Validation and convergent validity of the Boston cognitive assessment (BOCA) in an Italian population: a comparative study with the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) in Alzheimer's disease spectrum.

Background: The Boston Cognitive Assessment (BOCA) is a self-administered online test developed for cognitive screening and longitudinal monitoring of brain health in an aging population. The study aimed to validate BOCA in an Italian population and to investigate the convergent validity with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) in healthy ageing population and patients within the Alzheimer Disease spectrum.

Methods: BOCA was administered to 150 participants, including cognitively healthy controls (HC, n = 50), patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n = 50), and dementia (DEM, n = 50).

Sex Differences in the Severity and Progression of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms Across Different Dementia Types.

Background And Objectives: Dementia presents not only differing neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) across Alzheimer disease (AD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) but also subjective cognitive decline (SCD). This study examined sex-based variations in NPS severity and progression across these conditions.

Methods: We performed a longitudinal cohort study including 1,068 participants.

Defining the Role of Frailty in the Transition from Mild Cognitive Impairment to Dementia and in Dementia Progression.

Introduction: Neurodegenerative diseases are a growing concern in an aging global population. Frailty, often conceptualized as a state of diminished physiological reserve and increased susceptibility to stressors, emerges as a pivotal factor in this context. While frailty may be modified, it is essential to recognize its frequently irreversible nature, necessitating a careful approach when considering its role and influence in the progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia and within dementia progression.

Atypical brain FDG-PET patterns increase the risk of long-term cognitive and motor progression in Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: Brain hypometabolism patterns have been previously associated with cognitive decline in Parkinson's disease (PD). Our aim is to evaluate the impact of single-subject fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET brain hypometabolism on long-term cognitive and motor outcomes in PD.

Methods: Forty-nine non-demented PD patients with baseline brain FDG-PET data underwent an extensive clinical follow-up for 8 years.

Neurophysiological correlates of altered time awareness in Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia.

Background: Alterations in time awareness have been reported in dementia, particularly in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). However, the neurophysiological correlates underlying these alterations remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the neurophysiological correlates of altered time awareness in AD and FTD patients.

NF-κB/c-Rel DNA-binding is reduced in substantia nigra and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of Parkinson's disease patients.

Although Parkinson's disease (PD) key neuropathological hallmarks are well known, the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of the disease still need to be elucidated to identify innovative disease-modifying drugs and specific biomarkers. NF-κB transcription factors are involved in regulating several processes associated with neurodegeneration, such as neuroinflammation and cell death, that could be related to PD pathology. NF-κB/c-Rel deficient (c-rel) mice develop a progressive PD-like phenotype.

Correlation between brain glucose metabolism (F-FDG) and cerebral blood flow with amyloid tracers (F-Florbetapir) in clinical routine: Preliminary evidences.

Objective: This study compared the performance of F-Florbetapir PET/CT early acquisitions to F-FDG PET/CT.

Methods: We included 12 patients who underwent F-FDG PET/CT and a dual-time F-Florbetapir PET/CT (1-6 min early-scan and 50 min late-scan). PET/CT were analyzed visually by three nuclear medicine physicians with different experience using a four-point scale (0 = no reduction, 1 = slight, 2 = moderate, 3 = severe reduction) for F-Florbetapir early-phase and F-FDG images in 10 cortical regions (bilateral frontal, temporal, parietal, occipital, posterior cingulate/precuneus), and F-Florbetapir late-phase in the same cortical regions using a three-point scale (0 = normal, 1 = abnormal with minor plaques, 2 = abnormal with major plaques).

Diagnostic Accuracy of the Five-Word Test for Mild Cognitive Impairment Due to Alzheimer's Disease.

New diagnostic methods have been developed for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) with the primary purpose of intercepting the transition-phase (mild cognitive impairment, MCI) between normal aging and dementia. We aimed to explore whether the five-word test (FWT) and the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) are predictive for the early diagnosis of MCI due to AD (AD-MCI). We computed ROC analyses to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of MMSE and FWT in predicting abnormal CSF (t-Tau, p-Tau181, Aβ1−42) and amyloid-PET biomarkers.

