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Singh AK, Malviya R, Prakash A, Verma S. Neuropsychiatric Manifestations in Alzheimer's Disease Patients: Genetics and Treatment Options. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS DRUG TARGETS 2024; 23:39-54. [PMID: 36856177 DOI: 10.2174/1871527322666230301111216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), which cause great misery to those with dementia and those who care for them and may lead to early institutionalization. OBJECTIVE The present systematic review aims to discuss the various aspects of Alzheimer's, including treatment options. METHODS The databases Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched to collect data. RESULTS Incipient cognitive deterioration is commonly accompanied by these early warning signals of neurocognitive diseases. The neurobiology of NPSs in Alzheimer's disease, as well as particular symptoms, including psychosis, agitation, apathy, sadness, and sleep disorders, will be examined in this review. For NPSs in Alzheimer's disease, clinical trial designs, as well as regulatory issues, were also addressed. A fresh wave of research, however, is helping to push the discipline ahead. For medication development and repurposing, we highlight the most recent results in genetics, neuroimaging, and neurobiology. Even though identifying and treating psychosis in adults with dementia is still a challenging endeavor, new options are coming up that give the field fresh focus and hope. Conclsuion: It can be concluded from the complete literature survey that Alzheimer's-related psychosis as well as other symptoms that are not psychotic, have made significant progress in the last decade. These milestones in the development of safer, more effective treatments have been achieved as a consequence of great focus on non-pharmacological interventions like DICE or WHELD; the investigation into ways to improve existing drugs like aripiprazole, risperidone, amisulpride, and Escitalopram for safer precision-based treatment; and the development of a clinical trial program for pimavanserin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun Kumar Singh
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medical and Allied Sciences, Galgotias University Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Rishabha Malviya
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medical and Allied Sciences, Galgotias University Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Anuj Prakash
- Reference Standard Division, Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, Sec-23, Raj Nagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Swati Verma
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medical and Allied Sciences, Galgotias University Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
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2
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Achenbach J, Stodt B, Saft C. Factors Influencing the Total Functional Capacity Score as a Critical Endpoint in Huntington's Disease Research. Biomedicines 2023; 11:3336. [PMID: 38137557 PMCID: PMC10741795 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11123336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The Total Functional Capacity (TFC) score is commonly used in Huntington's disease (HD) research. The classification separates each disease stage (1-5), e.g., as an inclusion criterion or endpoint in clinical trials accepted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In addition to the quantification of age- and CAG-repeat-dependent effects as well as interacting effects of both on the TFC, we aimed to investigate factors influencing the TFC, such as neuropsychiatric, educational, and cognitive disease burden using data from the largest HD observational study to date. In addition, we analyzed data from pre-manifest stages to investigate the influence of the above-mentioned factors on the TFC in that stage. Methods: A moderated regression analysis was conducted to analyze the interaction effects of age and CAG-repeat length on the TFC in HD patients. A simple slope analysis was calculated to illustrate the effects. Depending on TFC results, motor-manifest patients were grouped into five stages. Data from pre-manifest participants were analyzed with regard to years to onset and CAP scores. Results: We identified N = 10,314 participants as manifest HD. A significant part of variance on the TFC was explained by age (R2 = 0.029, F (1;10,281) = 308.02, p < 0.001), CAG-repeat length (∆R2 = 0.132, ∆F (1;10,280) = 1611.22, p < 0.001), and their interaction (∆R2 = 0.049, ∆F (1;10,279) = 634.12, p < 0.001). The model explained altogether 20.9% of the TFC score's variance (F = 907.60, p < 0.001). Variance of psychiatric and cognitive symptoms significantly differed between stages. Exploratory analysis of median data in pre-manifest participants revealed the highest scores for neuropsychiatric changes between 5 to <20 years from the disease onset. Conclusions: TFC is mainly explained by the neurobiological factors, CAG-repeat length, and age, with subjects having more CAG-repeats showing a faster decline in function. Our study confirms TFC as a robust measure of progression in manifest HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jannis Achenbach
- Department of Neurology, Huntington Center North Rhine-Westphalia, St. Josef-Hospital Bochum, Ruhr-University Bochum, Gudrunstraße 56, 44791 Bochum, Germany;
| | - Benjamin Stodt
- Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human Factors at the Technical University of Dortmund (IfADo), Ardeystraße 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany;
| | - Carsten Saft
- Department of Neurology, Huntington Center North Rhine-Westphalia, St. Josef-Hospital Bochum, Ruhr-University Bochum, Gudrunstraße 56, 44791 Bochum, Germany;
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3
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Speidell A, Bin Abid N, Yano H. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Dysregulation as an Essential Pathological Feature in Huntington's Disease: Mechanisms and Potential Therapeutics. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2275. [PMID: 37626771 PMCID: PMC10452871 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11082275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a major neurotrophin whose loss or interruption is well established to have numerous intersections with the pathogenesis of progressive neurological disorders. There is perhaps no greater example of disease pathogenesis resulting from the dysregulation of BDNF signaling than Huntington's disease (HD)-an inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, psychiatric, and cognitive impairments associated with basal ganglia dysfunction and the ultimate death of striatal projection neurons. Investigation of the collection of mechanisms leading to BDNF loss in HD highlights this neurotrophin's importance to neuronal viability and calls attention to opportunities for therapeutic interventions. Using electronic database searches of existing and forthcoming research, we constructed a literature review with the overarching goal of exploring the diverse set of molecular events that trigger BDNF dysregulation within HD. We highlighted research that investigated these major mechanisms in preclinical models of HD and connected these studies to those evaluating similar endpoints in human HD subjects. We also included a special focus on the growing body of literature detailing key transcriptomic and epigenetic alterations that affect BDNF abundance in HD. Finally, we offer critical evaluation of proposed neurotrophin-directed therapies and assessed clinical trials seeking to correct BDNF expression in HD individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Speidell
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.S.); (N.B.A.)
