Challenges in diagnosis and management of cerebral venous thrombosis as underlying cause of lobar intracerebral hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVES: Cerebral venous thrombosis is an uncommon, yet life-threatening condition, affecting mainly young and middle-aged individuals. Moreover, it represents an underrecognised etiology of lobar intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). The clinical course of CVT is variable in the first days after diagnosis and medical complications including pulmonary embolism (PE) may result in early neurological deterioration and death if left untreated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: We describe a 46-year-old man with acute left hemiparesis and dysarthria in the context of lobar ICH due to underlying CVT of Trolard vein. Diagnosis was delayed because of misinterpretation of the initial neuroimaging study. Subsequently, the patient rapidly deteriorated and developed submassive PE and left iliofemoral venous thrombosis in the setting of previously undiagnosed hereditary thrombophilia (heterozygous prothrombin gene mutation G2021A). Emergent aspiration thrombectomy was performed resulting in the successful management of PE. A follow-up MRI study confirmed the thrombosed Trolard vein, thus establishing the CVT diagnosis. Anticoagulation treatment was immediately escalated to enoxaparine therapeutic dose resulting in clinical improvement of neurological deficits. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed diagnosis of cerebral venous thrombosis with underlying causes of lobar ICH may result in dire complications. Swift initiation of anticoagulants is paramount even in patients with lobar intracerebral hemorrhage as the initial manifestation of cerebral venous thrombosis.

Double Trouble: Association of Malignant Melanoma with Sporadic and Genetic Forms of Parkinson's Disease and Asymptomatic Carriers of Related Genes: A Brief Report.

Introduction: Previous epidemiological evidence has established the co-occurrence of malignant melanoma (MM) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Shared molecular mechanisms have been proposed to be implicated in this relationship. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of MM in patients with sporadic and genetic types of PD, as well as in asymptomatic carriers of PD-related genes. Methods: Data regarding past medical history and concomitant disease of 1416 patients with PD (including 20 participants with prodromal disease who phenoconverted to PD), 275 healthy controls (HCs) and 670 asymptomatic carriers of PD-related genes were obtained from the database of the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI). Focus was placed on information about a medical record of MM. We also retrieved data regarding the genetic status of selected PPMI participants with a positive MM history. Results: In total, 46 patients with PD reported a positive MM history. Concerning the genetic forms of PD, nine of these PD patients (2.47%) carried a Leucine Rich Repeat Kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene mutation (mainly the G2019S), while eight (4.49%) harbored a Glucocerebrosidase (GBA) gene mutation (mainly the N370S). No alpha-synuclein (SNCA) gene mutation was identified in patients with an MM history. The remaining 29 PD patients (3.5%) were genetically undetermined. In total, 18 asymptomatic carriers of PD-related genes had a positive medical history for MM: among them, 10 carried an LRRK2 gene mutation (2.69%) and 10 a GBA gene mutation (3.51%) (2 were dual carriers). MM history was identified for seven HCs (2.5%). Conclusions: We replicated the previously reported association between genetically undetermined PD (GU-PD) and MM. A correlation of LRRK2 mutations with the development of MM could not be verified in either symptomatic PD patients or asymptomatic carriers, implicating distinct pathogenetic mechanisms as compared to GU-PD. Importantly, despite the limited literature evidence on Gaucher disease, this study highlights for the first time the relatively high prevalence of MM among asymptomatic and symptomatic PD GBA mutation carriers, with potential clinical implications.

