Conventional magnetic resonance imaging key features for distinguishing pathologically confirmed corticobasal degeneration from its mimics: a retrospective analysis of the J-VAC study.

PURPOSE: Due to the indistinguishable clinical features of corticobasal syndrome (CBS), the antemortem differentiation between corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and its mimics remains challenging. However, the utility of conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the diagnosis of CBD has not been sufficiently evaluated. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic performance of conventional MRI findings in differentiating pathologically confirmed CBD from its mimics. METHODS: Semiquantitative visual rating scales were employed to assess the degree and distribution of atrophy and asymmetry on conventional T1-weighted and T2-weighted images. Additionally, subcortical white matter hyperintensity (SWMH) on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images were visually evaluated. RESULTS: In addition to 19 patients with CBD, 16 with CBD mimics (progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP): 9, Alzheimer's disease (AD): 4, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB): 1, frontotemporal lobar degeneration with TAR DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa(FTLD-TDP): 1, and globular glial tauopathy (GGT): 1) were investigated. Compared with the CBD group, the PSP-CBS subgroup showed severe midbrain atrophy without SWMH. The non-PSP-CBS subgroup, comprising patients with AD, DLB, FTLD-TDP, and GGT, showed severe temporal atrophy with widespread asymmetry, especially in the temporal lobes. In addition to over half of the patients with CBD, two with FTLD-TDP and GGT showed SWMH, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study elucidates the distinct structural changes between the CBD and its mimics based on visual rating scales. The evaluation of atrophic distribution and SWMH may serve as imaging biomarkers of conventional MRI for detecting background pathologies.

[A Case Report of Hepatic Angiosarcoma Developed against the Background of Hepatic Hemochromatosis].

A 35-year-old man who had fever and stomachache was referred to our hospital. He underwent surgery and chemoradiotherapy for neuroblastoma as a child and subsequently developed leukemia. Frequent blood transfusions and bone marrow transplants were performed due to anemia. Abdominal contrast CT scan and contrast MRI showed tumorous lesions with a diameter of 60×42 mm in liver S6, and a tendency to increase in a short term. There was also hemochromatosis in the liver. We considered it a malignant tumor and performed a right lobectomy. Pathological examination diagnosed the tumor hepatic angiosarcoma. The postoperative course was fine and he was discharged without complications. But multiple liver metastases appeared 6 months after surgery. We performed chemotherapy but he passed away 10 months after surgery. Hepatic angiosarcoma is a rare disease among liver malignancies and has a very poor prognosis. As for the cause of hepatic angiosarcoma, many of them are unknown, but chronic exposures such as vinyl monomers have been reported in some cases. Hemochromatosis has been reported as a background factor for malignant tumors such as hepatocellular carcinoma. In this case it is possible that it contributed to the development of hepatic angiosarcoma.

[A Case of Surgical Resection of Advanced Gallbladder Cancer with Adult Annular Pancreas].

An-81-year-old man presented to another doctor complaining of epigastric pain. He was referred to us after the laboratory data revealed a high serum CEA and abdominal ultrasonography showed the space occupying lesion in the left liver. Abdominal CT revealed advanced gallbladder cancer infiltrating the liver and colon and found annular pancreas surrounding the descending portion of duodenum. We chose partial hepatectomy(S4a+S5), extrahepatic bile duct resection with hepaticojejunostomy and partial colectomy. Pathological diagnosis of the tumor was pT3N1M0, gallbladder cancer. The patient was discharged on the 21 days after operation. The frequency of malignant tumors in adult annular pancreas are not revealed. But some cases present with adult annular pancreas complicating the biliary tract tumor. We experienced a case of advanced gallbladder cancer with adult annular pancreas and report our case and review the pertinent literature.

Progressive supranuclear palsy with predominant frontal presentation exhibiting progressive nonfluent aphasia due to crossed aphasia.

