Dissociation of White Matter Bundles in Different Recovery Measures in Poststroke Aphasia.

BACKGROUND: Poststroke aphasia (PSA) recovery shows high variability across individuals and at different time points. Although diffusion biomarkers from the ventral and dorsal streams have demonstrated strong predictive power for language outcomes, it is still unclear how these biomarkers relate to the various stages of PSA recovery. In this study, we aim to compare diffusion metrics and language measures as predictors of language recovery in a longitudinal cohort of participants with PSA. METHODS: Participants were recruited at a stroke unit at the emergency room, and underwent diffusion magnetic resonance imaging scanning and language assessment within 3 days (acute phase) after stroke, with behavioral follow-ups at subacute (10±3 days) and chronic phases (>6 months). We conducted regression analyses on language performance (cross-sectional), Δscores between all time points (acute-subacute, subacute-chronic, acute-chronic), and relative Δscores between all time points (Δscore/language baseline score), with acute diffusion metrics from language-related white matter tracts, lesion size, language baseline scores, and demographic data as predictors. RESULTS: Thirty-nine participants presenting PSA were recruited, and 24 participants (mean age, 73 years; 8 women) completed the 3-time point assessment in total. The best prediction model of performance scores used axial diffusivity from the left arcuate fasciculus in both the subacute (R2=0.785) and chronic stages (R2=0.626). Moreover, the prediction of ∆scores depended on axial diffusivity from the left inferior frontal-occipital fasciculus in the subacute stage (R2=0.5) and depended additionally on axial diffusivity from the right inferior frontal-occipital fasciculus in the chronic stage (R2=0.68). The prediction of mediation analyses showed that the lesion load of the left arcuate fasciculus mediated the relationship between axial diffusivity from the left arcuate fasciculus and chronic language performance. CONCLUSIONS: Language performance at subacute and chronic time points could be predicted by the integrity of the left arcuate fasciculus, whereas Δscores in the subacute and chronic phases depended on the left inferior frontal-occipital fasciculus, showing a dissociation of the white matter pathways about language outcomes. These results suggest a functional differentiation of the dual-stream components in PSA recovery.

Unrefreshing naps and sleep architecture during the multiple sleep latency test in idiopathic hypersomnia.

Patients with idiopathic hypersomnia frequently report having unrefreshing naps. However, whether they have abnormal sleep architecture during naps that may explain their unrefreshing aspect is unknown. We compared sleep architecture during short daytime naps in patients with idiopathic hypersomnia reporting unrefreshing and refreshing naps. One-hundred and thirty-four patients tested with one-night polysomnography, followed by an adapted version of the Multiple Sleep Latency Test with four naps, were included. They were asked about the refreshing aspect of their habitual naps during a clinical interview. They were classified as having objective (Multiple Sleep Latency Test ≤ 8 min) or subjective idiopathic hypersomnia (Multiple Sleep Latency Test > 8 min), and as presenting refreshing or unrefreshing naps. We tested Group differences (refreshing versus unrefreshing naps) on nap sleep architecture in the whole sample and for subjective and objective idiopathic hypersomnia subgroups separately using ANCOVAs. No Group effects were observed in the Multiple Sleep Latency Test architecture in the whole sample and in objective and subjective idiopathic hypersomnia subgroups. This study provides preliminary evidence that reporting unrefreshing naps is not associated with clinically significant findings in Multiple Sleep Latency Test sleep architecture in patients with idiopathic hypersomnia. Given that naps taken by patients with idiopathic hypersomnia are typically long, future studies should investigate longer daytime sleep episodes.

Does the adenosine deaminase (ADA) gene confer risk of sleepwalking?

