Twelve Years of Drug Prioritization to Help Accelerate Disease Modification Trials in Parkinson's Disease: The International Linked Clinical Trials Initiative.

In 2011, the UK medical research charity Cure Parkinson's set up the international Linked Clinical Trials (iLCT) committee to help expedite the clinical testing of potentially disease modifying therapies for Parkinson's disease (PD). The first committee meeting was held at the Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2012. This group of PD experts has subsequently met annually to assess and prioritize agents that may slow the progression of this neurodegenerative condition, using a systematic approach based on preclinical, epidemiological and, where possible, clinical data. Over the last 12 years, 171 unique agents have been evaluated by the iLCT committee, and there have been 21 completed clinical studies and 20 ongoing trials associated with the initiative. In this review, we briefly outline the iLCT process as well as the clinical development and outcomes of some of the top prioritized agents. We also discuss a few of the lessons that have been learnt, and we conclude with a perspective on what the next decade may bring, including the introduction of multi-arm, multi-stage clinical trial platforms and the possibility of combination therapies for PD.

Knockout or inhibition of USP30 protects dopaminergic neurons in a Parkinson's disease mouse model.

Mutations in SNCA, the gene encoding α-synuclein (αSyn), cause familial Parkinson's disease (PD) and aberrant αSyn is a key pathological hallmark of idiopathic PD. This α-synucleinopathy leads to mitochondrial dysfunction, which may drive dopaminergic neurodegeneration. PARKIN and PINK1, mutated in autosomal recessive PD, regulate the preferential autophagic clearance of dysfunctional mitochondria ("mitophagy") by inducing ubiquitylation of mitochondrial proteins, a process counteracted by deubiquitylation via USP30. Here we show that loss of USP30 in Usp30 knockout mice protects against behavioral deficits and leads to increased mitophagy, decreased phospho-S129 αSyn, and attenuation of SN dopaminergic neuronal loss induced by αSyn. These observations were recapitulated with a potent, selective, brain-penetrant USP30 inhibitor, MTX115325, with good drug-like properties. These data strongly support further study of USP30 inhibition as a potential disease-modifying therapy for PD.

Dopamine pathway and Parkinson's risk variants are associated with levodopa-induced dyskinesia.

Background: Levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) is a common adverse effect of levodopa, one of the main therapeutics used to treat the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). Previous evidence suggests a connection between LID and a disruption of the dopaminergic system as well as genes implicated in PD, including GBA1 and LRRK2. Objectives: To investigate the effects of genetic variants on risk and time to LID. Methods: We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and analyses focused on GBA1 and LRRK2 variants. We also calculated polygenic risk scores including risk variants for PD and variants in genes involved in the dopaminergic transmission pathway. To test the influence of genetics on LID risk we used logistic regression, and to examine its impact on time to LID we performed Cox regression including 1,612 PD patients with and 3,175 without LID. Results: We found that GBA1 variants were associated with LID risk (OR=1.65, 95% CI=1.21-2.26, p=0.0017) and LRRK2 variants with reduced time to LID onset (HR=1.42, 95% CI=1.09-1.84, p=0.0098). The fourth quartile of the PD PRS was associated with increased LID risk (ORfourth_quartile=1.27, 95% CI=1.03-1.56, p=0.0210). The third and fourth dopamine pathway PRS quartiles were associated with a reduced time to development of LID (HRthird_quartile=1.38, 95% CI=1.07-1.79, p=0.0128; HRfourth_quartile=1.38, 95% CI=1.06-1.78, p=0.0147). Conclusions: This study suggests that variants implicated in PD and in the dopaminergic transmission pathway play a role in the risk/time to develop LID. Further studies will be necessary to examine how these findings can inform clinical care.

Retromer stabilization using a pharmacological chaperone protects in an α-synuclein based mouse model of Parkinson's.

