Neurofilament Light Chain Levels Interact with Neurodegenerative Patterns and Motor Neuron Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Background And Purpose: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease involving rapid motor neuron degeneration leading to brain, primarily precentral, atrophy. Neurofilament light chains are a robust prognostic biomarker highly specific to ALS, yet associations between neurofilament light chains and MR imaging outcomes are not well-understood. We investigated the role of neurofilament light chains as mediators among neuroradiologic assessments, precentral neurodegeneration, and disability in ALS.

Risk factors associated with progression from papilloedema to optic atrophy: results from a cohort of 113 patients.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the risk factors for atrophic progression of patients with papilloedema secondary to intracranial hypertension, using optical coherence tomography parameters.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at Marseille University Hospitals' Ophthalmology departments between December 2015 and December 2021. All patients with papilloedema resulting from elevated intracranial hypertension at the initial presentation were included.

Visual function resists early neurodegeneration in the visual system in primary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Background: Neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS) affects the visual system but dynamics and pathomechanisms over several years especially in primary progressive MS (PPMS) are not fully understood.

Methods: We assessed longitudinal changes in visual function, retinal neurodegeneration using optical coherence tomography, MRI and serum NfL (sNfL) levels in a prospective PPMS cohort and matched healthy controls. We investigated the changes over time, correlations between outcomes and with loss of visual function.

Physical fitness moderates the association between brain network impairment and both motor function and cognition in progressive multiple sclerosis.

Background: Neurodegeneration leads to continuous accumulation of disability in progressive Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Exercise is considered to counteract disease progression, but little is known on the interaction between fitness, brain networks and disability in MS.

Objective: The aim of this study to explore functional and structural brain connectivity and the interaction between fitness and disability based on motor and cognitive functional outcomes in a secondary analysis of a randomised, 3-month, waiting group controlled arm ergometry intervention in progressive MS.

tDCS modulates effective connectivity during motor command following; a potential therapeutic target for disorders of consciousness.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is attracting increasing interest as a potential therapeutic route for unresponsive patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (PDOC). However, research to date has had mixed results. Here, we propose a new direction by directly addressing the mechanisms underlying lack of responsiveness in PDOC, and using these to define our targets and the success of our intervention in the healthy brain first.

Interlimb Transfer of Reach Adaptation Does Not Require an Intact Corpus Callosum: Evidence from Patients with Callosal Lesions and Agenesis.

Generalization of sensorimotor adaptation across limbs, known as interlimb transfer, is a well-demonstrated phenomenon in humans, yet the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. Theoretical models suggest that interlimb transfer is mediated by interhemispheric transfer of information via the corpus callosum. We thus hypothesized that lesions of the corpus callosum, especially to its midbody connecting motor, supplementary motor, and premotor areas of the two cerebral hemispheres, would impair interlimb transfer of sensorimotor adaptation.