be subtle and need confirmation with magnetic resonance (MR) image for treatment decision-making. We retrospectively included the NCCT slices of 129 normal subjects and 546 ischemic stroke patients (onset < 12 h) with corresponding MR slices as reference standard from a prospective registry of Chang Gung Research Databank. In model selection, NCCT slices were preprocessed and fed into five different pre-trained convolutional neural network (CNN) models including Visual Geometry Group 16 (VGG16), Residual Networks 50, Inception-ResNet-v2, Inception-v3, and Inception-v4.

Mediating roles of leukoaraiosis and infarcts in the effects of unilateral carotid artery stenosis on cognition.

Background And Objectives: Leukoaraiosis and infarcts are common in patients with carotid artery stenosis (CAS), and CAS severity, leukoaraiosis and infarcts all have been implicated in cognitive impairments. CAS severity was not only hypothesized to directly impede specific cognitive domains, but also transmit its effects indirectly to cognitive function through ipsilateral infarcts as well as periventricular leukoaraiosis (PVL) and deep white matter leukoaraiosis (DWML). We aimed to delineate the contributions of leukoaraiosis, infarcts and CAS to different specific cognitive domains.

Identification of Metabolomics Biomarkers in Extracranial Carotid Artery Stenosis.

The biochemical identification of carotid artery stenosis (CAS) is still a challenge. Hence, 349 male subjects (176 normal controls and 173 stroke patients with extracranial CAS ≥ 50% diameter stenosis) were recruited. Blood samples were collected 14 days after stroke onset with no acute illness.

Head and Neck Cancer Types and Risks of Cervical-Cranial Vascular Complications within 5 Years after Radiation Therapy.

Background and purpose: to investigate the frequency of cervical−cranial vascular complications soon after radiation therapy (RT) and identify differences among patients with various types of head and neck cancer (HNC). Methods: We enrolled 496 patients with HNC who had received their final RT dose in our hospital. These patients underwent carotid duplex ultrasound (CDU) for monitoring significant carotid artery stenosis (CAS).

Cognitive Sequelae of Silent Ischemic Lesions Following Carotid Artery Stenting: Possible Role of Age-Related Moderation.

The occurrence of ischemic lesions is common in patients receiving carotid artery stenting (CAS), and most of them are clinically silent. However, few studies have directly addressed the cognitive sequelae of these procedure-related silent ischemic lesions (SILs). In this study, we attempted to investigate the effects of SILs on cognition using a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests.

Neurodegeneration and Vascular Burden on Cognition After Midlife: A Plasma and Neuroimaging Biomarker Study.

: Neurodegeneration and vascular burden are the two most common causes of post-stroke cognitive impairment. However, the interrelationship between the plasma beta-amyloid (Aβ) and tau protein, cortical atrophy and brain amyloid accumulation on PET imaging in stroke patients is undetermined. We aimed to explore: (1) the relationships of cortical thickness and amyloid burden on PET with plasma Aβ40, Aβ42, tau protein and their composite scores in stroke patients; and (2) the associations of post-stroke cognitive presentations with these plasma and neuroimaging biomarkers.

Assessment of High Risk for Alzheimer's Disease Using Plasma Biomarkers in Subjects with Normal Cognition in Taiwan: A Preliminary Study.

Background: In Alzheimer's disease (AD), cognitive impairment begins 10-15 years later than neurodegeneration in the brain. Plasma biomarkers are promising candidates for assessing neurodegeneration in people with normal cognition. It has been reported that subjects with the concentration of plasma amyloid-β 1-42×total tau protein higher than 455 pg/ml are assessed as having a high risk of amnesic mild impairment or AD, denoted as high risk of AD (HRAD).

Total plaque score helps to determine follow-up strategy for carotid artery stenosis progression in head and neck cancer patients after radiation therapy.

Background: To identify predictors of carotid artery stenosis (CAS) progression in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients after radiation therapy (RT).

Methods: We included 217 stroke-naïve HNC patients with mild carotid artery stenosis after RT in our hospital. These patients underwent annual carotid duplex ultrasound (CDU) studies to monitor CAS progression.

Hypothyroidism and risks of cerebrovascular complications among patients with head and neck cancer after radiotherapy.

Background: Hypothyroidism (HT) and carotid artery stenosis (CAS) are complications of radiotherapy (RT) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). The impact of post-RT HT on CAS progression remains unclear.

Methods: Between 2013 and 2014, HNC patients who had ever received RT and were under regular follow-up in our hospital were initially screened.

The Imaging Features and Clinical Associations of a Novel Tau PET Tracer-18F-APN1607 in Alzheimer Disease.

Purpose Of The Report: In vivo tau PET imaging could help clarify the spatial distribution of tau deposition in Alzheimer disease (AD) and aid in the differential diagnosis of tauopathies. To date, there have been no in vivo F-APN1607 tau PET studies in patients with AD.

Methods: We applied tau tracer in 12 normal controls (NCs) and 10 patients in the mild to moderate stage of probable AD.

Computed Tomography Angiography in Acute Stroke Patients Receiving Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator: Outcome and Safety Evaluations in an Asian Population.

Introduction: The multiphase computed tomography angiography (mCTA) is superior to the noncontrast computed tomography (NCCT) in selecting patients that would benefit from mechanical thrombectomy following an acute ischemic stroke (AIS). It remains unclear whether the longer examination time of mCTA worsens outcomes of intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (IV r-tPA) or increases the risk of hemorrhagic transformation (HT) compared to NCCT in Asian stroke patients.

Methods: Between January 2011 and December 2017, 199 AIS patients receiving IV r-tPA with initial National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores between 6 and 25 were enrolled in a single medical center.

Autodetect extracranial and intracranial artery stenosis by machine learning using ultrasound.

Background: and Purpose: This study proposed a machine learning method for identifying ≥50% stenosis of the extracranial and intracranial arteries.

Patients And Methods: A total of 8211 patients with both carotid ultrasound and cerebral angiography were enrolled. Support vector machine (SVM) was employed as the machine learning classifier.

Application of Meridian Electrical Conductance in the Setting of Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Acupuncture is widely used for improving poststroke care. Knowing the condition of meridian can help traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctors make a tailored choice of acupoints for every patient. The establishment of an objective meridian energy measurement for acute ischemic stroke that can be used for future acupuncture treatment and research is an important area in stroke-assisted therapy.

Tau PET With F-THK-5351 Taiwan Patients With Familial Alzheimer's Disease With the APP p.D678H Mutation.

Brain F-AV-45 amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) in Taiwanese patients with familial Alzheimer's disease with the amyloid precursor protein (APP) p.D678H mutation tends to involve occipital and cerebellar cortical areas. However, tau pathology in patients with this specific Taiwan mutation remains unknown.

A metabolomic approach to identifying biomarkers in blood of Alzheimer's disease.

Objective: This study aims to identify metabolites with altered levels of expression in patients with early and progressive stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: All participants of the study underwent genetic screening and were diagnosed using both neuropsychological assessment and amyloid imaging before metabolome analysis. According to these assessments, the patients were classified as normal ( = 15), with mild cognitive impairment ( = 10), and with AD ( = 15).