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Foucher J, Öijerstedt L, Lovik A, Sun J, Ismail MAM, Sennfält S, Savitcheva I, Estenberg U, Pagani M, Fang F, Pereira JB, Ingre C. ECAS correlation with metabolic alterations on FDG-PET imaging in ALS. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2024:1-9. [PMID: 38836336 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2024.2361695] [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: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Background: Cognitive impairment is observed in up to 50% of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral ALS Screen (ECAS) is an ALS-specific multi-domain screening tool. Few studies have examined the relationship between ECAS scores and [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ([18F]FDG-PET) findings. Objective: To assess the relationship between ECAS scores and glucose metabolism patterns on [18F]FDG -PET images in ALS. Methods: We collected [18F]FDG-PET images from 65 patients with ALS and 39 healthy controls. ECAS scores were collected on all patients and we calculated the correlation to [18F]FDG-PET in order to investigate the potential links between cognition and glucose metabolism. Results: We observed hypometabolism in the frontal cortex, insula, and limbic system, together with hypermetabolism in the cerebellum in patients with ALS compared to controls. A lower ECAS total score was associated with lower glucose metabolism in the right orbitofrontal gyrus and higher glucose metabolism in lateral occipital, medial occipital, and cerebellar regions, among patients with ALS. Similar results, although less widespread, were observed in the analyses of ECAS ALS-specific scores. Conclusions: The metabolic patterns in [18F]FDG -PET show that changes in the glucose metabolism of corresponding areas are related to cognitive dysfunction in ALS, and can be detected using the ECAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliette Foucher
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, ME Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Linn Öijerstedt
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, ME Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anikó Lovik
- Unit of Integrative Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Methodology and Statistics Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jiawei Sun
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Muhammad-Al-Mustafa Ismail
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, ME Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stefan Sennfält
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, ME Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Irina Savitcheva
- Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine Imaging, Section for Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, and
| | - Ulrika Estenberg
- Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine Imaging, Section for Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, and
| | - Marco Pagani
- Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine Imaging, Section for Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, and
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, Italian National Research Council, Rome, Italy
| | - Fang Fang
- Unit of Integrative Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Joana B Pereira
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Caroline Ingre
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, ME Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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Bjelica B, Bartels MB, Hesebeck-Brinckmann J, Petri S. Non-motor symptoms in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: current state and future directions. J Neurol 2024:10.1007/s00415-024-12455-5. [PMID: 38805053 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12455-5] [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: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons. A defining histopathological feature in approximately 97% of all ALS cases is the accumulation of phosphorylated trans-activation response (TAR) DNA-binding protein 43 protein (pTDP-43) aggregates in the cytoplasm of neurons and glial cells within the central nervous system. Traditionally, it was believed that the accumulation of TDP-43 aggregates and subsequent neurodegeneration primarily occurs in motor neurons. However, contemporary evidence suggests that as the disease progresses, other systems and brain regions are also affected. Despite this, there has been a limited number of clinical studies assessing the non-motor symptoms in ALS patients. These studies often employ various outcome measures, resulting in a wide range of reported frequencies of non-motor symptoms in ALS patients. The importance of assessing the non-motor symptoms reflects in a fact that they have a significant impact on patients' quality of life, yet they frequently go underdiagnosed and unreported during clinical evaluations. This review aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the current knowledge concerning non-motor symptoms in ALS. Furthermore, we address their diagnosis and treatment in everyday clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogdan Bjelica
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, 1, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse, 30625, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Maj-Britt Bartels
- Precision Neurology of Neuromuscular and Motoneuron Diseases, University of Luebeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Jasper Hesebeck-Brinckmann
- Neurology Department, Division for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University Medicine Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim Center for Translational Medicine, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Susanne Petri
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, 1, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse, 30625, Hannover, Germany
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Cagnin A, Pigato G, Pettenuzzo I, Zorzi G, Roiter B, Anglani MG, Bussè C, Mozzetta S, Gabelli C, Campi C, Cecchin D. Data-driven analysis of regional brain metabolism in behavioral frontotemporal dementia and late-onset primary psychiatric diseases with frontal lobe syndrome: A PET/MRI study. Neurobiol Aging 2024; 137:47-54. [PMID: 38422798 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2024.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Late-onset primary psychiatric disease (PPD) and behavioral frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) present with a similar frontal lobe syndrome. We compare brain glucose metabolism in bvFTD and late-onset PPD and investigate the metabolic correlates of cognitive and behavioral disturbances through FDG-PET/MRI. We studied 37 bvFTD and 20 late-onset PPD with a mean clinical follow-up of three years. At baseline evaluation, metabolism of the dorsolateral, ventrolateral, orbitofrontal regions and caudate could classify the patients with a diagnostic accuracy of 91% (95% CI: 0.81-0.98%). 45% of PPD showed low-grade hypometabolism in the anterior cingulate and/or parietal regions. Frontal lobe metabolism was normal in 32% of genetic bvFTD and bvFTD with motor neuron signs. Hypometabolism of the frontal and caudate regions could help in distinguishing bvFTD from PPD, except in cases with motor neuron signs and/or genetic bvFTD for which brain metabolism may be less informative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annachiara Cagnin
- Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience (DNS) University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Giorgio Pigato
- Psychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience (DNS), University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Ilaria Pettenuzzo
- Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience (DNS) University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Giovanni Zorzi
- Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience (DNS) University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; CRIC, Azienda Ospedale-Università of Padua, Italy
| | - Beatrice Roiter
- Psychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience (DNS), University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Cinzia Bussè
- Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience (DNS) University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Stefano Mozzetta
- Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience (DNS) University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Cristina Campi
- Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Department of Mathematics, University of Genoa and IRCCS Policlinico San Martino Hospital, Genoa
| | - Diego Cecchin
- Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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Shi J, Wang Z, Yi M, Xie S, Zhang X, Tao D, Liu Y, Yang Y. Evidence based on Mendelian randomization and colocalization analysis strengthens causal relationships between structural changes in specific brain regions and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1333782. [PMID: 38505770 PMCID: PMC10948422 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1333782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord with a poor prognosis. Previous studies have observed cognitive decline and changes in brain morphometry in ALS patients. However, it remains unclear whether the brain structural alterations contribute to the risk of ALS. In this study, we conducted a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) and colocalization analysis to investigate this causal relationship. Methods Summary data of genome-wide association study were obtained for ALS and the brain structures, including surface area (SA), thickness and volume of subcortical structures. Inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was used as the main estimate approach. Sensitivity analysis was conducted detect heterogeneity and pleiotropy. Colocalization analysis was performed to calculate the posterior probability of causal variation and identify the common genes. Results In the forward MR analysis, we found positive associations between the SA in four cortical regions (lingual, parahippocampal, pericalcarine, and middle temporal) and the risk of ALS. Additionally, decreased thickness in nine cortical regions (caudal anterior cingulate, frontal pole, fusiform, inferior temporal, lateral occipital, lateral orbitofrontal, pars orbitalis, pars triangularis, and pericalcarine) was significantly associated with a higher risk of ALS. In the reverse MR analysis, genetically predicted ALS was associated with reduced thickness in the bankssts and increased thickness in the caudal middle frontal, inferior parietal, medial orbitofrontal, and superior temporal regions. Colocalization analysis revealed the presence of shared causal variants between the two traits. Conclusion Our results suggest that altered brain morphometry in individuals with high ALS risk may be genetically mediated. The causal associations of widespread multifocal extra-motor atrophy in frontal and temporal lobes with ALS risk support the notion of a continuum between ALS and frontotemporal dementia. These findings enhance our understanding of the cortical structural patterns in ALS and shed light on potentially viable therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Yuan Yang
- Department of Medical Genetics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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5
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Xuan X, Zheng G, Zhu W, Sun Q, Zeng Y, Du J, Huang X. Alterations in regional homogeneity and functional connectivity in the cerebellum of patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Behav Brain Res 2024; 458:114749. [PMID: 37931706 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine the cerebellum's local and global functional characteristics in individuals with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS) and their correlation with clinical data. METHODS Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 39 patients with sALS and on 23 healthy controls. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) in the cerebellum of all participants was analyzed, and the cerebellar regions with differences in ReHo were considered regions of interest (ROIs). In addition, the functional connectivity between the ROIs and other brain regions was analyzed. RESULTS In patients with sALS, ReHo increased in parts of the posterior cerebellar lobe. Then, the two regions with increased ReHo of the cerebellum were used as seeds, and further analysis revealed that the connectivity of the right cerebellum to the right medial superior frontal gyrus, left lingual gyrus (calcarine sulcus), left precentral gyrus, left supplementary motor area, and right Crus II was significantly increased. CONCLUSION The results demonstrate that resting-state functional connectivity changes in both motor and extra-motor regions of the cerebellum in patients with sALS, and that the cerebellum plays a pathophysiological role in sALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Xuan
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China; Department of Neurology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, No. 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing 100853, China; Department of Neurology, Strategic Support Force Medical Center, Beijing, China
| | - Guangling Zheng
- Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenjia Zhu
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Qionghua Sun
- Department of Geriatrics of the Seventh Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yawei Zeng
- Department of Radiology, Strategic Support Force Medical Center, Beijing, China
| | - Juan Du
- Department of Neurology, Strategic Support Force Medical Center, Beijing, China.
| | - Xusheng Huang
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China; Department of Neurology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, No. 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing 100853, China.
