Heterogenous Genetic, Clinical, and Imaging Features in Patients with Neuronal Intranuclear Inclusion Disease Carrying NOTCH2NLC Repeat Expansion.

Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is caused by the abnormal expansion of non-coding trinucleotide GGC repeats in NOTCH2NLC. NIID is clinically characterized by a broad spectrum of clinical presentations. To date, the relationship between expanded repeat lengths and clinical phenotype in patients with NIID remains unclear. Thus, we aimed to clarify the genetic and clinical spectrum and their association in patients with NIID. For this purpose, we genetically analyzed Japanese patients with adult-onset NIID with characteristic clinical and neuroimaging findings. Trinucleotide repeat expansions of NOTCH2NLC were examined by repeat-primed and amplicon-length PCR. In addition, long-read sequencing was performed to determine repeat size and sequence. The expanded GGC repeats ranging from 94 to 361 in NOTCH2NLC were found in all 15 patients. Two patients carried biallelic repeat expansions. There were marked heterogenous clinical and imaging features in NIID patients. Patients presenting with cerebellar ataxia or urinary dysfunction had a significantly larger GGC repeat size than those without. This significant association disappeared when these parameters were compared with the total trinucleotide repeat number. ARWMC score was significantly higher in patients who had a non-glycine-type trinucleotide interruption within expanded poly-glycine motifs than in those with a pure poly-glycine expansion. These results suggested that the repeat length and sequence in NOTCH2NLC may partly modify some clinical and imaging features of NIID.

Stroke incidence and chronic kidney disease: A hospital-based prospective cohort study.

AIM: This prospective cohort study aimed to (i) examine stroke incidence and stroke subtypes by chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage, (ii) examine whether CKD patients with or without proteinuria have a high risk of stroke independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and (iii) determine precise estimates of stroke risk by CKD stage while accounting for competing mortality risk. METHODS: Participants were 2023 patients enrolled in the Project in Sado for Total Health between June 2008 and December 2016 (55% men; mean age, 69 years), of whom 52% had CKD (stage 1-2, 10%; G3a, 48%; G3b, 17%; G4-5, 11% and G5D, 14%). RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 5.7 years, 157 participants developed stroke and 448 died without developing stroke. Most stroke cases were ischaemic among non-dialysis-dependent CKD participants, but the relative frequency of ischaemic stroke was near that of intracerebral haemorrhage among dialysis-dependent CKD participants. After adjustment, stage 1-2 (hazard ratio [HR], 2.97; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.60-5.51) and stage G3-5 participants with proteinuria (HR, 2.50; 95% CI, 1.56-4.02), but not stage G3-5 participants without proteinuria (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.38-1.08), had a higher stroke risk compared to non-CKD participants. In competing risk analyses, the association was attenuated but remained significant. CONCLUSION: Although the distribution of stroke subtypes differed, CKD participants with proteinuria and those with CKD stage 5D had a 2- and 4-times higher risk of stroke, respectively, than that of non-CKD participants, after accounting for competing mortality risk and traditional risk factors.

Globular glial tauopathy Type II: Clinicopathological study of two autopsy cases.

Globular glial tauopathies (GGTs) are four-repeat tauopathies characterized by the presence of two types of tau-positive globular glial inclusions (GGIs): globular oligodendrocytic and astrocytic inclusions (GOIs and GAIs). GGTs are classified into three different neuropathological subtypes: Types I, II and III. We report two patients with GGTs - a 76-year-old woman and a 70-year-old man - in whom the disease duration was 5 and 6 years, respectively. Both patients exhibited upper and lower motor neuron signs and involuntary movements, and the latter also had dementia with frontotemporal cerebral atrophy evident on magnetic resonance imaging. Neuropathologically, in both cases, the precentral gyrus was most severely affected, and at the gray-white matter junction there was almost complete loss of Betz cells and occurrence of GOIs and coiled bodies with numerous neuropil threads. Both patients also showed neuronal loss and GGIs (mostly GOIs) in many other central nervous system regions, including the basal ganglia. Apart from the degree of regional severity, the distribution pattern was essentially the same in both cases. However, GAIs were not conspicuous in any of the affected regions. Based on the morphology and distribution pattern of the GGIs, we diagnosed the present two patients as having GGT Type II. Electron microscopic and biochemical findings in the former were consistent with the diagnosis. Type II cases are reported to be characterized by pyramidal features reflecting predominant motor cortex and corticospinal tract degeneration. The present observations suggest that a variety of neurological features, including dementia, can occur in GGT Type II reflecting widespread degeneration beyond the motor neuron system.