| | - Noman Bin Abid
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.S.); (N.B.A.)
| | - Hiroko Yano
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.S.); (N.B.A.)
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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4
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Eide S, Misztal M, Feng ZP. Interleukin-6 as a marker of Huntington's disease progression: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain Behav Immun Health 2023; 30:100635. [PMID: 37215308 PMCID: PMC10196779 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2023.100635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare, inherited disorder with a broad spectrum of manifestations that vary with disease severity and progression. Although genetic testing can readily confirm the initial diagnosis of HD, markers sensitive to HD progression are needed to aid the development of individual treatment plans. The current analysis aims to identify plasma Interleukin-6 (IL-6) as a marker of disease progression in HD patients. A systematic search of PubMed and Medline from conception through October 2021 was conducted. Studies reporting plasma IL-6 levels of mutation-positive HD patients and healthy controls that met inclusion criteria were selected. The search strategy collected 303 studies, 9 of which met analysis inclusion criteria. From included studies, plasma IL-6 levels of 469 individuals with the HD mutation and 206 healthy controls were collected. Plasma IL-6 levels were meta-analytically compared between healthy controls and individuals with the confirmed HD mutation at all stages of disease and correlated to performance on standardized measures of total cognitive and motor function. Plasma IL-6 was significantly increased in HD groups compared to controls (g = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.31,1.16, P < 0.01) and increased significantly throughout most stages of disease progression, notably between pre-manifest and manifest (g = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.04,0.59, P < 0.05) and early and moderate HD stages (g = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.18,0.86, P < 0.01). Significant correlations between plasma IL-6 levels and HD symptomatic progression were identified, with increased cytokine levels associated with more severe motor impairments (r = 0.179, 95% CI = 0.0479,0.304, P = 0.008) and more extreme disabilities in activities of daily living and/or work tasks (r = -0.229, 95% CI = -0.334, -0.119, P < 0.001). Conclusively, plasma IL-6 levels correlate with disease and motor symptom progression and may act as a viable marker for clinical use. Analysis is limited by small study numbers and highlights the need for future work to identify definitive ranges or rates of change of plasma IL-6 levels that correlate to progressive HD disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Zhong-Ping Feng
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
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5
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Mätlik K, Baffuto M, Kus L, Deshmukh AL, Davis DA, Paul MR, Carroll TS, Caron MC, Masson JY, Pearson CE, Heintz N. Cell Type Specific CAG Repeat Expansions and Toxicity of Mutant Huntingtin in Human Striatum and Cerebellum. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.24.538082. [PMID: 37333326 PMCID: PMC10274669 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.24.538082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Brain region-specific degeneration and somatic expansions of the mutant Huntingtin (mHTT) CAG tract are key features of Huntington's disease (HD). However, the relationships between CAG expansions, death of specific cell types, and molecular events associated with these processes are not established. Here we employed fluorescence-activated nuclear sorting (FANS) and deep molecular profiling to gain insight into the properties of cell types of the human striatum and cerebellum in HD and control donors. CAG expansions arise in striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) and cholinergic interneurons, in cerebellar Purkinje neurons, and at mATXN3 in MSNs from SCA3 donors. CAG expansions in MSNs are associated with higher levels of MSH2 and MSH3 (forming MutSβ), which can inhibit nucleolytic excision of CAG slip-outs by FAN1 in a concentration-dependent manner. Our data indicate that ongoing CAG expansions are not sufficient for cell death, and identify transcriptional changes associated with somatic CAG expansions and striatal toxicity.
