A case of corticobasal syndrome possibly associated with anti-Yo antibodies.

Introduction: Corticobasal syndrome (CBS) is a rare form of atypical parkinsonism, most commonly caused by neurodegenerative disorders. Autoimmune underlying conditions are extremely rare, and anti-Yo antibody-associated CBS has not been reported yet.

Case Report: Herein, we describe a case of a 68-year-old woman presenting with progressive dysarthria, gait instability and difficulty using her left hand with subacute deterioration during the last 3 months.

Bridging the Gap: A Comparative Analysis of Healthcare Quality Perceptions Between the Older People and Healthcare Providers.

In our study aimed at improving the healthcare system for the aging population, we compared healthcare quality evaluations between 96 older individuals and 30 healthcare providers in Split-Dalmatia County (Croatia). Using nonparametric analyses such as the Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon tests on Likert scale questionnaire scores, we found most participants highlighted challenges such as healthcare affordability, long wait times, reliance on private care, poor public transportation, and insufficient rural healthcare services. Healthcare providers rated these quality indicators even more negatively.

Neurological Examination via Telemedicine: An Updated Review Focusing on Movement Disorders.

Patients with movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD) living in remote and underserved areas often have limited access to specialized healthcare, while the feasibility and reliability of the video-based examination remains unclear. The aim of this narrative review is to examine which parts of remote neurological assessment are feasible and reliable in movement disorders. Clinical studies have demonstrated that most parts of the video-based neurological examination are feasible, even in the absence of a third party, including stance and gait-if an assistive device is not required-bradykinesia, tremor, dystonia, some ocular mobility parts, coordination, and gross muscle power and sensation assessment.

Exploring the Genetic Landscape of Mild Behavioral Impairment as an Early Marker of Cognitive Decline: An Updated Review Focusing on Alzheimer's Disease.

The clinical features and pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) in dementia have been extensively studied. However, the genetic architecture and underlying neurobiological mechanisms of NPSs at preclinical stages of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD) remain largely unknown. Mild behavioral impairment (MBI) represents an at-risk state for incident cognitive impairment and is defined by the emergence of persistent NPSs among non-demented individuals in later life.

Perceptions of Patients, Caregivers, and Healthcare Professionals toward Telemedicine Use for Cognitive and Movement Disorders in the Aegean Islands, Greece: A Pilot Study of the SI4CARE European Project.

Background: Patients with neurodegenerative diseases who live in remote areas often have limited access to specialized healthcare, and telemedicine represents a useful solution. The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions toward the use of a specialized-tertiary telemedicine service of patients with cognitive and movement disorders, caregivers, and local healthcare professionals (HPs) in the Aegean Islands.

Methods: Data were derived from the "Specialized Outpatient Clinic of Memory, Dementia and Parkinson's disease through the National Telemedicine Network", March 2021-March 2023.

Outcomes in meningitis‑ventriculitis treated with intravenous or intrathecal plus intravenous colistin: A meta‑analysis.

The aim of the present meta-analysis was to provide further evidence on the management of bacterial ventriculitis or meningitis (BVM) and to compare the efficacy of intravenous (IV) or intravenous plus intrathecal (IV/ITH) treatment with colistin. The present meta-analysis included full-text articles published between 1980 and 2020 that compared outcomes in meningitis-ventriculitis treated with IV or IV/ITH colistin. The collected variables included the first author's name, country, study period covered, publication year, the total number of patients and follow-up, Glasgow Coma Scale score upon admission, treatment duration, Acute Physiological and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, the length of intensive unit (ICU) stay, treatment efficacy and mortality for both groups.

Exploring the Role of ACE2 as a Connecting Link between COVID-19 and Parkinson's Disease.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is frequently accompanied by neurological manifestations such as headache, delirium, and epileptic seizures, whereas ageusia and anosmia may appear before respiratory symptoms. Among the various neurological COVID-19-related comorbidities, Parkinson's disease (PD) has gained increasing attention. Some cases of PD disease have been linked to COVID-19, and both motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients frequently worsen following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

How Well Did the Healthcare System Respond to the Healthcare Needs of Older People with and without Dementia during the COVID-19 Pandemic? The Perception of Healthcare Providers and Older People from the SI4CARE Project in the ADRION Region.

One major challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic was the limited accessibility to healthcare facilities, especially for the older population. The aim of the current study was the exploration of the extent to which the healthcare systems responded to the healthcare needs of the older people with or without cognitive impairment and their caregivers in the Adrion/Ionian region. Data were collected through e-questionnaires regarding the adequacy of the healthcare system and were anonymously administered to older individuals and stakeholder providers in the following countries: Slovenia, Italy (Calabria), Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Montenegro, and Serbia.

