Education Moderates the Association of Probable REM Sleep Behavior Disorder With Cognitive and Motor Impairments in Community-Dwelling Older People.

To investigate the relationship between probable rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (pRBD) and cognitive/motor impairments in a community-dwelling population and explore the moderating effects of education. In this cross-sectional study of the Beijing Longitudinal Study of Aging II (BLSA II), 4,477 subjects (≥55 years) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. pRBD was determined by the RBD Questionnaire-Hong Kong (RBDQ-HK).

Progressive supranuclear palsy presenting with hyperkinetic movement disorder and hemiplegic dystonia: a case report.

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a progressive neurodegenerative brain disease which has been rarely described in association with hyperkinetic symptoms. Here, we report a case of PSP that was presented with hyperkinetic movement disorder, hemiplegic dystonia, and other clinical features that overlap with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and corticobasal syndrome (CBS). A 63-year-old female presented to our hospital with a history of frontal lobe symptoms, impaired cognition, hyperkinetic movement disorders, dystonia, and frequent falls.

Alpha-synuclein oligomerization increases its effect on promoting NMDA receptor internalization.

The internalization of NMDA receptors (NMDARs) is promoted by monomeric α-synuclein (α-syn). Because of the pathogenic role of oligomeric α-syn, the effect of aggregated α-syn on this regulation deserves investigation. Several α-syn oligomers were prepared by incubating recombinant human α-syn in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), plasma of normal controls (NC) and patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).

Decreased Penetrance of Parkinson's Disease in Elderly Carriers of Glucocerebrosidase Gene L444P/R Mutations: A Community-Based 10-Year Longitudinal Study.

Background: Heterozygous mutations in the glucocerebrosidase gene (GBA) have been shown to be an important genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD) worldwide. However, the penetrance of GBA heterozygote for L444P, the common mutation for Asian population, is not known in older Chinese people.

Objectives: To assess the conversion rate to PD in identified carriers of GBA L444P/R mutations in Chinese community-dwelling older adults.

Quantitative evaluation of iron content in idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder.

Background: Idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder is an early sign of neurodegenerative disease. This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate iron content in idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder patients using quantitative susceptibility mapping and to examine the potential of this technique to identify the prodromal stage of α-synucleinopathies.

Methods: Twenty-five idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder patients, 32 Parkinson's disease patients, and 50 healthy controls underwent quantitative susceptibility mapping.

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease: White matter structural changes and mechanisms.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a heterogeneous cognitive disorder that is often comorbid with Parkinson's diseases (PD). The amnestic subtype of PD-MCI (PD-aMCI) has a higher risk to develop dementia. However, there is a lack of studies on the white matter (WM) structural changes of PD-aMCI.

The impact of long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and second-hand smoke on the onset of Parkinson disease: a review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Long-term exposure to particulate and gaseous air pollution (AP) may trigger the development of Parkinson disease (PD), but this association remains controversial. The relationship between second-hand smoke (SS) and PD risk is also inconclusive. We aimed to systematically review epidemiological studies investigating the association between these AP exposures and PD risk.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Does Not Improve the Sequence Effect in Freezing of Gait.

Introduction: The sequence effect (SE) is a reason contributing to freezing of gait (FOG) in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. There is no effective treatment for the SE. The objective of the current study is to investigate the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on the SE in PD patients with FOG.

Visual dysfunction in patients with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder.

Objective: Visual dysfunction is a common feature in α-synucleiopathies but rarely assessed in patients with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD). The current study is set to investigate the comprehensive visual function in iRBD as compared to patients of Parkinson's disease (PD) with RBD.

Methods: Eighty-three iRBD subjects diagnosed with polysomnograph (PSG), 52 early PD patients (Hoehn-Yahr stages<3) with RBD symptom prior to onset of motor symptoms and 79 healthy controls without RBD diagnosed based on RBD Questionnaire-Hong Kong (RBDQ-HK) were enrolled in this study.

Connectome-wide network analysis of white matter connectivity in Alzheimer's disease.

A multivariate analytical strategy may pinpoint the structural connectivity patterns associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology in connectome-wide association studies. Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data from 161 participants including subjects with healthy controls, AD, stable and converting mild cognitive impairment, were selected for group-wise comparisons. A multivariate distance matrix regression (MDMR) analysis was performed to detect abnormality in brain structural network along with disease progression.

Postural Tremor Is Associated with Gait and Balance Impairments in Community-Dwelling Older People.

Objectives: We sought to assess associations of postural tremor with gait and balance impairments among community-dwelling older people in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses.

Design: A prospective cohort study.

Setting: Communities in Beijing, China.

Prevalence of pre-diagnostic symptoms did not differ between LRRK2-related, GBA-related and idiopathic patients with Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: Glucocerebrosidase (GBA) mutations and leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) variants are the most common genetic risk factors for late-onset Parkinson's disease (PD). In this study, we aimed to investigate the differences in pre-diagnostic symptoms of PD associated with the variants.