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Kabir V, Ombelet F, Hobin F, Lamaire N, De Vocht J, Van Damme P. Prognostic value of motor and extramotor involvement in ALS. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2024; 25:67-74. [PMID: 38006254 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2023.2284899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder resulting in upper and lower motor neuron loss. ALS often has a focal onset of weakness, which subsequently spreads to other body regions. Survival is limited to two to five years after disease onset, often due to respiratory failure. Cognitive impairment is present in approximately 30% to 50% of patients and in 10%-15% of patients, the clinical criteria of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are met. METHODS In this retrospective single-center ALS cohort study, we examined the occurrence of cognitive and behavioral impairment in relation to motor impairment at disease presentation and studied its impact on survival. RESULTS The degree of lower motor neuron involvement was associated with a worse survival, but there was no effect for upper motor neuron involvement. Patients who were cognitively normal had a significantly better survival compared to patients with cognitive or behavioral impairment and to patients with comorbid FTD. There was no significant difference regarding survival between patients with FTD and patients with cognitive or behavioral impairment. CONCLUSIONS The extent of motor and extramotor involvement in patients with ALS at disease presentation holds complementary prognostic information.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fouke Ombelet
- University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Neuroscience Department, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, and
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Center for Brain & Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Frederik Hobin
- University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Neuroscience Department, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, and
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Center for Brain & Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nikita Lamaire
- University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Neuroscience Department, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, and
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Center for Brain & Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joke De Vocht
- University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Neuroscience Department, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, and
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Center for Brain & Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Philip Van Damme
- University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Neuroscience Department, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, and
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Center for Brain & Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
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Abrahams S. Neuropsychological impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-frontotemporal spectrum disorder. Nat Rev Neurol 2023; 19:655-667. [PMID: 37828358 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-023-00878-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with a rapid course, characterized by motor neuron dysfunction, leading to progressive disability and death. This Review, which is aimed at neurologists, psychologists and other health professionals who follow evidence-based practice relating to ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), examines the neuropsychological evidence that has driven the reconceptualization of ALS as a spectrum disorder ranging from a pure motor phenotype to ALS-FTD. It focuses on changes in cognition and behaviour, which vary in severity across the spectrum: around 50% individuals with ALS are within the normal range, 15% meet the criteria for ALS-FTD, and the remaining 35% are in the mid-spectrum range with milder and more focal impairments. The cognitive impairments include deficits in verbal fluency, executive functions, social cognition and language, and apathy is the most prevalent behavioural change. The pattern and severity of cognitive and behavioural change predicts underlying regional cerebral dysfunction from brain imaging and post-mortem pathology. Our increased recognition of cognition and behaviour as part of the ALS phenotype has led to the development and standardization of assessment tools, which have been incorporated into research and clinical care. Measuring change over the course of the disease is vital for clinical trials, and neuropsychology is proving to be a biomarker for the earliest preclinical changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Abrahams
- Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
- Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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8
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Ludolph A, Dupuis L, Kasarskis E, Steyn F, Ngo S, McDermott C. Nutritional and metabolic factors in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Nat Rev Neurol 2023; 19:511-524. [PMID: 37500993 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-023-00845-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a complex neurodegenerative disease that is classically thought to impact the motor system. Over the past 20 years, research has started to consider the contribution of non-motor symptoms and features of the disease, and how they might affect ALS prognosis. Of the non-motor features of the disease, nutritional status (for example, malnutrition) and metabolic balance (for example, weight loss and hypermetabolism) have been consistently shown to contribute to more rapid disease progression and/or earlier death. Several complex cellular changes observed in ALS, including mitochondrial dysfunction, are also starting to be shown to contribute to bioenergetic failure. The resulting energy depletion in high energy demanding neurons makes them sensitive to apoptosis. Given that nutritional and metabolic stressors at the whole-body and cellular level can impact the capacity to maintain optimal function, these factors present avenues through which we can identify novel targets for treatment in ALS. Several clinical trials are now underway evaluating the effectiveness of modifying energy balance in ALS, making this article timely in reviewing the evidence base for metabolic and nutritional interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Ludolph
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Site Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Luc Dupuis
- Université de Strasbourg, Inserm, Mécanismes Centraux et Périphériques de la Neurodégénérescence, UMR-S1118, Centre de Recherches en Biomédecine, Strasbourg, France
| | - Edward Kasarskis
- Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Frederik Steyn
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Shyuan Ngo
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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De Marchi F, Tondo G, Corrado L, Menegon F, Aprile D, Anselmi M, D’Alfonso S, Comi C, Mazzini L. Neuroinflammatory Pathways in the ALS-FTD Continuum: A Focus on Genetic Variants. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1658. [PMID: 37628709 PMCID: PMC10454262 DOI: 10.3390/genes14081658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Frontotemporal dementia (FDT) are progressive neurodegenerative disorders that, in several cases, overlap in clinical presentation, and genetic and pathological disease mechanisms. About 10-15% of ALS cases and up to 40% of FTD are familial, usually with dominant traits. ALS and FTD, in several cases, share common gene mutations, such as in C9ORF72, TARDBP, SQSTM-1, FUS, VCP, CHCHD10, and TBK-1. Also, several mechanisms are involved in ALS and FTD pathogenesis, such as protein misfolding, oxidative stress, and impaired axonal transport. In addition, neuroinflammation and neuroinflammatory cells, such as astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia, and lymphocytes and, overall, the cellular microenvironment, have been proposed as pivotal players in the pathogenesis the ALS-FTD spectrum disorders. This review overviews the current evidence regarding neuroinflammatory markers in the ALS/FTD continuum, focusing on the neuroinflammatory pathways involved in the genetic cases, moving from post-mortem reports to in vivo biofluid and neuroimaging data. We further discuss the potential link between genetic and autoimmune disorders and potential therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola De Marchi
- ALS Center, Neurology Unit, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy;
| | - Giacomo Tondo
- Neurology Unit, Department of Translational Medicine, S. Andrea Hospital, University of Piemonte Orientale, 13100 Vercelli, Italy; (G.T.); (D.A.); (C.C.)
