Switching from ligand to receptor anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antibodies or vice versa in non-responders: A controlled cohort study
Limited options exist for migraine prevention after stopping anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies. A systematic review examining the benefits of switching between different classes (ligand vs. receptor monoclonal antibody) is essential, alongside well-designed real-world studies.
Atrial fibrillation in young stroke patients: Associated factors and outcomes in a nationwide analysis
Knowledge about the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in young stroke patients, as well as its associated factors and outcomes, is scarce. Our objective was to analyse it.
Expert opinions on pharmacological symptomatic treatment of behavioral symptoms in frontotemporal dementia: A survey of the Neuropsychiatric International Consortium on Frontotemporal Dementia (NIC-FTD)
Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is essentially characterized by progressive changes in personality and cognition. Clinically, bvFTD presents with often profound behavioral symptomatology. Despite the high burden of these symptoms for both patients and caregivers, there is no general consensus on an effective pharmacological symptomatic treatment. Interestingly, for multiple similar symptoms in primary psychiatric disorders, there is consensus on an effective pharmacological treatment. The aim of this study is to explore currently preferred clinical practices in the pharmacological treatment of specific core behavioral symptoms in bvFTD by world-leading clinical experts.
Enhancing multisensory rehabilitation of visual field defects with transcranial direct current stimulation: A randomized clinical trial
Visual rehabilitation is necessary for improving the quality of life of patients with acquired homonymous visual field defects (HVFDs). By modulating brain excitability and plasticity, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may accelerate and increase the effects of compensatory trainings, which are usually long and intensive. In the present proof-of-principle, double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled study, we assess whether anodal tDCS applied over ipsilesional occipital or parietal cortices can increase the effects of a compensatory audiovisual training for HVFDs.
Quantitative muscle MRI combined with AI-based segmentation as a follow-up biomarker for ATTRv patients: A longitudinal pilot study
Intramuscular fat fraction (FF), assessed using quantitative MRI (qMRI), has emerged as a promising biomarker for hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv) patients. Currently, the main drawbacks to its use in future therapeutic trials are its sensitivity to change over a short period of time and the time-consuming manual segmentation step to extract quantitative data. This pilot study aimed to demonstrate the suitability of an Artificial Intelligence-based (AI) segmentation technique to assess disease progression in a real-life cohort of ATTRv patients over 1 year.
Sex-related differences in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A 2-[F]FDG-PET study
We investigated sex-related brain metabolic differences in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and healthy controls (HC).
Persistent symptoms, exacerbations and drug side effects despite treatment in myasthenia gravis
Generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) is characterized by fluctuating muscle weakness. Exacerbation frequency, adverse events (AEs) related to immunosuppressant therapy and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) are not well understood. Our study aimed to describe long-term clinical outcomes, drug-related AEs and estimated HCRU in gMG patients.
Neglected outcomes of cerebrovascular disorders in neuromuscular diseases
Levodopa-entacapone-carbidopa intestinal gel: Data from the Swedish national registry for Parkinson's disease
Levodopa-entacapone-carbidopa intestinal gel (LECIG) was introduced on the Swedish market in 2019. The therapy is aimed at patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) with fluctuations and dyskinesias. Long-term efficacy and safety data are lacking.
Dysphagia increases the risk of post-stroke fatigue
Post-stroke dysphagia is known to have a pronounced effect on mortality and quality of life of stroke patients. Here, we investigate whether this extends to post-stroke fatigue, a major contributor to morbidity after ischemic stroke.
A common marker of affect recognition dysfunction in the FTD spectrum of disorders
Poor affect recognition is an early sign of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Here, we applied the abbreviated version of the Comprehensive Affect Testing System (CATS-A) battery to Italian FTD cases and healthy controls (HC) to provide cut-offs of emotional dysfunction in the whole group and in different FTD clinical syndromes.
Croplands proximity is associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis incidence and age at onset
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease resulting from an intricate interplay between genetics and environmental factors. Many studies have explored living in rural areas as a possible risk factor for ALS, without focusing simultaneously on incidence, age at onset and phenotypic features.
Determinants of long-term disability in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy: A multicenter Korea/UK study of 144 patients
Despite standard-of-care treatment, therapeutic outcomes in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) are often incomplete. We aimed to evaluate the impact of clinical and therapeutic factors on long-term disability in CIDP, from cohorts from Korea and the UK.
Real-life experience with disease-modifying drugs in hereditary transthyretin amyloid polyneuropathy: A clinical and electrophysiological appraisal
New treatments have dramatically improved the prognosis for Hereditary Transthyretin Amyloid Polyneuropathy (ATTRv-PN). However, there is a lack of routine follow-up studies outside of therapeutic trials. Our aim was to report the long-term clinical and electrophysiological evolution of a cohort of ATTRv-PN patients and to determine which biomarkers are most sensitive to change.
Prolonged venous transit is associated with lower odds of excellent recovery after reperfusion in anterior large-vessel occlusion stroke
Acute ischemic stroke due to anterior circulation large-vessel occlusion (AIS-LVO) remains a leading cause of disability despite successful reperfusion therapies. Prolonged venous transit (PVT) has emerged as a potential prognostic imaging biomarker in AIS-LVO. We aimed to investigate whether PVT is associated with a decreased likelihood of excellent functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score of 0-1 at 90 days) after successful reperfusion.
The influence of menopause on multiple sclerosis
One third of the multiple sclerosis (MS) population consists of peri- or postmenopausal women. Many symptoms of menopause overlap those of MS. Some studies show increased speed of disability progression after menopause, while others indicate an unaltered trajectory.
Connectivity-based striatal subregion microstructural changes in sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients: Relation to motor disability, cognitive deficits, and serum biomarkers
To date, no previous studies have used multishell diffusion MRI to identify striatal microstructural damage in vivo in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. Thus, in the present study, we aimed to comprehensively explore connectivity-based selective striatal subregion microstructural damage in sporadic ALS patients and its associations with motor disability, cognitive deficits, and serum biomarkers.
The rise and fall of Queckenstedt's test between 1916 and 1970, a milestone in spinal cord diagnostics and why it matters
In 1916, Hans H. G. Queckenstedt (1876-1918) was the first to describe a test aimed at detecting spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) space obstruction through lumbar CSF pressure measurements in paraplegic patients. For this test, bilateral jugular vein compression was applied during lumbar puncture and consecutive changes in lumbar CSF pressure were then observed. Findings were rated as normal, or indicative of incomplete or complete spinal block. This test, known as Queckenstedt's test, became widely adopted and further developed in the field.
Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathies (CIDP) with monotruncular onset: Frequency, clinical features, electrophysiology, and evolution
Multifocal chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is the most frequent variant of CIDP. It is characterized by asymmetric multifocal sensory and motor impairments. Few cases with monotruncular onset have been described. The aim of the study was to characterize the clinical, electrophysiological, and radiological features of these monotruncular-onset CIDP cases.
Autoimmune screening panel in patients with multiple sclerosis: A Vienna multiple sclerosis database study
Autoimmune screening panels (ASPs) are often ordered as a part of the diagnostic workup in people with suspected multiple sclerosis (MS). However, data on the significance of ASP seropositivity in MS are scarce. This study aimed to investigate whether routine implementation of ASPs is viable in MS diagnostic workup.
Spontaneous intracranial hypotension - Neurological symptoms, diagnosis, and outcome
Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is a rare secondary headache disorder caused by spinal leakage of cerebrospinal fluid. Specialized treatment of SIH consists of epidural blood patches (EBPs), fibrin patching, endovascular sealing, and surgery. The aim of this paper was to characterize SIH patients identified at a tertiary headache center.