Sleepwalking is a common non-rapid eye movement (NREM) parasomnia and a significant cause of sleep-related injuries. While evidence suggest that the occurrence of this condition is partly determined by genetic factors, its pattern of inheritance remains unclear, and few molecular studies have been conducted. One promising candidate is the adenosine deaminase (ADA) gene. Adenosine and the ADA enzyme play an important role in the homeostatic regulation of NREM sleep. In a single sleepwalking family, genome-wide analysis identified a locus on chromosome 20, where ADA lies. In this study, we examined if variants in the ADA gene were associated with sleepwalking. In total, 251 sleepwalking patients were clinically assessed, and DNA samples were compared to those from 94 unaffected controls. Next-generation sequencing of the whole ADA gene was performed. Bio-informatic analysis enabled the identification of variants and assessed variants enrichment in our cohort compared to controls. We detected 25 different coding and non-coding variants, of which 22 were found among sleepwalkers. None were enriched in the sleepwalking population. However, many missense variants were predicted as likely pathogenic by at least two in silico prediction algorithms. This study involves the largest sleepwalking cohort in which the role of a susceptibility gene was investigated. Our results did not reveal an association between ADA gene and sleepwalking, thus ruling out the possibility of ADA as a major genetic factor for this condition. Future work is needed to identify susceptibility genes.

Genetic, Structural, and Functional Evidence Link TMEM175 to Synucleinopathies.

OBJECTIVE: The TMEM175/GAK/DGKQ locus is the 3rd strongest risk locus in genome-wide association studies of Parkinson disease (PD). We aimed to identify the specific disease-associated variants in this locus, and their potential implications. METHODS: Full sequencing of TMEM175/GAK/DGKQ followed by genotyping of specific associated variants was performed in PD (n = 1,575) and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) patients (n = 533) and in controls (n = 1,583). Adjusted regression models and a meta-analysis were performed. Association between variants and glucocerebrosidase (GCase) activity was analyzed in 715 individuals with available data. Homology modeling, molecular dynamics simulations, and lysosomal localization experiments were performed on TMEM175 variants to determine their potential effects on structure and function. RESULTS: Two coding variants, TMEM175 p.M393T (odds ratio [OR] = 1.37, p = 0.0003) and p.Q65P (OR = 0.72, p = 0.005), were associated with PD, and p.M393T was also associated with RBD (OR = 1.59, p = 0.001). TMEM175 p.M393T was associated with reduced GCase activity. Homology modeling and normal mode analysis demonstrated that TMEM175 p.M393T creates a polar side-chain in the hydrophobic core of the transmembrane, which could destabilize the domain and thus impair either its assembly, maturation, or trafficking. Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that the p.Q65P variant may increase stability and ion conductance of the transmembrane protein, and lysosomal localization was not affected by these variants. INTERPRETATION: Coding variants in TMEM175 are likely to be responsible for the association in the TMEM175/GAK/DGKQ locus, which could be mediated by affecting GCase activity. ANN NEUROL 2020;87:139-153.

Fine-Mapping of SNCA in Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder and Overt Synucleinopathies.

OBJECTIVE: Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a prodromal synucleinopathy, as >80% will eventually convert to overt synucleinopathy. We performed an in-depth analysis of the SNCA locus to identify RBD-specific risk variants. METHODS: Full sequencing and genotyping of SNCA was performed in isolated/idiopathic RBD (iRBD, n = 1,076), Parkinson disease (PD, n = 1,013), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB, n = 415), and control subjects (n = 6,155). The iRBD cases were diagnosed with RBD prior to neurodegeneration, although some have since converted. A replication cohort from 23andMe of PD patients with probable RBD (pRBD) was also analyzed (n = 1,782 cases; n = 131,250 controls). Adjusted logistic regression models and meta-analyses were performed. Effects on conversion rate were analyzed in 432 RBD patients with available data using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. RESULTS: A 5'-region SNCA variant (rs10005233) was associated with iRBD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.43, p = 1.1E-08), which was replicated in pRBD. This variant is in linkage disequilibrium (LD) with other 5' risk variants across the different synucleinopathies. An independent iRBD-specific suggestive association (rs11732740) was detected at the 3' of SNCA (OR = 1.32, p = 4.7E-04, not statistically significant after Bonferroni correction). Homozygous carriers of both iRBD-specific SNPs were at highly increased risk for iRBD (OR = 5.74, p = 2E-06). The known top PD-associated variant (3' variant rs356182) had an opposite direction of effect in iRBD compared to PD. INTERPRETATION: There is a distinct pattern of association at the SNCA locus in RBD as compared to PD, with an opposite direction of effect at the 3' of SNCA. Several 5' SNCA variants are associated with iRBD and with pRBD in overt synucleinopathies. ANN NEUROL 2020;87:584-598.

