Translating NIA-AA criteria into usual practice: Report from the ReDeMa Project.

INTRODUCTION: Biomarker-informed criteria were proposed for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association (NIA-AA) in 2011; however, the adequacy of this criteria has not been sufficiently evaluated. METHODS: ReDeMa (Red de Demencias de Madrid) is a regional cohort of patients attending memory and neurology clinics. Core cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers were obtained, NIA-AA diagnostic criteria were considered, and changes in diagnosis and management were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 233 patients were analyzed (mean age 70 years, 50% women, 73% AD). The diagnostic language was modified significantly, with a majority assumption of NIA-AA definitions (69%). Confidence in diagnosis increased from 70% to 92% (p < 0.0005) and management was changed in 71% of patient/caregivers. The influence of neurologist's age or expertise on study results was minimal. DISCUSSION: The NIA-AA criteria are adequate and utile for usual practice in memory and neurology clinics, improving diagnostic confidence and significantly modifying patient management. HIGHLIGHTS: Alzheimer's disease (AD) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers increase diagnostic certainty regardless of the neurologist.AD CSF biomarkers lead to changes in disease management .Biomarker-enriched, 2011 NIA-AA diagnostic criteria are adequate for usual practice.

Depression in Major Neurodegenerative Diseases and Strokes: A Critical Review of Similarities and Differences among Neurological Disorders.

Depression and anxiety are highly prevalent in most neurological disorders and can have a major impact on the patient's disability and quality of life. However, mostly due to the heterogeneity of symptoms and the complexity of the underlying comorbidities, depression can be difficult to diagnose, resulting in limited recognition and in undertreatment. The early detection and treatment of depression simultaneously with the neurological disorder is key to avoiding deterioration and further disability. Although the neurologist should be able to identify and treat depression initially, a neuropsychiatry team should be available for severe cases and those who are unresponsive to treatment. Neurologists should be also aware that in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, different depression symptoms could develop at different stages of the disease. The treatment options for depression in neurological diseases include drugs, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and somatic interventions, among others, but often, the evidence-based efficacy is limited and the results are highly variable. Here, we review recent research on the diagnosis and treatment of depression in the context of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and strokes, with the aim of identifying common approaches and solutions for its initial management by the neurologist.

A Review on Tramiprosate (Homotaurine) in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Neurocognitive Disorders.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative condition, especially among elderly people. The presence of cortical ß-amyloid deposition, together with tau phosphorylation and intracellular accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) is the main neuropathologic criteria for AD diagnosis. Additionally, a role of inflammatory, mitochondrial, and metabolic factors has been suggested. Tramiprosate binds to soluble amyloid, thus inhibiting its aggregation in the brain. It reduced oligomeric and fibrillar (plaque) amyloid, diminished hippocampal atrophy, improved cholinergic transmission, and stabilized cognition in preclinical and clinical studies. In this narrative review, current information on the efficacy and safety of tramiprosate, both in AD and in other neurocognitive disorders, is presented. Possible directions for future studies with tramiprosate are also discussed.

Souvenaid in the management of mild cognitive impairment: an expert consensus opinion.

BACKGROUND: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among an aging global population is a growing challenge for healthcare providers and payers. In many cases, MCI is an ominous portent for dementia. Early and accurate diagnosis of MCI provides a window of opportunity to improve the outcomes using a personalized care plan including lifestyle modifications to reduce the impact of modifiable risk factors (for example, blood pressure control and increased physical activity), cognitive training, dietary advice, and nutritional support. Souvenaid is a once-daily drink containing a mixture of precursors and cofactors (long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, uridine, choline, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium), which was developed to support the formation and function of neuronal membranes and synapses. Healthcare providers, patients, and carers require expert advice about the use of Souvenaid. METHODS: An international panel of experts was convened to review the evidence and to make recommendations about the diagnosis and management of MCI, identification of candidates for Souvenaid, and use of Souvenaid in real-world practice. This article provides a summary of the expert opinions and makes recommendations for clinical practice and future research. Early diagnosis of MCI requires the use of suitable neuropsychological tests combined with a careful clinical history. A multimodal approach is recommended; dietary and nutritional interventions should be considered alongside individualized lifestyle modifications. Although single-agent nutritional supplements have failed to produce cognitive benefits for patients with MCI, a broader nutritional approach warrants consideration. Evidence from randomized controlled trials suggests that Souvenaid should be considered as an option for some patients with early Alzheimer's disease (AD), including those with MCI due to AD (prodromal AD). CONCLUSION: Early and accurate diagnosis of MCI provides a window of opportunity to improve the outcomes using a multimodal management approach including lifestyle risk factor modification and consideration of the multinutrient Souvenaid.

