To compare the cognitive functions and neuropsychiatric symptoms of Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) versus Alzheimer's disease (AD).Patients fulfilling the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4(th) edition (DSM-IV) dementia diagnosis criteria were recruited into this case-control study. AD patients were diagnosed with the criteria of National Institute of Neurologic and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS-ADRDA) while PDD was based upon the standards of Movement Disorder Society (MDS) Task Force. According to clinical dementia rating (CDR) score, they were divided into mild dementia (CDR score = 0.5/1) and moderate-to-severe dementia groups (CDR score = 2/3). World Health Organization-University of California, Los Angeles, auditory verbal learning test (WHO-UCLA AVLT), clock drawing test (CDT) and neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI) were performed.No significant difference in immediate memory, delayed memory or long-delayed recognition score was observed between PDD and AD patients (P > 0.05). CDT score was significantly lower in PDD patients (mild dementia group: 0.9 ± 0.9; moderate-to-severe dementia group: 0.6 ± 0.9) than that of AD patients (mild dementia group: 1.5 ± 0.7, P < 0.001; moderate-to-severe dementia group: 1.1 ± 0.6, P = 0.027) and this difference was more significant in mild dementia group. More than 70% of PDD patients reported at least one neuropsychiatric symptom. And also, in mild dementia group, compared with AD patients (frequency: 43.2% (16/37), NPI score = 5.7 ± 11.9), a higher frequency of neuropsychiatric symptoms and higher NPI scores were observed in PDD patients (frequency: 71.40% (25/35), NPI score = 8.4 ± 9.8).More severe impairment in visuospatial ability and executive function was present in PDD patients compared with AD patients. And neuropsychiatric symptoms were more common and severe in PDD patients.
The intellectualized versions of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) and the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) (i-MoCA/i-MMSE) were developed. The validity of this system was evaluated in a clinical sample through comparing with the manual-based assessments.
Various evidence demonstrates the influences of ceramides on Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. Furthermore, increased ceramides were also suggested to be related to cognitive decline. However, the association between ceramides and neuropsychiatric symptoms of AD remains unclear.This study sought to investigate the association between plasma ceramide levels and multiple neuropsychiatric symptoms in AD.A total of 98 patients and 92 cognitively normal controls participated in this study, including 56 with mild AD and 42 with moderate to severe AD. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) was used to assess neuropsychiatric symptoms. Considering the influences of dementia severity on ceramide levels and neuropsychiatric symptoms, a subgroup analysis was conducted by dementia severity.Except for C24 : 0, all ceramide species were significantly higher in AD patients than in controls. After controlling for confounding factors, the C16 : 0 and C20 : 0 levels were positively associated with delusions, and the quartiles of C22 : 0 and C24 : 0 were positively associated with depression. In the subgroup analysis, association between ceramide species and delusions were only observed in mild AD, and the association between ceramides and depression were prominent in moderate to severe AD. In mild AD, after controlling for age, gender, anti-dementia medications, diabetes status, and ApoE ɛ4 status, the C16 : 0, C20 : 0, and quartiles of C24 : 1 were associated with delusions. In moderate to severe AD, depression was associated with C22 : 0 and C24 : 0.There were stage-specific associations between ceramides and neuropsychiatric symptoms of AD. The potential mechanisms deserve further investigation.
Increasing evidences suggested the association between leptin and cognitive functions. Estrogen is an important factor that regulates the production and metabolism of leptin. However, little is known about the relationship between leptin and estrogen in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Plasma levels of leptin, total estradiol, and β -amyloid protein (A β ) were measured in a total of 23 female amnestic MCI (aMCI) patients and 19 female cognitively normal controls. This study showed that female aMCI patients had lower plasma levels of leptin and higher levels of estradiol compared to female normal controls. Leptin and estradiol levels were not correlated with cognitive performances or plasma A β levels in either aMCI patients or normal controls. There was a significant negative correlation between leptin and estrogen in female aMCI patients (r=-0.633,p=0.002) but not in female normal controls. The potential mechanisms of this disease-stage-specific association between leptin and estrogen need further investigations.
Abstract Objective Glucosylceramidase ( GBA ) variants and onset age significantly affect clinical phenotype and progression in Parkinson's disease (PD). The current study compared clinical characteristics at baseline and cognitive and motor progression over time among patients having GBA ‐related PD ( GBA ‐PD), early‐onset idiopathic PD (early‐iPD), and late‐onset idiopathic PD (late‐iPD). Methods We recruited 88 GBA ‐PD, 167 early‐iPD, and 488 late‐iPD patients in this study. A subset of 50 GBA ‐PD, 81 early‐iPD, and 223 late‐iPD patients was followed up at least once, with a 3.0‐year mean follow‐up time. Linear mixed‐effects models helped evaluate the rate of change in the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores. Results At baseline, the GBA ‐PD group showed more severe motor deficits and non‐motor symptoms (NMSs) than the early‐iPD group and more NMSs than the late‐iPD group. Moreover, the GBA ‐PD group had more significant cognitive and motor progression, particularly bradykinesia and axial impairment, than the early‐iPD and late‐iPD groups at follow‐up. However, the early‐onset GBA ‐PD (early‐ GBA ‐PD) group was similar to the late‐onset GBA ‐PD (late‐ GBA ‐PD) group in baseline clinical features and cognitive and motor progression. Conclusion GBA ‐PD patients exhibited faster cognitive and motor deterioration than early‐iPD and late‐iPD patients. Thus, subtype classification based on genetic characteristics rather than age at onset could enhance the prediction of PD disease progression.
OAE Publishing Inc. is an international scholarly publisher specializing in peer-reviewed academic journals. To promote academic exchange and knowledge sharing, OAE provides an outstanding academic platform for biomedical experts and scholars all over the world.
Previous neuroimaging studies of vascular cognitive impairment, no dementia (VCIND), have reported functional alterations, but far less is known about the effects of cognitive training on functional connectivity (FC) of intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) and how they relate to intervention-related cognitive improvement. This study provides comprehensive research on the changes in intra- and inter-brain functional networks in patients with VCIND who received computerized cognitive training, with a focus on the underlying mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies.
'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' transform='rotate(23.036 .093 25.536)'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' transform='rotate(45.87 1.273 16.18)'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' transform='rotate(69.945 .996 12.078)'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' transform='rotate(20.66 -19.689 31.932)'/%3e%3c/svg%3e)