Comprehensive Analysis of Familial Parkinsonism Genes in Rapid-Eye-Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder.

BACKGROUND: There is only partial overlap in the genetic background of isolated rapid-eye-movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). OBJECTIVE: To examine the role of autosomal dominant and recessive PD or atypical parkinsonism genes in the risk of iRBD. METHODS: Ten genes, comprising the recessive genes PRKN, DJ-1 (PARK7), PINK1, VPS13C, ATP13A2, FBXO7, and PLA2G6 and the dominant genes LRRK2, GCH1, and VPS35, were fully sequenced in 1039 iRBD patients and 1852 controls of European ancestry, followed by association tests. RESULTS: We found no association between rare heterozygous variants in the tested genes and risk of iRBD. Several homozygous and compound heterozygous carriers were identified, yet there was no overrepresentation in iRBD patients versus controls. CONCLUSION: Our results do not support a major role for variants in these genes in the risk of iRBD. © 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Childhood restless legs syndrome: A longitudinal study of prevalence and familial aggregation.

Restless legs syndrome is a relatively common neurological disorder in adults. In childhood, however, its prevalence and genetic contribution are still largely unknown. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) during childhood and adolescence in a large population-based cohort and evaluate the degree of association with parental history. Data from a large, prospective longitudinal cohort from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development of 1,856 children born in 1997-1998 were studied from 2005 to 2013. The prevalence of RLS was assessed at ages 7, 8, 12, 13 and 15 years through a questionnaire completed by the mother. Parental history of RLS was also queried. Between 7 and 15 years of age, the yearly prevalence of RLS ranged from 2.4% to 3.1%, with a higher prevalence in boys than girls at 12 years old. The prevalence of RLS at any time during this period was 8.6% but only 1.8% of parents answered positively at least twice during the longitudinal study. This low persistent rate could be explained by remissions or the use of parental report. The prevalence was higher when there was at least one parent affected with RLS (13.0%) compared to children without a parental history (6.9%). Findings from this population-based study confirm the high prevalence of RLS in children aged 7-15 years and corroborate the strong familial aggregation for RLS. Parents should be encouraged to inform the paediatrician about the presence of RLS in the family to help the diagnostic process.

HLA-DPB1 and HLA class I confer risk of and protection from narcolepsy.

Type 1 narcolepsy, a disorder caused by a lack of hypocretin (orexin), is so strongly associated with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II HLA-DQA1(∗)01:02-DQB1(∗)06:02 (DQ0602) that very few non-DQ0602 cases have been reported. A known triggering factor for narcolepsy is pandemic 2009 influenza H1N1, suggesting autoimmunity triggered by upper-airway infections. Additional effects of other HLA-DQ alleles have been reported consistently across multiple ethnic groups. Using over 3,000 case and 10,000 control individuals of European and Chinese background, we examined the effects of other HLA loci. After careful matching of HLA-DR and HLA-DQ in case and control individuals, we found strong protective effects of HLA-DPA1(∗)01:03-DPB1(∗)04:02 (DP0402; odds ratio [OR] = 0.51 [0.38-0.67], p = 1.01 × 10(-6)) and HLA-DPA1(∗)01:03-DPB1(∗)04:01 (DP0401; OR = 0.61 [0.47-0.80], p = 2.07 × 10(-4)) and predisposing effects of HLA-DPB1(∗)05:01 in Asians (OR = 1.76 [1.34-2.31], p = 4.71 × 10(-05)). Similar effects were found by conditional analysis controlling for HLA-DR and HLA-DQ with DP0402 (OR = 0.45 [0.38-0.55] p = 8.99 × 10(-17)) and DP0501 (OR = 1.38 [1.18-1.61], p = 7.11 × 10(-5)). HLA-class-II-independent associations with HLA-A(∗)11:01 (OR = 1.32 [1.13-1.54], p = 4.92 × 10(-4)), HLA-B(∗)35:03 (OR = 1.96 [1.41-2.70], p = 5.14 × 10(-5)), and HLA-B(∗)51:01 (OR = 1.49 [1.25-1.78], p = 1.09 × 10(-5)) were also seen across ethnic groups in the HLA class I region. These effects might reflect modulation of autoimmunity or indirect effects of HLA class I and HLA-DP alleles on response to viral infections such as that of influenza.