Differences Between Plasma and Cerebrospinal Fluid p-tau181 and p-tau231 in Early Alzheimer's Disease.

Plasma phosphorylated tau species have been recently proposed as peripheral markers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. In this cross-sectional study including 91 subjects, plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) p-tau181 and p-tau231 levels were elevated in the early symptomatic stages of AD. Plasma p-tau231 and p-tau181 were strongly related to CSF phosphorylated tau, total tau and amyloid and exhibited a high accuracy-close to CSF p-tau231 and p-tau181-to identify AD already in the early stage of the disease.

Plasma Cystatin C Correlates with Plasma NfL Levels and Predicts Disease Progression in Parkinson's Disease.

Introduction: Previous studies reported increased plasma levels of cystatin C (Cys-C) in Parkinson's disease (PD) and claimed for a possible association with disease severity and progression. The aim of this study was to evaluate plasma Cys-C in PD and healthy controls (HC) and test its association with markers of peripheral inflammation, neurodegeneration, and clinical progression in a longitudinal study.

Methods: Plasma Cys-C, high-sensitive C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, and neurofilament light chain (NfL) were assessed at the baseline in 71 consecutive non-demented PD and 69 HC.

Plasma NfL, clinical subtypes and motor progression in Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels have been proposed as reliable biomarkers of neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD) but the relationship between plasma NfL, clinical subtypes of PD and motor progression is still debated.

Methods: plasma NfL concentration was measured in 45 healthy controls and consecutive 92 PD patients who underwent an extensive motor and non-motor assessment at baseline and after 2 years of follow-up. PD malignant phenotype was defined as the combination of at least two out of cognitive impairment, orthostatic hypotension and REM sleep behavior disorder.

TMS for staging and predicting functional decline in frontotemporal dementia.

Objective: To evaluate if transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) measures correlate with disease severity and predict functional decline in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) phenotypes.

Methods: Paired-pulse TMS was used to investigate the activity of different intracortical circuits in 171 FTD patients (122 bvFTD, 31 avPPA, 18 svPPA) and 74 healthy controls. Pearson's correlations were used to analyze the association between TMS measures and disease severity, while multiple regression analysis was used to identify the best clinical or neurophysiological measure to predict functional decline at 12 months.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation and amyloid markers in mild cognitive impairment: impact on diagnostic confidence and diagnostic accuracy.

Background: The development of diagnostic tools capable of accurately identifying the pathophysiology of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has become a crucial target considering the claim that disease-modifying treatments should be administered as early as possible in the disease course. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) protocols have demonstrated analytical validity in discriminating different forms of dementia; however, its value in daily clinical practice in MCI subjects is still unknown.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical value of TMS compared to amyloid markers on diagnostic confidence and accuracy in MCI subjects, considering clinicians' expertise.

Stimulation over the cerebellum with a regular figure-of-eight coil induces reduced motor cortex inhibition in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy.

Objective: To determine whether motor cortex inhibition by stimulation over the cerebellum with a figure-of eight coil (MISC8) may be reduced in patients with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP).

Methods: Paired pulse TMS was used to evaluate MISC8, in patients with different forms of parkinsonism and dementia. The primary outcome measures were sensitivity and specificity of motor cortex inhibition, derived from receiver operator curve analysis, in discriminating PSP from other neurodegenerative disorders.

Extrastriatal dopaminergic and serotonergic pathways in Parkinson's disease and in dementia with Lewy bodies: a I-FP-CIT SPECT study.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate extrastriatal dopaminergic and serotonergic pathways in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) using I-FP-CIT SPECT imaging.

Methods: The study groups comprised 56 PD patients without dementia, 41 DLB patients and 54 controls. Each patient underwent a standardized neurological examination and I-FP-CIT SPECT.

Incidence of frontotemporal lobar degeneration in Italy: The Salento-Brescia Registry study.

Objective: The goal of the present work, based on a collaborative research registry in Italy (the Salento-Brescia Registry), was to assess the incidence of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and to define the frequencies of different FTLD phenotypes in the general population.