| | - Lucia Corrado
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, 28100 Novara, Italy; (L.C.); (S.D.)
| | - Federico Menegon
- Neurology Unit, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy; (F.M.); (M.A.)
| | - Davide Aprile
- Neurology Unit, Department of Translational Medicine, S. Andrea Hospital, University of Piemonte Orientale, 13100 Vercelli, Italy; (G.T.); (D.A.); (C.C.)
| | - Matteo Anselmi
- Neurology Unit, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy; (F.M.); (M.A.)
| | - Sandra D’Alfonso
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, 28100 Novara, Italy; (L.C.); (S.D.)
| | - Cristoforo Comi
- Neurology Unit, Department of Translational Medicine, S. Andrea Hospital, University of Piemonte Orientale, 13100 Vercelli, Italy; (G.T.); (D.A.); (C.C.)
- Interdisciplinary Research Center of Autoimmune Diseases (IRCAD), University of Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Letizia Mazzini
- ALS Center, Neurology Unit, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy;
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Liu P, Tang Y, Li W, Liu Z, Zhou M, Li J, Yuan Y, Fang L, Guo J, Shen L, Jiang H, Tang B, Hu S, Wang J. Brain metabolic signatures in patients with genetic and nongenetic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. CNS Neurosci Ther 2023. [PMID: 36971206 PMCID: PMC10401109 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS To study the brain metabolic signature in Chinese amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and compare the difference in brain metabolic patterns between ALS with and without genetic variants. METHODS We included 146 patients with ALS and 128 healthy controls (HCs). All patients with ALS underwent genetic testing to screen for ALS related genetic variants and were then divided into genetic (n = 22) and nongenetic ALS (n = 93) subgroups. All participants underwent brain 18 F-FDG-PET scans. Group comparisons were performed using the two-sample t-test model of SPM12. RESULTS We identified a large of hypometabolic clusters in ALS patients as compared with HCs, especially in the bilateral basal ganglia, midbrain, and cerebellum. Moreover, hypometabolism in the bilateral temporal lobe, precentral gyrus and hypermetabolism in the left anterior cingulate, occipital lobe, and bilateral frontal lobe were also found in ALS patients as compared with HCs. Compared with nongenetic ALS patients, genetic ALS patients showed hypometabolism in the right postcentral gyrus, precuneus, and middle occipital gyrus. The incidence of sensory disturbance in patients with genetic ALS was higher than that in patients with nongenetic ALS (5 of 22 [22.72%] vs. 7 of 93 [7.52%], p = 0.036). CONCLUSIONS Our investigation provided unprecedented evidence of relative hypometabolism in the midbrain and cerebellum in ALS patients. Genetic ALS patients showed a specific signature of brain metabolism and a higher incidence of sensory disturbance, indicating that genetic factors may be an underlying cause affecting the brain metabolism and increasing the risk of sensory disturbance in ALS.
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De Vocht J, Van Weehaeghe D, Ombelet F, Masrori P, Lamaire N, Devrome M, Van Esch H, Moisse M, Koole M, Dupont P, Van Laere K, Van Damme P. Differences in Cerebral Glucose Metabolism in ALS Patients with and without C9orf72 and SOD1 Mutations. Cells 2023; 12:cells12060933. [PMID: 36980274 PMCID: PMC10047407 DOI: 10.3390/cells12060933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by progressive loss of upper and lower motor neurons. In 10% of patients, the disorder runs in the family. Our aim was to study the impact of ALS-causing gene mutations on cerebral glucose metabolism. Between October 2010 and October 2022, 538 patients underwent genetic testing for mutations with strong evidence of causality for ALS and 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-PET (FDG PET), at University Hospitals Leuven. We identified 48 C9orf72-ALS and 22 SOD1-ALS patients. After propensity score matching, two cohorts of 48 and 21 matched sporadic ALS patients, as well as 20 healthy controls were included. FDG PET images were assessed using a voxel-based and volume-of-interest approach. We observed widespread frontotemporal involvement in all ALS groups, in comparison to healthy controls. The degree of relative glucose metabolism in SOD1-ALS in motor and extra-motor regions did not differ significantly from matched sporadic ALS patients. In C9orf72-ALS, we found more pronounced hypometabolism in the peri-rolandic region and thalamus, and hypermetabolism in the medulla extending to the pons, in comparison to matched sporadic ALS patients. Our study revealed C9orf72-dependent differences in glucose metabolism in the peri-rolandic region, thalamus, and brainstem (i.e., medulla, extending to the pons) in relation to matched sporadic ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joke De Vocht
- Division of Psychiatry, Division of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, VIB-KULeuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +32-16-34-13-73
| | | | - Fouke Ombelet
- Division of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, VIB-KULeuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pegah Masrori
- Division of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, VIB-KULeuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nikita Lamaire
- Division of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, VIB-KULeuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Martijn Devrome
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hilde Van Esch
- Center for Human Genetics, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mathieu Moisse
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Michel Koole
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Patrick Dupont
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Koen Van Laere
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Philip Van Damme
- Division of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, VIB-KULeuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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12
