Promoting Growth in Behavioral Neurology: A Path Forward.

Behavioral neurology & neuropsychiatry (BNNP) is a field that seeks to understand brain-behavior relationships, including fundamental brain organization principles and the many ways that brain structures and connectivity can be disrupted, leading to abnormalities of behavior, cognition, emotion, perception, and social cognition. In North America, BNNP has existed as an integrated subspecialty through the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties since 2006. Nonetheless, the number of behavioral neurologists across academic medical centers and community settings is not keeping pace with increasing clinical and research demand.

Effects of sleep disturbance on trauma-focused psychotherapy outcomes in posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review.

This study aimed to synthesize existing research on the effects of sleep disturbances on trauma-focused psychotherapy outcomes in adults with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A systematic review using PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, Web of Science, and PTSDpubs was performed up to April 2021. Two independent reviewers screened articles for inclusion, performed data extraction, and assessed risk of bias and certainty of the evidence.

Distinct cortical and subcortical predictors of Purdue Pegboard decline in Parkinson's disease and atypical parkinsonism.

Objective measures of disease progression are critically needed in research on Parkinson's disease (PD) and atypical Parkinsonism but may be hindered by both practicality and cost. The Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT) is objective, has high test-retest reliability, and has a low cost. The goals of this study were to determine: (1) longitudinal changes in PPT in a multisite cohort of patients with PD, atypical Parkinsonism, and healthy controls; (2) whether PPT performance reflects brain pathology revealed by neuroimaging; (3) quantify kinematic deficits shown by PD patients during PPT.

Impacts of Eligibility Criteria on Trial Participants' Age in Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Trials.

Overly restricted and poorly designed eligibility criteria reduce the generalizability of the results from clinical trials. We conducted a study to identify and quantify the impacts of study traits extracted from eligibility criteria on the age of study populations in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) clinical trials. Using machine learning methods and SHapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP) values, we identified 30 and 34 study traits that excluded older patients from AD trials in our 2 generated target populations respectively.

Preliminary evidence of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation effects on sleep in veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Sleep problems are common among veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and closely associated with hyperarousal symptoms. Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) may have potential to improve sleep quality in veterans with PTSD through effects on brain systems relevant to hyperarousal and sleep-wake regulation. The current pilot study examines the effect of 1 h of tVNS administered at "lights out" on sleep architecture, microstructure, and autonomic activity.

A consensus on optimization of care in patients with growth hormone deficiency and mild traumatic brain injury.

Objective/design: Approximately 2.9 million children and adults in the US experience traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) annually, most of which are considered mild. TBI can induce varying consequences on pituitary function, with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) among the more commonly reported conditions.

Neurology Access Clinic: A Model to Improve Access to Neurologic Care in an Academic Medical Center.

Background And Objectives: Delays in access to neurologic care are a major problem. In this pilot program, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel staffing model for neurology outpatient clinic within an academic neurology center to increase access to neurologic care, while incorporating such a model into a growing academic neurology department.

Methods: We created a new model for provision of access to neurologic care that could be introduced in an academic neurologic department, the access clinic.

Prevalence of Alzheimer's and Related Dementia Diseases and Risk Factors Among Transgender Adults, Florida, 2012‒2020.

To estimate the prevalence rates of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) and their risk factors in the transgender population and compare the rates to those in cisgender adults. We identified 1784 transgender adults in the linked electronic health records and claims data between 2012 and 2020 from the OneFlorida Clinical Research Consortium. We calculated the prevalence of ADRD and ADRD risk factors for the transgender and matched cisgender control adults.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Anxiety-Related Conditions.

Purpose Of Review: This article provides a synopsis of current assessment and treatment considerations for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related anxiety disorder characteristics. Epidemiologic and neurobiological data are reviewed as well as common associated symptoms, including sleep disruption, and treatment approaches to these conditions.

Recent Findings: PTSD is no longer considered an anxiety-related disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition classification and instead is associated with trauma/stressor-related disorders.

Behavioral and Cognitive Aspects of Concussion.

