Trial of Deferiprone in Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Iron content is increased in the substantia nigra of persons with Parkinson's disease and may contribute to the pathophysiology of the disorder. Early research suggests that the iron chelator deferiprone can reduce nigrostriatal iron content in persons with Parkinson's disease, but its effects on disease progression are unclear. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, phase 2, randomized, double-blind trial involving participants with newly diagnosed Parkinson's disease who had never received levodopa. Participants were assigned (in a 1:1 ratio) to receive oral deferiprone at a dose of 15 mg per kilogram of body weight twice daily or matched placebo for 36 weeks. Dopaminergic therapy was withheld unless deemed necessary for symptom control. The primary outcome was the change in the total score on the Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS; range, 0 to 260, with higher scores indicating more severe impairment) at 36 weeks. Secondary and exploratory clinical outcomes at up to 40 weeks included measures of motor and nonmotor disability. Brain iron content measured with the use of magnetic resonance imaging was also an exploratory outcome. RESULTS: A total of 372 participants were enrolled; 186 were assigned to receive deferiprone and 186 to receive placebo. Progression of symptoms led to the initiation of dopaminergic therapy in 22.0% of the participants in the deferiprone group and 2.7% of those in the placebo group. The mean MDS-UPDRS total score at baseline was 34.3 in the deferiprone group and 33.2 in the placebo group and increased (worsened) by 15.6 points and 6.3 points, respectively (difference, 9.3 points; 95% confidence interval, 6.3 to 12.2; P<0.001). Nigrostriatal iron content decreased more in the deferiprone group than in the placebo group. The main serious adverse events with deferiprone were agranulocytosis in 2 participants and neutropenia in 3 participants. CONCLUSIONS: In participants with early Parkinson's disease who had never received levodopa and in whom treatment with dopaminergic medications was not planned, deferiprone was associated with worse scores in measures of parkinsonism than those with placebo over a period of 36 weeks. (Funded by the European Union Horizon 2020 program; FAIRPARK-II ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02655315.).

Motivational and cognitive predictors of apathy after subthalamic nucleus stimulation in Parkinson's disease.

Postoperative apathy is a frequent symptom in Parkinson's disease patients who have undergone bilateral deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus. Two main hypotheses for postoperative apathy have been suggested: (i) dopaminergic withdrawal syndrome relative to postoperative dopaminergic drug tapering; and (ii) direct effect of chronic stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus. The primary objective of our study was to describe preoperative and 1-year postoperative apathy in Parkinson's disease patients who underwent chronic bilateral deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus. We also aimed to identify factors associated with 1-year postoperative apathy considering: (i) preoperative clinical phenotype; (ii) dopaminergic drug management; and (iii) volume of tissue activated within the subthalamic nucleus and the surrounding structures. We investigated a prospective clinical cohort of 367 patients before and 1 year after chronic bilateral deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus. We assessed apathy using the Lille Apathy Rating Scale and carried out a systematic evaluation of motor, cognitive and behavioural signs. We modelled the volume of tissue activated in 161 patients using the Lead-DBS toolbox and analysed overlaps within motor, cognitive and limbic parts of the subthalamic nucleus. Of the 367 patients, 94 (25.6%) exhibited 1-year postoperative apathy: 67 (18.2%) with 'de novo apathy' and 27 (7.4%) with 'sustained apathy'. We observed disappearance of preoperative apathy in 22 (6.0%) patients, who were classified as having 'reversed apathy'. Lastly, 251 (68.4%) patients had neither preoperative nor postoperative apathy and were classified as having 'no apathy'. We identified preoperative apathy score [odds ratio (OR) 1.16; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10, 1.22; P < 0.001], preoperative episodic memory free recall score (OR 0.93; 95% CI 0.88, 0.97; P = 0.003) and 1-year postoperative motor responsiveness (OR 0.98; 95% CI 0.96, 0.99; P = 0.009) as the main factors associated with postoperative apathy. We showed that neither dopaminergic dose reduction nor subthalamic stimulation were associated with postoperative apathy. Patients with 'sustained apathy' had poorer preoperative fronto-striatal cognitive status and a higher preoperative action initiation apathy subscore. In these patients, apathy score and cognitive status worsened postoperatively despite significantly lower reduction in dopamine agonists (P = 0.023), suggesting cognitive dopa-resistant apathy. Patients with 'reversed apathy' benefited from the psychostimulant effect of chronic stimulation of the limbic part of the left subthalamic nucleus (P = 0.043), suggesting motivational apathy. Our results highlight the need for careful preoperative assessment of motivational and cognitive components of apathy as well as executive functions in order to better prevent or manage postoperative apathy.