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) with predominant frontal presentation (PSP-F) is a clinical phenotype of PSP that is characterized by frontal cognitive impairment and behavioral changes. Here, we report on a patient with pathologically diagnosed PSP-F in whom we were able to observe temporal changes of the clinical manifestations. A 77-year-old right-handed man developed progressive nonfluent aphasia (PNFA) at the age of 69 years, festinating gait, and clumsiness of his left arm at age 75, disinhibition at age 76, and unprovoked falls at age 77. Neurological examination at age 77 revealed limb-kinetic apraxia of the left upper and lower limbs, rigidity, cortical sensory loss, and vertical supranuclear gaze palsy. According to the Movement Disorder Society clinical diagnostic criteria for PSP, his clinical manifestations shifted from suggestive PSP with predominant speech/language disorder to probable PSP-F over nine years. Cerebral atrophy on brain magnetic resonance imaging and decreased accumulation of 99m Tc-ECD on cerebral blood flow single-photon emission computed tomography were noted with right side predominance. Pathologically, 4-repeat tau-immunoreactive globose-type neurofibrillary tangles, coiled bodies, tufted astrocytes, and neuropil threads were observed predominantly in the frontal cortex. Tau pathology of the substantia nigra, locus coeruleus and subthalamic nucleus was mild. These findings suggested that localized tau pathology involving the pars opercularis extended to the precentral gyrus, prefrontal cortex, and brainstem. This case report demonstrates that PSP-F can present as a PNFA due to crossed aphasia.

Persistent intrathecal interleukin-8 production in a patient with SARS-CoV-2-related encephalopathy presenting aphasia: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Neurological manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are increasingly recognized and include encephalopathy, although direct infection of the brain by SARS-CoV-2 remains controversial. We herein report the clinical course and cytokine profiles of a patient with severe SARS-CoV-2-related encephalopathy presenting aphasia. CASE PRESENTATION: An 81-year-old man developed acute consciousness disturbance and status epileptics several days after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Following treatment with remdesivir and dexamethasone, his consciousness and epileptic seizures improved; however, amnestic aphasia and agraphia remained. Two months after methylprednisolone pulse and intravenous immunoglobulin, his neurological deficits improved. We found increased levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), but not IL-2 and IL-10 in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and the levels of serum IL-6 and MCP-1 were much higher than those in the CSF. The level of IL-8 in the CSF after immunotherapy was four times higher than that before immunotherapy. CONCLUSION: The cytokine profile of our patient was similar to that seen in severe SARS-CoV-2-related encephalopathy. We demonstrated (i) that the characteristic aphasia can occur as a focal neurological deficit associated with SARS-CoV-2-related encephalopathy, and (ii) that IL8-mediated central nervous system inflammation follows systemic inflammation in SARS-CoV-2-related encephalopathy and can persist and worsen even after immunotherapy. Monitoring IL-8 in CSF, and long-term corticosteroids may be required for treating SARS-CoV-2-related encephalopathy.

Clinicopathological findings of a mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes/Leigh syndrome overlap patient with a novel m.3482A>G mutation in MT-ND1.

We report clinicopathological findings of a patient with mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes/Leigh syndrome (MELAS/LS) associated with a novel m.3482A>G mutation in MT-ND1. A 41-year-old woman had experienced multiple stroke-like episodes since age 16. She developed akinetic mutism two months before admission to our hospital. Neurological examination revealed akinetic mutism, bilateral deafness, and muscular atrophy. Cerebrospinal fluid tests revealed elevated pyruvate and lactate levels. Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images on magnetic resonance imaging showed hyperintense areas in the right frontal and both sides of temporal and occipital lobes, both sides of the striatum, and the midbrain. Muscle biopsy revealed strongly succinate dehydrogenase-reactive blood vessels. L-arginine therapy improved her consciousness and prevented further stroke-like episodes. However, she died from aspiration pneumonia. Postmortem autopsy revealed scattered infarct-like lesions with cavitation in the cerebral cortex and necrotic lesions in the striatum and midbrain. The patient was pathologically confirmed as having MELAS/LS based on two characteristic clinicopathological findings: presenting MELAS/LS overlap phenotype and effectiveness of L-arginine treatment.

