Polygenic risk scores for nicotine use and family history of smoking are associated with smoking behaviour.

Introduction: Formal genetics studies show that smoking is influenced by genetic factors; exploring this on the molecular level can offer deeper insight into the etiology of smoking behaviours.

Methods: Summary statistics from the latest wave of the GWAS and Sequencing Consortium of Alcohol and Nicotine (GSCAN) were used to calculate polygenic risk scores (PRS) in a sample of ~2200 individuals who smoke/individuals who never smoked. The associations of smoking status with PRS for Smoking Initiation (i.

The Association of Plasma Leptin, Soluble Leptin Receptor and Total and High-Molecular Weight Adiponectin With the Risk of Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorders.

Background: Perioperative neurocognitive disorders (NCD) are poorly characterized in terms of their risk factor profiles. Leptin and adiponectin are adipose-tissue-derived hormones with a role in inflammation and atherosclerosis whose function in perioperative NCD is unclear. Here, we used a cohort of older adults to examine the association of preoperative plasma concentrations of these biomarkers with the risk of perioperative NCD.

Assessing the impact of sex on high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation´s clinical response in schizophrenia - results from a secondary analysis.

Background: The evidence for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to treat negative symptoms in schizophrenia (SCZ) is increasing, although variable response rates remain a challenge. Subject´s sex critically influences rTMS´ treatment outcomes. Females with major depressive disorder are more likely to respond to rTMS, while SCZ data is scarce.

Structural disconnectivity in postoperative delirium: A perioperative two-center cohort study in older patients.

Background: Structural disconnectivity was found to precede dementia. Global white matter abnormalities might also be associated with postoperative delirium (POD).

Methods: We recruited older patients (≥65 years) without dementia that were scheduled for major surgery.

Influence of a chronic beta-blocker therapy on perioperative opioid consumption - a post hoc secondary analysis.

Background: Beta-blocker (BB) therapy plays a central role in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. An increasing number of patients with cardiovascular diseases undergoe noncardiac surgery, where opioids are an integral part of the anesthesiological management. There is evidence to suggest that short-term intravenous BB therapy may influence perioperative opioid requirements due to an assumed cross-talk between G-protein coupled beta-adrenergic and opioid receptors.

An exploratory research report on brain mineralization in postoperative delirium and cognitive decline.

Delirium is a severe postoperative complication associated with poor overall and especially neurocognitive prognosis. Altered brain mineralization is found in neurodegenerative disorders but has not been studied in postoperative delirium and postoperative cognitive decline. We hypothesized that mineralization-related hypointensity in susceptibility-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (SWI) is associated with postoperative delirium and cognitive decline.

Cognitive reserve and the risk of postoperative neurocognitive disorders in older age.

Background: Postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) are postoperative neurocognitive disorders (PNDs) that frequently occur in the aftermath of a surgical intervention. Cognitive reserve (CR) is a concept posited to explain why cognitive health varies between individuals. On this qualitative understanding of cognitive health, factors like IQ, education level, and occupational complexity can affect the impact of neuropathological processes on cognitive outcomes.

Preoperative thalamus volume is not associated with preoperative cognitive impairment (preCI) or postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD).

A growing body of literature suggests the important role of the thalamus in cognition and neurodegenerative diseases. This study aims to elucidate whether the preoperative thalamic volume is associated with preoperative cognitive impairment (preCI) and whether it is predictive for postoperative cognitive dysfunction at 3 months (POCD). We enrolled 301 patients aged 65 or older and without signs of dementia who were undergoing elective surgery.

Metabolic syndrome and the risk of postoperative delirium and postoperative cognitive dysfunction: a multi-centre cohort study.

Background: Metabolic syndrome and its components are risk factors for cognitive impairment, but their contribution to perioperative neurocognitive disorders is unknown. We examined their associations with the risk of postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) in older patients.

Methods: In 765 male and female participants aged ≥65 years, we measured preoperative metabolic parameters and screened for POD for 7 days or until discharge.

Presurgical diffusion metrics of the thalamus and thalamic nuclei in postoperative delirium: A prospective two-centre cohort study in older patients.

Background: The thalamus seems to be important in the development of postoperative delirium (POD) as previously revealed by volumetric and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging. In this observational cohort study, we aimed to further investigate the impact of the microstructural integrity of the thalamus and thalamic nuclei on the incidence of POD by applying diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI).

Methods: Older patients without dementia (≥65 years) who were scheduled for major elective surgery received preoperative DKI at two study centres.

Association of cholinesterase activities and POD in older adult abdominal surgical patients.

Background: Postoperative delirium (POD) is a frequent complication after surgery. Older adult patients undergoing abdominal surgery are at higher risk for developing POD. Studies on the association of cholinesterase activities and POD are rare, but leading hypotheses implicate that the cholinergic pathway might play an important role in neuroinflammation and development of POD.