Caffeine consumption outcomes on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis disease progression and cognition.

Caffeine consumption outcomes on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) including progression, survival and cognition remain poorly defined and may depend on its metabolization influenced by genetic variants. 378 ALS patients with a precise evaluation of their regular caffeine consumption were monitored as part of a prospective multicenter study. Demographic, clinical characteristics, functional disability as measured with revised ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R), cognitive deficits measured using Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS), survival and riluzole treatment were recorded. 282 patients were genotyped for six single nucleotide polymorphisms tagging different genes involved in caffeine intake and/or metabolism: CYP1A1 (rs2472297), CYP1A2 (rs762551), AHR (rs4410790), POR (rs17685), XDH (rs206860) and ADORA2A (rs5751876) genes. Association between caffeine consumption and ALSFRS-R, ALSFRS-R rate, ECAS and survival were statistically analyzed to determine the outcome of regular caffeine consumption on ALS disease progression and cognition. No association was observed between caffeine consumption and survival (p = 0.25), functional disability (ALSFRS-R; p = 0.27) or progression of ALS (p = 0.076). However, a significant association was found with higher caffeine consumption and better cognitive performance on ECAS scores in patients carrying the C/T and T/T genotypes at rs2472297 (p-het = 0.004). Our results support the safety of regular caffeine consumption on ALS disease progression and survival and also show its beneficial impact on cognitive performance in patients carrying the minor allele T of rs2472297, considered as fast metabolizers, that would set the ground for a new pharmacogenetic therapeutic strategy.

ON/OFF non-motor evaluation: a new way to evaluate non-motor fluctuations in Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: NMF are currently poorly evaluated in therapeutic decisions. A quantification of their severity would facilitate their integration. The objective of this study was to validate an autoquestionnaire evaluating the severity of non-motor fluctuations (NMF) in Parkinson's disease (PD). METHODS: Patients with PD were included in presurgical situation for deep brain stimulation of subthalamic nuclei. They participated in the PREDISTIM cohort (a study evaluating the predictive factors for therapeutic response of subthalamic stimulation in PD) in 17 centres in France. Our questionnaire, resulting from previous phases of development, included 11 non-motor symptoms (NMS). Their severity ranged from 0 to 10 and was assessed in OFF and then ON-Dopa to study their fluctuations. RESULTS: 310 patients were included, of whom 98.8% had NMS and 98.0% had NMF. Each NMS was significantly improved by L-Dopa (decrease in severity score ranging from 43.1% to 69.9%). Fatigue was the most frequent and most severe NMS. NMS were considered more bothersome than motor symptoms by 37.5% of patients in OFF-Dopa and 34.9% in ON-Dopa. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first questionnaire allowing a real-time quantification of the severity of NMS and their fluctuation with levodopa. It was able to confirm and measure the effect of L-dopa and show differences according to the patients and the NMS. It differs from other questionnaires by its measurement at a precise moment of the severity of the NMS, allowing its use during pretherapeutic assessments.Our questionnaire has been validated to measure the severity of NMF. It will be able to quantify the non-motor effect of anti-parkinsonian treatments and could facilitate the integration of NMF in therapeutic decisions.

Impact of breast cancer care pathways and related symptoms on the return-to-work process: results from a population-based French cohort study (CONSTANCES).

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) treatments and related symptoms may affect return to work (RTW). The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of BC care pathways (timing and sequence of treatments) and related symptoms on RTW. METHODS: The study population included working-age women with BC who were enrolled in the French CONSTANCES cohort from 2012 to 2018. BC treatments, antidepressant/anxiolytic and antalgic drug deliveries (used as proxies of depression and pain, respectively) and statutory sick pay (used to estimate RTW and time to RTW) were assessed monthly using data from the French national healthcare system database. BC care pathways were identified with the sequence analysis method. Cox models with time-dependent covariates were used to investigate the impact of BC care pathways and related symptoms on RTW and time to RTW, after adjusting for age and socioeconomic characteristics. RESULTS: 73.2% (231/303) of women returned to work within 2 years after BC diagnosis. Five BC care pathway patterns were identified: (i) BC surgery only, (ii) BC surgery and radiotherapy, (iii) BC surgery and chemotherapy, (iv) BC surgery and chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and (v) BC surgery and long-term alternative chemotherapy/radiotherapy. The hazards ratios of non-RTW were significantly higher for women who received BC surgery and long-term alternative chemotherapy/radiotherapy and for > 55-year-old women. Time to RTW was significantly longer in women who received chemotherapy (patterns iii to v) and in women with antidepressant/anxiolytic and antalgic drug deliveries. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the value of considering the dynamic, cumulative and temporal features of BC care pathways and related symptoms to facilitate the RTW of women with BC.

