Hypothalamic volume is associated with age, sex and cognitive function across lifespan: a comparative analysis of two large population-based cohort studies.

Background: Emerging findings indicate that the hypothalamus, the body's principal homeostatic centre, plays a crucial role in modulating cognition, but comprehensive population-based studies are lacking.

Methods: We used cross-sectional data from the Rhineland Study (N = 5812, 55.2 ± 13.

Rare dysfunctional SCN2A variants are associated with malformation of cortical development.

Objective: SCN2A encodes the voltage-gated sodium (Na+) channel α subunit Na1.2, which is important for the generation and forward and back propagation of action potentials in neurons. Genetic variants in SCN2A are associated with a spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders.

Factors associated with placebo response rate in randomized controlled trials of antiseizure medications for focal epilepsy.

Objective: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are necessary to evaluate the efficacy of novel treatments for epilepsy. However, there have been concerning increases in the placebo responder rate over time. To understand these trends, we evaluated features associated with increased placebo responder rate.

Encouraging arm use in stroke survivors: the impact of smart reminders during a home-based intervention.

Background: Upper limb impairment post-stroke often leads to a predominant use of the less affected arm and consequent learned disuse of the affected side, hindering upper limb outcome. Wearable sensors such as accelerometers, combined with smart reminders (i.e.

Genetic variants in DDX53 contribute to autism spectrum disorder associated with the Xp22.11 locus.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibits an ∼4:1 male-to-female sex bias and is characterized by early-onset impairment of social/communication skills, restricted interests, and stereotyped behaviors. Disruption of the Xp22.11 locus has been associated with ASD in males.

Macromolecule Modelling for Improved Metabolite Quantification Using Short Echo Time Brain H-MRS at 3 T and 7 T: The PRaMM Model.

To improve reliability of metabolite quantification at both, 3 T and 7 T, we propose a novel parametrized macromolecules quantification model (PRaMM) for brain H MRS, in which the ratios of macromolecule peak intensities are used as soft constraints. Full- and metabolite-nulled spectra were acquired in three different brain regions with different ratios of grey and white matter from six healthy volunteers, at both 3 T and 7 T. Metabolite-nulled spectra were used to identify highly correlated macromolecular signal contributions and estimate the ratios of their intensities.

Psychosocial effects of a humanoid robot on informal caregivers of people with dementia: A randomised controlled trial with nested interviews.

Background: Dementia rates are rising globally, impacting healthcare systems and society. The care of people with dementia is largely provided by informal caregivers (e.g.

Clinical practice for migraine treatment and characteristics of medical facilities and physicians treating migraine: Insights from a retrospective cohort study using a Japanese claims database.

The real-world treatment patterns at medical facilities and their physicians' specialties treating migraine have not been fully investigated in Japan. Therefore, a retrospective cohort study aimed to describe real-world clinical practice and treatment patterns in Japanese patients with migraine according to medical facilities and physicians' specialties. Anonymized claims data of patients with migraine was obtained from JMDC Inc (January 2018-June 2023).

Comparison of outcomes between anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapies for intracranial arterial dissections.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate real-world data on the differences in outcomes between antiplatelet (AP) and anticoagulation (AC) therapies for intracranial arterial dissection (IAD).

Methods: This study included patients with symptomatic unruptured IAD between 2010 and 2021 that were treated with anti-thrombotics. Patients were dichotomized to AC and AP based on a treatment policy analysis.

Subject-Level Segmentation Precision Weights for Volumetric Studies Involving Label Fusion.

In neuroimaging research, volumetric data contribute valuable information for understanding brain changes during both healthy aging and pathological processes. Extracting these measures from images requires segmenting the regions of interest (ROIs), and many popular methods accomplish this by fusing labels from multiple expert-segmented images called atlases. However, post-segmentation, current practices typically treat each subject's measurement equally without incorporating any information about variation in their segmentation precision.

[Construction and external validation of a non-invasive pre-hospital screening model for stroke patients: a study based on artificial intelligence DeepFM algorithm].

Objective: To construct a non-invasive pre-hospital screening model and early based on artificial intelligence algorithms to provide the severity of stroke in patients, provide screening, guidance and early warning for stroke patients and their families, and provide data support for clinical decision-making.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted. The clinical information of stroke patients (n = 53 793) were extracted from the Yidu cloud big data server system of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University from January 1, 2001 to July 31, 2023.

Assessing the continuum of care in Sub-Saharan African hospitals performing surgery for breast cancer: a secondary analysis of the GlobalSurg 3 study.

Background: While breast cancer incidence rates in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are among the lowest worldwide, mortality rates remain among the highest, reflecting particularly poor survival. Only a few studies in SSA have investigated the capabilities of treatment services to adequately provide a continuum of care for breast cancer. Our aim was to assess the availability of diagnostic facilities and adjuvant therapies in hospitals performing breast cancer surgery in SSA.

Optical coherence tomography in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis: cross-sectional and longitudinal exploratory analysis from the MS-SMART randomised controlled trial.

Background: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) inner retinal metrics reflect neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS). We explored OCT measures as biomarkers of disease severity in secondary progressive MS (SPMS).

Methods: We investigated people with SPMS from the Multiple Sclerosis-Secondary Progressive Multi-Arm Randomisation Trial OCT substudy, analysing brain MRIs, clinical assessments and OCT at baseline and 96 weeks.

Age effect in Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis in the CREST and ACT 1 Stenting versus Endarterectomy Trials.

