Serum neurofilament light at diagnosis: a prognostic indicator for accelerated disease progression in Parkinson's Disease.

Neurofilament light chain (NFL) is elevated in neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD). This study aimed to investigate serum NFL in newly diagnosed PD and its association with cognitive and motor decline over 10 years. Serum NFL levels were measured in PD patients and controls from the ParkWest study at diagnosis (baseline) and after 3 and 5 years.

European Academy of Neurology (EAN) guideline on the management of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in collaboration with European Reference Network for Neuromuscular Diseases (ERN EURO-NMD).

Background: This update of the guideline on the management of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was commissioned by the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) and prepared in collaboration with the European Reference Network for Neuromuscular Diseases (ERN EURO-NMD) and the support of the European Network for the Cure ALS (ENCALS) and the European Organization for Professionals and Patients with ALS (EUpALS).

Methods: Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology was used to assess the effectiveness of interventions for ALS. Two systematic reviewers from Cochrane Response supported the guideline panel.

Inflammatory Biomarkers in Newly Diagnosed Patients With Parkinson Disease and Related Neurodegenerative Disorders.

Background And Objectives: Neuroinflammation contributes to Parkinson disease (PD) pathology, and inflammatory biomarkers may aid in PD diagnosis. Proximity extension assay (PEA) technology is a promising method for multiplex analysis of inflammatory markers. Neuroinflammation also plays a role in related neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Alzheimer disease (AD).

Association of CSF Glucocerebrosidase Activity With the Risk of Incident Dementia in Patients With Parkinson Disease.

Background And Objectives: Variations in the glucocerebrosidase gene () are common risk factors for Parkinson disease (PD) and dementia in PD (PDD) and cause a reduction in the activity of the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GCase). It is anticipated that GCase dysfunction might contribute to a more malignant disease course and predict cognitive impairment in PD, although evidence is lacking. We aimed to discover whether CSF GCase activity is altered in newly diagnosed patients with PD and associated with future development of dementia.

Association of GBA Genotype With Motor and Functional Decline in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Parkinson Disease.

Objective: To establish the significance of glucocerebrosidase gene () carrier status on motor impairment in a large cohort of patients with incident Parkinson disease (PD).

Methods: Three European population-based studies followed 528 patients with PD from diagnosis. A total of 440 with genomic DNA from baseline were assessed for variants.

Genetic risk scores and hallucinations in patients with Parkinson disease.

Objective: We examine the hypothesized overlap of genetic architecture for Alzheimer disease (AD), schizophrenia (SZ), and Parkinson disease (PD) through the use of polygenic risk scores (PRSs) with the occurrence of hallucinations in PD.

Methods: We used 2 population-based studies (ParkWest, Norway, and Parkinson's Environment and Gene, USA) providing us with 399 patients with PD with European ancestry and a PD diagnosis after age 55 years to assess the associations between 4 PRSs and hallucinations after 5 years of mean disease duration. Based on the existing genome-wide association study of other large consortia, 4 PRSs were created: one each using AD, SZ, and PD cohorts and another PRS for height, which served as a negative control.

Orthostatic hypotension in Parkinson disease: A 7-year prospective population-based study.

Objective: To determine the frequency, evolution, and associated features of orthostatic hypotension (OH) over 7 years of prospective follow-up in a population-based, initially drug-naive Parkinson disease (PD) cohort.

Methods: We performed repeated lying and standing blood pressure measurements in 185 patients with newly diagnosed PD and 172 matched normal controls to determine the occurrence of (1) OH using consensus-based criteria and (2) clinically significant OH (mean arterial pressure in standing position ≤75 mm Hg). We applied generalized estimating equations models for correlated data to investigate associated features of these 2 outcomes in patients with PD.

Genetic risk of Parkinson disease and progression:: An analysis of 13 longitudinal cohorts.

Objective: To determine if any association between previously identified alleles that confer risk for Parkinson disease and variables measuring disease progression.

Methods: We evaluated the association between 31 risk variants and variables measuring disease progression. A total of 23,423 visits by 4,307 patients of European ancestry from 13 longitudinal cohorts in Europe, North America, and Australia were analyzed.

Natural course of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson disease: A 5-year population-based study.

Objective: To examine the incidence, progression, and reversion of mild cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson disease (PD-MCI) over 5 years.

Methods: A population-based cohort of patients with incident PD underwent repeated neuropsychological testing of attention, executive function, memory, and visuospatial abilities at baseline (n = 178), 1 year (n = 175), 3 years (n = 163), and 5 years (n = 150). Patients were classified as PD-MCI and diagnosed with dementia according to published criteria.

Changes in insomnia subtypes in early Parkinson disease.

Objective: To examine the development of factors associated with insomnia in a cohort of originally drug-naive patients with incident Parkinson disease (PD) during the first 5 years after diagnosis.

Methods: One hundred eighty-two drug-naive patients with PD derived from a population-based incident cohort and 202 control participants were assessed for insomnia before treatment initiation and were repeatedly examined after 1, 3, and 5 years. Insomnia was diagnosed according to the Stavanger Sleepiness Questionnaire.

Loss of independence in early Parkinson disease: A 5-year population-based incident cohort study.

Objective: To determine the risk, predictors, and prognosis of independence loss and institutionalization in patients with early Parkinson disease (PD).

Methods: We conducted a prospective population-based 5-year longitudinal study following 189 patients with incident PD and 174 controls matched for age, sex, and comorbidity. Health care status was assessed repeatedly with standardized interviews.

Development of excessive daytime sleepiness in early Parkinson disease.

Objective: To examine the frequency, development, and risk factors of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in a cohort of originally drug-naive patients with incident Parkinson disease (PD) during the first 5 years after diagnosis.

Methods: One hundred fifty-three drug-naive patients with early PD derived from a population-based incident cohort and 169 control participants were assessed for EDS and reevaluated after 1, 3, and 5 years on medication. EDS was diagnosed according to the Epworth Sleepiness Scale.

CSF Aβ42 predicts early-onset dementia in Parkinson disease.

Objective: To test in vivo the proposal from clinicopathologic studies that β-amyloid (Aβ) pathology shortens the time to dementia in Parkinson disease (PD), and to explore the utility of CSF Aβ and related measures as early prognostic biomarkers of dementia in an incident PD cohort.

Methods: We assessed a population-based incident cohort of 104 patients with PD who underwent lumbar puncture at diagnosis. We analyzed CSF concentrations of Aβ42, Aβ40, and Aβ38 using a multiplexed immunoassay with electrochemiluminescence (ECL) detection and levels of Aβ42, total tau, and phosphorylated tau using ELISA.