Predictors of Burden in Carers of Patients with Impulse Control Behaviors in Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Impulse control behaviors (ICBs) are problematic, reward-based behaviors, affecting 15% to 35% of patients with Parkinson's disease. Evidence exists of increased carer burden as a result of these behaviors; however, little is known about the variables mediating this effect and their management.

Objective: To identify factors predictive of carer burden in a cohort of patients with Parkinson's disease with ICBs to enable the development of targeted therapeutic interventions for carers.

Adverse sequelae of the COVID -19 pandemic on mental health services in Chile.

Objective: This study seeks to describe the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health services in Chile.

Methods: This study is part of ongoing multicountry research known as the Mental Health Care - Adverse Sequelae of COVID-19 study (or the MASC study) that includes seven countries. Chile is the only one in Latin America.

Interaction Between Race, Ethnicity, Severe Mental Illness, and Cardiovascular Disease.

Severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, affect ≈1% of the population who, as a group, experience significant disadvantage in terms of physical health and reduced life expectancy. In this review, we explore the interaction between race, ethnicity, severe mental illness, and cardiovascular disease, with a focus on cardiovascular care pathways. Finally, we discuss strategies to investigate and address disparities in cardiovascular care for patients with severe mental illness.

Pilot Study of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society-sponsored Non-motor Rating Scale (MDS-NMS).

Background: Non-motor symptoms (NMS) are integral to Parkinson's disease (PD) and have a detrimental effect on patients and their caregivers. Clinical quantification has been aided by the development of comprehensive assessments such as the Non-Motor Symptoms Questionnaire (NMSQuest) and Scale (NMSS). The NMSS has been widely used in clinical studies and trials; however, since its validation in 2007, our understanding of NMS has changed substantially.

Slower alpha rhythm associates with poorer seizure control in epilepsy.

Objective: Slowing and frontal spread of the alpha rhythm have been reported in multiple epilepsy syndromes. We investigated whether these phenomena are associated with seizure control.

Methods: We prospectively acquired resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG) in 63 patients with focal and idiopathic generalized epilepsy (FE and IGE) and 39 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects (HS).

Impaired synaptic function is linked to cognition in Parkinson's disease.

Objective: Cognitive impairment is frequent in Parkinson's disease, but the underlying mechanisms are insufficiently understood. Because cortical metabolism is reduced in Parkinson's disease and closely associated with cognitive impairment, and CSF amyloid- species are reduced and correlate with neuropsychological performance in Parkinson's disease, and amyloid- release to interstitial fluid may be related to synaptic activity; we hypothesize that synapse dysfunction links cortical hypometabolism, reduced CSF amyloid- and presynaptic deposits of -synuclein. We expect a correlation between hypometabolism, CSF amyloid-, and the synapse related-markers CSF neurogranin and -synuclein.

Parkinson's Impulse-Control Scale for the Severity Rating of Impulse-Control Behaviors in Parkinson's Disease: A Semistructured Clinical Assessment Tool.

Background: Impulse-control behaviors (ICBs) are increasingly recognized in Parkinson's disease (PD) as drug-related effects of dopaminergic mediation that occur in 15% to 35% of patients with PD. The authors describe the design and evaluation of a new, clinician-rated severity scale for the assessment of syndromal and subsyndromal forms of impulse-control disorders (ICDs), simple (punding) and complex (hobbyism) repetitive behaviors, and compulsive overuse of medication (dopamine dysregulation syndrome).

Methods: The Parkinson's Impulse-Control Scale (PICS), the first PD-specific, semistructured interview to cover the full range of PD-related ICBs, is described along with initial evidence on its clinimetric properties including interrater reliability, discriminant validity and sensitivity to change.

Alzheimer's disease: are blood and brain markers related? A systematic review.

Objective: Peripheral protein biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) may help identify novel treatment avenues by allowing early diagnosis, recruitment to clinical trials, and treatment initiation. The purpose of this review was to determine which proteins have been found to be differentially expressed in the AD brain and whether these proteins are also found within the blood of AD patients.

Methods: A two-stage approach was conducted.

Preferences of Young Adults With First-Episode Psychosis for Receiving Specialized Mental Health Services Using Technology: A Survey Study.

Background: Despite the potential and interest of using technology for delivering specialized psychiatric services to young adults, surprisingly limited attention has been paid to systematically assess their perspectives in this regard. For example, limited knowledge exists on the extent to which young people receiving specialized services for a first-episode psychosis (FEP) are receptive to using new technologies as part of mental health care, and to which types of technology-enabled mental health interventions they are amenable to.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess the interest of young adults with FEP in using technology to receive mental health information, services, and supports.