Differential effects of body mass index on domain-specific cognitive outcomes after stroke.

Although the obesity paradox is an important modifiable factor in cardiovascular diseases, little research has been conducted to determine how it affects post-stroke cognitive function. We aimed to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and domain-specific cognitive outcomes, focusing on the subdivision of each frontal domain function in post-ischemic stroke survivors. A total of 335 ischemic stroke patients were included in the study after completion of the Korean-Mini Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE) and the vascular cognitive impairment harmonization standards neuropsychological protocol at 3 months after stroke. Frontal lobe functions were analyzed using semantic/phonemic fluency, processing speed, and mental set shifting. Our study participants were categorized into four groups according to BMI quartiles. The z-scores of K-MMSE at 3 months differed significantly between the groups after adjustment for initial stroke severity (p = 0.014). Global cognitive function in stroke survivors in the Q1 (the lowest quartile) BMI group was significantly lower than those in Q2 and Q4 (the highest quartile) BMI groups (K-MMSE z-scores, Q1: - 2.10 ± 3.40 vs. Q2: 0.71 ± 1.95 and Q4: - 1.21 ± 1.65). Controlled oral word association test findings indicated that phonemic and semantic word fluency was lower in Q4 BMI group participants than in Q2 BMI group participants (p = 0.016 and p = 0.023 respectively). BMI might differentially affect cognitive domains after ischemic stroke. Although being underweight may negatively affect global cognition post-stroke, obesity could induce frontal lobe dysfunctions, specifically phonemic and semantic word fluency.

Early Impairment of Chopsticks Skills in Parkinsonism Suggests Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Chopsticks are a primary eating utensil in East Asia, but systematic assessments of chopsticks skills in parkinsonian disorders is lacking. We aimed to identify any differences in chopsticks skills in the early stages of Parkinson's disease (PD) and atypical parkinsonism (AP), including progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), multiple system atrophy (MSA), and corticobasal syndrome (CBS). METHODS: We consecutively recruited 111 patients with PD and 74 with AP (40 with PSP, 30 with MSA, and 4 with CBS) who were in a drug-naïve state. The motor and cognitive functions of the patients were evaluated using a standardized protocol. Everyday chopsticks skills were evaluated using a chopsticks questionnaire developed in-house. The chopsticks skills test (CST) involved counting the number of pills that the subject was able to carry using chopsticks between two dishes separated by 20 cm within 20 seconds. RESULTS: Patient responses to the questionnaire indicating poor chopsticks skills ("I cannot pick up some of the food items" or "I cannot use chopsticks anymore") were present in 23.0% of AP patients and 30% of PSP patients, compared to only 5.6% of PD patients [odd ratio (OR)=5.07 and OR=7.29, p≤0.001 in both]. The performance in the CST was worse in PSP than in PD (p<0.001). The CST results were correlated with hand motor skills including in the coinrotation test, timed figure-tapping test, and motor Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale scores in all of the patient groups (p<0.001). In PSP, a decline in visuospatial function and frontal executive function was associated with a poor performance in the CST in addition to poor motor performance (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Impairments in chopsticks skills were more common in PSP than in PD during the early stages of parkinsonism. This suggests that early functional impairment of chopsticks skills can be used as a warning sign for PSP.

Re-standardization of the Korean-Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (K-IADL): Clinical Usefulness for Various Neurodegenerative Diseases.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Evaluating instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) is an important part of procedure to diagnose dementia. The Korean-Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (K-IADL) has been used extensively in Korea. However, its cut-off score has not been reformulated since 2002. The purpose of this study was to yield a new optimal cut-off score for the K-IADL and confirm the validity of this new cut-off score with various dementia groups. METHODS: We retrospectively collected a total of 2,347 patients' K-IADL data from 6 general hospitals in Korea. These patients had mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia with various etiologies for cognitive impairment. We also recruited a normal control group (n=254) from the community. Korean-Mini Mental State Examination, Short version of the Geriatric Depression Scale, Clinical Dementia Rating, and Global Deterioration Scale were administered to all participants. Caregivers completed K-IADL and Barthel Index. RESULTS: K-IADL scores were significantly different among dementia subgroups, but not significantly different among MCI subgroups. Based on internal consistency, correlations with other scales, and factor analysis, K-IADL showed excellent reliability and validity. The new optimal cut-off score to diagnose dementia was 0.40, which gave a sensitivity of 0.901 and a specificity of 0.916. Positive predictive value for dementia using the new cut-off score was 94.2% for Alzheimer's disease, 100% for vascular dementia, and 84% for Parkinson's disease. CONCLUSIONS: Our results illustrate that the new K-IADL cut-off score of 0.40 is reliable and valid for screening impairments of daily functioning resulting from various etiologies.

