Brain venular pattern by 7T MRI correlates with memory and haemoglobin in sickle cell anaemia.

Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is a hereditary hemoglobinopathy characterised by extensive vascular dysfunction that stems from inflammation, thrombosis and occlusion of post-capillary venules. Cognitive impairment is a neurological complication of SCA whose pathogenesis is unknown. We hypothesised that cerebral venular abnormalities are linked to cognitive impairment in SCA. Thus, we employed 7T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the association between venular density and cognitive function in homozygous SCA. We quantified the density of total, long, and short venules in pre-defined regions of interest between the frontal and occipital cornu on each hemisphere. Cognitive function was assessed using the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test - Revised (HVLT-R) test of learning and memory. Patients (n=11) were compared with race, age and gender-equated controls (n=7). Compared to controls, patients had an overall venular rarefaction, with significantly lower density of long venules and greater density of short venules which was inversely related to HVLT-R performance and haemoglobin. To our knowledge, this is the first 7T MRI study in SCA and first report of associations between cerebral venular patterns and cognitive performance and haemoglobin. Future studies should examine whether these novel neuroimaging markers predict cognitive impairment longitudinally and are mechanistically linked to severity of anaemia.

Exploring the reasons urban and rural-dwelling older adults participate in memory research.

This study examines how underrepresented older urban and rural-dwelling individuals conceptualize participation in cognitive impairment studies. Nine focus groups were held with urban and rural-dwelling older adults who had participated in a community-based memory screening study. Expected and experienced benefits of research participation were motivators for study participation in all focus groups. Results indicate that participation in memory research was believed to lead to an understanding of memory function. Focus group participants expressed an active interest in research on dementia, and viewed research participation as a way to address memory concerns and provide a benefit to society.

Development of a short form of the Severe Impairment Battery.

OBJECTIVE: The authors sought to develop a short form of the Severe Impairment Battery (SIB). METHODS: Authors describe the development of an empirically-derived short form of the SIB (SIB-S) by use of data from 191 subjects with severe dementia in the United States and France. RESULTS: Mean (standard deviation) Mini-Mental State Exam scores for the American and French samples were 7.7 (4.8) and 5.7 (3.4), respectively, and original SIB scores were 71.87 (18.34) and 58.38 (26.86), respectively. Exploratory factor analyses were conducted separately and in combination for the two samples, to determine the number of clinically meaningful factors. An eight-factor model, explaining 60.2% of the common variance, was selected. The eight constructs were described as: expressive language, memory (verbal and nonverbal), social interaction, color-naming, praxis, reading and writing, fluency, and attention. Derived SIB-S scores were 38.41 (9.12) and 29.79 (13.17) for the American and French samples, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The original SIB is a valid and reliable research tool developed to enable reliable assessment of patients with severe dementia; it takes approximately 30 minutes to administer. The SIB-S takes only 10-15 minutes to administer, making it more appropriate for use in patients with very severe dementia, while it maintains the attributes of the original SIB.

[Postoperative uveitis following extra-capsular extraction and posterior chamber implantation]. / Les uvéites postopératoires après extraction extra capsulaire et implantation en chambre postérieure.

We describe significant non infectious post operative uveitis after extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) with insertion of a posterior chamber intra ocular lens. We observe three forms of evolution: the acute and early uveitis, quickly resolving; the late-occuring uveitis; and the chronic, recurring uveitis, which suggests that the inflammatory response may be caused by the hypersensitivity to the lens protein which remained after the ECCE. So a phako-anaphylactic reaction may occur.