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Risacher SL, Apostolova LG. Neuroimaging in Dementia. Continuum (Minneap Minn) 2023; 29:219-254. [PMID: 36795879 DOI: 10.1212/con.0000000000001248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Neurodegenerative diseases are significant health concerns with regard to morbidity and social and economic hardship around the world. This review describes the state of the field of neuroimaging measures as biomarkers for detection and diagnosis of both slowly progressing and rapidly progressing neurodegenerative diseases, specifically Alzheimer disease, vascular cognitive impairment, dementia with Lewy bodies or Parkinson disease dementia, frontotemporal lobar degeneration spectrum disorders, and prion-related diseases. It briefly discusses findings in these diseases in studies using MRI and metabolic and molecular-based imaging (eg, positron emission tomography [PET] and single-photon emission computerized tomography [SPECT]). LATEST DEVELOPMENTS Neuroimaging studies with MRI and PET have demonstrated differential patterns of brain atrophy and hypometabolism in different neurodegenerative disorders, which can be useful in differential diagnoses. Advanced MRI sequences, such as diffusion-based imaging, and functional MRI (fMRI) provide important information about underlying biological changes in dementia and new directions for development of novel measures for future clinical use. Finally, advancements in molecular imaging allow clinicians and researchers to visualize dementia-related proteinopathies and neurotransmitter levels. ESSENTIAL POINTS Diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases is primarily based on symptomatology, although the development of in vivo neuroimaging and fluid biomarkers is changing the scope of clinical diagnosis, as well as the research into these devastating diseases. This article will help inform the reader about the current state of neuroimaging in neurodegenerative diseases, as well as how these tools might be used for differential diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon L Risacher
- Address correspondence to Dr Shannon L. Risacher, 355 W 16th St, Indianapolis, IN 46202,
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Weng R, Ren S, Su J, Ni W, Yang C, Gao X, Xiao W, Zhang X, Jiang H, Guan Y, Huang Q, Gu Y. 18F-FDG PET and a classifier algorithm reveal a characteristic glucose metabolic pattern in adult patients with moyamoya disease and vascular cognitive impairment. Brain Imaging Behav 2023; 17:185-199. [PMID: 36637715 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-022-00752-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is a critical issue in moyamoya disease (MMD). However, the glucose metabolic pattern in these patients is still unknown. This study aimed to identify the metabolic signature of cognitive impairment in patients with MMD using 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) and establish a classifier to identify VCI in patients with MMD. One hundred fifty-two patients with MMD who underwent brain 18F-FDG PET scans before surgery were enrolled and classified into nonvascular cognitive impairment (non-VCI, n = 52) and vascular cognitive impairment (VCI, n = 100) groups according to neuropsychological test results. Additionally, thirty-three health controls (HCs) were also enrolled. Compared to HCs, patients in the VCI group exhibited extensive hypometabolism in the bilateral frontal and cingulate regions and hypermetabolism in the bilateral cerebellum, while patients in the non-VCI group showed hypermetabolism only in the cerebellum and slight hypometabolism in the frontal and temporal regions. In addition, we found that the patients in the VCI group showed hypometabolism mainly in the left basal ganglia compared to those in the non-VCI group. The sparse representation-based classifier algorithm taking the SUVr of 116 Anatomical Automatic Labeling (AAL) areas as features distinguished patients in the VCI and non-VCI groups with an accuracy of 82.4%. This study demonstrated a characteristic metabolic pattern that can distinguish patients with MMD without VCI from those with VCI, namely, hypometabolic lesions in the left hemisphere played a more important role in cognitive decline in patients with MMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiyuan Weng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuhua Ren
- PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiabin Su
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Ni
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunlei Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinjie Gao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weiping Xiao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hanqiang Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yihui Guan
- PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Huang
- PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuxiang Gu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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Gianferrari G, Martinelli I, Simonini C, Zucchi E, Fini N, Carra S, Moglia C, Mandrioli J. Case report: p.Glu134del SOD1 mutation in two apparently unrelated ALS patients with mirrored phenotype. Front Neurol 2023; 13:1052341. [PMID: 36686515 PMCID: PMC9846158 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.1052341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
With upcoming personalized approaches based on genetics, it is important to report new mutations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) genes in order to understand their pathogenicity and possible patient responses to specific therapies. SOD1 mutations are the second most frequent genetic cause of ALS in European populations. Here, we describe two seemingly unrelated Italian patients with ALS carrying the same SOD1 heterozygous c.400_402 deletion (p.Glu134del). Both patients had spinal onset in their lower limbs, progressive muscular weakness with respiratory involvement, and sparing bulbar function. In addition to the clinical picture, we discuss the possible pathogenic role of this unfamiliar SOD1 mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Gianferrari
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Ilaria Martinelli