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Sturchio A, Duker AP, Muñoz-Sanjuan I, Espay AJ. Subtyping monogenic disorders: Huntington disease. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 193:171-184. [PMID: 36803810 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-85555-6.00003-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Huntington disease is a highly disabling neurodegenerative disease characterized by psychiatric, cognitive, and motor deficits. The causal genetic mutation in huntingtin (Htt, also known as IT15), located on chromosome 4p16.3, leads to an expansion of a triplet coding for polyglutamine. The expansion is invariably associated with the disease when >39 repeats. Htt encodes for the protein huntingtin (HTT), which carries out many essential biological functions in the cell, in particular in the nervous system. The precise mechanism of toxicity is not known. Based on a one-gene-one-disease framework, the prevailing hypothesis ascribes toxicity to the universal aggregation of HTT. However, the aggregation process into mutant huntingtin (mHTT) is associated with a reduction of the levels of wild-type HTT. A loss of wild-type HTT may plausibly be pathogenic, contributing to the disease onset and progressive neurodegeneration. Moreover, many other biological pathways are altered in Huntington disease, such as in the autophagic system, mitochondria, and essential proteins beyond HTT, potentially explaining biological and clinical differences among affected individuals. As one gene does not mean one disease, future efforts at identifying specific Huntington subtypes are important to design biologically tailored therapeutic approaches that correct the corresponding biological pathways-rather than continuing to exclusively target the common denominator of HTT aggregation for elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Sturchio
- James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Neuro Svenningsson, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Andrew P Duker
- James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | | | - Alberto J Espay
- James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
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7
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Ruiz-Idiago J, Pomarol-Clotet E, Salvador R. Longitudinal analysis of neuropsychiatric symptoms in a large cohort of early-moderate manifest Huntington's disease patients. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2023; 106:105228. [PMID: 36470173 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2022.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The relationship between neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) and other clinical dimensions in Huntington's disease (HD) is controversial. This longitudinal study analyzed the association between NPS and motor, cognitive and functional aspects of the disease along with other variables related to its clinical onset and progression. METHODS 639 early-moderate HD patients were assessed longitudinally (mean: 4.95 visits/5 years). Generalized linear mixed models were used to explore associations between NPS and the aforementioned aspects. Other variables previously reported as significant in smaller or cross-sectional studies were included in the models. RESULTS Significant associations found included a negative linear relationship between presence of depressed mood and illness duration (7.2% odds reduction of being depressed per year), a 7.6% increase in the odds of having irritability with increased chorea scores, a negative association (4.3% reduction in odds) between age at onset and aggression (i.e. earlier onset was related to a higher probability of having aggressive behaviors) and a negative association between irritability and the interference component of the Stroop test (3% odds change). Total functional capacity (TFC) was the most frequently associated factor with NPS, with apathy and perseverative behavior having the strongest relations with TFC (22% and 18% increases in odds per unit reduction in TFC respectively). CONCLUSIONS With the exception of irritability, NPS are not related to motor or cognitive variables in early-moderate HD. Total functional capacity (TFC) is the most frequently associated factor with NPS, with apathy and perseverative behavior having the strongest relations with TFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Ruiz-Idiago
- Neuropsychiatry Unit, Hospital Mare de Déu de la Mercè, Hermanas Hospitalarias, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Spain; European Huntington's Disease Network (EHDN), Ulm, Germany; FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Edith Pomarol-Clotet
- FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain; Mental Health Research Networking Center (CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - Raymond Salvador
- FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain; Mental Health Research Networking Center (CIBERSAM), Spain
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8
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Manca R, Pardiñas AF, Venneri A. The neural signatures of psychoses in Alzheimer's disease: a neuroimaging genetics approach. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2023; 273:253-267. [PMID: 35727357 PMCID: PMC9957843 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-022-01432-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Psychoses in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are associated with worse prognosis. Genetic vulnerability for schizophrenia (SCZ) may drive AD-related psychoses, yet its impact on brain constituents is still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the association between polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for SCZ and psychotic experiences (PE) and grey matter (GM) volume in patients with AD with (AD-PS) and without (AD-NP) psychosis. Clinical, genetic and T1-weighted MRI data for 800 participants were extracted from the ADNI database: 203 healthy controls, 121 AD-PS and 476 AD-NP. PRSs were calculated using a Bayesian approach and analysed at ten p-value thresholds. Standard voxel-based morphometry was used to process MRI data. Logistic regression models including both PRSs for SCZ and PE, and an AD-PRS were used to predict psychosis in AD. Associations between PRSs and GM volume were investigated in the whole sample and the three groups independently. Only the AD-PRS predicted psychosis in AD. Inconsistent associations between the SCZ-PRS and PE-PRS and GM volumes were found across groups. The SCZ-PRS was negatively associated with medio-temporal/subcortical volumes and positively with medial/orbitofrontal volumes in the AD-PS group. Only medio-temporal areas were more atrophic in the AD-PS group, while there was no significant correlation between psychosis severity and GM volume. Although not associated with psychoses, the SCZ-PRS was correlated with smaller medio-temporal and larger orbitofrontal volumes in AD-PS. Similar alterations have also been observed in SCZ patients. This finding suggest a possible disconnection between these regions associated with psychoses in more advanced AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Manca
- grid.7728.a0000 0001 0724 6933Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, London, UK
| | - Antonio F. Pardiñas