Full sequencing and haplotype analysis of MAPT in Parkinson's disease and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder.

BACKGROUND: MAPT haplotypes are associated with PD, but their association with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To study the role of MAPT variants in rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder. METHODS: Two cohorts were included: (A) PD (n = 600), rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (n = 613) patients, and controls (n = 981); (B) dementia with Lewy bodies patients with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (n = 271) and controls (n = 950). MAPT-associated variants and the entire coding sequence of MAPT were analyzed. Age-, sex-, and ethnicity-adjusted analyses were performed to examine the association between MAPT, PD, and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder. RESULTS: MAPT-H2 variants were associated with PD (odds ratios: 0.62-0.65; P = 0.010-0.019), but not with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder. In PD, the H1 haplotype odds ratio was 1.60 (95% confidence interval: 1.12-2.28; P = 0.009), and the H2 odds ratio was 0.68 (95% confidence interval: 0.48-0.96; P = 0.03). The H2/H1 haplotypes were not associated with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm the protective effect of the MAPT-H2 haplotype in PD, and define its components. Furthermore, our results suggest that MAPT does not play a major role in rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, emphasizing different genetic background than in PD in this locus. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Visual Fixation in the ICU: A Strong Predictor of Long-Term Recovery After Moderate-to-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVE: Posttraumatic amnesia is superior to the initial Glasgow Coma Scale score for predicting traumatic brain injury recovery, but it takes days/weeks to assess. Here, we examined whether return of visual fixation-a potential marker of higher cognitive function-within 24 hours of ICU admission could be used as an early predictor of traumatic brain injury recovery. DESIGN: Two-phase cohort study. SETTING: Level-I trauma ICU. PATIENTS: Moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury discharged alive between 2010 and 2013. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Return of visual fixation was assessed through standard behavioral assessments in 181 traumatic brain injury patients who had lost the ability to fixate at ICU admission (phase 1) and compared with posttraumatic amnesia duration and the initial Glasgow Coma Scale score to predict performance on the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended 10-40 months after injury (n = 144; phase 2a). A subgroup also completed a visual attention task (n = 35; phase 2b) and a brain MRI after traumatic brain injury (n = 23; phase 2c). With an area under the curve equal to 0.85, presence/absence of visual fixation at 24 hours of ICU admission was found as performant as posttraumatic amnesia (area under the curve, 0.81; difference between area under the curve, 0.04; p = 0.28) for predicting patients' Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended score. Conversely, the initial Glasgow Coma Scale score was not (area under the curve, 0.63). Even when controlling for age/medication/CT scan findings, fixation remained a significant predictor of Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended scores (ß, -0.29; p < 0.05). Poorer attention performances and greater regional brain volume deficits were also observed in patients who could not fixate at 24 hours of ICU admission versus those who could. CONCLUSIONS: Visual fixation within 24 hours of ICU admission could be as performant as posttraumatic amnesia for predicting traumatic brain injury recovery, introducing a new variable of interest in traumatic brain injury outcome research.

Evolution of severe sleep-wake cycle disturbances following traumatic brain injury: a case study in both acute and subacute phases post-injury.