Background: In the present study we assessed the protective effects of a pharmacological approach to stabilize the retromer complex in a PD mouse model. Missense mutations in the VPS35 gene are a rare cause of familial PD. The VPS35 protein is a subunit of the retromer cargo recognition complex and has a variety of functions within neurons, many of which are potentially relevant for the pathophysiology of PD. Prior studies have revealed a role for the retromer complex in controlling accumulation and clearance of α-synuclein aggregates. We previously identified an aminoguanidine hydrazone, 1,3 phenyl bis guanylhydrazone (compound 2a), as a pharmacological stabilizer of the retromer complex that increases retromer subunit protein levels and function. Methods: Here, we validate the efficacy of 2a in protecting against αSynuclein pathology and dopaminergic neuronal degeneration in a PD mouse model generated by unilateral injection of AAV-A53T-αSynuclein in the substantia nigra. Results: Daily intraperitoneal administration of 2a at 10 mg/Kg for 100 days led to robust protection against behavioral deficits, dopaminergic neuronal loss and loss of striatal dopaminergic fibers and striatal monoamines. Treatment with 2a activated αSynuclein degradation pathways in the SN and led to significant reductions in aggregates and pathological αSynuclein. Conclusion: These data suggest retromer stabilization as a promising therapeutic strategy for Parkinson's disease leading to neuroprotection of dopaminergic neurons and rescue in the accumulation of pathological and aggregates αSynuclein. We identified 2a compound as potential clinical drug candidate for future testing in Parkinson's disease patients.

An Autopsy Series of Seven Cases of VPS13A Disease (Chorea-Acanthocytosis).

BACKGROUND: Vacuolar protein sorting 13 homolog A (VPS13A) disease, historically known as chorea-acanthocytosis, is a rare neurodegenerative disorder caused by biallelic mutations in VPS13A, usually resulting in reduced or absent levels of its protein product, VPS13A. VPS13A localizes to contact sites between subcellular organelles, consistent with its recently identified role in lipid transfer between membranes. Mutations are associated with neuronal loss in the striatum, most prominently in the caudate nucleus, and associated marked astrogliosis. There are no other known disease-specific cellular changes (eg, protein aggregation), but autopsy reports to date have been limited, often lacking genetic or biochemical diagnostic confirmation. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to characterize neuropathological findings in the brains of seven patients with VPS13A disease (chorea-acanthocytosis). METHODS: In this study, we collected brain tissues and clinical data from seven cases of VPS13A for neuropathological analysis. The clinical diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of VPS13A mutations and/or immunoblot showing the loss or reduction of VPS13A protein. Tissues underwent routine, special, and immunohistochemical staining focused on neurodegeneration. Electron microscopy was performed in one case. RESULTS: Gross examination showed severe striatal atrophy. Microscopically, there was neuronal loss and astrogliosis in affected regions. Luxol fast blue staining showed variable lipid accumulation with diverse morphology, which was further characterized by electron microscopy. In some cases, rare degenerating p62- and ubiquitin-positive cells were present in affected regions. Calcifications were present in four cases, being extensive in one. CONCLUSIONS: We present the largest autopsy series of biochemically and genetically confirmed VPS13A disease and identify novel histopathological findings implicating abnormal lipid accumulation. © 2023 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Ferroptosis in Parkinson's disease: Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN), leading to motor and non-motor symptoms. While the exact mechanisms remain complex and multifaceted, several molecular pathways have been implicated in PD pathology, including accumulation of misfolded proteins, impaired mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, inflammation, elevated iron levels, etc. Overall, PD's molecular mechanisms involve a complex interplay between genetic, environmental, and cellular factors that disrupt cellular homeostasis, and ultimately lead to the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Recently, emerging evidence highlights ferroptosis, an iron-dependent non-apoptotic cell death process, as a pivotal player in the advancement of PD. Notably, oligomeric α-synuclein (α-syn) generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxides within cellular membranes, potentially triggering ferroptosis. The loss of dopamine, a hallmark of PD, could predispose neurons to ferroptotic vulnerability. This unique form of cell demise unveils fresh insights into PD pathogenesis, necessitating an exploration of the molecular intricacies connecting ferroptosis and PD progression. In this review, the molecular and regulatory mechanisms of ferroptosis and their connection with the pathological processes of PD have been systematically summarized. Furthermore, the features of ferroptosis in PD animal models and clinical trials targeting ferroptosis as a therapeutic approach in PD patients' management are scrutinized.

Sphingolipid and Phospholipid Levels Are Altered in Human Brain in Chorea-Acanthocytosis.