The factors associated with the presence of psychotic symptoms in the HELIAD Greek community study of older adults.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence and associated factors related to psychotic symptoms in older adults are understudied. The objectives were to assess the prevalence, incidence and factors associated with psychotic symptoms in a representative Greek sample of community living older adults. METHODS: The sample includes n = 1,904 residents of the cities of Larissa and Maroussi in Greece participating in the Hellenic Longitudinal Investigation of Aging and Diet study with available data at baseline and n = 947 individuals at the 3-year follow-up. Past-month presence of delusions and hallucinations was assessed on the grounds of the 17 symptoms of the Columbia University Scale for Psychopathology in Alzheimer's Disease and 14 symptoms of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire. A comprehensive neuropsychological assessment for probable diagnosis of dementia and physical comorbidity was carried out by neurologists. Penalized logistic regression analyses were used to assess the socio-economic and clinical factors associated with psychotic symptoms. RESULTS: Past-month prevalence of psychotic symptoms was 1.9% and 1.0% when excluding cases of dementia. The prevalence of any delusion and hallucination was 0.8% and 0.3% when excluding dementia. The incidence of psychotic symptoms without dementia was 1.3%. Recent widows and farmers/breeders/craftsmen, versus public servants/teachers/executives, had both six times the odds of experiencing psychotic symptoms without dementia. Hearing impairment and the number of health conditions also increased the odds while increased age was protective. CONCLUSION: Psychotic symptoms unrelated to dementia constitute a considerable mental health problem in old age. Paranoid delusions were the most prevalent. Socio-economic and health status factors are significant predictors of psychotic symptoms.

Odor Identification Testing Can Assist in the Clinical Distinction Between Psychiatric Disorders and Neurological/Neurodegenerative Disorders.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aim was to identify whether performance on olfactory identification can distinguish neurological/neurodegenerative disorders (NNDs) from primary psychiatric disorders (PPDs). METHODS: This is a cross-sectional retrospective study of inpatients assessed in Neuropsychiatry, Royal Melbourne Hospital. Data extracted from the admission records included: demographics, tobacco use, medical comorbidities, cognitive function using the Neuropsychiatry Unit Cognitive Assessment Tool (NUCOG), and odor identification using the Sniffin' Sticks Screening 12 test. The final diagnosis for patients was informed by established diagnostic criteria. RESULTS: A total 121 patients were included. Eighty-eight patients (73%) were diagnosed with neurological or neurodegenerative disease, including Alzheimers dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body parkinsonian-related dementias (Parkinson disease, multiple system atrophy, dementia with Lewy bodies) and other neurological causes of dementia; 33 patients (27%) were diagnosed with PPDs (including mood and psychotic disorders). Patients who scored ≤8 on the Sniffin' Sticks Screening 12 test were more likely to have NND than PPD, even after adjustment for age, sex and tobacco use (P=0.009, adjusted odds ratios=3.85, 95% confidence interval=1.40-10.62). Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses demonstrated that a score of ≤8 differentiated NND from PPD with sensitivity of 57% and specificity of 73% (receiver operating characteristic area under the curve of 0.67, P=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with neuropsychiatric difficulties who score 8 or less on Sniffin' Sticks are more likely to have a neurodegenerative illness. A cut-off score of 8 is potentially a "red flag" for clinicians faced with the diagnostic question of PPD versus NND.

Circulating Brain-enriched MicroRNAs for detection and discrimination of idiopathic and genetic Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: A minimally invasive test for early detection and monitoring of Parkinson's disease (PD) is a highly unmet need for drug development and planning of patient care. Blood plasma represents an attractive source of biomarkers. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are conserved noncoding RNA molecules that serve as posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression. As opposed to ubiquitously expressed miRNAs that control house-keeping processes, brain-enriched miRNAs regulate diverse aspects of neuron development and function. These include neuron-subtype specification, axonal growth, dendritic morphogenesis, and spine density. Backed by a large number of studies, we now know that the differential expression of neuron-enriched miRNAs leads to brain dysfunction. OBJECTIVES: The aim was to identify subsets of brain-enriched miRNAs with diagnostic potential for familial and idiopathic PD as well as specify the molecular pathways deregulated in PD. METHODS: Initially, brain-enriched miRNAs were selected based on literature review and validation studies in human tissues. Subsequently, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed in the plasma of 100 healthy controls and 99 idiopathic and 53 genetic (26 alpha-synucleinA53T and 27 glucocerebrosidase) patients. Statistical and bioinformatics analyses were carried out to pinpoint the diagnostic biomarkers and deregulated pathways, respectively. RESULTS: An explicit molecular fingerprint for each of the 3 PD cohorts was generated. Although the idiopathic PD fingerprint was different from that of genetic PD, the molecular pathways deregulated converged between all PD subtypes. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides a group of brain-enriched miRNAs that may be used for the detection and differentiation of PD subtypes. It has also identified the molecular pathways deregulated in PD. © 2019 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Indirect Confirmation of a COVID-19 Encephalitis Case.