Retrotransposon insertion as a novel mutational cause of spinal muscular atrophy.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive neuromuscular disorder resulting from biallelic alterations of the SMN1 gene: deletion, gene conversion or, in rare cases, intragenic variants. The disease severity is mainly influenced by the copy number of SMN2, a nearly identical gene, which produces only low amounts of full-length (FL) mRNA. Here we describe the first example of retrotransposon insertion as a pathogenic SMN1 mutational event. The 50-year-old patient is clinically affected by SMA type III with a diagnostic odyssey spanning nearly 30 years. Despite a mild disease course, he carries a single SMN2 copy. Using Exome Sequencing and Sanger sequencing, we characterized a SINE-VNTR-Alu (SVA) type F retrotransposon inserted in SMN1 intron 7. Using RT-PCR and RNASeq experiments on lymphoblastoid cell lines, we documented the dramatic decrease of FL transcript production in the patient compared to subjects with the same SMN1 and SMN2 copy number, thus validating the pathogenicity of this SVA insertion. We described the mutant FL-SMN1-SVA transcript characterized by exon extension and showed that it is subject to degradation by nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. The stability of the SMN-SVA protein may explain the mild course of the disease. This observation exemplifies the role of retrotransposons in human genetic disorders.

Limbic Stimulation Drives Mania in STN-DBS in Parkinson Disease: A Prospective Study.

In this one-year prospective study, Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with or without mania following STN-DBS were compared to investigate risk and etiological factors, clinical management and consequences. Eighteen (16.2%) out of 111 consecutive PD patients developed mania, of whom 17 were males. No preoperative risk factor was identified. Postoperative mania was related to ventral limbic subthalamic stimulation in 15 (83%) patients, and resolved as stimulation was relocated to the sensorimotor STN, besides discontinuation or reduction of dopamine agonists and use of low-dose clozapine in 12 patients, while motor and nonmotor outcomes were similar. These findings underpin the prominent role of limbic subthalamic stimulation in postoperative mania. ANN NEUROL 2022;92:411-417.

Adaptive behavior and psychiatric comorbidities in KCNB1 encephalopathy.

AIM: KCNB1 encephalopathy encompasses a broad phenotypic spectrum associating intellectual disability, behavioral disturbances, and epilepsies of various severity. Using standardized parental questionnaires, we aimed to capture the heterogeneity of the adaptive and behavioral features in a series of patients with KCNB1 pathogenic variants. METHODS: We included 25 patients with a KCNB1 encephalopathy, aged from 3.2 to 34.1 years (median = 10 years). Adaptive functioning was assessed in all patients using the French version of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition (VABS-II) questionnaire. We screened global behavior with the Childhood Behavioral Check-List (CBCL, Achenbach) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ). We used a cluster analysis to identify subgroups of adaptive profiles. RESULTS: VABS-II questionnaire showed pathological adaptive behavior in all participants with a severity of adaptive deficiency ranging from mild in 8/20 to severe in 7/20. Eight out of 16 were at risk of Attention Problems at the CBCL and 13/18 were at risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The adaptive behavior composite score significantly decreased with age (Spearman's Rho=-0.72, p<0.001) but not the equivalent ages, suggesting stagnation and slowing but no regression over time. The clustering analysis identified two subgroups of patients, one showing more severe adaptive behavior. The severity of the epilepsy phenotype predicted the severity of the behavioral profile with a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 90.9%. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the deleterious consequences of early-onset epilepsy in addition to the impact of the gene dysfunction in patients with KCNB1 encephalopathy. ASD and attention disorders are frequent. Parental questionnaires should be considered as useful tools for early screening and care adaptation.