BACKGROUND: Chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc) is associated with mutations of VPS13A, which encodes for chorein, a protein implicated in lipid transport at intracellular membrane contact sites. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to establish the lipidomic profile of patients with ChAc. METHODS: We analyzed 593 lipid species in the caudate nucleus (CN), putamen, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) from postmortem tissues of four patients with ChAc and six patients without ChAc. RESULTS: We found increased levels of bis(monoacylglycerol)phosphate, sulfatide, lysophosphatidylserine, and phosphatidylcholine ether in the CN and putamen, but not in the DLPFC, of patients with ChAc. Phosphatidylserine and monoacylglycerol were increased in the CN and N-acyl phosphatidylserine in the putamen. N-acyl serine was decreased in the CN and DLPFC, whereas lysophosphatidylinositol was decreased in the DLPFC. CONCLUSIONS: We present the first evidence of altered sphingolipid and phospholipid levels in the brains of patients with ChAc. Our observations are congruent with recent findings in cellular and animal models, and implicate defects of lipid processing in VPS13A disease pathophysiology. © 2023 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.

Trial of Cinpanemab in Early Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Aggregated α-synuclein plays an important role in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis. Cinpanemab, a human-derived monoclonal antibody that binds to α-synuclein, is being evaluated as a disease-modifying treatment for Parkinson's disease. METHODS: In a 52-week, multicenter, double-blind, phase 2 trial, we randomly assigned, in a 2:1:2:2 ratio, participants with early Parkinson's disease to receive intravenous infusions of placebo (control) or cinpanemab at a dose of 250 mg, 1250 mg, or 3500 mg every 4 weeks, followed by an active-treatment dose-blinded extension period for up to 112 weeks. The primary end points were the changes from baseline in the Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) total score (range, 0 to 236, with higher scores indicating worse performance) at weeks 52 and 72. Secondary end points included MDS-UPDRS subscale scores and striatal binding as assessed on dopamine transporter single-photon-emission computed tomography (DaT-SPECT). RESULTS: Of the 357 enrolled participants, 100 were assigned to the control group, 55 to the 250-mg cinpanemab group, 102 to the 1250-mg group, and 100 to the 3500-mg group. The trial was stopped after the week 72 interim analysis owing to lack of efficacy. The change to week 52 in the MDS-UPDRS score was 10.8 points in the control group, 10.5 points in the 250-mg group, 11.3 points in the 1250-mg group, and 10.9 points in the 3500-mg group (adjusted mean difference vs. control, -0.3 points [95% confidence interval {CI}, -4.9 to 4.3], P = 0.90; 0.5 points [95% CI, -3.3 to 4.3], P = 0.80; and 0.1 point [95% CI, -3.8 to 4.0], P = 0.97, respectively). The adjusted mean difference at 72 weeks between participants who received cinpanemab through 72 weeks and the pooled group of those who started cinpanemab at 52 weeks was -0.9 points (95% CI, -5.6 to 3.8) for the 250-mg dose, 0.6 points (95% CI, -3.3 to 4.4) for the 1250-mg dose, and -0.8 points (95% CI, -4.6 to 3.0) for the 3500-mg dose. Results for secondary end points were similar to those for the primary end points. DaT-SPECT imaging at week 52 showed no differences between the control group and any cinpanemab group. The most common adverse events with cinpanemab were headache, nasopharyngitis, and falls. CONCLUSIONS: In participants with early Parkinson's disease, the effects of cinpanemab on clinical measures of disease progression and changes in DaT-SPECT imaging did not differ from those of placebo over a 52-week period. (Funded by Biogen; SPARK ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03318523.).

Associations between exercise classes and self-reported exercise by people with Parkinson's disease at Parkinson's foundation centers of excellence.

INTRODUCTION: Despite evidence of the benefits of exercise, people with Parkinson's disease (PD) often exercise less than recommended. We sought to identify exercise class-related factors associated with the amount of exercise in PD communities. METHODS: We used Parkinson's Outcome Project (POP) data from 3146 people with PD at 19 participating Centers of Excellence (COEs). POP data included self-reported moderate-vigorous exercise (MVE) hours, light physical activity (PA) hours, demographic and disease severity variables. We also collected information about weekly exercise class availability, intensity, cost, and distance from class location to the COE. We examined differences between COE-based and community-based exercise classes using the Akritas test for paired and unpaired samples. We tested associations between class characteristics and exercise hours based on a two-part model: logistic regression on whether a participant does MVE or light PA and linear regression for log-transformed time of exercise. RESULTS: Community-based exercise classes had a significantly higher weekly availability than COE-based classes (class hours per week: 47.5 ± 25.6 vs 6.5 ± 8.6, p < 0.001), a higher percentage of vigorous-intensity classes (24.2 ± 17.8 vs 11 ± 14.7, p < 0.001), and a broader geographic distribution (miles to COE: 12.8 ± 4.6 vs 6.2 ± 5.7, p < 0.001). Greater weekly hours of availability, intensity, and distance to COE were associated with increased MVE and light PA hours among participants who exercised (p < 0.01). Of these, higher weekly class availability explained the most variability in reported exercise hours. CONCLUSION: Parkinson's COEs may be able to increase exercise by facilitating a high weekly availability of exercise classes with higher intensity levels and broader geographical distribution.

