Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Sep 2020
In vivo neuroinflammation and cerebral small vessel disease in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.
Associations between cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) and inflammation have been largely examined using peripheral blood markers of inflammation, with few studies measuring inflammation within the brain. We investigated the cross-sectional relationship between SVD and in vivo neuroinflammation using [11C]PK11195 positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. ⋯ Microglial activation is associated with SVD, particularly with the hypertensive arteriopathy subtype of SVD. Although further research is needed to determine causality, our study suggests that targeting neuroinflammation might represent a novel therapeutic strategy for SVD.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Sep 2020
Multicenter Study Observational StudyNabiximols discontinuation rate in a large population of patients with multiple sclerosis: a 18-month multicentre study.
Delta-δ-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol (THC:CBD) oromucosal spray is used as an add-on therapy option for moderate to severe multiple sclerosis (MS) spasticity resistant to other medications. Aims of this study were to provide real-life data on long-term clinical outcomes in a large population of Italian patients treated with THC:CBD and to evaluate predictors of THC:CBD therapy continuation. ⋯ THC:CBD effects were sustained for 18 months with a relatively stable number of puffs per day. About 50% of patients abandoned THC:CBD therapy for loss of efficacy or adverse events.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Sep 2020
Multicenter StudyEarly symptoms in symptomatic and preclinical genetic frontotemporal lobar degeneration.
The clinical heterogeneity of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) complicates identification of biomarkers for clinical trials that may be sensitive during the prediagnostic stage. It is not known whether cognitive or behavioural changes during the preclinical period are predictive of genetic status or conversion to clinical FTD. The first objective was to evaluate the most frequent initial symptoms in patients with genetic FTD. The second objective was to evaluate whether preclinical mutation carriers demonstrate unique FTD-related symptoms relative to familial mutation non-carriers. ⋯ Preclinical mutation carriers exhibited neuropsychiatric symptoms compared with non-carriers that may be considered as future clinical trial outcomes. Given the heterogeneity in symptoms, the detection of clinical transition to symptomatic FTD may be best captured by composite indices integrating the most common initial symptoms for each genetic group.