Presurgical Thalamus Volume in Postoperative Delirium: A Longitudinal Observational Cohort Study in Older Patients.

Background: Previous studies suggest a role of the thalamus in cognitive function, while others implicate it as a central effect site of anesthetics. Yet, its role in postoperative neurocognition in the aging brain remains uncertain. We used presurgical thalamic volume as a functional indicator and determined its association with postoperative delirium (POD).

Interleukin 8 in postoperative delirium - Preliminary findings from two studies.

Objective: Studies have suggested that inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of postoperative delirium, but previous results on the proinflammatory cytokine IL-8 in plasma are contradictory. Additionally, a significant fraction of IL-8 is bound to erythrocytes, but the relevance of whole blood IL-8 in delirium has not been studied. In this work, we analyzed the association of postoperative delirium with levels of unbound IL-8 in plasma and levels of IL-8 in whole blood in patients from two studies which were conducted in our department and have not been presented previously.

Functional Connectivity of the Supplementary and Presupplementary Motor Areas in Postoperative Transition Between Stages of Frailty.

Background: Frailty is a multietiological geriatric syndrome of run-down physical reserves with high vulnerability to stressors. Transitions between physical robustness and frailty often occur in the context of medical interventions. Studies suggest that neurological disorders contribute to faster progression of frailty.

Cortical thickness across the cingulate gyrus in schizophrenia and its association to illness duration and memory performance.

Schizophrenia has been associated with structural brain abnormalities and cognitive deficits that partly change during the course of illness. In the present study, cortical thickness in five subregions of the cingulate gyrus was assessed in 44 patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorder and 47 control persons and related to illness duration and memory capacities. In the patients group, cortical thickness was increased in the posterior part of the cingulate gyrus and related to illness duration whereas cortical thickness was decreased in anterior parts unrelated to illness duration.

Association between genetic variants of the cholinergic system and postoperative delirium and cognitive dysfunction in elderly patients.

Background: Postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) are frequent and serious complications after surgery. We aim to investigate the association between genetic variants in cholinergic candidate genes according to the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes - pathway: cholinergic neurotransmission with the development of POD or POCD in elderly patients.

Methods: This analysis is part of the European BioCog project ( www.

Perioperative Electroencephalogram Spectral Dynamics Related to Postoperative Delirium in Older Patients.

Background: Intraoperative electroencephalography (EEG) signatures related to the development of postoperative delirium (POD) in older patients are frequently studied. However, a broad analysis of the EEG dynamics including preoperative, postinduction, intraoperative and postoperative scenarios and its correlation to POD development is still lacking. We explored the relationship between perioperative EEG spectra-derived parameters and POD development, aiming to ascertain the diagnostic utility of these parameters to detect patients developing POD.

Effects of high-frequency prefrontal rTMS on heart frequency rates and blood pressure in schizophrenia.

Background: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a safe non-invasive neuromodulation technique used for the treatment of various neuropsychiatric disorders. The effect of rTMS applied to the cortex on autonomic functions has not been studied in detail in patient cohorts, yet patients who receive rTMS may have disease-associated impairments in the autonomic system and may receive medication that may pronounce autonomic dysfunctions.

Methods: Using data from the 'rTMS for the Treatment of Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia' (RESIS) trial we evaluated the effect of rTMS applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on autonomic nervous system-related parameters such as blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) in both reclining and standing postures from screening up to 105 days after intervention among patients with schizophrenia.

Contribution of IQ in young adulthood to the associations of education and occupation with cognitive ability in older age.

Background: Studies suggest that a higher education and occupation are each associated with a higher late-life cognitive ability, but their inter-relationships in their association with cognitive ability and the contribution of peak IQ in young adulthood ('pre-morbid IQ') often remain unclear.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of 623 participants aged ≥65 years of the BioCog study. Education was coded according to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED; range 1 to 6).

Preoperative medication use and development of postoperative delirium and cognitive dysfunction.

Postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative (neuro-)cognitive disorder (POCD) are frequent and serious complications after operations. We aim to investigate the association between pre-operative polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications and the development of POD/POCD in elderly patients. This investigation is part of the European BioCog project (www.

Neurocognitive disorders in the elderly: altered functional resting-state hyperconnectivities in postoperative delirium patients.

Postoperative delirium (POD) represents a confusional state during days/weeks after surgery and is particularly frequent in elderly patients. Hardly any fMRI studies were conducted to understand the underlying pathophysiology of POD patients. This prospective observational cohort study aims to examine changes of specific resting-state functional connectivity networks across different time points (pre- and 3-5 months postoperatively) in delirious patients compared to no-POD patients.