- Department of Neurosciences, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Modena, Modena, Italy,Clinical and Experimental PhD Program, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy,*Correspondence: Ilaria Martinelli ✉
| | - Cecilia Simonini
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Zucchi
- Department of Neurosciences, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Modena, Modena, Italy,Neurosciences PhD Program, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Nicola Fini
- Department of Neurosciences, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Serena Carra
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Cristina Moglia
- S.C Neurology 1U, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza Torino, Torino, Italy,“Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Jessica Mandrioli
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy,Department of Neurosciences, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Modena, Modena, Italy
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Chipika RH, Mulkerrin G, Pradat PF, Murad A, Ango F, Raoul C, Bede P. Cerebellar pathology in motor neuron disease: neuroplasticity and neurodegeneration. Neural Regen Res 2022; 17:2335-2341. [PMID: 35535867 PMCID: PMC9120698 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.336139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a relentlessly progressive multi-system condition. The clinical picture is dominated by upper and lower motor neuron degeneration, but extra-motor pathology is increasingly recognized, including cerebellar pathology. Post-mortem and neuroimaging studies primarily focus on the characterization of supratentorial disease, despite emerging evidence of cerebellar degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Cardinal clinical features of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, such as dysarthria, dysphagia, cognitive and behavioral deficits, saccade abnormalities, gait impairment, respiratory weakness and pseudobulbar affect are likely to be exacerbated by co-existing cerebellar pathology. This review summarizes in vivo and post mortem evidence for cerebellar degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Structural imaging studies consistently capture cerebellar grey matter volume reductions, diffusivity studies readily detect both intra-cerebellar and cerebellar peduncle white matter alterations and functional imaging studies commonly report increased functional connectivity with supratentorial regions. Increased functional connectivity is commonly interpreted as evidence of neuroplasticity representing compensatory processes despite the lack of post-mortem validation. There is a scarcity of post-mortem studies focusing on cerebellar alterations, but these detect pTDP-43 in cerebellar nuclei. Cerebellar pathology is an overlooked facet of neurodegeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis despite its contribution to a multitude of clinical symptoms, widespread connectivity to spinal and supratentorial regions and putative role in compensating for the degeneration of primary motor regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rangariroyashe H Chipika
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Grainne Mulkerrin
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Aizuri Murad
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Fabrice Ango
- The Neuroscience Institute of Montpellier (INM), INSERM, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Cédric Raoul
- The Neuroscience Institute of Montpellier (INM), INSERM, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Peter Bede
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
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Laszlo ZI, Hindley N, Sanchez Avila A, Kline RA, Eaton SL, Lamont DJ, Smith C, Spires-Jones TL, Wishart TM, Henstridge CM. Synaptic proteomics reveal distinct molecular signatures of cognitive change and C9ORF72 repeat expansion in the human ALS cortex. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:156. [DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01455-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractIncreasing evidence suggests synaptic dysfunction is a central and possibly triggering factor in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Despite this, we still know very little about the molecular profile of an ALS synapse. To address this gap, we designed a synaptic proteomics experiment to perform an unbiased assessment of the synaptic proteome in the ALS brain. We isolated synaptoneurosomes from fresh-frozen post-mortem human cortex (11 controls and 18 ALS) and stratified the ALS group based on cognitive profile (Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS score)) and presence of a C9ORF72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion (C9ORF72-RE). This allowed us to assess regional differences and the impact of phenotype and genotype on the synaptic proteome, using Tandem Mass Tagging-based proteomics. We identified over 6000 proteins in our synaptoneurosomes and using robust bioinformatics analysis we validated the strong enrichment of synapses. We found more than 30 ALS-associated proteins in synaptoneurosomes, including TDP-43, FUS, SOD1 and C9ORF72. We identified almost 500 proteins with altered expression levels in ALS, with region-specific changes highlighting proteins and pathways with intriguing links to neurophysiology and pathology. Stratifying the ALS cohort by cognitive status revealed almost 150 specific alterations in cognitively impaired ALS synaptic preparations. Stratifying by C9ORF72-RE status revealed 330 protein alterations in the C9ORF72-RE +ve group, with KEGG pathway analysis highlighting strong enrichment for postsynaptic dysfunction, related to glutamatergic receptor signalling. We have validated some of these changes by western blot and at a single synapse level using array tomography imaging. In summary, we have generated the first unbiased map of the human ALS synaptic proteome, revealing novel insight into this key compartment in ALS pathophysiology and highlighting the influence of cognitive decline and C9ORF72-RE on synaptic composition.