Effect of Urate-Elevating Inosine on Early Parkinson Disease Progression: The SURE-PD3 Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Urate elevation, despite associations with crystallopathic, cardiovascular, and metabolic disorders, has been pursued as a potential disease-modifying strategy for Parkinson disease (PD) based on convergent biological, epidemiological, and clinical data. Objective: To determine whether sustained urate-elevating treatment with the urate precursor inosine slows early PD progression. Design, Participants, and Setting: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial of oral inosine treatment in early PD. A total of 587 individuals consented, and 298 with PD not yet requiring dopaminergic medication, striatal dopamine transporter deficiency, and serum urate below the population median concentration (<5.8 mg/dL) were randomized between August 2016 and December 2017 at 58 US sites, and were followed up through June 2019. Interventions: Inosine, dosed by blinded titration to increase serum urate concentrations to 7.1-8.0 mg/dL (n = 149) or matching placebo (n = 149) for up to 2 years. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was rate of change in the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS; parts I-III) total score (range, 0-236; higher scores indicate greater disability; minimum clinically important difference of 6.3 points) prior to dopaminergic drug therapy initiation. Secondary outcomes included serum urate to measure target engagement, adverse events to measure safety, and 29 efficacy measures of disability, quality of life, cognition, mood, autonomic function, and striatal dopamine transporter binding as a biomarker of neuronal integrity. Results: Based on a prespecified interim futility analysis, the study closed early, with 273 (92%) of the randomized participants (49% women; mean age, 63 years) completing the study. Clinical progression rates were not significantly different between participants randomized to inosine (MDS-UPDRS score, 11.1 [95% CI, 9.7-12.6] points per year) and placebo (MDS-UPDRS score, 9.9 [95% CI, 8.4-11.3] points per year; difference, 1.26 [95% CI, -0.59 to 3.11] points per year; P = .18). Sustained elevation of serum urate by 2.03 mg/dL (from a baseline level of 4.6 mg/dL; 44% increase) occurred in the inosine group vs a 0.01-mg/dL change in serum urate in the placebo group (difference, 2.02 mg/dL [95% CI, 1.85-2.19 mg/dL]; P<.001). There were no significant differences for secondary efficacy outcomes including dopamine transporter binding loss. Participants randomized to inosine, compared with placebo, experienced fewer serious adverse events (7.4 vs 13.1 per 100 patient-years) but more kidney stones (7.0 vs 1.4 stones per 100 patient-years). Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients recently diagnosed as having PD, treatment with inosine, compared with placebo, did not result in a significant difference in the rate of clinical disease progression. The findings do not support the use of inosine as a treatment for early PD. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02642393.

