Macular vessel density in the superficial plexus is not associated to cerebrospinal fluid core biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease in individuals with mild cognitive impairment: The NORFACE cohort.

Background: Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) is a novel method in the dementia field that allows the detection of retinal vascular changes. The comparison of OCT-A measures with established Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related biomarkers is essential to validate the former as a marker of cerebrovascular impairment in the AD continuum. We aimed to investigate the association of macular vessel density (VD) in the superficial plexus quantified by OCT-A with the AT(N) classification based on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aß1-42, p181-tau and t-tau measurements in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Materials and methods: Clinical, demographic, ophthalmological, OCT-A and CSF core biomarkers for AD data from the Neuro-ophthalmology Research at Fundació ACE (NORFACE) project were analyzed. Differences in macular VD in four quadrants (superior, nasal, inferior, and temporal) among three AT(N) groups [Normal, Alzheimer and Suspected non-Alzheimer pathology (SNAP)] were assessed in a multivariate regression model, adjusted for age, APOE ε4 status, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and smoking habit, using the Normal AT(N) group as the reference category. Results: The study cohort comprised 144 MCI participants: 66 Normal AT(N), 45 Alzheimer AT(N) and 33 SNAP AT(N). Regression analysis showed no significant association of the AT(N) groups with any of the regional macular VD measures (all, p > 0.16). The interaction between sex and AT(N) groups had no effect on differentiating VD. Lastly, CSF Aß1-42, p181-tau and t-tau measures were not correlated to VD (all r < 0.13; p > 0.13). Discussion: Our study showed that macular VD measures were not associated with the AT(N) classification based on CSF biomarkers in patients with MCI, and did not differ between AD and other underlying causes of cognitive decline in our cohort.

The Synergic Effect of AT(N) Profiles and Depression on the Risk of Conversion to Dementia in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Few studies have addressed the impact of the association between Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers and NPSs in the conversion to dementia in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and no studies have been conducted on the interaction effect of these two risk factors. AT(N) profiles were created using AD-core biomarkers quantified in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (normal, brain amyloidosis, suspected non-Alzheimer pathology (SNAP) and prodromal AD). NPSs were assessed using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q). A total of 500 individuals with MCI were followed-up yearly in a memory unit. Cox regression analysis was used to determine risk of conversion, considering additive and multiplicative interactions between AT(N) profile and NPSs on the conversion to dementia. A total of 224 participants (44.8%) converted to dementia during the 2-year follow-up study. Pathologic AT(N) groups (brain amyloidosis, prodromal AD and SNAP) and the presence of depression and apathy were associated with a higher risk of conversion to dementia. The additive combination of the AT(N) profile with depression exacerbates the risk of conversion to dementia. A synergic effect of prodromal AD profile with depressive symptoms is evidenced, identifying the most exposed individuals to conversion among MCI patients.

Symptomatic and Disease-Modifying Therapy Pipeline for Alzheimer's Disease: Towards a Personalized Polypharmacology Patient-Centered Approach.

Since 1906, when Dr. Alois Alzheimer first described in a patient "a peculiar severe disease process of the cerebral cortex", people suffering from this pathology have been waiting for a breakthrough therapy. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive neurodegenerative brain disorder and the most common form of dementia in the elderly with a long presymptomatic phase. Worldwide, approximately 50 million people are living with dementia, with AD comprising 60-70% of cases. Pathologically, AD is characterized by the deposition of amyloid ß-peptide (Aß) in the neuropil (neuritic plaques) and blood vessels (amyloid angiopathy), and by the accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau in neurons (neurofibrillary tangles) in the brain, with associated loss of synapses and neurons, together with glial activation, and neuroinflammation, resulting in cognitive deficits and eventually dementia. The current competitive landscape in AD consists of symptomatic treatments, of which there are currently six approved medications: three AChEIs (donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine), one NMDA-R antagonist (memantine), one combination therapy (memantine/donepezil), and GV-971 (sodium oligomannate, a mixture of oligosaccharides derived from algae) only approved in China. Improvements to the approved therapies, such as easier routes of administration and reduced dosing frequencies, along with the developments of new strategies and combined treatments are expected to occur within the next decade and will positively impact the way the disease is managed. Recently, Aducanumab, the first disease-modifying therapy (DMT) has been approved for AD, and several DMTs are in advanced stages of clinical development or regulatory review. Small molecules, mAbs, or multimodal strategies showing promise in animal studies have not confirmed that promise in the clinic (where small to moderate changes in clinical efficacy have been observed), and therefore, there is a significant unmet need for a better understanding of the AD pathogenesis and the exploration of alternative etiologies and therapeutic effective disease-modifying therapies strategies for AD. Therefore, a critical review of the disease-modifying therapy pipeline for Alzheimer's disease is needed.