Methods: The participants were recruited from 24 centers across China and genotyped for LRRK2 G2385R and R1628P variants and GBA L444P mutation.

Genetic analysis of LRRK2 in Parkinson's disease in Han Chinese population.

Mutations in Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are recognized as the most frequent genetic factors contributing to Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of our study was to explore LRRK2 variants in PD patients within the mainland Han Chinese population. The whole coding regions of LRRK2 from 296 PD patients were sequenced by targeted regions sequencing and exome sequencing.

Ganoderma lucidum extract ameliorates MPTP-induced parkinsonism and protects dopaminergic neurons from oxidative stress via regulating mitochondrial function, autophagy, and apoptosis.

Neuroprotection targeting mitochondrial dysfunction has been proposed as an important therapeutic strategy for Parkinson's disease. Ganoderma lucidum (GL) has emerged as a novel agent that protects neurons from oxidative stress. However, the detailed mechanisms underlying GL-induced neuroprotection have not been documented.

A novel p.L216I mutation in the glucocerebrosidase gene is associated with Parkinson's disease in Han Chinese patients.

Objectives: Pathogenic mutations in the glucocerebrosidase (GBA) gene are associated with Parkinson's disease (PD), of which L444P and N370S are the most frequently observed in patients with PD. The aim of this study was to systematically explore variations in the coding regions of GBA in Han Chinese patients with PD, as well as to expand the GBA mutation spectrum.

Material And Methods: A total of 213 Han Chinese patients with PD and 348 controls were enrolled in the study.

Progressive Changes in the Retinal Structure of Patients with Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Many optical coherence tomography (OCT) studies have reported alterations in the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in Parkinson's disease (PD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. However, whether retinal alterations are a biomarker for PD is still controversial.

Objective: To investigate potential correlations between PD and morphological changes in retina using OCT and to determine its usefulness as a biomarker of disease progression in PD.

Altered functional connectivity of the subthalamic nucleus during self-initiated movement in Parkinson's disease.

Background And Purpose: Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) have difficulty performing self-initiated movements. The neural mechanism of this deficiency remains unclear. In the present study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the functional connectivity of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) during self-initiated movement in patients with PD.

The cerebellum in dual-task performance in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) patients have difficulty in performing a dual-task. It has been suggested that the cerebellum is important in dual-tasking. We used functional MRI to investigate the role of the cerebellum in performing a dual motor and cognitive task in PD patients.

The underlying mechanism of prodromal PD: insights from the parasympathetic nervous system and the olfactory system.

Neurodegeneration of Parkinson's disease (PD) starts in an insidious manner, 30-50% of dopaminergic neurons have been lost in the substantia nigra before clinical diagnosis. Prodromal stage of the disease, during which the disease pathology has started but is insufficient to result in clinical manifestations, offers a valuable window for disease-modifying therapies. The most focused underlying mechanisms linking the pathological pattern and clinical characteristics of prodromal PD are the prion hypothesis of alpha-synuclein and the selective vulnerability of neurons.

The study of brain functional connectivity in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder primarily affecting the aging population. The neurophysiological mechanisms underlying parkinsonian symptoms remain unclear. PD affects extensive neural networks and a more thorough understanding of network disruption will help bridge the gap between known pathological changes and observed clinical presentations in PD.

Levodopa Effect on Basal Ganglia Motor Circuit in Parkinson's Disease.

Aims: To investigate the effects of levodopa on the basal ganglia motor circuit (BGMC) in Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods: Thirty PD patients with asymmetrical bradykinesia and 30 control subjects were scanned using resting-state functional MRI. Functional connectivity of the BGMC was measured and compared before and after levodopa administration in patients with PD.

Exploring the Effects of Genetic Variants on Clinical Profiles of Parkinson's Disease Assessed by the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale and the Hoehn-Yahr Stage.

Many genetic variants have been linked to familial or sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD), among which those identified in PARK16, BST1, SNCA, LRRK2, GBA and MAPT genes have been demonstrated to be the most common risk factors worldwide. Moreover, complex gene-gene and gene-environment interactions have been highlighted in PD pathogenesis. Compared to studies focusing on the predisposing effects of genes, there is a relative lack of research investigating how these genes and their interactions influence the clinical profiles of PD.

Functional Connectivity of Vim Nucleus in Tremor- and Akinetic-/Rigid-Dominant Parkinson's Disease.

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of the ventral intermediate nucleus of thalamus (Vim) in the tremor- and akinetic-/rigid-related networks in Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods: Tremor-dominant (TD) and akinetic-/rigid-dominant (ARD) PD patients were recruited and scanned by resting-state functional MRI. Functional connectivity from the Vim nucleus was analyzed.