High rate of hypomorphic variants as the cause of inherited ataxia and related diseases: study of a cohort of 366 families.

PURPOSE: Diagnosis of inherited ataxia and related diseases represents a real challenge given the tremendous heterogeneity and clinical overlap of the various causes. We evaluated the efficacy of molecular diagnosis of these diseases by sequencing a large cohort of undiagnosed families. METHODS: We analyzed 366 unrelated consecutive patients with undiagnosed ataxia or related disorders by clinical exome-capture sequencing. In silico analysis was performed with an in-house pipeline that combines variant ranking and copy-number variant (CNV) searches. Variants were interpreted according to American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics/Association for Molecular Pathology (ACMG/AMP) guidelines. RESULTS: We established the molecular diagnosis in 46% of the cases. We identified 35 mildly affected patients with causative variants in genes that are classically associated with severe presentations. These cases were explained by the occurrence of hypomorphic variants, but also rarely suspected mechanisms such as C-terminal truncations and translation reinitiation. CONCLUSION: A significant fraction of the clinical heterogeneity and phenotypic overlap is explained by hypomorphic variants that are difficult to identify and not readily predicted. The hypomorphic C-terminal truncation and translation reinitiation mechanisms that we identified may only apply to few genes, as it relies on specific domain organization and alterations. We identified PEX10 and FASTKD2 as candidates for translation reinitiation accounting for mild disease presentation.

Impact of Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation on Impulse Control Disorders in Parkinson's Disease: A Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Impact of subthalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) on impulse control disorders (ICD) in Parkinson's disease (PD) remains controversial. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to analyze the natural history of ICD between baseline and 1 year after subthalamic DBS in patients with PD and to identify predictive factors, taking into account the positions of the active contact and stimulation parameters. METHODS: We analyzed postoperative modifications of ICD based on the multicentric, prospective Predictive Factors and Subthalamic Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease cohort. ICD status and Ardouin Scale of Behaviour in PD were assessed at baseline and 1 year following subthalamic DBS. Location of active contacts within the 3 subthalamic nucleus functional territories was investigated. RESULTS: A total of 217 were patients included. Of the patients, 10.6% had ICD at baseline of which 95.6% improved at 1 year following subthalamic DBS; 3.6% of the patients experienced de novo ICD at 1 year following subthalamic DBS. Dopamine agonist dose reduction (from 309.8 to 109.3 mg) was the main driver of ICD regression (P = 0.05). Higher preoperative dyskinesias were associated with poorer ICD evolution (P = 0.04). Whereas baseline apathy was a risk factor of de novo ICD (P = 0.02), ICD improvement correlated with postoperative apathy (P = 0.004). Stimulation power and position of active contacts-mainly located within the sensorimotor part of the subthalamic nucleus-did not influence ICD. CONCLUSIONS: This 1-year, postoperative follow-up study showed ICD regression and dopaminergic drug reduction with optimal position of the active contacts within the subthalamic nucleus. Whereas patients with PD with preoperative ICD were prone to postoperative apathy, we also showed that those with preoperative apathy had a higher risk to experience postoperative de novo ICD, further highlighting the meaningful influence of postoperative management of dopaminergic medication on outcome and the continuum between apathy and ICD. © 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Right watershed cerebral infarction following neck cannulation for veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in pediatric septic shock: a case series.

Children supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation present a high risk of neurological complications. Although carotid cannulation is known to be associated with neurologic injury, conflicting data exist with regard to the predominance of right- or left-sided lesions. We describe here two infants requiring veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for septic shock who encountered right watershed infarction ipsilateral to carotid artery cannulation. Hemodynamic failure seems to be the most probable underlying mechanism. The asymmetry of transcranial Doppler metrics in one case and the low right regional cerebral oxygen saturation value observed soon after right cannulation in both cases suggest an insufficient cerebral collateral flow compensation. The risk of ipsilateral watershed injury should be considered before cervical cannulation, notably in the context of sepsis and an evaluation of the cerebral collateral blood flow before and just after cannulation may be interesting in order to identify infants with higher risk of ipsilateral ischemic lesions.