A 58-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with acute neurological manifestations of encephalitis 15 days after a previous upper respiratory COVID-19 illness. On presentation, he was confused with altered mental status, aggressive behavior, and a Glasgow coma scale score of 10/15. Laboratory investigation, brain computed tomography (CT), and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were unremarkable with normal results. Although the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 was negative, we found increased concentrations of positive immunoglobulin (Ig) A and IgG antibodies in CSF, suggesting acute central nervous system (CNS) infection and indirect confirmation of virus neuroinvasion. There was no evidence of humoral auto-reactivity, and we rejected the hypothesis of autoimmune encephalitis with known autoantibodies. On the fifth day of hospitalization, myoclonic jerks emerged as a new neurological sign until the added levetiracetam led to total remission. The patient achieved full recovery after antiviral and corticosteroid therapy implementation of 10 days in the hospital. This case report emphasizes the importance of the presence of CSF IgA and IgG antibodies to diagnose encephalitis in COVID-19 patients as an indirect confirmation of CNS infection.

The Landscape of Monogenic Parkinson's Disease in Populations of Non-European Ancestry: A Narrative Review.

INTRODUCTION: There has been a bias in the existing literature on Parkinson's disease (PD) genetics as most studies involved patients of European ancestry, mostly in Europe and North America. Our target was to review published research data on the genetic profile of PD patients of non-European or mixed ancestry. METHODS: We reviewed articles published during the 2000-2023 period, focusing on the genetic status of PD patients of non-European origin (Indian, East and Central Asian, Latin American, sub-Saharan African and Pacific islands). RESULTS: There were substantial differences regarding monogenic PD forms between patients of European and non-European ancestry. The G2019S Leucine Rich Repeat Kinase 2 (LRRK2) mutation was rather scarce in non-European populations. In contrast, East Asian patients carried different mutations like p.I2020T, which is common in Japan. Parkin (PRKN) variants had a global distribution, being common in early-onset PD in Indians, in East Asians, and in early-onset Mexicans. Furthermore, they were occasionally present in Black African PD patients. PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) and PD protein 7 (DJ-1) variants were described in Indian, East Asian and Pacific Islands populations. Glucocerebrosidase gene variants (GBA1), which represent an important predisposing factor for PD, were found in East and Southeast Asian and Indian populations. Different GBA1 variants have been reported in Black African populations and Latin Americans. CONCLUSIONS: Existing data reveal a pronounced heterogeneity in the genetic background of PD. A number of common variants in populations of European ancestry appeared to be absent or scarce in patients of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Large-scale studies that include genetic screening in African, Asian or Latin American populations are underway. The outcomes of such efforts will facilitate further clinical studies and will possibly contribute to the identification of either new pathogenic mutations in already described genes or novel PD-related genes.

Comprehensive Evaluation of Psychotic Features and Their Clinical Correlates in Early Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Some reports suggest that psychotic features may occur in the early stages of Parkinson's disease (PD), but sensitive tools have not been utilized. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate the presence of psychotic symptoms using detailed scales and to assess the association with clinical characteristics. METHODS: Healthy controls and patients within three years of PD onset were recruited. Participants were examined for psychotic symptoms using two different instruments: the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS) and a 10 question PD specific psychosis severity scale (10PDQ). In the PD group, medication use, motor and non-motor symptoms were documented. RESULTS: Based on CAARMS and 10PDQ scales, psychotic features were present in 39% (27/70) of patients and 4% (3/74) of controls. The prevalence of passage hallucinations and illusions was significantly higher in PD compared to the control group. The presence of PD-associated psychotic features was not significantly affected by medication, motor severity or global cognitive status. Higher prevalence of overall non-motor manifestations, REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and depressive symptoms was significantly associated with the manifestation of psychotic features in PD [(adjusted OR:1.3; 95% CI:1.1-1.6; p = 0.003), (adjusted OR:1.3; 95% CI:1.0-1.6; p = 0.023), and (adjusted OR:1.2; 95% CI:1.0-1.4;p = 0.026)]. CONCLUSIONS: Psychotic phenomena mainly of minor nature are highly common in early PD. Cumulative non-motor symptoms, RBD and depressive features are associated with the presence of psychotic symptoms in this non-demented, early-stage PD population. More studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms that contribute to the onset of psychotic features in early PD.