Albumin-bilirubin score for predicting neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients receiving ifosfamide-based chemotherapy.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Ifosfamide, an alkylating agent, is widely used in the treatment of malignant diseases. However, these treatments are often limited due to the incidence of neuropsychiatric symptoms such as delirium, seizures, hallucinations and agitation. In this study, we examined risk factors for neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients receiving ifosfamide-based chemotherapy. METHODS: The study cases were patients with cancer receiving ifosfamide-based chemotherapy between April 2007 and March 2018. Risk analysis for ifosfamide-related neuropsychiatric symptoms was determined by time-dependent Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Of 183 eligible patients, 32 patients (17.5%) experienced ifosfamide-related neuropsychiatric symptoms. Time-dependent Cox proportional hazard model showed that the albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score was significantly correlated with the incidence of ifosfamide-related neuropsychiatric symptoms (hazard ratio [HR] =1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.05-2.01, p = 0.025). Additionally, there were correlations between the predicted risk of neuropsychiatric symptoms and ifosfamide-dose per cycle (HR =0.51, 95% CI = 0.27-0.94, p = 0.030) and creatinine clearance (Ccr) (HR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.28-1.00, p = 0.050). In contrast, neither serum albumin nor total bilirubin was a significant risk factor for neuropsychiatric symptoms. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that ALBI score may be a useful biomarker for predicting neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients receiving ifosfamide-based chemotherapy.

A hybrid approach for chronic pancreatitis: combination of laparoscopic assisted distal pancreatectomy and open Frey procedure.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of chronic pancreatitis requires a surgical approach in patients who are refractory to medical therapy. During surgical treatment, ductal decompression is required, but a pancreatectomy is necessary for some patients, such as those with severe stenosis of the pancreatic duct. Indeed, suboptimal procedures lead to recurrent pancreatitis. We used a laparoscopic hybrid approach for patients with severe stenosis of the pancreatic duct. In this report, we present the feasibility and outcomes of our approach. METHODS: We selected a laparoscopic approach for the distal pancreatectomy, which is relatively safe and the effect of reducing the length of the wound is substantial. We selected an open approach for the Frey procedure because complete ductal compression has a high risk for injury to the vessels posterior to the pancreas. We recorded the operative outcomes, postoperative complications, and recurrence of pancreatitis. RESULTS: We performed the laparoscopic hybrid approach on 3patients between January and December 2018. There were no major intraoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo classification IIIa or more) and the postoperative course was uneventful in all patients. There were no recurrences of pancreatitis and no postoperative pain in all patients in > 2 years of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Our hybrid method with a focus on complete ductal compression with safety and minimal invasiveness might be the optimal approach for the surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis that requires a pancreatectomy with the Frey procedure.

[A Case of Solitary Liver Metastasis from Renal Cell Carcinoma That Was Difficult to Distinguish from Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Underwent Laparoscopic Resection].

We experienced a case of solitary liver tumor that developed after renal cancer surgery. Before the surgery, the tumor was suspected to be hepatocellular carcinoma and was subsequently diagnosed as renal cancer liver metastasis. An 81-year-old man underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy for left renal cancer in January 2017. After that, the cancer had not recurred, but a follow-up CT examination 1 year after the operation revealed a 42 mm-sized tumor in the liver S6. Liver biopsy was performed for diagnosis, but in histopathological findings, the diagnosis was difficult to make. Eventually, the preoperative final diagnosis was hepatocellular carcinoma. Laparoscopic partial hepatectomy was performed in June 2018, and in the histopathological findings of the resected specimen, the final diagnosis was the liver metastasis from renal cancer. Generally, the prognosis of renal cancer with liver metastasis is poor, but if complete resection is possible, it is recommended in the Clinical Practical Guideline for Renal Cancer. In recent years, the number of minimally invasive laparoscopic surgeries for hepatectomy has increased, and its safety has also improved. Therefore, resection is diagnostic treatment for cases where, like this case, preoperative diagnosis for solitary liver tumor is difficult. Laparoscopic hepatectomy could be one of the effective treatment strategies.

Epithelial cyst arising in an intrapancreatic accessory spleen: a case report of robotic surgery and review of minimally invasive treatment.

BACKGROUND: An epithelial cyst in an intrapancreatic accessory spleen (ECIPAS) is rare. We report a case of ECIPAS that was treated with robot-assisted distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy. CASE PRESENTATION: The case was a 59-year-old woman who was referred to our hospital after a pancreatic tail tumor was found on computed tomography prior to surgery for small bowel obstruction at another hospital. A cystic lesion in the pancreatic tail was discovered and evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging and endoscopic ultrasonography. Based on clinical and radiological features, mucinous cystic neoplasm was included in the differential diagnosis. The patient underwent robot-assisted distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy. The postoperative course was uneventful. Pathological evaluation revealed a 20-mm ECIPAS in the pancreatic tail. CONCLUSIONS: If a pancreatic tail tumor is present, ECIPAS should be included in the differential diagnosis. However, preoperative diagnosis is difficult, and a definitive diagnosis is often not obtained until after surgery. Surgery should be minimally invasive. Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy has become a standard surgical procedure because it is minimally invasive. Robot-assisted surgery is not only minimally invasive, but also advantageous, because it has a stereoscopic magnifying effect and allows the forceps to move smoothly. Robot-assisted distal pancreatectomy may be a good option, when performing surgery for a pancreatic tail tumor.