Objective: We assessed if age was an effect modifier in a pooled analysis of two randomized trials comparing CAS and CEA in asymptomatic patients, CREST and ACT I.

Methods: We analyzed data from 2544 patients aged <80 with ≥70% asymptomatic carotid stenosis randomized to CAS or CEA (n=1091; n=1453) who were recruited between 2000 and 2013. Age was considered in four strata (<65, 65-69, 70-74 and 75-79).

Is the Otolithic Function Affected in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome?

Background:  While cardiovascular and neurological diseases induced by obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) hypoxia are well established, the association between neuro-otological diseases and OSAS is not entirely understood. Vestibular and audiological tests have been used to evaluate the degeneration of neurons in the brainstem caused by recurrent hypoxia.

Purpose:  Evaluation of the vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) test findings applied to detect the possible influence on the vestibular reflex arc due to hypoxia in patients diagnosed with OSAS using Activity-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) scales determination of scores.

Statins' effect on quality of life and functioning in older stroke patients: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Limited evidence exists on the efficacy and safety of statins in older ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack patients, particularly in frail individuals. Studies often exclude frail patients, limiting insights on optimal treatments for the entire older population. This review aims to evaluate the effect of statins for secondary prevention on quality of life and functioning in older patients following an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack, as these outcomes are aligned with the treatment goals of this patient population.

GLP-1R gene polymorphisms and metabolic traits during childhood and adolescence: The EPOCH study.

Aims/hypothesis: This is the first study to examine the association between variants of the glucagon-like-peptide-1 receptor gene (GLP-1R) and metabolic characteristics among youth. We explored separate associations of three GLP-1R polymorphisms (rs10305420, rs6923761, and rs1042044) with BMI trajectories and markers of glucose-insulin homeostasis.

Methods: Mixed models examined associations between GLP-1R polymorphisms and trajectories of BMI.

Advancements in Immunity and Dementia Research: Highlights from the 2023 AAIC Advancements: Immunity Conference.

The immune system is a key player in the onset and progression of neurodegenerative disorders. While brain resident immune cell-mediated neuroinflammation and peripheral immune cell (eg, T cell) infiltration into the brain have been shown to significantly contribute to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology, the nature and extent of immune responses in the brain in the context of AD and related dementias (ADRD) remain unclear. Furthermore, the roles of the peripheral immune system in driving ADRD pathology remain incompletely elucidated.

A Machine Learning Model to Harmonize Volumetric Brain MRI Data for Quantitative Neuroradiological Assessment of Alzheimer Disease.

Purpose To extend a previously developed machine learning algorithm for harmonizing brain volumetric data of individuals undergoing neuroradiological assessment of Alzheimer disease not encountered during model training. Materials and Methods Neuroharmony is a recently developed method that uses image quality metrics (IQM) as predictors to remove scanner-related effects in brain-volumetric data using random forest regression. To account for the interactions between Alzheimer disease pathology and IQM during harmonization, the authors developed a multiclass extension of Neuroharmony for individuals with and without cognitive impairment.

Long-term risk and characteristics of cerebrovascular events after upper body radiotherapy among childhood cancer survivors in the DCCSS-LATER cohort.

Cerebrovascular events (CVEs) are serious late adverse events among childhood cancer survivors. We estimated the incidence and risk factors of symptomatic CVEs and described the clinical characteristics among childhood cancer survivors after upper body radiotherapy. The Dutch Childhood Cancer Survivor Study LATER cohort study includes 5-year childhood cancer survivors diagnosed View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Peritraumatic C-reactive protein levels predict pain outcomes following traumatic stress exposure in a sex-dependent manner.

Background: Chronic pain following traumatic stress exposure (TSE) is common. Increasing evidence suggests inflammatory/immune mechanisms are induced by TSE, play a key role in the recovery process versus development of post-TSE chronic pain, and are sex specific. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) is associated with chronic pain after TSE in a sex-specific manner.

Association of blood cadmium and physical activity with mortality: A prospective cohort study.

Physical activity (PA) may be considered an alternative method to ameliorate the elevated mortality risks associated with cadmium exposure. In this prospective cohort study, a total of 20,253 participants (weighted mean age, 47.79 years), including 10,247 men (weighted prevalence: 50.

Toward clearer recognition and easier usefulness: development of a cross-lingual atherosclerotic cerebrovascular disease ontology.

Atherosclerotic cerebrovascular disease could result in a great number of deaths and disabilities. However, it did not acquire enough attention. Less information, statistics, or data on the disease has been revealed.

Participatory Development of an International Information Brochure on the Multimodal Assessment of Disorders of Consciousness.

Background: Disorders of consciousness (DoC) refers to a group of clinical conditions of altered consciousness. To improve their diagnosis and prognosis, multimodal assessment can be of great importance. Informal caregivers of people with DoC who are confronted with new technologies as such can benefit from interventions to expand their health literacy, i.

Addressing the challenges of integrating digital health technologies to measure patient-centred outcomes in clinical registries.

Longitudinal patient registries generate important evidence for advancing clinical care and the regulatory evaluation of health-care products. Most national registries rely on data collected as part of routine clinical encounters, an approach that does not capture real-world, patient-centred outcomes, such as physical activity, fatigue, ability to do daily tasks, and other indicators of quality of life. Digital health technologies that obtain such real-world data could greatly enhance patient registries but unresolved challenges have so far prevented their broad adoption.