Serum Uric Acid as a Putative Biomarker in Prodromal Parkinson's Disease: Longitudinal Data from the PPMI Study.

BACKGROUND: The role of blood uric acid as a biomarker in symptomatic motor PD has been increasingly established in the literature. OBJECTIVE: Our present study assessed the role of serum uric acid as a putative biomarker in a prodromal PD cohort [REM Sleep Behavior disorder (RBD) and Hyposmia] followed longitudinally. METHODS: Longitudinal 5-year serum uric acid measurement data of 39 RBD patients and 26 Hyposmia patients with an abnormal DATSCAN imaging were downloaded from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative database. These cohorts were compared with 423 de novo PD patients and 196 healthy controls enrolled in the same study. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and concomitant disorders (hypertension/gout), baseline and longitudinal serum uric acid levels were higher in the RBD subgroup as compared to the established PD cohort (p = 0.004 and p = 0.001). (Baseline RBD 6.07±1.6 vs. Baseline PD 5.35±1.3 mg/dL and Year-5 RBD 5.7±1.3 vs. Year-5 PD 5.26±1.33). This was also true for longitudinal measurements in the Hyposmic subgroup (p = 0.008) (Baseline Hyposmic 5.7±1.6 vs. PD 5.35±1.3 mg/dL and Year-5 Hyposmic 5.58±1.6 vs. PD 5.26±1.33). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that serum uric acid levels are higher in prodromal PD subjects with ongoing dopaminergic degeneration compared to those with manifest PD. These data indicate that the well-established decrease in the levels of serum uric acid occurs with the transition from prodromal to clinical PD. Whether the higher levels of serum uric acid observed in prodromal PD may provide protection against conversion to full-blown clinical PD will require further study.

Jumping to conclusions bias, psychosis and impulsivity in early stages of Parkinson's disease.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to explore the correlations between Jumping to Conclusions (JtC) tendency and neuropsychiatric features in patients with early Parkinson's disease (PD). BACKGROUND: According to few reports, PD patients with impulsive-compulsive behaviors (ICBs) are prone to working memory difficulties including JtC bias. The correlation of psychotic features and JtC tendency remains still unclear. METHODS: Healthy controls and patients within 3 years of PD onset were recruited. Participants were examined for psychotic symptoms using a 10 question PD-specific psychosis severity scale. JtC was measured by a probalistic reasoning scenario (beads task). In PD group, medication use, motor and non-motor symptoms were documented. Impulsivity was evaluated using the Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in PD (QUIP). RESULTS: The prevalence of JtC bias was 9% (6/70) in healthy individuals, compared to 32% (22/68) of PD group [p = 0.001]. No association was detected between the presence of JtC tendency and PD-associated psychosis (p = 0.216). Patients with JtC had shorter duration of PD, more tremor-dominant PD subtype and higher QUIP scores, regardless of the dopaminergic therapy (p = 0.043, p = 0.015, p = 0.007, respectively). A trend towards attention and inhibition control deficit was noticed in JtC patients. CONCLUSIONS: We found a high prevalence of JtC bias in early, cognitively intact PD population and a potential link between subthreshold ICBs and poor performance on beads task. Additional studies are needed to confirm our results and elaborate on the mechanisms that correlate impulsivity with JtC tendency, which are likely to be different from those mediating psychotic features in early PD.

Asymptomatic carriers of the p.A53T SNCA mutation: Data from the PPMI study.

We assessed non motor characteristics of 12 asymptomatic p.A53T mutation carriers (A53T-AC) compared with 36 healthy controls (HC) enrolled in the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) study. Olfaction score was lower and anxiety was marginally more prevalent in A53T- AC. These findings suggest distinct prodromal features in this group of subjects.