Methods: The study was conducted from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2017, in 2 Italian provinces: Lecce (in Puglia) in the south (area 2,799.07 km, inhabitants 802,082) and Brescia (in Lombardy) in the north (area 4,785.

The impact of transcranial magnetic stimulation on diagnostic confidence in patients with Alzheimer disease.

Background: Cholinergic dysfunction is a key abnormality in Alzheimer disease (AD) that can be detected in vivo with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) protocols. Although TMS has clearly demonstrated analytical validity, its clinical utility is still debated. In the present study, we evaluated the incremental diagnostic value, expressed in terms of diagnostic confidence of Alzheimer disease (DCAD; range 0-100), of TMS measures in addition to the routine clinical diagnostic assessment in patients evaluated for cognitive impairment as compared with validated biomarkers of amyloidosis.

Diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment Due to Alzheimer's Disease with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.

Background: Considering the increasing evidence that disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD) must be administered early in the disease course, the development of diagnostic tools capable of accurately identifying AD at early disease stages has become a crucial target. In this view, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has become an effective tool to discriminate between different forms of neurodegenerative dementia.

Objective: To determine whether a TMS multi-paradigm approach can be used to correctly identify mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to AD (AD MCI).

Single-subject SPM FDG-PET patterns predict risk of dementia progression in Parkinson disease.

Objective: To evaluate the statistical parametric mapping (SPM) procedure for fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET imaging as a possible single-subject marker of progression to dementia in Parkinson disease (PD).

Methods: Fifty-four consecutive patients with PD without dementia (age at onset of 59.9 ± 10.

Natural history and predictors of survival in progressive supranuclear palsy.

Background: Progressive supranuclear palsy is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by high functional disability and rapidly progressive dependency. The predictors of survival are still unclear.

Methods: The predictors of survival were evaluated in a group of clinically diagnosed PSP patients, focusing primarily on extensive cognitive assessment.

Mendelian forms of disease and age at onset affect survival in frontotemporal dementia.

Objective: Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a common cause of young onset dementia. Very few reports on disease duration are currently available and predictors of survival are still undefined. The aim of the present study was to assess the natural history of FTD and to define predictors of survival.

Mild Cognitive Impairment and Progression to Dementia in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.

Background: Cognitive deficits are common in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), but their relevance and the progression to dementia are still poorly described. The recently revised criteria for PSP consider cognitive dysfunction in the diagnostic work-up.

Methods: The study retrospectively evaluated a series of 99 PSP patients with Richardson syndrome (PSP-RS), subgrouped according to cognitive and behavioural performances into PSP with normal cognition (PSP-NC), PSP with mild cognitive impairment (PSP-MCI), and PSP with dementia (PSP-D).

Altered brain metabolic connectivity at multiscale level in early Parkinson's disease.

To explore the effects of PD pathology on brain connectivity, we characterized with an emergent computational approach the brain metabolic connectome using [18F]FDG-PET in early idiopathic PD patients. We applied whole-brain and pathology-based connectivity analyses, using sparse-inverse covariance estimation in thirty-four cognitively normal PD cases and thirty-four age-matched healthy subjects for comparisons. Further, we assessed high-order resting state networks by interregional correlation analysis.

Vascular Risk Factors and Cognition in Parkinson's Disease.

Vascular risk factors have been associated with cognitive deficits and incident dementia in the general population, but their role on cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD) is still unclear. The present study addresses the single and cumulative effect of vascular risk factors on cognition in PD patients, taking clinical confounders into account. Standardized neuropsychological assessment was performed in 238 consecutive PD patients.

Cerebellar and Motor Cortical Transcranial Stimulation Decrease Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesias in Parkinson's Disease.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive technique for inducing prolonged functional changes in the human cerebral cortex. This simple and safe neurostimulation technique for modulating motor functions in Parkinson's disease could extend treatment option for patients with movement disorders. We assessed whether tDCS applied daily over the cerebellum (cerebellar tDCS) and motor cortex (M1-tDCS) improves motor and cognitive symptoms and levodopa-induced dyskinesias in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).