Intraventricular dopamine infusion alleviates motor symptoms in a primate model of Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Continuous compensation of dopamine represents an ideal symptomatic treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD). The feasibility in intracerebroventricular administration (i.c.v.) of dopamine previously failed because of unresolved dopamine oxidation. OBJECTIVES: We aim to test the feasibility, safety margins and efficacy of continuous i.c.v. of anaerobic-dopamine (A-dopamine) with a pilot translational study in a non-human primate model of PD. METHODS: Continuous and circadian i.c.v. of A-dopamine was administered through a micro-pump connected to a subcutaneous catheter implanted into the right frontal horn of 8 non-human primates treated with 1-methyl-4- phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). A-dopamine was assessed at acute doses previously reported for dopamine as well as evaluating the long term therapeutic index of A-dopamine in comparison to anaerobically prepared L-dopa or methyl ester L-dopa. RESULTS: Over 60 days of a continuous circadian i.c.v. of A-dopamine improved motor symptoms (therapeutic index from 30 to 70 mg/day) without tachyphylaxia. No dyskinesia was observed even with very high doses. Death after 1 to 10 days (without neuronal alteration) was only observed with doses in excess of 160 mg whereas L-dopa i.c.v. was not effective at any dose. The technical feasibility of the administration regimen was confirmed for an anaerobic preparation of dopamine and for administration of a minimal infusion volume by micro-pump at a constant flow that prevented obstruction. CONCLUSION: Continuous circadian i.c.v. of A-dopamine appears to be feasible and shows efficacy without dyskinesia with a safe therapeutic index.

Developmental and epilepsy spectrum of KCNB1 encephalopathy with long-term outcome.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to delineate the phenotypic spectrum and long-term outcome of individuals with KCNB1 encephalopathy. METHODS: We collected genetic, clinical, electroencephalographic, and imaging data of individuals with KCNB1 pathogenic variants recruited through an international collaboration, with the support of the family association "KCNB1 France." Patients were classified as having developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) or developmental encephalopathy (DE). In addition, we reviewed published cases and provided the long-term outcome in patients older than 12 years from our series and from literature. RESULTS: Our series included 36 patients (21 males, median age = 10 years, range = 1.6 months-34 years). Twenty patients (56%) had DEE with infantile onset seizures (seizure onset = 10 months, range = 10 days-3.5 years), whereas 16 (33%) had DE with late onset epilepsy in 10 (seizure onset = 5 years, range = 18 months-25 years) and without epilepsy in six. Cognitive impairment was more severe in individuals with DEE compared to those with DE. Analysis of 73 individuals with KCNB1 pathogenic variants (36 from our series and 37 published individuals in nine reports) showed developmental delay in all with severe to profound intellectual disability in 67% (n = 41/61) and autistic features in 56% (n = 32/57). Long-term outcome in 22 individuals older than 12 years (14 in our series and eight published individuals) showed poor cognitive, psychiatric, and behavioral outcome. Epilepsy course was variable. Missense variants were associated with more frequent and more severe epilepsy compared to truncating variants. SIGNIFICANCE: Our study describes the phenotypic spectrum of KCNB1 encephalopathy, which varies from severe DEE to DE with or without epilepsy. Although cognitive impairment is worse in patients with DEE, long-term outcome is poor for most and missense variants are associated with more severe epilepsy outcome. Further understanding of disease mechanisms should facilitate the development of targeted therapies, much needed to improve the neurodevelopmental prognosis.

Conservative iron chelation for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Focal iron accumulation associated with brain iron dyshomeostasis is a pathological hallmark of various neurodegenerative diseases (NDD). The application of iron-sensitive sequences in magnetic resonance imaging has provided a useful tool to identify the underlying NDD pathology. In the three major NDD, degeneration occurs in central nervous system (CNS) regions associated with memory (Alzheimer's disease, AD), automaticity (Parkinson's disease, PD) and motor function (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS), all of which require a high oxygen demand for harnessing neuronal energy. In PD, a progressive degeneration of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) is associated with the appearance of siderotic foci, largely caused by increased labile iron levels resulting from an imbalance between cell iron import, storage and export. At a molecular level, α-synuclein regulates dopamine and iron transport with PD-associated mutations in this protein causing functional disruption to these processes. Equally, in ALS, an early iron accumulation is present in neurons of the cortico-spinal motor pathway before neuropathology and secondary iron accumulation in microglia. High serum ferritin is an indicator of poor prognosis in ALS and the application of iron-sensitive sequences in magnetic resonance imaging has become a useful tool in identifying pathology. The molecular pathways that cascade down from such dyshomeostasis still remain to be fully elucidated but strong inroads have been made in recent years. Far from being a simple cause or consequence, it has recently been discovered that these alterations can trigger susceptibility to an iron-dependent cell-death pathway with unique lipoperoxidation signatures called ferroptosis. In turn, this has now provided insight into some key modulators of this cell-death pathway that could be therapeutic targets for the NDD. Interestingly, iron accumulation and ferroptosis are highly sensitive to iron chelation. However, whilst chelators that strongly scavenge intracellular iron protect against oxidative neuronal damage in mammalian models and are proven to be effective in treating systemic siderosis, these compounds are not clinically suitable due to the high risk of developing iatrogenic iron depletion and ensuing anaemia. Instead, a moderate iron chelation modality that conserves systemic iron offers a novel therapeutic strategy for neuroprotection. As demonstrated with the prototype chelator deferiprone, iron can be scavenged from labile iron complexes in the brain and transferred (conservatively) either to higher affinity acceptors in cells or extracellular transferrin. Promising preclinical and clinical proof of concept trials has led to several current large randomized clinical trials that aim to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of conservative iron chelation for NDD, notably in a long-term treatment regimen.