- grid.5600.30000 0001 0807 5670MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Annalena Venneri
- Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, London, UK. .,Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
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Abdollah Zadegan S, Coco HM, Reddy KS, Anderson KM, Teixeira AL, Stimming EF. Frequency and Pathophysiology of Apathy in Huntington Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 2022; 35:121-132. [PMID: 36353818 DOI: 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.20220033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Apathy is a common behavioral symptom of Huntington disease (HD). This systematic review describes current evidence on the pathophysiology, assessment, and frequency of apathy in HD. METHODS This systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Using a comprehensive search strategy, the investigators searched the MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO databases. All studies that evaluated apathy in HD patients with a valid scale and reported apathy frequency or scores were included. Apathy scores were analyzed by mean or standardized mean differences in accordance with Cochrane guidelines. RESULTS A total of 1,085 records were screened and 80 studies were ultimately included. The Problem Behaviors Assessment-Short was the most frequently used apathy assessment tool. Apathy frequency generally ranged from 10%-33% in premanifest HD to 24%-76% in manifest HD. A meta-analysis of 5,311 records of patients with premanifest HD showed significantly higher apathy scores, with a standardized mean difference of 0.41 (CI=0.29-0.52; p<0.001). A comparison of 1,247 patients showed significantly higher apathy scores in manifest than premanifest HD, with a mean difference of 1.87 (CI=1.48-2.26; p<0.001). There was evidence of involvement of various cortical and subcortical brain regions in HD patients with apathy. CONCLUSIONS Apathy was more frequent among individuals with premanifest HD compared with those in a control group and among individuals with manifest HD compared with those with premanifest HD. Considering the complexity and unique pattern of development in neurodegenerative disease, further studies are required to explore the pathophysiology of apathy in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shayan Abdollah Zadegan
- Department of Neurology (Zadegan, Furr Stimming), Huntington's Disease Society of America Center of Excellence (Zadegan, Anderson, Teixeira, Furr Stimming), McGovern Medical School (Coco, Reddy), Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Anderson, Teixeira), all at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Hannah M Coco
- Department of Neurology (Zadegan, Furr Stimming), Huntington's Disease Society of America Center of Excellence (Zadegan, Anderson, Teixeira, Furr Stimming), McGovern Medical School (Coco, Reddy), Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Anderson, Teixeira), all at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Kirthan S Reddy
- Department of Neurology (Zadegan, Furr Stimming), Huntington's Disease Society of America Center of Excellence (Zadegan, Anderson, Teixeira, Furr Stimming), McGovern Medical School (Coco, Reddy), Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Anderson, Teixeira), all at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Kendra M Anderson
- Department of Neurology (Zadegan, Furr Stimming), Huntington's Disease Society of America Center of Excellence (Zadegan, Anderson, Teixeira, Furr Stimming), McGovern Medical School (Coco, Reddy), Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Anderson, Teixeira), all at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Antonio L Teixeira
- Department of Neurology (Zadegan, Furr Stimming), Huntington's Disease Society of America Center of Excellence (Zadegan, Anderson, Teixeira, Furr Stimming), McGovern Medical School (Coco, Reddy), Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Anderson, Teixeira), all at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Erin Furr Stimming
- Department of Neurology (Zadegan, Furr Stimming), Huntington's Disease Society of America Center of Excellence (Zadegan, Anderson, Teixeira, Furr Stimming), McGovern Medical School (Coco, Reddy), Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Anderson, Teixeira), all at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
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Agüera-Ortiz L, Babulal GM, Bruneau MA, Creese B, D'Antonio F, Fischer CE, Gatchel JR, Ismail Z, Kumar S, McGeown WJ, Mortby ME, Nuñez NA, de Oliveira FF, Pereiro AX, Ravona-Springer R, Rouse HJ, Wang H, Lanctôt KL. Psychosis as a Treatment Target in Dementia: A Roadmap for Designing Interventions. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 88:1203-1228. [PMID: 35786651 PMCID: PMC9484097 DOI: 10.3233/jad-215483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Psychotic phenomena are among the most severe and disruptive symptoms of dementias and appear in 30% to 50% of patients. They are associated with a worse evolution and great suffering to patients and caregivers. Their current treatments obtain limited results and are not free of adverse effects, which are sometimes serious. It is therefore crucial to develop new treatments that can improve this situation. We review available data that could enlighten the future design of clinical trials with psychosis in dementia as main target. Along with an explanation of its prevalence in the common diseases that cause dementia, we present proposals aimed at improving the definition of symptoms and what should be included and excluded in clinical trials. A review of the available information regarding the neurobiological basis of symptoms, in terms of pathology, neuroimaging, and genomics, is provided as a guide towards new therapeutic targets. The correct evaluation of symptoms is transcendental in any therapeutic trial and these aspects are extensively addressed. Finally, a critical overview of existing pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments is made, revealing the unmet needs, in terms of efficacy and safety. Our work emphasizes the need for better definition and measurement of psychotic symptoms in dementias in order to highlight their differences with symptoms that appear in non-dementing diseases such as schizophrenia. Advances in neurobiology should illuminate the development of new, more effective and safer molecules for which this review can serve as a roadmap in the design of future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Agüera-Ortiz
- Department of Psychiatry, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (imas12), Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, & Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ganesh M Babulal
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.,Department of Clinical Research and Leadership, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA.,Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Marie-Andrée Bruneau
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Geriatric Institute of Montreal Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Byron Creese
- Medical School, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, UK
| | | | - Corinne E Fischer
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,University of Toronto, Department of Psychiatry, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jennifer R Gatchel