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Calvo A, Canosa A, Moglia C, Manera U, Grassano M, Vasta R, Palumbo F, Cugnasco P, Gallone S, Brunetti M, De Marchi F, Arena V, Pagani M, Dalgard C, Scholz SW, Chia R, Corrado L, Dalfonso S, Mazzini L, Traynor BJ, Chio A. Clinical and Metabolic Signature of UNC13A rs12608932 Variant in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Neurol Genet 2022; 8:e200033. [PMID: 36313067 PMCID: PMC9608390 DOI: 10.1212/nxg.0000000000200033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Background and Objectives To characterize the clinical and cognitive behavioral phenotype and brain 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose-PET (18F-FDG-PET) metabolism of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) carrying the rs12608932 variant of the UNC13A gene. Methods The study population included 1,409 patients with ALS without C9orf72, SOD1, TARDBP, and FUS mutations identified through a prospective epidemiologic ALS register. Control participants included 1,012 geographically matched, age-matched, and sex-matched participants. Clinical and cognitive differences between patients carrying the C/C rs12608932 genotype and those carrying the A/A + A/C genotype were assessed. A subset of patients underwent 18F-FDG-PET. Results The C/C genotype was associated with an increased risk of ALS (odds ratio: 1.54, 95% confidence interval 1.18–2.01, p = 0.001). Patients with the C/C genotype were older, had more frequent bulbar onset, and manifested a higher rate of weight loss. In addition, they showed significantly reduced performance in the letter fluency test, fluency domain of Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS) and story-based empathy task (reflecting social cognition). Patients with the C/C genotype had a shorter survival (median survival time, C/C 2.25 years, interquartile range [IQR] 1.33–3.92; A/A + C/C: 2.90 years, IQR 1.74–5.41; p = 0.0001). In Cox multivariable analysis, C/C genotype resulted to be an independent prognostic factor. Finally, patients with a C/C genotype had a specific pattern of hypometabolism on brain 18F-FDG-PET extending to frontal and precentral areas of the right hemisphere. Discussion C/C rs12608932 genotype of UNC13A is associated with a specific motor and cognitive/behavioral phenotype, which reflects on 18F-FDG-PET findings. Our observations highlight the importance of adding the rs12608932 variant in UNC13A to the ALS genetic panel to refine the individual prognostic prediction and reduce heterogeneity in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Calvo
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Antonio Canosa
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Cristina Moglia
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Umberto Manera
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Maurizio Grassano
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Rosario Vasta
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Francesca Palumbo
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Paolo Cugnasco
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Salvatore Gallone
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Maura Brunetti
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Fabiola De Marchi
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Arena
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Marco Pagani
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Clifton Dalgard
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Sonja W Scholz
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Ruth Chia
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Lucia Corrado
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Sandra Dalfonso
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Letizia Mazzini
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Bryan J Traynor
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Adriano Chio
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., M.G., R.V., F.P., P.C., M.B., A. Chio), University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1 (A. Calvo, A. Canosa, C.M., U.M., S.G., A. Chio), Azienda Universitario-Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT) (A. Calvo, A. Chio), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (A. Canosa, M.P., A. Chio), C.N.R., Rome, Italy; ALS Center (F.D.M., L.M.), Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A. (V.A.), Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine (M.P.), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Anatomy (C.D.), Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; The American Genome Center (C.D.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit (S.W.S.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.W.S., B.J.T.), Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section (R.C., B.J.T.), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Health Sciences (L.C., S.D.D.), University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
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Clinical relevance of single-subject brain metabolism patterns in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mutation carriers. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 36:103222. [PMID: 36223668 PMCID: PMC9668615 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103222] [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: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The ALS diagnosis requires an integrative approach, combining the clinical examination and supporting tests. Nevertheless, in several cases, the diagnosis proves to be suboptimal, and for this reason, new diagnostic methods and novel biomarkers are catching on. The 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG)-PET could be a helpful method, but it still requires additional research for sensitivity and specificity. We performed an 18F-FDG-PET single-subject analysis in a sample of familial ALS patients carrying different gene mutations, investigating the genotype-phenotype correlations and exploring metabolism correlations with clinical and neuropsychological data. METHODS We included ten ALS patients with pathogenic gene mutation who underwent a complete clinical and neuropsychological evaluation and an 18F-FDG-PET scan at baseline. Patients were recruited between 2018 and 2022 at the ALS Tertiary Centre in Novara, Italy. Patients were selected based on the presence of ALS gene mutation (C9orf72, SOD1, TBK1, and KIF5A). Following a validated voxel-based Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) procedure, we obtained hypometabolism maps at single-subject level. We extracted regional hypometabolism from the SPM maps, grouping significant hypometabolism regions into three meta-ROIs (motor, prefrontal association and limbic). Then, the corresponding 18F-FDG-PET regional hypometabolism was correlated with clinical and neuropsychological features. RESULTS Classifying the patients with C9orf72-ALS based on the rate of disease progression from symptoms onset to the time of scan, we observed two different patterns of brain hypometabolism: an extensive motor and prefrontal hypometabolism in patients classified as fast progressors, and a more limited brain hypometabolism in patients grouped as slow progressors. Patients with SOD1-ALS showed a hypometabolic pattern involving the motor cortex and prefrontal association regions, with a minor involvement of the limbic regions. The patient with TBK1-ALS showed an extended hypometabolism, in limbic systems, along with typical motor involvement, while the hypometabolism in the patient with KIF5A-ALS involved almost exclusively the motor regions, supporting the predominantly motor impairment linked to this gene mutation. Additionally, we observed strong correlations between the hypometabolism in the motor, prefrontal association and limbic meta-ROI and the specific neuropsychological performances. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating brain hypometabolism at the single-subject level in genetic ALS patients carrying different mutations. Our results show high heterogeneity in the hypometabolism maps and some commonalities in groups sharing the same mutation. Specifically, in patients with C9orf72-ALS the brain hypometabolism was larger in patients classified as fast progressors than slow progressors. In addition, in the whole group, the brain metabolism showed specific correlations with clinical and neuropsychological impairment, confirming the ability of 18F-FDG-PET in revealing pattern of neuronal dysfunction, aiding the diagnostic workup in genetic ALS patients.
