Joint diffusional kurtosis magnetic resonance imaging analysis of white matter and the thalamus to identify subcortical ischemic vascular disease.

Identifying subcortical ischemic vascular disease (SIVD) in older adults is important but challenging. Growing evidence suggests that diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) can detect SIVD-relevant microstructural pathology, and a systematic assessment of the discriminant power of DKI metrics in various brain tissue microstructures is urgently needed. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore the value of DKI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics in detecting early-stage SIVD by combining multiple diffusion metrics, analysis strategies, and clinical-radiological constraints.

Neurovascular Correlates of Cobalamin, Folate, and Homocysteine in Dementia.

Background: Cobalamin (Cbl) and folate are common supplements clinicians prescribe as an adjuvant therapy for dementia patients, on the presumption of their neurotrophic and/or homocysteine (Hcy) lowering effect. However, the treatment efficacy has been found mixed and the effects of Cbl/folate/Hcy on the human brain remain to be elucidated.

Objective: To explore the neurovascular correlates of Cbl/folate/Hcy in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and subcortical ischemic vascular dementia (SIVD).

Clinical and genetic characterization of a Taiwanese cohort with spastic paraparesis combined with cerebellar involvement.

Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs) are a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders clinically characterized by progressive lower-limb spasticity. Cerebellar ataxia commonly co-occurs with complicated HSPs. HSP with concurrent cerebellar ataxia has significant clinical and genetic overlaps with hereditary cerebellar ataxia (HCA) and other inherited neurological diseases, adding to the challenge of planning genetic testing for the disease.

Dissociable Functional Brain Networks Associated With Apathy in Subcortical Ischemic Vascular Disease and Alzheimer's Disease.

Few studies have investigated differences in functional connectivity (FC) between patients with subcortical ischemic vascular disease (SIVD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), especially in relation to apathy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare apathy-related FC changes among patients with SIVD, AD, and cognitively normal subjects. The SIVD group had the highest level of apathy as measured using the Apathy Evaluation Scale-clinician version (AES).

Stage-Dependent Cerebral Blood Flow and Leukoaraiosis Couplings in Subcortical Ischemic Vascular Disease and Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) and subcortical ischemic vascular disease (SIVD) have both been associated with white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) and altered cerebral blood flow (CBF) although the etiology of AD is still unclear.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that CBF and WMHs have differential effects on cognition and that the relationship between CBF and WMHs changes with the subtypes and stages of dementia.

Methods: Forty-two patients with SIVD, 50 patients with clinically-diagnosed AD, and 30 cognitively-normal subjects were included.

Prospective Memory and Default Mode Network Functional Connectivity in Normal and Pathological Aging.

Background: Prospective memory (PM), the ability to execute a previously formed intention given the proper circumstance, has been proven to be vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease. Previous studies have indicated the involvement of the frontoparietal networks; however, it is proposed that PM may also be associated with other neural substrates that support stimulus-dependent spontaneous cognition.

Objective: The present study aimed to examine the hypothesis that PM deficit in Alzheimer's disease is related to altered functional connectivity (FC) within the default mode network (DMN).

Prospective Memory and Regional Functional Connectivity in Subcortical Ischemic Vascular Disease.

Patients with subcortical ischemic vascular disease (SIVD) often have prominent frontal dysfunction. However, it remains unclear how SIVD affects prospective memory (PM), which strongly relies on the frontoparietal network. The present study aimed to investigate PM performance in patients with early stage SIVD as compared to those with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to older adults with normal cognition, and to explore the neural correlates of PM deficits.

Effects of Mental Imagery on Prospective Memory: A Process Analysis in Individuals with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Introduction: Prospective memory (PM) is a multiphasic cognitive function important for autonomy and functional independence but is easily disrupted by pathological aging processes. Through cognitive simulation of perceptual experiences, mental imagery could be an effective compensatory strategy to enhance PM performance. Nevertheless, relevant research in individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has been limited, and the underlying mechanism of the therapeutic effect has not been sufficiently elucidated.