Establishing In-House Cutoffs of CSF Alzheimer's Disease Biomarkers for the AT(N) Stratification of the Alzheimer Center Barcelona Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) increasingly incorporates CSF biomarkers. However, due to the intrinsic variability of the immunodetection techniques used to measure these biomarkers, establishing in-house cutoffs defining the positivity/negativity of CSF biomarkers is recommended. However, the cutoffs currently published are usually reported by using cross-sectional datasets, not providing evidence about its intrinsic prognostic value when applied to real-world memory clinic cases. METHODS: We quantified CSF Aß1-42, Aß1-40, t-Tau, and p181Tau with standard INNOTEST® ELISA and Lumipulse G® chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay (CLEIA) performed on the automated Lumipulse G600II. Determination of cutoffs included patients clinically diagnosed with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD, n = 37) and subjective cognitive decline subjects (SCD, n = 45), cognitively stable for 3 years and with no evidence of brain amyloidosis in 18F-Florbetaben-labeled positron emission tomography (FBB-PET). To compare both methods, a subset of samples for Aß1-42 (n = 519), t-Tau (n = 399), p181Tau (n = 77), and Aß1-40 (n = 44) was analyzed. Kappa agreement of single biomarkers and Aß1-42/Aß1-40 was evaluated in an independent group of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia patients (n = 68). Next, established cutoffs were applied to a large real-world cohort of MCI subjects with follow-up data available (n = 647). RESULTS: Cutoff values of Aß1-42 and t-Tau were higher for CLEIA than for ELISA and similar for p181Tau. Spearman coefficients ranged between 0.81 for Aß1-40 and 0.96 for p181TAU. Passing-Bablok analysis showed a systematic and proportional difference for all biomarkers but only systematic for Aß1-40. Bland-Altman analysis showed an average difference between methods in favor of CLEIA. Kappa agreement for single biomarkers was good but lower for the Aß1-42/Aß1-40 ratio. Using the calculated cutoffs, we were able to stratify MCI subjects into four AT(N) categories. Kaplan-Meier analyses of AT(N) categories demonstrated gradual and differential dementia conversion rates (p = 9.815-27). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models corroborated these findings, demonstrating that the proposed AT(N) classifier has prognostic value. AT(N) categories are only modestly influenced by other known factors associated with disease progression. CONCLUSIONS: We established CLEIA and ELISA internal cutoffs to discriminate AD patients from amyloid-negative SCD individuals. The results obtained by both methods are not interchangeable but show good agreement. CLEIA is a good and faster alternative to manual ELISA for providing AT(N) classification of our patients. AT(N) categories have an impact on disease progression. AT(N) classifiers increase the certainty of the MCI prognosis, which can be instrumental in managing real-world MCI subjects.

Variants of genes encoding TNF receptors and ligands and proteins regulating TNF activation in familial multiple sclerosis.

INTRODUCTION: Numerous genetic variants have been associated with susceptibility to multiple sclerosis (MS). Variants located in genes involved in specific pathways, such as those affecting TNF-α, can contribute to the risk of MS. The purpose of this study was to determine whether variants of these genes are associated with greater risk of MS. METHODS: We used whole-exome sequencing to study genes coding for TNF-α receptors and ligands, and proteins promoting TNF-α expression in 116 individuals from 19 families including at least two MS patients. We compared patients with MS, patients with other autoimmune diseases, and healthy individuals. RESULTS: Greater polymorphism was observed in several genes in families with familial MS compared to the general population; this may reflect greater susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. Pedigree analysis also revealed that LT-α variants rs1041981 and rs2229094 and LT-ß variant rs4647197 were associated with MS and that LT-ß variant rs4647183 was associated with other autoimmune diseases. The association between autoimmune disease and TNFAIP2 variant rs1132339 is particularly noteworthy, as is the fact that TNFAIP6 variant rs1046668 appears to follow a recessive inheritance pattern. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the idea that the risk of familial MS is associated with variants of signaling pathways, including those involving TNF-α.