Prediction of post-stroke dementia using NINDS-CSN 5-minute neuropsychology protocol in acute stroke.

BACKGROUND: The National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke-Canadian Stroke Network (NINDS-CSN) 5-minute neuropsychology protocol consists of only verbal tasks, and is proposed as a brief screening method for vascular cognitive impairment. We evaluated its feasibility within two weeks after stroke and ability to predict the development of post-stroke dementia (PSD) at 3 months after stroke. METHOD: We prospectively enrolled subjects with ischemic stroke within seven days of symptom onset who were consecutively admitted to 12 university hospitals. Neuropsychological assessments using the NINDS-CSN 5-minute and 60-minute neuropsychology protocols were administered within two weeks and at 3 months after stroke onset, respectively. PSD was diagnosed with reference to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association statement, requiring deficits in at least two cognitive domains. RESULTS: Of 620 patients, 512 (82.6%) were feasible for the NINDS-CSN 5-minute protocol within two weeks after stroke. The incidence of PSD was 16.2% in 308 subjects who had completed follow-up at 3 months after stroke onset. The total score of the NINDS-CSN 5-minute protocol differed significantly between those with and without PSD (4.0 ± 2.7, 7.4 ± 2.7, respectively; p < 0.01). A cut-off value of 6/7 showed reasonable discriminative power (sensitivity 0.82, specificity 0.67, AUC 0.74). The NINDS-CSN 5-minute protocol score was a significant predictor for PSD (adjusted odds ratio 6.32, 95% CI 2.65-15.05). DISCUSSION: The NINDS-CSN 5-minute protocol is feasible to evaluate cognitive functions in patients with acute ischemic stroke. It might be a useful screening method for early identification of high-risk groups for PSD.

Cognitive Dysfunction in Drug-induced Parkinsonism Caused by Prokinetics and Antiemetics.

The use of prokinetics/antiemetics is one of the leading causes of drug-induced parkinsonism (DIP) observed in neurology clinics. Cognitive dysfunction in DIP has recently been recognized, but pathologies related with cognitive dysfunction is unknown. Among our retrospective cohort of 385 consecutive parkinsonian patients enrolled in our parkinsonism registry, 14 patients were identified who satisfied our inclusion criteria: parkinsonism caused by prokinetics/antiemetics, existing T1-weighted 3D volumetric MR images, and normal [(18)F]-N-3-fluoropropyl-2-ß-carboxymethoxy-3-ß-(4-iodophenyl) nortropane PET scan images. For the comparison of volumetric MR data, 30 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were included in this study. Among 14 patients with DIP, 4 patients were diagnosed with dementia, and all other patients had mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Comparisons of MR volumetric data between DIP patients with MCI and controls show that cortical gray matter volumes are reduced bilaterally in DIP (P=0.041) without changes in either total white matter volume or total intracranial volume. Among subcortical structures, the volume of the right hippocampus is reduced in DIP patients compared with controls (P=0.011, uncorrected). In DIP, cortical thickness is reduced in the bilateral lingual (P=0.002), right fusiform (P=0.032) and part of the left lateral occipital gyri (P=0.007). Our results suggests that cognitive dysfunction in DIP caused by prokinetics/antiemetics is common. Structural changes in the brain by 3D MRI may be associated with cognitive decline in DIP.

Prodromal dementia with lewy bodies manifesting as sertraline-induced parkinsonism: a case report.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a patient with prodromal dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) manifesting as sertraline-induced parkinsonism. DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENT: A 75-year-old man who initially presented with anxiety and depression along with mild cognitive impairment, later developed drug-induced parkinsonism because of sertraline treatment, and eventually showed symptoms and signs of probable DLB. INTERVENTIONS: Sertraline treatment for depression. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: : Clinical examination, magnetic resonance imaging, neuropsychologic test, and cardiac I-metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy. RESULTS: His parkinsonian symptoms, which became apparent after sertraline therapy, improved markedly after the discontinuation of the drug. When he started taking sertraline, he had no dementia but had mild cognitive impairment. However, he eventually showed most of the symptoms and signs to indicate probable DLB. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, there has been no report of sertraline-induced or aggravated parkinsonian motor symptoms in DLB patients. Our patient had a short period with neither dementia nor parkinsonism during the early stage of his illness, and this period might have been regarded as the preclinical stage of DLB in the natural course of his illness.