Expansions of intronic TTTCA and TTTTA repeats in benign adult familial myoclonic epilepsy.

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder, and mutations in genes encoding ion channels or neurotransmitter receptors are frequent causes of monogenic forms of epilepsy. Here we show that abnormal expansions of TTTCA and TTTTA repeats in intron 4 of SAMD12 cause benign adult familial myoclonic epilepsy (BAFME). Single-molecule, real-time sequencing of BAC clones and nanopore sequencing of genomic DNA identified two repeat configurations in SAMD12. Intriguingly, in two families with a clinical diagnosis of BAFME in which no repeat expansions in SAMD12 were observed, we identified similar expansions of TTTCA and TTTTA repeats in introns of TNRC6A and RAPGEF2, indicating that expansions of the same repeat motifs are involved in the pathogenesis of BAFME regardless of the genes in which the expanded repeats are located. This discovery that expansions of noncoding repeats lead to neuronal dysfunction responsible for myoclonic tremor and epilepsy extends the understanding of diseases with such repeat expansion.

Association between dialysis treatment and cognitive decline: A study from the Project in Sado for Total Health (PROST), Japan.

AIM: Evidence for the association between dialysis treatment and cognitive decline is limited. The present study aimed to determine whether dialysis treatment is associated with cognitive decline in adult outpatients of a general hospital in Japan. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional substudy of the Project in Sado for Total Health (PROST). Total Health PROST targeted adult outpatients of a general hospital in Sado City, Niigata, Japan. Among 753 patients (mean age 68.1 ± 11.6 years) analyzed, 66 received dialysis. Cognitive state was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination, and those with a Mini-Mental State Examination score <24 were considered "cognitively declined." The prevalence of cognitive decline was compared by odds ratios calculated with multiple logistic regression analysis. Variables included in the analyses were dialysis, age, sex and self-reported histories of hypertension, diabetes, stroke and ischemic heart disease. RESULTS: Of the 66 dialysis patients, 24 (36.4%) showed cognitive decline, whereas 172 (25.0%) of 687 non-dialysis patients showed cognitive decline. The age and sex-adjusted odds ratio for cognitive decline in dialysis patients was 2.57 (95% confidence interval 1.43-4.61), relative to non-dialysis patients. The odds ratio remained significant (odds ratio 2.69, 95% confidence interval 1.49-4.88) even after adjusting for all covariates. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of cognitive decline was high in dialysis patients relative to non-dialysis patients among outpatients of a general hospital in Japan. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 1584-1587.

Modifiable Factors Associated with Cognitive Impairment in 1,143 Japanese Outpatients: The Project in Sado for Total Health (PROST).

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Evidence on modifiable factors associated with cognitive impairment in Japanese patients is scarce. This study aimed to determine modifiable factors for cognitive impairment in a Japanese hospital-based population. METHODS: Subjects of this cross-sectional study were 1,143 patients of Sado General Hospital (Niigata, Japan) registered in the Project in Sado for Total Health (PROST) between June 2008 and September 2014. We assessed disease history, body mass index (BMI), leisure time physical activity, walking time, smoking and drinking habits, and consumption of vegetables, fruits, and green tea as predictors, with cognitive impairment defined by the Mini-Mental State Examination (score <24) as an outcome. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for cognitive impairment. RESULTS: The mean subject age was 68.9 years, and the prevalence of cognitive impairment was 21.5%. Multivariate analysis revealed that age (p < 0.001), low BMI (<21.1; OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.12-1.72), a history of stroke (p = 0.003), a history of myocardial infarction (p = 0.038), low fruit consumption (p for trend = 0.012), and low green tea consumption (p for trend = 0.032) were independently associated with a higher prevalence of cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Modifiable factors, such as low BMI, low fruit consumption, and low green tea consumption, are associated with cognitive impairment. Longitudinal studies will be needed to confirm these findings.