BACKGROUND: Sleep-wake disturbances are frequently reported following traumatic brain injury (TBI), but they remain poorly documented in the acute stage of injury. Little is known about their origin and evolution. CASE PRESENTATION: This study presents the case of a patient in the acute phase of a severe TBI. The patient was injured at work when falling 12 m into a mine and was hospitalized in the regular wards of a level I trauma centre. From days 31 to 45 post-injury, once he had reached a level of medical stability and continuous analgosedation had been ceased, his sleep-wake cycle was monitored using actigraphy. Results showed significant sleep-wake disturbances and severe sleep deprivation. Indeed, the patient had an average nighttime sleep efficiency of 32.7 ± 15.4 %, and only an average of 4.8 ± 1.3 h of sleep per 24-h period. After hospital discharge to the rehabilitation centre, where he remained for 5 days, the patient was readmitted to the same neurological unit for paranoid delusions. During his second hospital stay, actigraphy recordings resumed from days 69 to 75 post-injury. A major improvement in his sleep-wake cycle was observed during this second stay, with an average nighttime sleep efficiency of 96.3 ± 0.9 % and an average of 14.1 ± 0.9 h of sleep per 24-h period. CONCLUSION: This study is the first to extensively document sleep-wake disturbances in both the acute and subacute phases of severe TBI. Results show that prolonged sleep deprivation can be observed after TBI, and suggest that the hospital environment only partially contributes to sleep-wake disturbances. Continuous actigraphic monitoring may prove to be a useful clinical tool in the monitoring of patients hospitalized after severe TBI in order to detect severe sleep deprivation requiring intervention. The direct impact of sleep-wake disturbances on physiological and cognitive recovery is not well understood within this population, but is worth investigating and improving.

ImmunoChip study implicates antigen presentation to T cells in narcolepsy.

Recent advances in the identification of susceptibility genes and environmental exposures provide broad support for a post-infectious autoimmune basis for narcolepsy/hypocretin (orexin) deficiency. We genotyped loci associated with other autoimmune and inflammatory diseases in 1,886 individuals with hypocretin-deficient narcolepsy and 10,421 controls, all of European ancestry, using a custom genotyping array (ImmunoChip). Three loci located outside the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) region on chromosome 6 were significantly associated with disease risk. In addition to a strong signal in the T cell receptor alpha (TRA@), variants in two additional narcolepsy loci, Cathepsin H (CTSH) and Tumor necrosis factor (ligand) superfamily member 4 (TNFSF4, also called OX40L), attained genome-wide significance. These findings underline the importance of antigen presentation by HLA Class II to T cells in the pathophysiology of this autoimmune disease.

Sleep deprivation impairs inhibitory control during wakefulness in adult sleepwalkers.

Sleepwalkers often complain of excessive daytime somnolence. Although excessive daytime somnolence has been associated with cognitive impairment in several sleep disorders, very few data exist concerning sleepwalking. This study aimed to investigate daytime cognitive functioning in adults diagnosed with idiopathic sleepwalking. Fifteen sleepwalkers and 15 matched controls were administered the Continuous Performance Test and Stroop Colour-Word Test in the morning after an overnight polysomnographic assessment. Participants were tested a week later on the same neuropsychological battery, but after 25 h of sleep deprivation, a procedure known to precipitate sleepwalking episodes during subsequent recovery sleep. There were no significant differences between sleepwalkers and controls on any of the cognitive tests administered under normal waking conditions. Testing following sleep deprivation revealed significant impairment in sleepwalkers' executive functions related to inhibitory control, as they made more errors than controls on the Stroop Colour-Word Test and more commission errors on the Continuous Performance Test. Sleepwalkers' scores on measures of executive functions were not associated with self-reported sleepiness or indices of sleep fragmentation from baseline polysomnographic recordings. The results support the idea that sleepwalking involves daytime consequences and suggest that these may also include cognitive impairments in the form of disrupted inhibitory control following sleep deprivation. These disruptions may represent a daytime expression of sleepwalking's pathophysiological mechanisms.

C9orf72 repeat expansions in rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder.

BACKGROUND: A large hexanucleotide repeat expansion in C9orf72 has been identified as the most common genetic cause in familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is a sleep disorder that has been strongly linked to synuclein-mediated neurodegeneration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the C9orf72 expansions in the pathogenesis of RBD. METHODS: We amplified the C9orf72 repeat expansion in 344 patients with RBD by a repeat-primed polymerase chain reaction assay. RESULTS: We identified two RBD patients carrying the C9orf72 repeat expansion. Most interestingly, these patients have the same C9orf72 associated-risk haplotype identified in 9p21-linked amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia families. CONCLUSIONS: Our study enlarges the phenotypic spectrum associated with the C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansions and suggests that, although rare, this expansion may play a role in the pathogenesis of RBD.