Serum uric acid level as a putative biomarker in Parkinson's disease patients carrying GBA1 mutations: 2-Year data from the PPMI study.

INTRODUCTION: Blood uric acid represents an important biomarker in sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD). Whether uric acid levels change in genetic forms of PD is beginning to be assessed. The aim of the present study was to evaluate differences in serum uric acid level among PD patients harboring mutations in the glucocerebrosidase (GBA1) gene, sporadic PD, and healthy controls followed longitudinally. METHODS: Longitudinal 2-year serum uric acid measurement data of 120 GBA-PD patients have been downloaded from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) database. This cohort was compared with 369 de novo sporadic PD patients and 195 healthy controls enrolled in the same study. RESULTS: Following adjustment for age, sex and BMI the GBA-PD cohort exhibited lower 2-year longitudinal uric acid level as compared to the controls (p = 0.016). Baseline uric acid measurements showed only a marginal difference (p = 0.119), but year 2 uric acid levels were lower in the GBA-PD cohort (p < 0.001). There was no difference in baseline, year 2 and 2-year longitudinal serum uric acid in the GBA-PD cohort as compared to sporadic PD (p = 0.664, p = 0.117 and p = 0.315). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to assess serum uric acid in a GBA-PD cohort. Our findings suggest that low serum uric acid might be a progression biomarker in GBA-PD. However, more studies (ideally longitudinal) on the association between low serum uric acid and clinical data in GBA-PD are needed. These results are consistent with data from previous reports assessing uric acid as a biomarker in other genetic forms of PD.

Apathy: An underestimated feature in GBA and LRRK2 non-manifesting mutation carriers.

INTRODUCTION: Higher prevalence of motor and non-motor features has been observed in non-manifesting mutation carriers of Parkinson's Disease (PD) compared to Healthy Controls (HC). The aim was to detect the differences between GBA and LRRK2 mutation carriers without PD and HC on neuropsychiatric symptoms. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional retrospective study of non-manifesting GBA and LRRK2 mutation carriers and HC enrolled into Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI). Data extracted from the PPMI database contained: demographics and performance in MoCA scale and MDS-UPDRS scale part 1A (neuropsychiatric symptoms). All six features were treated as both continuous (MDS-UPDRS individual scores) and categorical variables (MDS-UPDRS individual score>0 and MDS-UPDRS individual score = 0). Logistic regression analyses were applied to evaluate the association between mutation carrying status and neuropsychiatric symptoms. RESULTS: In this study, the neuropsychiatric evaluation was performed in 285 GBA non-manifesting carriers, 369 LRRK2 non-manifesting carriers and 195 HC. We found that GBA non-manifesting mutation carriers were 2.6 times more likely to present apathy compared to HC, even after adjustment for covariates (adjusted OR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.1-6.3, p = 0.031). The higher percentage of apathy for LRRK2 carriers compared to HC was marginally non-significant. GBA carriers were 1.5 times more likely to develop features of anxiety compared to LRRK2 carriers (adjusted OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.1-2.2, p = 0.015). Other neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as psychotic or depressive manifestations, did not differ between groups. CONCLUSION: Symptoms of apathy could be present in the prediagnostic period of non-manifesting mutation carriers, especially, GBA. Longitudinal data, including detailed neuropsychiatric evaluation and neuroimaging, would be essential to further investigate the pathophysiological basis of this finding.

Serum Uric Acid in LRRK2 Related Parkinson's Disease: Longitudinal Data from the PPMI Study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have highlighted serum uric acid as a putative idiopathic Parkinson's disease (iPD) biomarker. Only one study, so far, showed higher levels of serum uric acid in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK + 2) carriers compared to those who developed PD, however a longitudinal comparison between LRRK2 + PD and healthy controls (HC) has not been performed. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether there are longitudinal differences in serum uric acid between iPD, LRRK2 + PD and HC and their association with motor and non-motor features. METHODS: Longitudinal data of uric acid of 282 de novo iPD, 144 LRRK2 + PD patients, and 195 age-matched HC were obtained from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) database. We also used longitudinal Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part III (MDS-UPDRS-III), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) scores, and DaTSCAN striatal binding ratios (SBRs). RESULTS: Longitudinal uric acid measurements were significantly lower in LRRK2 + PD patients compared to HC up to 5 years follow-up. There was no significant impact or correlation of adjusted or unadjusted uric acid levels with MoCA, MDS-UPDRS III, or GDS scores, the presence of RBD or DAT-SCAN SBRs. CONCLUSION: LRRK2 + PD group had significantly lower uric acid concentrations compared to HC after adjusting for age, sex and baseline BMI up to 5 years follow-up. There were no significant associations between uric acid levels and indices of disease severity. These findings identify serum uric acid as a marker linked to LRRK2 + PD.