Purpose Of Review: This review provides the reader with an overview of concussion and mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). Key aspects of the pathophysiology, signs, and symptoms, treatment and rehabilitation, and recovery from concussion/mild TBI are reviewed with an emphasis on the variety of factors that may contribute to cognitive concerns following injury.

Recent Findings: Concussion remains a clinical diagnosis based on symptoms that occur in the immediate aftermath of an applied force and in the hours, days, and weeks thereafter.

Estimating minimal clinically important differences for two scales in patients with chronic traumatic brain injury.

Background: This study aimed to establish the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the Fugl-Meyer Motor Scale (FMMS) and the Disability Rating Scale (DRS) to evaluate interventions in patients with motor deficits in the chronic phase after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Methods: MCIDs were established with a structured expert consultation process, the RAND/UCLA modified Delphi method. This process consisted of a literature review and input from a 10-person, multidisciplinary expert panel.

Impact of a Sleep Enhancement Protocol on Nighttime Room Entries in an Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility.

Purpose: This study examined whether a sleep enhancement protocol (SEP) could reduce nighttime room entries (NREs) for patients with orthopedic injury (OI) or acquired brain injury (ABI) in an inpatient rehabilitation facility.

Design: A two-wave prospective study assessing standard of care (SOC) versus SEP.

Methods: Sixty-five participants completed baseline and follow-up questionnaires and wore an actigraph for approximately 7 days.

Making a Difference: Affective Distress Explains Discrepancy Between Objective and Subjective Cognitive Functioning After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Objective: To assess the relationship between subjective cognitive symptoms and objective cognitive test scores in patients after concussion. We additionally examined factors associated with subjective and objective cognitive dysfunction, as well as their discrepancy.

Participants: Eighty-six individuals (65.

Acute Effects of Sport-Related Concussion on Serum Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein, Ubiquitin C-Terminal Hydrolase L1, Total Tau, and Neurofilament Light Measured by a Multiplex Assay.

We prospectively evaluated serum concentrations of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), ubiquitin c-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1), total tau (T-Tau), and neurofilament light (NF-L) from collegiate athletes at baseline and acutely after sport-related concussion (SRC) using the Quanterix Neurology 4Plex "B" (N4PB) multiplex assay. Uninjured controls were matched on age, sex, race, sport, and concussion history. Clinical outcomes included acute symptom severity, balance, rapid automated naming, computerized cognitive testing, and recovery duration.

Patient-perceived value of a specialty-specific welcome letter: What you say and how you say it.

Background: Patient experience and clinical outcomes are improved when patients know what to expect. Providing valuable, appropriate information proves challenging considering variation in patient education, literacy, and limitations specific to patients with neurologic disease. Scaffolding of what to expect, care team members, needed materials, procedures, directions to facilities, and methods of communication are core aspects of improving patient readiness.

Predicting long-term cognitive and neuropathological consequences of moderate to severe traumatic brain injury: Review and theoretical framework.

Prognostic modeling in moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) has historically focused primarily on the projection of crude outcomes such as the risk of mortality and disability. Initial work in this area has perpetuated the notion that prognosis after moderate to severe TBI can be measured as a single, static, and dichotomous outcome. However, more recent conceptualizations describe moderate to severe TBI as the initiation of a chronic disease state with high levels of inter-individual variability in terms of symptom manifestation and disease progression.

Exploratory study of sport-related concussion effects on peripheral micro-RNA expression.

Objective: Explore changes in micro-RNA (miRNA) expression in blood after sport-related concussion (SRC) in collegiate athletes.

Methods: Twenty-seven collegiate athletes (~41% male, ~75% white, age 18.8 ± 0.

Military-related risk factors for dementia.

Introduction: In recent years, there has been growing discussion to better understand the pathophysiological mechanisms of traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder and how they may be linked to an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease in veterans.

Methods: Building on that discussion, and subsequent to a special issue of Alzheimer's & Dementia published in June 2014, which focused on military risk factors, the Alzheimer's Association convened a continued discussion of the scientific community on December 1, 2016.

Results: During this meeting, participants presented and evaluated progress made since 2012 and identified outstanding knowledge gaps regarding factors that may impact veterans' risk for later life dementia.