Variability of age at onset in siblings with familial Alzheimer disease.

BACKGROUND: Variability of age at onset (AO) of Alzheimer disease (AD) among members of the same family is important as a biological clue and because of its clinical effects. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate which clinical variables influence the discrepancy in AO among affected relatives with familial AD. SETTING: Clinical genetic project of Spanish kindred with AD conducted by 4 academic hospitals in Madrid, Spain. METHODS: Age at onset of AD in 162 families and discrepancy in AO in intragenerational and intergenerational affected pairs were analyzed in relation to age, sex, maternal or paternal transmission, pattern of inheritance, and apolipoprotein E genotype. RESULTS: Maternal transmission of AD was significantly more frequent than paternal transmission (P < .001). In 27% of the affected individuals, AO occurred before the patient was 65 years old. Discrepancy in AO among siblings was within 5 years in 44% of the families, 6 to 10 years in 29%, and more than 10 years in 27% (range, 0-22). This discrepancy was independent of the sex of the sibling pairs and was significantly lower with maternal transmission of AD (P = .02). Segregation analysis showed no differences in the inheritance pattern between families with low (< or =5 years) or high (>5 years) AO discrepancy. Age at onset in carriers of the apolipoprotein E epsilon4 allele was slightly younger. However, among siblings, an extra apolipoprotein E epsilon4 allele was not consistently associated with earlier onset of AD. Eighty percent of patients, independent of sex or mode of transmission, were already affected at their parents' reported AO. CONCLUSIONS: There is a wide discrepancy in AO in affected siblings that is not clearly explained by a single clinical variable or apolipoprotein E genotype. The interaction of many factors probably determines AO in each affected individual. However, maternal transmission of AD seems to result in a similar AO in offspring, and the risk of developing dementia after the parent's reported AO decreases significantly.

Clinical-genetic correlations in familial Alzheimer's disease caused by presenilin 1 mutations.

We describe the clinical phenotype of nine kindred with presenile Alzheimer's disease (AD) caused by different presenilin 1 (PS1) point mutations, and compare them with reported families with mutations in the same codons. Mutations were in exon 4 (Phe105Val), exon 5 (Pro117Arg, Glu120Gly), exon 6 (His163Arg), exon 7 (Leu226Phe), exon 8 (Val261Leu, Val272Ala, Leu282Arg), and exon 12 (Ile439Ser). Three of these amino acid changes (Phe105Val, Glu120Gly, and Ile439Ser) had not been previously reported. Distinct clinical features, including age of onset, symptoms and signs associated with the cortical-type dementia and aggressiveness of the disease, characterized the different mutations and were quite homogeneous across family members. Age of onset fell within a consistent range: some mutations caused the disease in the thirties (P117R, L226F, V272A), other in the forties (E120G, H163R, V261L, L282R), and other in the fifties (F105V, I439S). Associated features also segregated with specific mutations: early epileptic activity (E120G), spastic paraparesis (V261L), subcortical dementia and parkinsonism (V272A), early language impairment, frontal signs, and myoclonus (L226F), and late myoclonus and seizures (H163R, L282R). Neurological deterioration was particularly aggressive in PS1 mutations with earlier age of onset such as P117R, L226F, and E120G. With few exceptions, a similar clinical phenotype was found in families reported to have either the same mutation or different amino acid changes in the same codons. This series points to a strong influence of the specific genetic defect in the development of the clinical phenotype.