How Telemedicine Can Improve the Quality of Care for Patients with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias? A Narrative Review.

: Dementia affects more than 55 million patients worldwide, with a significant societal, economic, and psychological impact. However, many patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other related dementias have limited access to effective and individualized treatment. Care provision for dementia is often unequal, fragmented, and inefficient.

Clinical differences between early-onset and mid-and-late-onset Parkinson's disease: Data analysis of the Hellenic Biobank of Parkinson's disease.

Background: Age at onset is one of the most critical factors contributing to the clinical heterogeneity of Parkinson's disease (PD), and available evidence is rather conflicting.

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical differences between early-onset PD (EOPD) and mid-and-late-onset PD (MLOPD) in the Greek population, based on the existing data of the Hellenic Biobank of PD (HBPD).

Methods: HBPD contains information of PD cases from two centers in Greece during 2006-2017.

Microcirculation-guided treatment improves tissue perfusion and hemodynamic coherence in surgical patients with septic shock.

Purpose: Severe sepsis and septic shock may impair microcirculatory perfusion and cause organ dysfunction. The aim of this pilot study was to assess a new microcirculation-guided resuscitation strategy in patients with septic shock undergoing emergency abdominal surgery.

Methods: A microcirculation-guided treatment algorithm was developed and applied intraoperatively following restoration of systemic hemodynamics.

Circulating suPAR associates with severity and in-hospital progression of COVID-19.

Background: COVID-19 disease progression is characterized by hyperinflammation and risk stratification may aid in early aggressive treatment and advanced planning. The aim of this study was to assess whether suPAR and other markers measured at hospital admission can predict the severity of COVID-19.

Methods: The primary outcome measure in this international, multi-centre, prospective, observational study with adult patients hospitalized primarily for COVID-19 was the association of WHO Clinical Progression Scale (WHO-CPS) with suPAR, ferritin, CRP, albumin, LDH, eGFR, age, procalcitonin, and interleukin-6.

α-Synuclein Induces the GSK-3-Mediated Phosphorylation and Degradation of NURR1 and Loss of Dopaminergic Hallmarks.

In Parkinson's disease, the dysfunction of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal tract involves the loss of function of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta followed by death of these neurons. The functional recovery of these neurons requires a deep knowledge of the molecules that maintain the dopaminergic phenotype during adulthood and the mechanisms that subvert their activity. Previous studies have shown that transcription factor NURR1, involved in differentiation and maintenance of the dopaminergic phenotype, is downregulated by α-synuclein (α-SYN).

B12 as a Treatment for Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: A Systematic Review.

Neuropathic pain describes a range of unpleasant sensations caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system. The sensations caused by neuropathic pain are debilitating and improved treatment regimens are sought in order to improve the quality of life of patients. One proposed treatment for neuropathic pain is vitamin B12, which is thought to alleviate pain by a number of mechanisms including promoting myelination, increasing nerve regeneration and decreasing ectopic nerve firing.

The relationship between environmental factors and different Parkinson's disease subtypes in Greece: Data analysis of the Hellenic Biobank of Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: The aim of this study is to investigate the association between environmental factors (smoking, coffee, pesticide exposure) and Parkinson's disease (PD) subtypes (early-onset, mid-and-late onset, familial and sporadic) in the Greek population.

Methods: The Hellenic Biobank of PD recorded information of PD cases and controls from two centers in Greece during 2006-2017. Patients with the A53T mutation in SNCA or GBA mutations were excluded.

The Association Between Obesity and Hostility: The Mediating Role of Plasma Lipids.

Objective: Recent research indicates an association between obesity and psychopathology status, the nature of which remains unclear. We evaluated the mediating role of biochemical disturbances in this association among a treatment-seeking sample of obese individuals.

Method: The study enrolled 143 consecutive overweight and obese individuals (mean age 35±9 y) and 143 normal-weight controls (mean age 34±9 y), matched by age and sex.

The Association between Obesity and Symptoms of Psychopathology and its Relationship with Sedentary Behavior and Mediterranean Diet.

Background: Recent research indicates an association between obesity and symptoms of psychopathology, the nature of which remains obscure. This study examined the confounding role of behavioral factors on this association.

Method: One hundred and forty-two overweight/obese subjects who sought treatment for obesity, of both genders (51 males and 91 females), 18 to 64 years old and 139 normal-weight controls of both genders (41 males and 98 females), 18 to 63 years old, were enrolled in this study.