Elevated C-Reactive Protein Is Associated with Cognitive Decline in Outpatients of a General Hospital: The Project in Sado for Total Health (PROST).

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We aimed to determine whether the concentration of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) is associated with cognitive function in an adult Japanese population. METHODS: Participants of this cross-sectional study were from a subgroup of the Project in Sado for Total Health (PROST; n = 454; mean age, 70.5 years). The cognitive state was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and those with an MMSE score <24 were considered 'cognitively declined'. Concentrations of serum high-sensitivity CRP were measured. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for cognitive decline, adjusting for the covariates of age, sex, BMI, disease history, and APOE allele. RESULTS: Of the 454 participants, 94 (20.7%) were cognitively declined. Relative to the lowest (first) quartile of CRP concentration, adjusted ORs were 1.29 (95% CI 0.61-2.75) for the second, 1.78 (95% CI 0.82-3.86) for the third, and 3.05 (95% CI 1.45-6.42) for the highest (fourth) quartiles (p for trend = 0.018). When data were stratified by sex, the association between CRP concentration and cognitive decline was observed only in women. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest an association between higher CRP concentration and lower cognitive function. Chronic inflammation may affect cognitive function in adults, in particular women.

[Clinical course and serial brain MRI findings in a patient with Lissauer form of general paresis].

A 60-year-old man presented with progressive dementia and generalized convulsions. An initial MRI revealed a widespread high-intensity area with a mass effect in the right frontal and temporal lobes on T2-weighted images. Findings on digital subtraction angiography were normal. Serum and CSF tests showed high titers of antibodies to Treponema pallidum, which helped to distinguish neurosyphilis from glioma. He was initially treated with penicillin injection; however, it caused liver dysfunction and penicillin was switched to erythromycin. Even after antibiotic therapy for 2 months, his dementia did not improve. He underwent brain MRI four times during the treatment course, and they showed steady progression of brain atrophy in the right hemisphere. Taking these findings together, we diagnosed Lissauer form of general paresis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of Lissauer form of paretic neurosyphilis, in which the progression of brain atrophy was clearly demonstrated on MRI.

Hypertrophic pachymeningitis: significance of myeloperoxidase anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody.

The aim of this study was to elucidate the characteristics, pathogenesis and treatment strategy of hypertrophic pachymeningitis that is associated with myeloperoxidase anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA). We retrospectively investigated clinical, radiological, immunological and pathological profiles of 36 patients with immune-mediated or idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis, including 17 patients with myeloperoxidase-ANCA, four patients with proteinase 3-ANCA, six patients with other immune-mediated disorders, and nine patients with 'idiopathic' variety. Myeloperoxidase-ANCA-positive hypertrophic pachymeningitis was characterized by: (i) an elderly female predominance; (ii) 82% of patients diagnosed with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (previously known as Wegener's granulomatosis) according to Watts' algorithm; (iii) a high frequency of patients with lesions limited to the dura mater and upper airways, developing headaches, chronic sinusitis, otitis media or mastoiditis; (iv) a low frequency of patients with the 'classical or generalized form' of granulomatosis with polyangiitis involving the entire upper and lower airways and kidney, or progressing to generalized disease, in contrast to proteinase 3-ANCA-positive hypertrophic pachymeningitis; (v) less severe neurological damage according to the modified Rankin Scale and low disease activity according to the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score compared with proteinase 3-ANCA-positive hypertrophic pachymeningitis; (vi) increased levels of CXCL10, CXCL8 and interleukin 6 in cerebrospinal fluids, and increased numbers of T cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, plasma cells and monocytes/macrophages in autopsied or biopsied dura mater with pachymeningitis, suggesting TH1-predominant granulomatous lesions in hypertrophic pachymeningitis, as previously reported in pulmonary or renal lesions of granulomatosis with polyangiitis; and (vii) greater efficacy of combination therapy with prednisolone and cyclophosphamide compared with monotherapy with prednisolone. Proteinase 3-ANCA may be considered a marker for more severe neurological damage, higher disease activity and a higher frequency of the generalized form compared with myeloperoxidase-ANCA-positive hypertrophic pachymeningitis. However, categorization into 'granulomatosis with polyangiitis' according to Watts' algorithm and immunological or pathological features were common in both proteinase 3- and myeloperoxidase-ANCA-positive hypertrophic pachymeningitis. These data indicate that most patients with myeloperoxidase-ANCA-positive hypertrophic pachymeningitis should be categorized as having the central nervous system-limited form of ANCA-associated vasculitis, consistent with the concept of ophthalmic-, pulmonary- or renal-limited vasculitis.