Sleep architecture in idiopathic hypersomnia: the influence of age, sex, and body mass index.

This study aimed to progress the understanding of idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) by assessing the moderating influence of individual characteristics, such as age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) on sleep architecture. In this retrospective study, 76 IH participants (38.1 ± 11.3 years; 40 women) underwent a clinical interview, an in-laboratory polysomnography with a maximal 9-h time in bed and a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT). They were compared to 106 healthy controls (38.1 ± 14.1 years; 60 women). Multiple regressions were used to assess moderating influence of age, sex, and BMI on sleep variables. We used correlations to assess whether sleep variables were associated with Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores and mean sleep onset latency on the MSLT in IH participants. Compared to controls, IH participants had shorter sleep latency (p = 0.002), longer total sleep time (p < 0.001), more time spent in N2 sleep (p = 0.008), and showed trends for a higher sleep efficiency (p = 0.023) and more time spent in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep (p = 0.022). No significant moderating influence of age, sex, or BMI was found. More severe self-reported sleepiness in IH patients was correlated with shorter REM sleep latency and less N1 sleep in terms of proportion and duration (ps < 0.01). This study shows that, when compared to healthy controls, patients with IH had no anomalies in their sleep architecture that can explain their excessive daytime sleepiness. Moreover, there is no moderating influence of age, sex, and BMI, suggesting that the absence of major group differences is relatively robust.

Delphi consensus recommendations for the management of chronic insomnia in Canada.

OBJECTIVE: The lack of current Canadian practice guidelines for the management of insomnia poses a challenge for healthcare providers (HCP) in selecting the appropriate treatment options. This study aimed to establish expert consensus recommendations for the management of chronic insomnia in Canada. COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE: Sixteen multidisciplinary experts in sleep medicine and insomnia across Canada developed consensus recommendations based on their knowledge of the literature and their practical experience. METHODS: The consensus recommendations were developed through a Delphi method. Consensus was reached if at least 75 % of the voting participants "agreed" or "strongly agreed" with the corresponding statements. The quality of supporting evidence was rated using a GRADE rating system. REPORT: Among 37 recommendations that reached consensus for the management of chronic insomnia, the experts recommend and agree that. CONCLUSION: These consensus recommendations highlight the need to increase awareness, capacity for, and access to CBT-I; integrate newly approved pharmacotherapy; reduce both self-medication and medications with limited evidence or low risk/benefit ratio.

Genome-wide meta-analyses of restless legs syndrome yield insights into genetic architecture, disease biology and risk prediction.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) affects up to 10% of older adults. Their healthcare is impeded by delayed diagnosis and insufficient treatment. To advance disease prediction and find new entry points for therapy, we performed meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies in 116,647 individuals with RLS (cases) and 1,546,466 controls of European ancestry. The pooled analysis increased the number of risk loci eightfold to 164, including three on chromosome X. Sex-specific meta-analyses revealed largely overlapping genetic predispositions of the sexes (rg = 0.96). Locus annotation prioritized druggable genes such as glutamate receptors 1 and 4, and Mendelian randomization indicated RLS as a causal risk factor for diabetes. Machine learning approaches combining genetic and nongenetic information performed best in risk prediction (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.82-0.91). In summary, we identified targets for drug development and repurposing, prioritized potential causal relationships between RLS and relevant comorbidities and risk factors for follow-up and provided evidence that nonlinear interactions are likely relevant to RLS risk prediction.

Slow wave activity and slow oscillations in sleepwalkers and controls: effects of 38 h of sleep deprivation.