- Harvard Medical School; Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA.,McLean Hospital, Belmont MA, USA
| | - Zahinoor Ismail
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & O'Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Sanjeev Kumar
- Adult Neurodevelopmental and Geriatric Psychiatry Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - William J McGeown
- School of Psychological Sciences and Health, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - Moyra E Mortby
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia & Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - Nicolas A Nuñez
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Fabricio F de Oliveira
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Arturo X Pereiro
- Facultade de Psicoloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Ramit Ravona-Springer
- Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel & Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Hillary J Rouse
- School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.,SiteRx, New York, NY, USA
| | - Huali Wang
- Dementia Care and Research Center, Peking University Institute of Mental Health; National & Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing, China
| | - Krista L Lanctôt
- Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute and Departments of Psychiatry and Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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11
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Clinical Correlates of Depression and Suicidality in Huntington Disease: An Analysis of the Enroll-HD Observational Study. Cogn Behav Neurol 2022; 35:85-94. [PMID: 35486527 DOI: 10.1097/wnn.0000000000000301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression and suicidality are commonly experienced by Huntington disease (HD) gene carriers. Research on these behavioral symptoms is imperative, not only to increase our understanding of the symptoms and how they relate to HD, but also to contribute to improving patients' care and quality of life. OBJECTIVE To identify clinical variables associated with a history of depression and suicidality in HD gene carriers. METHOD We conducted a cross-sectional study of HD gene carriers from the Enroll-HD database PDS4 (periodic data set 4; N = 11,582). Data from baseline visits were obtained, and binary logistic regression models were used to ascertain the effects of clinical variables on the likelihood that HD gene carriers would have previous depression and suicidal ideation/attempts. RESULTS Approximately 65% (n = 7526) of the HD gene carriers had a history of depression, and ~27% (n = 3152) had previous suicidal ideation/attempts. Female sex; diagnosis of manifest HD; history of perseverative/obsessive behavior, apathy, and psychosis; and previous suicidal ideation/attempts were significantly associated with a history of depression in the HD gene carriers. Medical history of apathy, psychosis, and depression, as well as worse scores on the Total Functional Capacity and Irritability Scales, were significantly associated with previous suicidal ideation/attempts in the HD gene carriers. CONCLUSION The prevalence of depression and suicidality is high among HD gene carriers. An improved understanding of the risk factors for depression and suicide in HD gene carriers can assist providers in recognizing at-risk individuals and allow providers to implement therapeutic strategies.
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Han J, Chitu V, Stanley ER, Wszolek ZK, Karrenbauer VD, Harris RA. Inhibition of colony stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1R) as a potential therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases: opportunities and challenges. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:219. [PMID: 35366105 PMCID: PMC8976111 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04225-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Microglia are specialized dynamic immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS) that plays a crucial role in brain homeostasis and in disease states. Persistent neuroinflammation is considered a hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). Colony stimulating factor 1-receptor (CSF-1R) is predominantly expressed on microglia and its expression is significantly increased in neurodegenerative diseases. Cumulative findings have indicated that CSF-1R inhibitors can have beneficial effects in preclinical neurodegenerative disease models. Research using CSF-1R inhibitors has now been extended into non-human primates and humans. This review article summarizes the most recent advances using CSF-1R inhibitors in different neurodegenerative conditions including AD, PD, HD, ALS and MS. Potential challenges for translating these findings into clinical practice are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinming Han
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Violeta Chitu
- Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461 USA
| | - E. Richard Stanley
- Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461 USA
| | | | - Virginija Danylaité Karrenbauer
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Molecular Medicine L8:04, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Robert A. Harris
- Applied Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden
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Ismail Z, Creese B, Aarsland D, Kales HC, Lyketsos CG, Sweet RA, Ballard C. Psychosis in Alzheimer disease - mechanisms, genetics and therapeutic opportunities. Nat Rev Neurol 2022; 18:131-144. [PMID: 34983978 PMCID: PMC9074132 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-021-00597-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Psychosis is a common and distressing symptom in people with Alzheimer disease, and few safe and effective treatments are available. However, new approaches to symptom assessment and treatment are beginning to drive the field forward. New nosological perspectives have been provided by incorporating the emergence of psychotic symptoms in older adults - even in advance of dementia - into epidemiological and neurobiological frameworks as well as into diagnostic and research criteria such as the International Psychogeriatric Association criteria for psychosis in neurocognitive disorders, the Alzheimer's Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment (ISTAART) research criteria for psychosis in neurodegenerative disease, and the ISTAART criteria for mild behavioural impairment. Here, we highlight the latest findings in genomics, neuroimaging and neurobiology that are informing approaches to drug discovery and repurposing. Current pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options are discussed, with a focus on safety and precision medicine. We also explore trial data for pimavanserin, a novel agent that shows promise for the treatment of psychosis in people with dementia, and discuss existing agents that might be useful but need further exploration such as escitalopram, lithium, cholinesterase inhibitors and vitamin D. Although the assessment and management of psychosis in people with dementia remain challenging, new opportunities are providing direction and hope to the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahinoor Ismail