Multiple cerebral infarcts with a few vasculitic lesions in the chronic stage of cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation.

We report a 75-year-old man with a 3.5-year history of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA)-related inflammation. His initial symptom was headache and sensory aphasia appeared 1 month later. Brain MRI revealed features compatible with meningoencephalitis involving the right frontal, parietal and temporooccipital lobes. A brain biopsy sample from the right parietal lobe showed thickening of the leptomeninges, and granulomatous vasculitis with multinucleated giant cells and vascular Aß deposits. No vascular lesions were evident by cerebral angiography. Serological examination revealed an elevated level of proteinase 3 anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (PR3-ANCA). The patient was treated with corticosteroids, but this was only partially and temporarily effective. Autopsy revealed marked leptomeningeal thickening with inflammatory cell infiltrates and hemosiderin deposits, many superficial predominantly small infarcts at various stages in the cerebral cortex and only a few cerebral active vasculitic lesions. Immunohistochemically, CAA showing widespread Aß-positive blood vessels with double-barrel formations was demonstrated. In conclusion, we consider that, although the association of PR3-ANCA with the pathogenesis of Aß-associated vasculitis remained unclear, the present case represents a rare example of CAA-related inflammation at the chronic stage.

Novel locus for benign hereditary chorea with adult onset maps to chromosome 8q21.3 q23.3.

Autosomal dominant choreas are genetically heterogeneous disorders including Huntington disease (HD), Huntington disease like 1 (HDL1), Huntington disease like 2 (HDL2), dentatorubro-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA), spinocerebellar ataxia type 17 (SCA17) and benign hereditary chorea (BHC). We identified two Japanese families with adult-onset benign chorea without dementia inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. All affected individuals presented slowly progressive choreic movements in their upper and lower extremities, trunk and head with an age of onset ranging from 40 to 66 (average 54.3), which were markedly improved by haloperidol. The affected individuals also developed reduced muscle tones in their extremities. The findings obtained in the brain CT or MRI studies of nine affected individuals were normal. These clinical features resemble those of the so-called 'senile chorea'. HD, HDL1, HDL2, DRPLA, SCA17 and BHC caused by mutations in the TITF-1 gene were excluded by mutational and linkage analyses. A genome-wide linkage analysis revealed linkage to chromosome 8q21.3-q23.3 with a maximum cumulative two-point log of the odds (LOD) score of 4.74 at D8S1784 (theta = 0.00). Haplotype analysis of both the families defined the candidate region as 21.5 Mb interval flanked by M9267 and D8S1139. We named this adult-onset dominant inherited chorea 'benign hereditary chorea type 2 (BHC2)'.

[Gene diagnosis of patients with chorea].

To elucidate the etiology of chorea, we performed gene diagnoses of 79 consecutive cases of the disease (34 males, 45 females; age 15-79 years), which include 39 familial cases (37 pedigrees) and 40 sporadic cases, from 1997 to 2002, after their informed consent was obtained. We extracted genomic DNA from peripheral white blood cells, and performed genetic tests for Huntington disease (HD), dentatorubral pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA), Huntington disease like 1 (HDL1), HDL2 and spinocerebellar ataxia type 17 (SCA17). We found 37 cases (36 pedigrees) of HD, seven cases (seven pedigrees) of DRPLA. No cases of HDL1, HDL2 and SCA17 were found. We also found three cases (two pedigrees) presenting an autosomal dominant trait with an unknown origin, and two cases whose parents were consanguineously related. Therefore, further genetic heterogeneity is expected in the cases of chorea in Japan.