Discriminating subcortical ischemic vascular disease and Alzheimer's disease by diffusion kurtosis imaging in segregated thalamic regions.

Differentiating between subcortical ischemic vascular disease (SIVD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and normal cognition (NC) remains a challenge, and reliable neuroimaging biomarkers are needed. The current study, therefore, investigated the discriminative ability of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) metrics in segregated thalamic regions and compare with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics. Twenty-three SIVD patients, 30 AD patients, and 24 NC participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging.

Attention and Functional Connectivity Among Patients With Early-Stage Subcortical Ischemic Vascular Disease and Alzheimer's Disease.

The current study compared attention profiles and functional connectivity of frontal regions in patients with early-stage subcortical ischemic vascular disease (SIVD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Twenty patients with SIVD, 32 patients with AD, and 23 subjects with normal cognition (NC) received cognition and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) evaluations. The Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) was used to assess global cognition, and simple attention, processing speed, divided attention, and vigilance/sustained attention were evaluated using the Digit Span Forward, Trail Making Test, Symbol Digit Modality Test, and Conners Continuous Performance Test, respectively.

Microstructural Correlates and Laterality Effect of Prospective Memory in Non-Demented Adults with Memory Complaints.

Background: An increasing number of studies suggest the importance of prospective memory (ProM) due to its functional relevance and sensitivity to neuropathology. However, its relevant neural substrates have not been sufficiently explored.

Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between structural connectivity and both objective and subjective ProM measures in a group of non-demented people with subjective memory complaints, and to examine the potential of ProM measures to detect the difference between subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in the pre-dementia stage.

Visual Attention Performances and Related Cerebral Microstructural Integrity Among Subjects With Subjective Cognitive Decline and Mild Cognitive Impairment.

To compare visual attention performances and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) between subjects with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and to discover neuronal substrates related to visual attention performances. Thirty-nine subjects with SCD and 15 with MCI, diagnosed following neuropsychological tests and conventional brain magnetic resonance imaging, were recruited. All subjects were further examined by the Conners Continuous Performance Test 3 (CPT3) and DTI including fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), in which group comparisons and stepwise linear regression were made.

Horizontal gaze palsy with progressive scoliosis: a case report with magnetic resonance tractography and electrophysiological study.

Background: Horizontal gaze palsy with progressive scoliosis (HGPPS) is a rare autosomal recessive congenital anomaly characterized by horizontal gaze limitation and progressive scoliosis. We investigated the underlying pathogenesis by incorporating diffusion tensor imaging and an electrophysiological study.

Case Presentation: A 55-year-old female patient presented to our clinic due to a chronic history of eye movement limitation since childhood.

Comparison of neuropsychiatric symptoms and diffusion tensor imaging correlates among patients with subcortical ischemic vascular disease and Alzheimer's disease.

Background: The causes of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) vary according to the dementia subtype and associated neuropathology. The present study aimed to (i) compare BPSD between patients with subcortical ischemic vascular disease (SIVD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) across stages, and (ii) explore the associations with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in the corpus callosum (CC) and other major fibers.

Methods: Twenty-four patients with SIVD and 32 with AD were recruited.

Effectiveness of diffusion tensor imaging in differentiating early-stage subcortical ischemic vascular disease, Alzheimer's disease and normal ageing.

Objective: To describe and compare diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters between patients with subcortical ischemic vascular disease (SIVD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosed using structuralized neuropsychiatric assessments, and investigate potential neuronal substrates related to cognitive performance.

Methods: Thirty-five patients with SIVD, 40 patients with AD, and 33 cognitively normal control (NC) subjects matched by age and education level were consecutively recruited and underwent cognitive function assessments and DTI examinations. Comparisons among these three subgroups with regards to cognitive performance and DTI parameters including fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) values were performed.