Late life psychotic features in prodromal Parkinson's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Some case series have suggested that psychotic features could occur even before the onset of motor symptoms of Parkinson's Disease (PD). Our aim was to investigate a possible association between psychotic symptoms and prodromal Parkinson's disease in a population-based cohort, the Hellenic Longitudinal Investigation of Aging and Diet study. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included participants aged ≥65 years without dementia or PD. We defined psychotic symptoms as the presence of at least one new hallucinatory or delusional feature, assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory scale and the Columbia University Scale for Psychopathology in Alzheimer's Disease, exhibited only at follow-up and not present at baseline visit. We calculated the probability of prodromal PD (pPD) for every participant, according to the 2019 International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society research criteria for prodromal PD. RESULTS: Participants who developed psychotic manifestations over a three-year follow up (20 of 914) had 1.3 times higher probability of pPD score (ß [95%CI]: 1.3 [0.9-1.5], p=0.006) compared to non-psychotic subjects. This association was driven mostly by depressive symptoms, constipation and subthreshold parkinsonism (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that emerging psychotic features evolve in parallel with the probability of pPD. This is the first study that provides evidence for the presence of psychotic experiences in pPD. The association detected needs to be confirmed in longitudinal studies.

REM sleep behavior disorder and other sleep abnormalities in p. A53T SNCA mutation carriers.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Τo assess whether REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) and other sleep abnormalities occur in carriers of the p.A53T alpha-synuclein gene (SNCA) mutation, using both subjective and objective measures. METHODS: We have assessed 15 p.A53T carriers (10 manifesting Parkinson's Disease [PD-A53T] and 5 asymptomatic carriers) with simultaneous Video-PSG (polysomnography) recording, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) for daytime sleepiness, the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), the RBD Screening Questionnaire (RBDSQ) for clinical features of RBD, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) for cognition and the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) for olfaction. RESULTS: In our cohort, 90% of PD carriers had at least one sleep disorder and 40% had two: 4 RBD, 1 Periodic Limb Movements (PLM), 1 RBD plus PLM, 2 RBD plus moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), and 1 moderate OSA plus Restless Leg Syndrome. No asymptomatic carrier manifested a confirmed sleep disorder. 6/7 PD carriers with RBD had abnormal olfactory testing and 4/7 MOCA below cut off. There was a correlation of both impaired olfaction and cognition with RBD. CONCLUSIONS: RBD occurs in the majority of PD-A53T, in contrast to most other genetic forms of PD, in which RBD is uncommon. The paucity of a sleep disorder in the asymptomatic carriers suggests that such carriers have not yet reached the prodromal phase when such sleep disorders manifest. Hyposmia in almost all subjects with RBD and cognitive decline in most of them are indicative of the general pattern of disease progression, which however is not uniform.

Validation of differentially expressed brain-enriched microRNAs in the plasma of PD patients.