Normal and pathological neuronal distribution of the human mesencephalic locomotor region.

BACKGROUND: Deep brain stimulation of the pedunculopontine nucleus has been performed to treat dopamine-resistant gait and balance disorders in patients with degenerative diseases. The outcomes, however, are variable, which may be the result of the lack of a well-defined anatomical target. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to identify the main neuronal populations of the pedunculopontine and the cuneiform nuclei that compose the human mesencephalic locomotor region and to compare their 3-dimensional distribution with those found in patients with Parkinson's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy. METHODS: We used high-field MRI, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization to characterize the distribution of the different cell types, and we developed software to merge all data within a common 3-dimensional space. RESULTS: We found that cholinergic, GABAergic, and glutamatergic neurons comprised the main cell types of the mesencephalic locomotor region, with the peak densities of cholinergic and GABAergic neurons similarly located within the rostral pedunculopontine nucleus. Cholinergic and noncholinergic neuronal losses were homogeneous in the mesencephalic locomotor region of patients, with the peak density of remaining neurons at the same location as in controls. The degree of denervation of the pedunculopontine nucleus was highest in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy, followed by Parkinson's disease patients with falls. CONCLUSIONS: The peak density of cholinergic and GABAergic neurons was located similarly within the rostral pedunculopontine nucleus not only in controls but also in pathological cases. The neuronal loss was homogeneously distributed and highest in the pedunculopontine nucleus of patients with falls, which suggests a potential pathophysiological link. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Quetiapine Poisoning and Factors Influencing Severity.

PURPOSE/BACKGROUND: Quetiapine is a relatively new atypical antipsychotic with fewer adverse effects. It is increasingly prescribed to patients. The purpose of this study was to describe the cases of poisoning observed at the western France Poison Control Centre and identify potential risk factors that increase the severity of the cases. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of self-poisoning with quetiapine as reported by the western France Poison Control Centre between 2007 and 2017. RESULTS: There were 372 cases of quetiapine poisoning. Circumstances are known in 367 of 372 cases. There were 75 cases of null severity (grade 0), 133 cases of mild severity (grade 1), 85 cases of moderate severity (grade 2), and 79 cases of high severity (grade 3). Five deaths were listed in this series. The most commonly observed symptoms were neurological and cardiovascular in nature (drowsiness, coma, tachycardia, hypotension). Of these cases, 79.8% included voluntary ingestions. Among 302 cases with coagents, the most common coagents were benzodiazepines (56%), other psychotropic drugs (41%), and antidepressants (37%). An evaluated ingested dose 1500 mg or greater and 2 or more coagents increase the risk of severe poisoning. In particular, concomitant ingestion of benzodiazepines and antidepressants with quetiapine was associated with high severity (odds ratio, 2.478 [confidence interval, 1.3-4.723]; odds ratio, 1.820 [confidence interval, 1.010-3.316]). CONCLUSIONS: Quetiapine may lead to severe poisoning for which there is currently no specific treatment. Patients and practitioners should be aware of this when quetiapine is prescribed, particularly when used in combination with other medications, and in order to deal with cases of poisoning.

Corrigendum: Protocol for a prospective multicenter longitudinal randomized controlled trial (CALIN) of sensory-tonic stimulation to foster parent child interactions and social cognition in very premature infants.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.913396.].