A Case of Multiple System Atrophy with Preexisting Alzheimer's Disease and Predating The Hot Cross Bun Sign.

Purpose: Synucleinopathy, tauopathy and amyloidopathy were classified as distinct clinical and pathological entities in traditional classification systems, and their interactions have been studied on neuropathology and molecular genetics recently.

Case Report: In this report, we present a 69-year-old male patient who had been diagnosed with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia due to progressive forgetfulness in February 2013. His Mini- Mental State Examination score was 21/30, and his Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument score was 78/100, resulted from profound deficits in recent memory and abstract thinking domains.

Frontal Assessment Battery as a Useful Tool to Differentiate Mild Cognitive Impairment due to Subcortical Ischemic Vascular Disease from Alzheimer Disease.

Background: Prominent executive dysfunction can differentiate vascular dementia from Alzheimer disease (AD). However, it is unclear whether the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) screening tool can differentiate subcortical ischemic vascular disease (SIVD) from AD at the pre-dementia stage. In addition, the neural correlates of FAB performance have yet to be clarified.

Tc-99m-ECD SPECT as the measure for therapeutic response in patients with cobalamin deficiency: Two case reports.

Background: Cobalamin (Cbl) is an essential vitamin for human health. While an increasing body of evidence supports the negative impact of Cbl deficiency on cognition, the causality has yet to be determined, and the reported therapeutic responses after Cbl supplement therapy have been inconsistent. Besides, few reports have described neuroimaging characteristics associated with the therapeutic response.

Correlation of Tc-99 m ethyl cysteinate dimer single-photon emission computed tomography and clinical presentations in patients with low cobalamin status.

Background: Cobalamin (Cbl) deficiency has been associated with various neuropsychiatric symptoms of different severities. While some studies dedicated in structural neuroimaging credibly address negative impact of low Cbl status, functional imaging reports are limited. We herein retrospectively review the correlation of Tc-99 m ethyl cysteinate dimer single-photon emission computed tomography (Tc-99 m-ECD SPECT) and clinical presentations among patients with low serum cobalamin (Cbl) status (<250 pg/ml).

Vitamin B12 deficiency: Characterization of psychometrics and MRI morphometrics.

Objectives: Vitamin B12 is essential for the integrity of the central nervous system. However, performances in different cognitive domains relevant to vitamin B12 deficiency remain to be detailed. To date, there have been limited studies that examined the relationships between cognitions and structural neuroimaging in a single cohort of low-vitamin B12 status.

A Rare Case of Painful Trigeminal Neuropathy Secondary to Lateral Medullary Infarct: Neuroimaging and Electrophysiological Studies.

Purpose: To report a rare case of painful trigeminal neuropathy after lateral medullary infarct and probe its underlying pathogenesis on the basis of neuroimaging and electrophysiological study.

Case Report: A 45-year-old man presented acute onset of unsteady gait followed by paroxysmal and electric shock-like headache in the distribution of ophthalmic branch of left trigeminal nerve in 2 days. Neurological examinations showed hypoesthesia in the distribution of mandibular branch of left trigeminal nerve and left appendicular ataxia.

The clinical utility of informants' appraisals on prospective and retrospective memory in patients with early Alzheimer's disease.

Increasing studies suggest the importance of including prospective memory measures in clinical evaluation of dementia due to its sensitivity and functional relevance. The Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRQM) is originally a self-rated memory inventory that offers a direct comparison between prospective and episodic memory. However, the informant's report has been recognized as a more valid source of cognitive complaints.

Prospective memory in subjective cognitive decline: a preliminary study on the role of early cognitive marker in dementia.

Accumulating evidence shows that subjective cognitive decline (SCD) without impairment on conventional neuropsychological tests may indicate increased risk for Alzheimer disease. Previous studies of mild cognitive impairment have demonstrated the potential role of prospective memory (PM) in the early detection of cognitive decline. We thus aimed to investigate the performance of people with SCD on PM tasks relative to their healthy controls (HCs).