- Departments of Psychiatry, Clinical Neurosciences, Community Health Sciences, and Pathology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and O'Brien Institute of Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Byron Creese
- University of Exeter Medical School, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Dag Aarsland
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Helen C Kales
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Constantine G Lyketsos
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins Bayview, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert A Sweet
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Clive Ballard
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
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Van Assche E, Schulte EC, Andreassen OA, Smeland OB, Luykx JJ. Editorial: Cross-disorder Genetics in Neuropsychiatry. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:826300. [PMID: 35221906 PMCID: PMC8863965 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.826300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Evelien Van Assche
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- *Correspondence: Evelien Van Assche
| | - Eva C. Schulte
- Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, University Hospital, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ole A. Andreassen
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, NORMENT Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Olav B. Smeland
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, NORMENT Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jurjen J. Luykx
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Outpatient Second Opinion Clinic, GGNet Mental Health, Warnsveld, Netherlands
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Li XY, Gao B, Xie JJ, Bao YF, Dong Y, Wu ZY. The clinical, imaging and biological features of psychosis in Han Chinese patients with Huntington's disease. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 141:333-338. [PMID: 34304037 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease involving motor, cognitive and psychiatric disturbances. HD patients with psychosis symptoms usually have bad prognosis. It is of great significance to explore the clinical, imaging and biological characteristics of HD patients with psychosis. A total of 118 Han Chinese patients with HD confirmed by Huntingtin genetic testing were recruited during 2013-2020. They were assessed by Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) and followed up in an average of 34 months by telephone or clinical visits. Psychosis was determined by the presence of delusions or hallucinations using UHDRS-Problem Behavior Assessment. Data of magnetic resonance imaging (n = 28) and serum neurofilament light chain (NfL, n = 28) were collected in some patients. Among 118 patients (mean age 46.0 years, SD 12.0; female 53.5%), the frequency of psychosis was 14.4% (n = 17) in the cross-sectional analysis and 17.8% (n = 21) in the longitudinal observation. Probands with psychosis were predominantly female (82.3%). They exhibited worse motor, cognitive, behavioral and functional performances compared with patients without psychosis. Furthermore, the lateral ventricle volume was larger in patients with psychosis compared with patients without psychosis (p = 0.0013) while there was no difference in NfL levels between two groups. NfL levels of patients with psychosis were negatively correlated with caudate volumes (r = -0.54, p = 0.044) and white matter volumes (r = -0.57, p = 0.035). In summary, HD patients with psychosis had distinct clinical, imaging and biological features. These features might help clinicians to identify psychosis in HD patients early and provide protective interventions before adverse outcomes occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yan Li
- Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bin Gao
- Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Juan-Juan Xie
- Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Feng Bao
- Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi Dong
- Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhi-Ying Wu
- Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai, China.
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Kim MH, Kim IB, Lee J, Cha DH, Park SM, Kim JH, Kim R, Park JS, An Y, Kim K, Kim S, Webster MJ, Kim S, Lee JH. Low-Level Brain Somatic Mutations Are Implicated in Schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 90:35-46. [PMID: 33867114 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Somatic mutations arising from the brain have recently emerged as significant contributors to neurodevelopmental disorders, including childhood intractable epilepsy and cortical malformations. However, whether brain somatic mutations are implicated in schizophrenia (SCZ) is not well established. METHODS We performed deep whole exome sequencing (average read depth > 550×) of matched dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and peripheral tissues from 27 patients with SCZ and 31 age-matched control individuals, followed by comprehensive and strict analysis of somatic mutations, including mutagenesis signature, substitution patterns, and involved pathways. In particular, we explored the impact of deleterious mutations in GRIN2B through primary neural culture. RESULTS We identified an average of 4.9 and 5.6 somatic mutations per exome per brain in patients with SCZ and control individuals, respectively. These mutations presented with average variant allele frequencies of 8.0% in patients with SCZ and 7.6% in control individuals. Although mutational profiles, such as the number and type of mutations, showed no significant difference between patients with SCZ and control individuals, somatic mutations in SCZ brains were significantly enriched for SCZ-related pathways, including dopamine receptor, glutamate receptor, and long-term potentiation pathways. Furthermore, we showed that brain somatic mutations in GRIN2B (encoding glutamate ionotropic NMDA receptor subunit 2B), which were found in two patients with SCZ, disrupted the location of GRIN2B across the surface of dendrites among primary cultured neurons. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, this study shows that brain somatic mutations are associated with the pathogenesis of SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myeong-Heui Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Il Bin Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Department of Psychiatry, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Guri, Republic of Korea
| | - Junehawk Lee
- Center for Computational Science Platform, National Institute of Supercomputing and Networking, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Do Hyeon Cha
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Min Park
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ja Hye Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ryunhee Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Sung Park
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Yohan An
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungdeok Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seyeon Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Maree J Webster
- Stanley Medical Research Institute, Laboratory of Brain Research, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Sanghyeon Kim
- Stanley Medical Research Institute, Laboratory of Brain Research, Rockville, Maryland.