[A Case of Unresectable Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma Resected Curatively Through Effective Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy].

A 60's man came to our hospital for jaundice. Contrast-enhanced CT showed irregular thickening of the hilar bile duct, and the lymph nodes(LN)were swollen from the hilar to the abdominal aorta. These LNs showed similar findings in endoscopic ultrasonography(EUS), and fine needle aspiration cytology(FNA)was performed on the enlarged No.13LN to diagnose LN metastasis of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Since the peri-aortic LN was also markedly enlarged, it was considered to be metastasis, and was diagnosed as unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma with distant LN metastasis. When gemcitabine/cisplatin therapy(GC therapy)was started, tumor markers normalized and LN decreased in 4 months. We performed GC therapy for a total of 12 cycles and did not re-exacerbate. Cholangioscopy revealed that bile duct stenosis at the hilar portion had improved. We have determined that curative resection is possible and performed surgery. We confirmed that No.16b1LN was negative by pathological diagnosis during surgery and performed left hepatic caudate lobectomy, extrahepatic cholangectomy, and biliary reconstruction. Diagnosis was pT2aN1(n8a)M0, fStage ⅢB, and pR0. After surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 was continued.

[A Case of Gallbladder Cancer with Para-Aortic Lymph Node Metastasis Successfully Treated by Gemcitabine plus Cisplatin Combination Chemotherapy and Conversion Surgery].

The case is a 59-year-old woman. A medical examination revealed a high CA19-9, she visited a nearby hospital. Abdominal echo showed thickening of the gallbladder wall, and she was referred to our hospital for further examination. EUS-FNA was performed and a biopsy of #12 lymph node revealed undifferentiated cancer, which was diagnosed as gallbladder cancer. FDG-PET showed accumulation of FDG in the gallbladder lumen and swollen lymph nodes around the aorta. Therefore, the cancer was considered unresectable and chemotherapy was performed. FDG-PET was re-examined after 4 courses of gemcitabine plus cisplatin combination chemotherapy. As a result, the lymph node swelling contracted, the accumulation of FDG disappeared, and surgery was scheduled. Extended cholecystectomy and extrahepatic bile duct resection were performed. She was discharged 22 days after the surgery without complications. Histopathological examination showed fibrotic tissue at the gallbladder and lymph nodes, but no residual tumor cells. There are no recurrences 11 months after surgery. Although the prognosis of gallbladder cancer with para-aortic lymph node metastasis is generally poor, it is suggested that conversion surgery with multimodality treatment including preoperative chemotherapy may be a useful therapeutic strategy.

[A Case Report of Lymph Node Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Resected by Laparoscopic Surgery].

The case presented is a 72-year-old male with no history of hepatitis B or C. Dynamic CT revealed a 2 cm mass in the liver (S8), with arterial phase hyperenhancement and delayed phase washout. The patient underwent an open S8 subsegmentectomy. The mass was pathologically diagnosed as well-to-moderately differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma(T2N0M0, Stage Ⅱ). At 2 years 10 months postoperatively, MRI showed a 4 cm mass in contact with the pancreatic head, inferior vena cava, and duodenum. The mass had moderate FDG uptake on PET scan, and early phase hyperenhancement and delayed phase washout on dynamic CT. We performed laparoscopic mass resection, suspecting lymph node metastasis of the hepatocellular carcinoma, which was confirmed by the pathological diagnosis. The patient has survived for 1 year without recurrence. Lymph node metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma is rare. It is unclear whether surgical resection is feasible in such cases. Here, we report a case of lymph node metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma resected by laparoscopic surgery.

[A Case with Long Survival after Total Remnant Pancreatectomy for Recurrence of Pancreatic Body Cancer].