[Clinical and urodynamic risk factors of recurrent urinary tract infections in patients with multiple sclerosis.] / Factores de riesgo clínicos y urodinámicos de infecciones urinarias recurrentes en pacientes con esclerosis múltiple.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the risk factors of recurrent urinary infections (rUTIs) in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted including 114 patients with MS, 84 women (74%) and 30 men (26%), with a mean age of 49. They underwent videourodynamic study and selective sphincter electromyography due to urinary symptoms (LUTS). Clinical data (both neurological and urological) and videourodynamic data (including free flowmetry, cystomanometry and pressure flow study) were collected. In 37 patients (32%), the presence of rTUIs was demonstrated. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were demonstrated between the patients with and without rUTIs with respect to the following clinical variables: the time of evolution of the symptoms (greater in the case of rUTIs), time from the diagnosis of MS (higher in the case of rUTIs), EDSS score (Expanded Disability Staus Scale) (higher in the case of rUTIs) and the EM type [higher frequency of rUTIs in the progressive types (primary and secondary)]. Urodynamic variables with significant differences were: maximum flow in free flowmetry (lower in patients with rUTIs), voiding volume in free flowmetry (lower in patients with rUTIs), micturition efficiency (higher percentage of residual urine in patients with rUTIs), stress urinary incontinence (SUI) (higher frequency of rUTIs in patients with SUI), detrusor pressure at maximum flow (lower in patients with rUTIs) and bladder contractility index (lower in patients with rUTI). No significant difference was demonstrated in relation to the presence and type of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD). CONCLUSIONS: The severity and duration of MS is a risk factor for rUTIs. Urodynamic risk factors are compatible with a lower contractile capacity in patients with rUTIs, while the existence of NLUTD would not imply any specific risk factor.

OBJETIVO: Determinar los factores de riesgo de infecciones urinarias recurrentes (rUTIs) en pacientes con Esclerosis Múltiple (EM).MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio de cohortes retrospectivo en 114 pacientes, 84 mujeres (74%) y 30 varones (26%), de edad media 49 años con EM sometidos a estudio videourodinámico y electromiografía selectiva esfinteriana por presentar síntomas urinarios (LUTS). Se recogieron los datos clínicos (tanto neurológicos como urológicos) y videourodinámicos (incluyendo flujometría libre, cistomanometría y estudio presión flujo). En 37 pacientes (32%) se demostró la presencia de rTUIs. RESULTADOS: Se demostraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los pacientes con y sin rUTIs respecto de las siguientes variables clínicas: el tiempo de evolución de los síntomas (mayor en el caso de rUTIs), antigüedad de la EM (mayor en el caso de rUTIs), la puntuación EDSS (Expanded Disability Staus Scale) (mayor en el caso de rUTIs) y el tipo EM [mayor frecuencia de rUTIs en los tipos progresivos (primario y secundario)]. Las variables urodinámicas con diferencias significativas fueron: el flujo máximo en la flujometría libre (menor en pacientes con rUTIs), el volumen miccional en la flujometría libre (menor en pacientes con rUTIs), la eficiencia miccional (mayor porcentaje de residuo en pacientes con rUTIs), la incontinencia urinaria de esfuerzo (SUI) (mayor frecuencia de rUTIs en pacientes con SUI), la presión del detrusor a flujo máximo (menor en pacientes con rUTIs) y el índice de contractilidad vesical (menor en pacientes con rUTI). No se demostró ninguna diferencia significativa en relación con la presencia y tipo de disfunción neurógena del tracto urinario inferior (NLUTD). CONCLUSIONES: La gravedad y duración de la EM constituye un factor de riesgo para las rUTIs. Los factores de riesgo urodinámicos son compatibles con una menor capacidad contráctil en los pacientes con rUTIs, mientras que la existencia NLUTD no supondría ningún factor de riesgo específico.

Amyloid PET in pseudotumoral multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Pseudotumoral multiple sclerosis is a rare form of demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Positron emission tomography (PET) using amyloid-tracers has also been suggested as a marker of damage in white matter lesions in multiple sclerosis due to the nonspecific uptake of these tracers in white matter. METHOD: We present the case of a 59 year-old woman with a pathological-confirmed pseudotumoral multiple sclerosis, who was studied with the amyloid tracer 18F-florbetaben. The patient had developed word-finding difficulties and right hemianopia twelve years ago. In that time, MRI showed a lesion on the left hemisphere with an infiltrating aspect in frontotemporal lobes. Brain biopsy showed demyelinating areas and inflammation. During the following years, two new clinical relapses occurred. RESULTS: 18F-florbetaben PET showed lower uptake in the white matter lesion visualized in the CT and MRI images. Decreased tracer uptake was also observed in a larger area of the left hemisphere beyond the lesions observed on MRI or CT. White matter lesion volume on FLAIR was 44.2mL, and tracer uptake change between damaged white matter and normal appearing white matter was - 40.5%. Standardized uptake value was inferior in the pseudotumoral lesion than in the other white matter lesions. CONCLUSION: We report the findings of amyloid PET in a patient with pseudotumoral multiple sclerosis. This case provides further evidence on the role of amyloid PET in the assessment of white matter and demyelinating diseases.