| | - Jeong Ho Lee
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; SoVarGen Inc., Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
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McAllister B, Gusella JF, Landwehrmeyer GB, Lee JM, MacDonald ME, Orth M, Rosser AE, Williams NM, Holmans P, Jones L, Massey TH. Timing and Impact of Psychiatric, Cognitive, and Motor Abnormalities in Huntington Disease. Neurology 2021; 96:e2395-e2406. [PMID: 33766994 PMCID: PMC8166441 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000011893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To assess the prevalence, timing, and functional impact of psychiatric, cognitive, and motor abnormalities in Huntington disease (HD) gene carriers, we analyzed retrospective clinical data from individuals with manifest HD. Methods Clinical features of patients with HD were analyzed for 6,316 individuals in an observational study of the European Huntington's Disease Network (REGISTRY) from 161 sites across 17 countries. Data came from clinical history and the patient-completed Clinical Characteristics Questionnaire that assessed 8 symptoms: motor, cognitive, apathy, depression, perseverative/obsessive behavior, irritability, violent/aggressive behavior, and psychosis. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze relationships between symptoms and functional outcomes. Results The initial manifestation of HD is increasingly likely to be motor and less likely to be psychiatric as age at presentation increases and is independent of pathogenic CAG repeat length. The Clinical Characteristics Questionnaire captures data on nonmotor symptom prevalence that correlate specifically with validated clinical measures. Psychiatric and cognitive symptoms are common in HD gene carriers, with earlier onsets associated with longer CAG repeats. Of patients with HD, 42.4% reported at least 1 psychiatric or cognitive symptom before motor symptoms, with depression most common. Each nonmotor symptom was associated with significantly reduced total functional capacity scores. Conclusions Psychiatric and cognitive symptoms are common and functionally debilitating in HD gene carriers. They require recognition and targeting with clinical outcome measures and treatments. However, because it is impossible to distinguish confidently between nonmotor symptoms arising from HD and primary psychiatric disorders, particularly in younger premanifest patients, nonmotor symptoms should not be used to make a clinical diagnosis of HD. Trial Registration Information ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01590589
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Affiliation(s)
- Branduff McAllister
- From the Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences (B.M., N.M.W., P.H., L.J., T.H.M.), Brain Repair Group (A.E.R.), Schools of Medicine and Biosciences, and Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (A.E.R.), Cardiff University, UK; Molecular Neurogenetic Unit (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Genetics (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Neurology (G.B.L.), University of Ulm, Germany; and Swiss Huntington's Disease Centre (M.O.), Siloah, Bern, Switzerland
| | - James F Gusella
- From the Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences (B.M., N.M.W., P.H., L.J., T.H.M.), Brain Repair Group (A.E.R.), Schools of Medicine and Biosciences, and Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (A.E.R.), Cardiff University, UK; Molecular Neurogenetic Unit (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Genetics (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Neurology (G.B.L.), University of Ulm, Germany; and Swiss Huntington's Disease Centre (M.O.), Siloah, Bern, Switzerland
| | - G Bernhard Landwehrmeyer
- From the Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences (B.M., N.M.W., P.H., L.J., T.H.M.), Brain Repair Group (A.E.R.), Schools of Medicine and Biosciences, and Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (A.E.R.), Cardiff University, UK; Molecular Neurogenetic Unit (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Genetics (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Neurology (G.B.L.), University of Ulm, Germany; and Swiss Huntington's Disease Centre (M.O.), Siloah, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jong-Min Lee
- From the Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences (B.M., N.M.W., P.H., L.J., T.H.M.), Brain Repair Group (A.E.R.), Schools of Medicine and Biosciences, and Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (A.E.R.), Cardiff University, UK; Molecular Neurogenetic Unit (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Genetics (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Neurology (G.B.L.), University of Ulm, Germany; and Swiss Huntington's Disease Centre (M.O.), Siloah, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marcy E MacDonald
- From the Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences (B.M., N.M.W., P.H., L.J., T.H.M.), Brain Repair Group (A.E.R.), Schools of Medicine and Biosciences, and Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (A.E.R.), Cardiff University, UK; Molecular Neurogenetic Unit (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Genetics (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Neurology (G.B.L.), University of Ulm, Germany; and Swiss Huntington's Disease Centre (M.O.), Siloah, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Michael Orth
- From the Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences (B.M., N.M.W., P.H., L.J., T.H.M.), Brain Repair Group (A.E.R.), Schools of Medicine and Biosciences, and Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (A.E.R.), Cardiff University, UK; Molecular Neurogenetic Unit (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Genetics (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Neurology (G.B.L.), University of Ulm, Germany; and Swiss Huntington's Disease Centre (M.O.), Siloah, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anne E Rosser
- From the Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences (B.M., N.M.W., P.H., L.J., T.H.M.), Brain Repair Group (A.E.R.), Schools of Medicine and Biosciences, and Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (A.E.R.), Cardiff University, UK; Molecular Neurogenetic Unit (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Genetics (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Neurology (G.B.L.), University of Ulm, Germany; and Swiss Huntington's Disease Centre (M.O.), Siloah, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Nigel M Williams
- From the Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences (B.M., N.M.W., P.H., L.J., T.H.M.), Brain Repair Group (A.E.R.), Schools of Medicine and Biosciences, and Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (A.E.R.), Cardiff University, UK; Molecular Neurogenetic Unit (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Genetics (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Neurology (G.B.L.), University of Ulm, Germany; and Swiss Huntington's Disease Centre (M.O.), Siloah, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Peter Holmans
- From the Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences (B.M., N.M.W., P.H., L.J., T.H.M.), Brain Repair Group (A.E.R.), Schools of Medicine and Biosciences, and Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (A.E.R.), Cardiff University, UK; Molecular Neurogenetic Unit (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Genetics (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Neurology (G.B.L.), University of Ulm, Germany; and Swiss Huntington's Disease Centre (M.O.), Siloah, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lesley Jones
- From the Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences (B.M., N.M.W., P.H., L.J., T.H.M.), Brain Repair Group (A.E.R.), Schools of Medicine and Biosciences, and Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (A.E.R.), Cardiff University, UK; Molecular Neurogenetic Unit (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Genetics (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Neurology (G.B.L.), University of Ulm, Germany; and Swiss Huntington's Disease Centre (M.O.), Siloah, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Thomas H Massey
- From the Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences (B.M., N.M.W., P.H., L.J., T.H.M.), Brain Repair Group (A.E.R.), Schools of Medicine and Biosciences, and Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (A.E.R.), Cardiff University, UK; Molecular Neurogenetic Unit (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Genetics (J.F.G., J.-M.L., M.E.M.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Neurology (G.B.L.), University of Ulm, Germany; and Swiss Huntington's Disease Centre (M.O.), Siloah, Bern, Switzerland.