A 56-year-old man underwent distal pancreatectomy due to pancreatic body carcinoma in 2009, at the age of 46. There had been no sign of metastasis and recurrence until levels of tumor markers began to increase in January 2014. PET scan, CT scan, and other examinations showed a possible carcinoma in the pancreas head. The patient underwent total remnant pancreatectomy. The tumor was located in the uncinate process of the pancreas with infiltration of the portal vein. The pathological diagnosis of the tumor was moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. The ductal lumen structure was relatively maintained and the cytoplasm was comparatively clear. Since its pathological findings were similar to those observed in 2009, the tumor appeared to be a recurrence of the tumor resected at that time. The patient had received postoperative chemotherapy and remains alive in 2019 without recurrence. While there is evidence that surgical resection for the recurrence of other cancers such as colon cancer may improve patient survival, it remains unclear if surgical resection of recurrence in the remnant pancreas after pancreatectomy of pancreatic cancer is feasible. We report a case with long survival after surgical resection of a pancreatic carcinoma recurrence in the remnant pancreas.

[A Case of Conversion Surgery for an Initially Locally Advanced Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer after S-1 Chemotherapy].

We report a case of conversion surgery for a locally advanced unresectable(UR-LA)pancreatic cancer that was radically resected after S-1 therapy. A 65-year-old man visited a referral physician because of fatigue and liver dysfunction. A CT scan revealed a mass in the pancreatic uncinate process that was suspected to be superior mesenteric artery(SMA)infiltration and was diagnosed as UR-LA pancreatic cancer. GEM nab-PTX therapy was initiated but was discontinued after 2 courses because of adverse events. The treatment was switched to S-1 monochemotherapy. After that, the tumor did not progress for around 1.5 years, and the patient was referred to our hospital for surgical treatment. As the contact between the tumor and the SMA was considered to be less than half-round, we made a diagnosis of borderline resectable(BR-A)pancreatic cancer. Subsequently, we performed a pancreaticoduodenectomy with partial resection of the portal vein and achieved R0 resection. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 and showed no signs of recurrence for 10 months after surgery.

Higher levels of progranulin in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with lymphoma and carcinoma with CNS metastasis.

Assessing central nervous system (CNS) involvement in patients with lymphoma or carcinoma is important in determining therapy and prognosis. Progranulin (PGRN) is a secreted glycosylated protein with roles in cancer growth and survival; it is highly expressed in aggressive cancer cell lines and specimens from many cancer types. We examined PRGN levels by Enzyme Immuno-Assay (EIA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 230 patients, including 18 with lymphoma [12 with CNS metastasis (CNS+); 6 without CNS metastasis (CNS-)], 21 with carcinomas (10 CNS+; 11 CNS-), and 191 control patients with non-cancer neurological diseases, and compared PRGN levels among these disease groups. Median CSF PGRN levels in the CNS+ lymphoma group were significantly higher than in the CNS- lymphoma and control non-cancer groups; and were also significantly higher in the CNS+ carcinoma group than in the CNS- carcinoma and control groups, except for patients with infectious neurological disorders. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses revealed that CSF PGRN levels distinguished CNS+ lymphoma from CNS- lymphoma and non-cancer neurological diseases [area under curve (AUC): 0.969]; and distinguished CNS+ carcinomas from CNS- carcinomas and non-cancer neurological diseases (AUC: 0.918). We report here, for the first time, that CSF PGRN levels are higher in patients with CNS+ lymphoma and carcinomas compared to corresponding CNS- diseases. This would imply that measuring CSF PGRN levels could be used to monitor CNS+ lymphoma and metastasis.