Efficacy of Nilotinib in Patients With Moderately Advanced Parkinson Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: There is a critical need for careful and independent validation of reported symptomatic efficacy and dopaminergic biomarker changes induced by nilotinib in Parkinson disease (PD). Objectives: To assess safety and tolerability of nilotinib in participants with moderately advanced PD. Secondary and exploratory objectives were to assess its affect on PD disability, pharmacokinetics, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) penetration, and biomarkers. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a 6-month, multicenter, randomized parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Recruitment was from November 20, 2017, to December 28, 2018, and follow-up ended on September 9, 2019. The study was conducted at 25 US sites. The study approached 173 patients, of whom 48 declined, 125 were screened, and 76 who received a stable regimen of PD medications were enrolled (39% screen failure). Interventions: Participants were randomized 1:1:1 to placebo, 150-mg nilotinib, or 300-mg nilotinib once daily orally for 6 months, followed by 2-month off-drug evaluation. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcomes were safety and tolerability. The tolerability end point was defined as the ability to complete the study while receiving the assigned dose. An active arm was considered tolerable if the percentage of participants meeting the tolerability end point for that group was not significantly lower than the percentage observed in the placebo group. Secondary outcomes included change in PD disability (Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale [MDS-UPDRS], Part II OFF/ON). Exploratory outcomes included serum and CSF pharmacokinetic profile, and CSF dopaminergic biomarkers. Results: At baseline, mean (SD) participants' age was 64.6 (7.5) years, 52 were male (68%), mean (SD) disease duration was 9.9 years (4.7), MDS-UPDRS Part 1-3 OFF score was 66.4 (19.3), ON score was 48.4 (16.2), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment score was 27.1 (2.2). The number of participants who completed the study receiving the assigned dose were 21 (84%), 19 (76%), and 20 (77%) in the placebo, 150-mg, and 300-mg arms, respectively. Both active doses had acceptable safety profile. The most common reasons for drug suspension were asymptomatic, dose-dependent elevations of amylase, and/or lipase. Nilotinib, 150 mg and 300 mg, exhibited worse MDS-UPDRS-3 ON scores compared with placebo, achieving significance for nilotinib, 300 mg, at month 1 (P < .01). There was no difference in the change of MDS-UPDRS-3 OFF from baseline to 6 months between groups (P = .17). Cerebrospinal fluid/serum ratio of nilotinib concentration was 0.2% to 0.3%. There was no evidence of treatment-related alteration of dopamine metabolites in the CSF. Conclusions and Relevance: While we demonstrated acceptable safety and tolerability of nilotinib in our cohort, the low CSF exposure and lack of biomarkers effect combined with the efficacy data trending in the negative direction indicate that nilotinib should not be further tested in PD. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03205488.

Differences in the Presentation and Progression of Parkinson's Disease by Sex.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies reported various symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) associated with sex. Some were conflicting or confirmed in only one study. OBJECTIVES: We examined sex associations to PD phenotypes cross-sectionally and longitudinally in large-scale data. METHODS: We tested 40 clinical phenotypes, using longitudinal, clinic-based patient cohorts, consisting of 5946 patients, with a median follow-up of 3.1 years. For continuous outcomes, we used linear regressions at baseline to test sex-associated differences in presentation, and linear mixed-effects models to test sex-associated differences in progression. For binomial outcomes, we used logistic regression models at baseline and Cox regression models for survival analyses. We adjusted for age, disease duration, and medication use. In the secondary analyses, data from 17 719 PD patients and 7588 non-PD participants from an online-only, self-assessment PD cohort were cross-sectionally evaluated to determine whether the sex-associated differences identified in the primary analyses were consistent and unique to PD. RESULTS: Female PD patients had a higher risk of developing dyskinesia early during the follow-up period, with a slower progression in activities of daily living difficulties, and a lower risk of developing cognitive impairments compared with male patients. The findings in the longitudinal, clinic-based cohorts were mostly consistent with the results of the online-only cohort. CONCLUSIONS: We observed sex-associated contributions to PD heterogeneity. These results highlight the necessity of future research to determine the underlying mechanisms and importance of personalized clinical management. © 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

VPS35 and the mitochondria: Connecting the dots in Parkinson's disease pathophysiology.

Mutations in VPS35 (PARK17), a key molecule in the retromer complex, are a rare cause of autosomal dominant Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. VPS35 exerts crucial functions within the cell in terms of regulating endosomal trafficking. However new data suggest its relevance also in the regulation of mitochondrial dynamics and homeostasis. Herein, we review the crosstalk between VPS35 and the mitochondria, highlighting the potential relevance to PD pathogenesis. VPS35 is not only a critical player in pathways connected to α-synuclein accumulation and clearance, but also plays a key role in ensuring mitochondrial stability and function. The genetic links of VPS35 to PD and the involvement of VPS35 in different PD related pathological mechanisms highlight the potential for targeting VPS35 as a neuroprotective strategy for PD.

Parkinson Disease Epidemiology, Pathology, Genetics, and Pathophysiology.

Parkinson disease is a complex, age-related, neurodegenerative disease associated with dopamine deficiency and both motor and nonmotor deficits. Many environmental and genetic factors influence Parkinson disease risk, with different factors predominating in different patients. These factors converge on specific pathways, including mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, protein aggregation, impaired autophagy, and neuroinflammation. Ultimately, treatment of Parkinson disease may focus on targeted therapies for pathophysiologically defined subtypes of Parkinson disease patients.