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Pandey S, Chouksey A. Huntington’s disease—not just a disease of brain but mind as well!! ANNALS OF MOVEMENT DISORDERS 2021. [DOI: 10.4103/aomd.aomd_11_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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Donaldson J, Powell S, Rickards N, Holmans P, Jones L. What is the Pathogenic CAG Expansion Length in Huntington's Disease? J Huntingtons Dis 2021; 10:175-202. [PMID: 33579866 PMCID: PMC7990448 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-200445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) (OMIM 143100) is caused by an expanded CAG repeat tract in the HTT gene. The inherited CAG length is known to expand further in somatic and germline cells in HD subjects. Age at onset of the disease is inversely correlated with the inherited CAG length, but is further modulated by a series of genetic modifiers which are most likely to act on the CAG repeat in HTT that permit it to further expand. Longer repeats are more prone to expansions, and this expansion is age dependent and tissue-specific. Given that the inherited tract expands through life and most subjects develop disease in mid-life, this implies that in cells that degenerate, the CAG length is likely to be longer than the inherited length. These findings suggest two thresholds- the inherited CAG length which permits further expansion, and the intracellular pathogenic threshold, above which cells become dysfunctional and die. This two-step mechanism has been previously proposed and modelled mathematically to give an intracellular pathogenic threshold at a tract length of 115 CAG (95% confidence intervals 70- 165 CAG). Empirically, the intracellular pathogenic threshold is difficult to determine. Clues from studies of people and models of HD, and from other diseases caused by expanded repeat tracts, place this threshold between 60- 100 CAG, most likely towards the upper part of that range. We assess this evidence and discuss how the intracellular pathogenic threshold in manifest disease might be better determined. Knowing the cellular pathogenic threshold would be informative for both understanding the mechanism in HD and deploying treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Donaldson
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Sophie Powell
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Nadia Rickards
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Peter Holmans
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Lesley Jones
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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Chakroborty S, Manfredsson FP, Dec AM, Campbell PW, Stutzmann GE, Beaumont V, West AR. Phosphodiesterase 9A Inhibition Facilitates Corticostriatal Transmission in Wild-Type and Transgenic Rats That Model Huntington's Disease. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:466. [PMID: 32581668 PMCID: PMC7283904 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) results from abnormal expansion in CAG trinucleotide repeats within the HD gene, a mutation which leads to degeneration of striatal medium-sized spiny neurons (MSNs), deficits in corticostriatal transmission, and loss of motor control. Recent studies also indicate that metabolism of cyclic nucleotides by phosphodiesterases (PDEs) is dysregulated in striatal networks in a manner linked to deficits in corticostriatal transmission. The current study assessed cortically-evoked firing in electrophysiologically-identified MSNs and fast-spiking interneurons (FSIs) in aged (9-11 months old) wild-type (WT) and BACHD transgenic rats (TG5) treated with vehicle or the selective PDE9A inhibitor PF-04447943. WT and TG5 rats were anesthetized with urethane and single-unit activity was isolated during low frequency electrical stimulation of the ipsilateral motor cortex. Compared to WT controls, MSNs recorded in TG5 animals exhibited decreased spike probability during cortical stimulation delivered at low to moderate stimulation intensities. Moreover, large increases in onset latency of cortically-evoked spikes and decreases in spike probability were observed in FSIs recorded in TG5 animals. Acute systemic administration of the PDE9A inhibitor PF-04447943 significantly decreased the onset latency of cortically-evoked spikes in MSNs recorded in WT and TG5 rats. PDE9A inhibition also increased the proportion of MSNs responding to cortical stimulation and reversed deficits in spike probability observed in TG5 rats. As PDE9A is a cGMP specific enzyme, drugs such as PF-04447943 which act to facilitate striatal cGMP signaling and glutamatergic corticostriatal transmission could be useful therapeutic agents for restoring striatal function and alleviating motor and cognitive symptoms associated with HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreaya Chakroborty
- Department of Neuroscience, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Fredric P Manfredsson
- Parkinson's Disease Research Unit, Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Alexander M Dec
- Department of Neuroscience, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Peter W Campbell
- Department of Neuroscience, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Grace E Stutzmann
- Department of Neuroscience, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Vahri Beaumont
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Anthony R West
- Department of Neuroscience, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
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Coleman JRI. Shared Genetic Risk Between Psychiatric and Cognitive Symptoms in Huntington's Disease and in the General Population. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 87:e25-e27. [PMID: 32299583 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.02.1180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R I Coleman
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
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