Sleepwalkers have been shown to have an unusually high number of arousals from slow wave sleep and lower slow wave activity (SWA) power during the night than controls. Because sleep deprivation increases the frequency of slow wave sleep (SWS) arousals in sleepwalkers, it may also affect the expression of the homeostatic process to a greater extent than shown previously. We thus investigated SWA power as well as slow wave oscillation (SWO) density in 10 sleepwalkers and nine controls at baseline and following 38 h of sleep deprivation. There was a significant increase in SWA during participants' recovery sleep, especially during their second non-rapid eye movement (NREM) period. SWO density was similarly increased during recovery sleep's first two NREM periods. A fronto-central gradient in SWA and SWO was also present on both nights. However, no group differences were noted on any of the 2 nights on SWA or SWO. This unexpected result may be related to the heterogeneity of sleepwalkers as a population, as well as our small sample size. SWA pressure after extended sleep deprivation may also result in a ceiling effect in both sleepwalkers and controls.

Are unrefreshing naps associated with nocturnal sleep architecture specificities in idiopathic hypersomnia?

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Unrefreshing naps are supportive clinical features of idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) and are reported by more than 50% of IH patients. They are, however, not mandatory for the diagnosis, and their pathophysiological nature is not understood. This study aimed at verifying whether IH patients with and without unrefreshing naps constitute two subtypes of IH based on their demographic/clinical characteristics, and sleep architecture. METHODS: One hundred twelve IH patients underwent a polysomnography (PSG) followed by a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT). They completed questionnaires on excessive daytime sleepiness, mood, and sleep quality. They were met by sleep medicine physicians who conducted a semi-structured clinical interview and questioned them on refreshing aspects of their naps. Patients who reported unrefreshing naps were compared to patients reporting refreshing naps on questionnaires, MSLT and PSG variables, with age as a covariable. As sensitivity analyses, we performed the same comparisons in participants presenting objective markers of IH and those diagnosed with IH based only on clinical judgment (subjective IH), separately. RESULTS: In the whole sample, 61% of patients reported unrefreshing naps. These participants had less awakenings, a lower percentage of N1 sleep, less sleep stage transitions, and a higher percentage of REM sleep on the nighttime PSG compared to the refreshing naps subgroup. When subjective and objective IH patients were tested separately, more group differences were observed on PSG for subjective IH patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with unrefreshing naps have less fragmented sleep compared to those with refreshing naps. Future studies should investigate whether this group difference indicates a weaker arousal drive.

Longitudinal evolution of diffusion metrics after left hemisphere ischaemic stroke.

White matter is often severely affected after human ischaemic stroke. While animal studies have suggested that various factors may contribute to white matter structural damage after ischaemic stroke, the characterization of damaging processes to the affected hemisphere after human stroke remains poorly understood. Thus, the present study aims to thoroughly describe the longitudinal pattern of evolution of diffusion magnetic resonance imaging metrics in different parts of the ipsilesional white matter after stroke. We acquired diffusion and anatomical images in 17 patients who had suffered from a single left hemisphere ischaemic stroke, at 24-72 h, 8-14 days and 6 months post-stroke. For each patient, we created three regions of interest: (i) the white matter lesion; (ii) the perilesional white matter; and (iii) the remaining white matter of the left hemisphere. We extracted diffusion metrics (fractional anisotropy, mean, axial and radial diffusivities) for each region and conducted two-way repeated measures ANOVAs with stage post-stroke (acute, subacute and chronic) × regions of interest (white matter lesion, perilesional white matter and remaining white matter). Fractional anisotropy values stayed consistent across time-points, with significantly lower values in the white matter lesion compared to the perilesional white matter and remaining white matter tissue. Fractional anisotropy values of the perilesional white matter were also significantly lower than that of the remaining white matter. Mean, axial and radial diffusivities in the white matter lesion were all decreased in the acute stage compared to perilesional white matter and remaining white matter, but significantly increased in both the subacute and chronic stages. Significant increases in mean and radial diffusivities in the perilesional white matter were seen in the later stages of stroke. Our findings suggest that various physiological processes are at play in the acute, subacute and chronic stages following ischaemic stroke, with the infarct territory and perilesional white matter affected by ischaemia at different rates and to different extents throughout the stroke recovery stages. The examination of multiple diffusivity metrics may inform us about the mechanisms occurring at different time-points, i.e. focal swelling, axonal damage or myelin loss.