Time-Dependent Decline in Serum Phenytoin Concentration With Heightened Convulsive Seizure Risk by Prolonged Administration of Fosphenytoin in Japanese: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Because clinical data to confirm the safety and effectiveness of fosphenytoin, a prodrug of phenytoin, are insufficient, the length of administration of fosphenytoin is restricted. Nevertheless, some cases require fosphenytoin administration for more than a few days. The aim of this study was to retrospectively investigate the serum concentration of phenytoin in adult Japanese patients who received intravenous fosphenytoin therapy for more than 3 days. METHODS: Patients injected with intravenous fosphenytoin for more than 3 days at Gifu University Hospital between January 2012 and September 2014 were enrolled. Individual pharmacokinetic parameters were predicted by Bayesian estimation using NONMEM software, and the maintenance dose of fosphenytoin required to maintain the therapeutic trough concentration (10-20 mcg/mL) was calculated from the parameters. RESULTS: Among a total of 8 patients, the serum trough concentration of phenytoin decreased with each day after repeated injection of fosphenytoin. The incidence rate of significant convulsive seizures was increased time dependently (0% on day 1, 12.5% on day 2, 25% on day 3, and 66.7% on day 4 and after). Phenytoin clearance showed a time-dependent increase. The maintenance dose of fosphenytoin required to maintain the therapeutic trough concentration was simulated to be 779.8 ± 316.8 mg/d, a dose that was markedly higher than the actual maintenance dose (414.1 ± 55.7 mg/d). CONCLUSIONS: Prolonged use of fosphenytoin, for such patients as those with autoimmune-mediated encephalopathy accompanied with reflux disease and/or ileus, time dependently decreased the serum concentration of phenytoin and increased the risk of convulsion. Therefore, the maintenance dose should be increased to maintain the therapeutic serum concentration.

[A Methotrexate-Associated Malignant Lymphoma with Laparoscopic Resection of the Pericardium].

We report a case of a malignant lymphoma that was treated with laparoscopic resection of the pericardium. A 43-year-old woman was diagnosed with asymptomatic extrahepatic nodule by medical examination. CT, MRI, and PET-CT examination indicated a solitary fibrous tumor(SFT). Therefore, we performed laparoscopic resection for definitive diagnosis and treatment. The tumor was located in the upper abdominal wall and adhered to the liver; hence, we additionally performed partial resection of the liver. Thereafter, we dissected the tumor from the abdominal wall alongwith a part of the diaphragm. Because intraoperative pathological examination revealed more malignancy than was preoperatively expected, we also resected a part of the pericardium. The laparoscopic approach to the pericardium can be performed safely because of its magnification effect, which is an advantage of laparoscopic surgery.

Association between naturally occurring anti-amyloid ß autoantibodies and medial temporal lobe atrophy in Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Naturally occurring autoantibodies against amyloid ß (Aß) peptide exist in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of healthy individuals. Recently, it was reported that administration of intravenous immunoglobulin at the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD) reduces brain atrophy. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between naturally occurring anti-Aß autoantibodies and brain atrophy in patients with cognitive impairment. METHODS: Serum and CSF levels of anti-Aß autoantibodies and CSF biomarkers were evaluated in 68 patients with cognitive impairment, comprising 44 patients with AD, 19 patients with amnestic MCI and five patients with non-Alzheimer's dementia. The degree of brain atrophy was assessed using the voxel-based specific regional analysis system for AD, which targets the volume of interest (VOI) in medial temporal structures, including the whole hippocampus, entorhinal cortex and amygdala. RESULTS: CSF levels of anti-Aß autoantibodies were inversely correlated with the extent and severity of VOI atrophy, and the ratio of VOI/grey matter atrophy in patients with AD, but not in MCI or non-AD patients. Serum levels of anti-Aß autoantibodies were not associated with these parameters in any of the patient groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that CSF levels of naturally occurring anti-Aß autoantibodies are inversely associated with the degree of the VOI atrophy in patients with AD. Although the mechanism is unclear, CSF levels of naturally occurring anti-Aß autoantibodies may be implicated in the progression of atrophy of the whole hippocampus, entorhinal cortex and amygdala, in AD.

Acute-Onset Severe Occipital Neuralgia Associated With High Cervical Lesion in Patients With Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To address occipital neuralgia in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). BACKGROUND: NMOSD is an inflammatory demyelinating disease that commonly presents with pain; however, headache symptoms have received little attention. METHODS: We presented three cases of NMOSD in which the patients experienced acute-onset, severe, and steroid-responsive occipital neuralgia. All patients provided consent to use their demographic and imaging data retrospectively. RESULTS: In all three cases, MRI revealed a new high-intensity area in the cervical cord at the C1-C3 level of the spine, which was diminished in two of the three cases after corticosteroid pulse therapy. CONCLUSION: Our cases support the recognition of NMOSD as a cause of secondary headache. As patients with NMOSD experience severe occipital neuralgia, a relapse should be considered and a cervical MRI should be performed.