Could the motor unit number index be an early prognostic biomarker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the associations between motor unit number index (MUNIX) and disease progression and prognosis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in a large-scale longitudinal study. METHODS: MUNIX was performed at the patient's first visit, at 3, 6, and 12 months in 4 muscles. MUNIX data from the patients were compared with those from 38 age-matched healthy controls. Clinical data included the revised ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R), the forced vital capacity (FVC), and the survival of the patients. RESULTS: Eighty-two patients were included at baseline, 62 were evaluated at three months, 48 at six months, and 33 at twelve months. MUNIX score was lower in ALS patients compared to controls. At baseline, MUNIX was correlated with ALSFRS-R and FVC. Motor unit size index (MUSIX) was correlated with patient survival. Longitudinal analyses showed that MUNIX decline was greater than ALSFRS-R decline at each evaluation. A baseline MUNIX score greater than 378 predicted survival over the 12-month period with a sensitivity of 82% and a specificity of 56%. CONCLUSIONS: This longitudinal study suggests that MUNIX could be an early quantitative marker of disease progression and prognosis in ALS. SIGNIFICANCE: MUNIX might be considered as potential indicator for monitoring disease progression.

Development and validation of the DBS-PS (Deep Brain Stimulation-Perception Scale): Assessing parkinsonian patients' expectations to prevent post-operative disappointment?

BACKGROUND: Recent literature suggests that taking into consideration and evaluating preoperative expectations of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients candidates to deep brain stimulation (DBS), can contribute to treatment effectiveness. However, few validated instruments investigating preoperative expectations are available. We present the development and validation of the DBS-PS (Deep Brain Stimulation - Perception Scale). METHODS: The DBS-PS is an 11 questions self-administered scale, with answers rated on a 10-point Likert scale (1 completely false, 10 completely true). Items were generated on the basis of patient's interviews analyzed by an expert group and reached consensus. The scale is divided into three domains: expectations for PD, expectations for social-life and leisure, expectations for intimate life. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) completed by item response theory (IRT) analysis was conducted to validate the theoretical structure of the DBS-PS. RESULTS: 64 PD patients aged 59.18 (SD = 5.74) years with PD diagnosed since 9.36 (SD = 4.09) years completed the DBS-PS preoperatively. EFA confirmed a 3 factors scale structure (eigenvalue >1) explaining 69% of variance (factor 1: 43%; factor 2: 17%; factor 3: 9%). Reliability (Cronbach's α: 0.714 for factor 1, 0.781 for factor 2, 0.889 for factor 3) and discriminant validity (Pearson coefficient r < 0.50) were satisfactory. IRT showed good model fit, preserved unidimensionality, but some local dependences were observed. CONCLUSION: The DBS-PS shows satisfactory psychometric properties. It is easy to administer in routine practice with preoperative PD patients. It constitutes an interesting basis for cognitive restructuring before neurosurgery, by highlighting dysfunctional cognitions and measuring the benefits of cognitive restructuring therapy.

The Use of Image Guided Programming to Improve Deep Brain Stimulation Workflows with Directional Leads in Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is a preferred treatment for parkinsonian patients with severe motor fluctuations. Proper targeting of the STN sensorimotor segment appears to be a crucial factor for success of the procedure. The recent introduction of directional leads theoretically increases stimulation specificity in this challenging area but also requires more precise stimulation parameters. OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether commercially available software for image guided programming (IGP) could maximize the benefits of DBS by informing the clinical standard care (CSC) and improving programming workflows. METHODS: We prospectively analyzed 32 consecutive parkinsonian patients implanted with bilateral directional leads in the STN. Double blind stimulation parameters determined by CSC and IGP were assessed and compared at three months post-surgery. IGP was used to adjust stimulation parameters if further clinical refinement was required. Overall clinical efficacy was evaluated one-year post-surgery. RESULTS: We observed 78% concordance between the two electrode levels selected by the blinded IGP prediction and CSC assessments. In 64% of cases requiring refinement, IGP improved clinical efficacy or reduced mild side effects, predominantly by facilitating the use of directional stimulation (93% of refinements). CONCLUSIONS: The use of image guided programming saves time and assists clinical refinement, which may be beneficial to the clinical standard care for STN-DBS and further improve the outcomes of DBS for PD patients.