OBJECTIVE: There is a pressing need to identify and validate, minimally invasive, molecular biomarkers that will complement current practices and increase the diagnostic accuracy in Parkinson's disease (PD). Brain-enriched miRNAs regulate all aspects of neuron development and function; importantly, they are secreted by neurons in amounts that can be readily detected in the plasma. Τhe aim of the present study was to validate a set of previously identified brain-enriched miRNAs with diagnostic potential for idiopathic PD and recognize the molecular pathways affected by these deregulated miRNAs. METHODS: RT-qPCR was performed in the plasma of 92 healthy controls and 108 idiopathic PD subjects. Statistical and in silico analyses were used to validate deregulated miRNAs and pathways in PD, respectively. RESULTS: miR-22-3p, miR-124-3p, miR-136-3p, miR-154-5p, and miR-323a-3p levels were found to be differentially expressed between healthy controls and PD patients. miR-330-5p, miR-433-3p, and miR-495-3p levels were overall higher in male subjects. Most of these miRNAs are clustered at Chr14q32 displaying CREB1, CEBPB, and MAZ transcription factor binding sites. Gene Ontology annotation analysis of deregulated miRNA targets revealed that "Protein modification," "Transcription factor activity," and "Cell death" terms were over-represented. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome analysis revealed that "Long-term depression," "TGF-beta signaling," and "FoxO signaling" pathways were significantly affected. INTERPRETATION: We validated a panel of brain-enriched miRNAs that can be used along with other measures for the detection of PD, revealed molecular pathways targeted by these deregulated miRNAs, and identified upstream transcription factors that may be directly implicated in PD pathogenesis.

Serum Uric Acid Level as a Biomarker in Idiopathic and Genetic (p.A53T Alpha-Synuclein Carriers) Parkinson's Disease: Data from the PPMI Study.

BACKGROUND: Blood uric acid level represents an emerging biomarker in Parkinson's disease (PD). Whether uric acid levels change in genetic forms of PD is just beginning to be explored. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to assess differences in serum uric acid level among PD patients harboring the p.A53T mutation in the alpha-synuclein gene, idiopathic PD, and healthy controls. METHODS: Longitudinal 5-year serum uric acid measurement data of 369 de novo idiopathic PD patients and 174 age- and gender-matched healthy controls have been downloaded from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) database. Furthermore, we assessed baseline serum uric acid measurements of 24 p.A53T alpha-synuclein PD patients enrolled in PPMI and followed in our site as compared to 24 age-, gender- and disease duration-matched sporadic PD patients and 24 healthy controls. RESULTS: Longitudinal serum uric acid measurements did not differ statistically between idiopathic PD patients and healthy controls (despite a trend for lower uric acid in the PD group) (p = 0.879). This was also true when male and female subgroups were assessed separately. The p.A53T SNCA mutation carrier PD group exhibited lower baseline serum uric acid level as compared to their matched healthy controls (p = 0.025). CONCLUSION: In the present study we did not replicate the established lower serum uric acid measurements in PD patients as compared to controls using PPMI data, possibly due to the fact that PD patients in baseline visit were de novo and the average disease duration was shorter than that observed in most epidemiological PD studies. The faster progression rate and increased disease severity in p.A53T PD possibly correlate with the lower serum uric acid observed in this subgroup.

DaTSCAN (123I-FP-CIT SPECT) imaging in early versus mid and late onset Parkinson's disease: Longitudinal data from the PPMI study.

INTRODUCTION: It has been reported that early onset Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients have a less profound dopaminergic degeneration. The aim of the current study was to determine whether there are longitudinal differences in dopaminergic denervation [signal reduction in 123I-FP-CIT SPECT] in early versus mid and late onset PD. METHODS: DaTSCAN (123I-FP-CIT SPECT) imaging was acquired at Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) imaging centers and sent to the imaging core for calculation of striatal binding ratios. Data from the PPMI database of 58 early de novo PD patients (age ≤ 50 years) were compared to those of 362 mid and late onset PD patients (age > 50 years). RESULTS: Although raw striatal binding ratios were higher in early onset versus mid/late onset PD, especially on the ipsilateral side, such differences were not observed, and were in fact reversed in the contralateral putamen, after age correction. The rate of signal decline was similar between the two groups. Interestingly, based on both raw and age-adjusted data, caudate nucleus and putamen asymmetry (contralateral/ipsilateral ratio) was more pronounced in early onset PD. Striatal asymmetry also significantly correlated with age at onset as a continuous variable. CONCLUSION: Early onset PD patients exhibited similar rates of decline of dopaminergic denervation compared to mid/late onset PD. These results are not supportive of a more benign disease in this subgroup. The more pronounced asymmetry in early onset PD may however signify a qualitatively different pattern of neurodegeneration compared to mid/late onset PD.