Acute readmission following deep brain stimulation surgery for Parkinson's disease: A nationwide analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery is an efficacious, underutilized treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD). Studies of DBS post-operative outcomes are often restricted to data from a single center and consider DBS in isolation. National estimates of DBS readmission and post-operative outcomes are needed, as are comparisons to commonly performed surgeries. METHODS: This study used datasets from the 2013 and 2014 Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD). Our sample was restricted to PD patients discharged alive after hospitalization for DBS surgery. Descriptive analyses examined patient, clinical, hospital and index hospitalization characteristics. The all-cause, non-elective 30-day readmission rate after DBS was calculated, and logistic regression models were built to examine factors associated with readmission. Readmission rates for the most common surgical procedures were calculated and compared to DBS. RESULTS: There were 6058 DBS surgeries for PD in our sample, most often involving a male aged 65 and older, who lived in a high socioeconomic status zip code. DBS patients had an average of four comorbidities. With respect to outcomes, the majority of patients were discharged home (95.3%). Non-elective readmission was rare (4.9%), and was associated with socioeconomic status, comorbidity burden, and teaching hospital status. Much higher acute, non-elective readmission rates were observed for common procedures such as upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (16.2%), colonoscopy (14.0%), and cardiac defibrillator and pacemaker procedures (11.1%). CONCLUSION: Short-term hospitalization outcomes after DBS are generally favorable. Socioeconomic disparities in DBS use persist. Additional efforts may be needed to improve provider referrals for and patient access to DBS.

Transportation innovation to aid Parkinson disease trial recruitment.

Among the barriers to participation in clinical trials, transportation to and from study sites may be a prominent issue. Patients with Parkinson's disease have unique circumstances that add to the barriers including dementia, loss of driving ability, timing of medications, impact of reduced mobility, and bowel and bladder concerns. We sought to alleviate some of the burden of transportation by setting up pre-arranged rides through a third-party ride sharing service. This pilot project was established to assess feasibility and to explore the possibility that reducing the transportation burden may enhance participation in studies. One out of three academic sites was successful in setting up this service, and surveyed participants on the impact of this service. In general, study participants who opted into the ride-sharing service felt it made the process easier and less stressful. Most participants agreed that they are more likely to participate in another study if transportation was provided. This short-term pilot intervention suggests that participants were satisfied with a ride sharing service to help with their medical transportation needs, but larger studies that include data collection about retention are needed.

Altered muscle electrical tissue properties in a mouse model of premature aging.

INTRODUCTION: Improved methods are needed to detect and quantify age-related muscle change. In this study we assessed the electrical properties of muscle impacted by acquired mitochondrial DNA mutations via the PolG mouse, which exhibits typical age-associated features, and the impact of a potential therapy, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN). METHODS: The gastrocnemii of 24 PolG and 30 wild-type (WT) mice (8 PolG and 17 WT treated with NMN) were studied in an electrical impedance-measuring cell. Conductivity and relative permittivity were determined from the impedance data. Myofiber cross-sectional area (CSA) was quantified histologically. RESULTS: Untreated PolG mice demonstrated alterations in several impedance features, including 50-kHz relative permittivity and center frequency. A potential effect of NMN was also observed in these parameters in PolG but not WT animals. Impedance values correlated with myofiber CSA. DISCUSSION: Electrical impedance is sensitive to myofiber features considered characteristic of aging and to the impact of a potential therapy.

Efficacy of Deep Brain Stimulation in a Patient with Genetically Confirmed Chorea-Acanthocytosis.

Chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc) is a rare autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disease due to mutation of the VPS13A gene encoding the protein chorein. ChAc is a slowly progressive disorder that typically presents in early adulthood, and whose clinical features include chorea and dystonia with involuntary lip, cheek, and tongue biting. Some patients also have seizures. Treatment for ChAc is symptomatic. A small number of ChAc patients have been treated with bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the globus pallidus interna (GPi), and we now present an additional case. Patient chart, functional measures, and laboratory findings were reviewed from the time of ChAc diagnosis until 6 months after DBS surgery. Here, we present a case of ChAc in a 31-year-old male positive for VPS13A gene mutations who presented with chorea, tongue biting, dysarthria, weight loss, and mild cognitive dysfunction. DBS using monopolar stimulation with placement slightly lateral to the GPi was associated with significant improvement in chorea and dysarthria. This case adds to the current state of knowledge regarding the efficacy and safety of bilateral GPi-DBS for symptomatic control of drug-resistant hyperkinetic movements seen in ChAc. Controlled trials are needed to better assess the impact and ideal target of DBS in ChAc.