Bariatric surgery and dimethyl fumarate-induced lymphopenia in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Introduction: Lymphopenia is a known side effect of dimethyl fumarate (DMF), a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) for patients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). A body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m has been identified as a protective factor; however, no data are available on lymphopenia in pwMS undergoing to weight loss due to bariatric surgery.

Methods: We described two pwMS with history of bariatric surgery who started DMF as DMT.

Higher Health Service Costs Associated With Delayed Diagnosis of Functional Neurological Disorder.

Objective: Functional neurological disorder (FND) is frequently encountered in clinical practice but commonly misdiagnosed, which might lead to higher direct costs for the health care system. The investigators analyzed the direct costs associated with the diagnosis of FND compared with costs associated with other neurological conditions and explored possible cost trends related to the clinical and demographic features of FND.

Methods: Consecutive patients attending a general neurology clinic were recruited and underwent a structured assessment aimed to collect information pertaining to their demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as data regarding their prior diagnostic processes (e.

Relationship Between Orthostatic Hypotension and Cognitive Functions in Multiple System Atrophy: A Longitudinal Study.

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of orthostatic hypotension (OH) on cognitive functions in patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) followed over time. Thirty-two MSA patients were enrolled and underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological battery; at baseline (T) 15 out of 32 patients presented OH, assessed by means of orthostatic standing test. All patients underwent a follow-up (T) evaluation 12 months after baseline.

Posterior Cortical Atrophy phenotype in a GBA N370S mutation carrier: a case report.

Background: Glucocerebrosidase (GBA) heterozygous variants are the most important genetic risk factor for the development of alpha-synucleinopathies (i.e., Parkinson's disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies).

The role of disease duration and severity on novel clinical subtypes of Parkinson disease.

Introduction: One of the latest subtyping systems of Parkinson disease (PD) identifies motor severity, cognitive dysfunction, dysautonomia, and rapid eye movement behavior disorder as key features for phenotyping patients into three different subtypes (i.e., mild motor-predominant, diffuse-malignant and intermediate).

Subcortical atrophy and perfusion patterns in Parkinson disease and multiple system atrophy.

Background: The clinical differentiation between Parkinson disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) is difficult.

Objectives: Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is an advanced MRI technique that obviates the use of an exogenous contrast agent for the estimation of cerebral perfusion. We explored the value of ASL in combination with structural MRI for the differentiation between PD and MSA.

Exosome-associated miRNA profile as a prognostic tool for therapy response monitoring in multiple sclerosis patients.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune pathology leading to neurodegeneration. Because of the complexity and heterogenic etiology of this disease, diagnosis and treatment for individual patients are challenging. Exosome-associated microRNAs (miRNAs) have recently emerged as a new class of diagnostic biomarkers involved in both autoimmune and neurologic disorders.

Impairment of acquired color vision in multiple sclerosis: an early diagnostic sign linked to the greatness of disease.

Objective: To assess the type and degree of both red-green and blue-yellow color vision deficiencies of Calabrian males affected by multiple sclerosis.

Material: Eighty Calabrian male patients were enrolled (age range 18-70 years; mean age 40.6 ± 12.

Hepatic microabscesses during CMV reactivation in a multiple sclerosis patient after alemtuzumab treatment.

The anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody alemtuzumab is a highly active treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) causing rapid depletion of B and T lymphocytes with nadir one month after last infusion. Opportunistic Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections have been reported in MS patients treated with this drug. We report one patient who developed a CMV reactivation with hepatic involvement three weeks after the first cycle of alemtuzumab.

Serum IGF-1 is associated with cognitive functions in early, drug-naïve Parkinson's disease.

Objective: Cognitive deficits are common in Parkinson's disease (PD) since the early stages and many patients eventually develop dementia. Yet, occurrence of dementia in PD is unpredictable. Evidence supports the hypothesis that insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is involved in cognitive deficits.

Gender differences in non-motor symptoms in early Parkinson's disease: a 2-years follow-up study on previously untreated patients.

Background: We recently showed specific sex-related patterns of non motor symptoms (NMS) in early, drug-naïve PD patients. However, to date studies investigating gender-related effects of dopaminergic treatment on NMS in early PD are lacking.

Methods: In the present study, we first report a prospective assessment of gender-related differences in the spectrum of NMS before (baseline) and after starting dopaminergic therapy (2-year follow-up) in a large cohort of newly diagnosed PD patients.