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Hinault T, Segobin S, Benbrika S, Carluer L, Doidy F, Eustache F, Viader F, Desgranges B. Longitudinal grey matter and metabolic contributions to cognitive changes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac228. [PMID: 36128222 PMCID: PMC9478152 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is characterized by rapidly evolving cognitive and brain impairments. While previous work revealed structural and functional alterations associated with cognitive decline in patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the relationships between anatomo-functional changes and both disease’s progression and the evolution of cognitive performance remain largely unexplored. Here, we took advantage of repeated multi-modal acquisitions in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis over 1 year to assess the longitudinal sequence of grey matter atrophy, glucose metabolism and cognitive changes. Results revealed metabolic and structural changes over frontal, thalamic and temporal regions. Both cortical hypermetabolism and hypometabolism (right temporal gyrus and right angular gyrus, respectively) were associated with cognitive performance and thalamic hypometabolism during the follow-up testing session. Furthermore, the inferior frontal gyrus atrophy mediated the relation between early hypometabolism in this region and the subsequent decline of the theory of mind abilities. Marked volume loss was associated with larger hypometabolism and impaired cognitive performance. To our knowledge, this is the first study to longitudinally examine both grey matter volume and metabolic alteration patterns in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, over a mean follow-up time of 1 year. We identify how changes of the inferior frontal gyrus critically underly later cognitive performance, shedding new light on its high prognostic significance for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-related changes. These results have important implications for our understanding of structural and functional changes associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and how they underly cognitive impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Hinault
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine (NIMH) , Caen 14032 , France
| | - Shailendra Segobin
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine (NIMH) , Caen 14032 , France
| | - Soumia Benbrika
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine (NIMH) , Caen 14032 , France
| | - Laurence Carluer
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine (NIMH) , Caen 14032 , France
| | - Franck Doidy
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine (NIMH) , Caen 14032 , France
| | - Francis Eustache
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine (NIMH) , Caen 14032 , France
| | - Fausto Viader
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine (NIMH) , Caen 14032 , France
| | - Béatrice Desgranges
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine (NIMH) , Caen 14032 , France
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20
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Juengling FD, Wuest F, Kalra S, Agosta F, Schirrmacher R, Thiel A, Thaiss W, Müller HP, Kassubek J. Simultaneous PET/MRI: The future gold standard for characterizing motor neuron disease-A clinico-radiological and neuroscientific perspective. Front Neurol 2022; 13:890425. [PMID: 36061999 PMCID: PMC9428135 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.890425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging assessment of motor neuron disease has turned into a cornerstone of its clinical workup. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), as a paradigmatic motor neuron disease, has been extensively studied by advanced neuroimaging methods, including molecular imaging by MRI and PET, furthering finer and more specific details of the cascade of ALS neurodegeneration and symptoms, facilitated by multicentric studies implementing novel methodologies. With an increase in multimodal neuroimaging data on ALS and an exponential improvement in neuroimaging technology, the need for harmonization of protocols and integration of their respective findings into a consistent model becomes mandatory. Integration of multimodal data into a model of a continuing cascade of functional loss also calls for the best attempt to correlate the different molecular imaging measurements as performed at the shortest inter-modality time intervals possible. As outlined in this perspective article, simultaneous PET/MRI, nowadays available at many neuroimaging research sites, offers the perspective of a one-stop shop for reproducible imaging biomarkers on neuronal damage and has the potential to become the new gold standard for characterizing motor neuron disease from the clinico-radiological and neuroscientific perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freimut D. Juengling
- Division of Oncologic Imaging, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Frank Wuest
- Division of Oncologic Imaging, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Sanjay Kalra
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Neurology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Federica Agosta
- Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, University Vita Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Ralf Schirrmacher
- Division of Oncologic Imaging, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Medical Isotope and Cyclotron Facility, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Alexander Thiel
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Wolfgang Thaiss
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Ulm Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University of Ulm Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Hans-Peter Müller
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jan Kassubek
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
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21
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Temp AGM, Kasper E, Machts J, Vielhaber S, Teipel S, Hermann A, Prudlo J. Cognitive reserve protects ALS-typical cognitive domains: A longitudinal study. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2022; 9:1212-1223. [PMID: 35866289 PMCID: PMC9380174 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives To determine whether cognitive reserve (CR) as measured by verbal intelligence quotient, educational length, and achievement protects amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients' verbal fluency, executive functioning, and memory against brain volume loss over a period of 12 months. Methods This cohort study was completed between 2013 and 2016 with a follow‐up duration of 12 months. ALS patients were recruited from two specialist out‐patient clinics in Rostock and Magdeburg in Germany. Participants underwent cognitive testing and magnetic resonance imaging both at baseline and again after 12 months. The cognitive domains assessed included verbal memory in addition to executive functions such as verbal fluency, working memory, shifting and selective attention. Results Thirty‐eight ALS patients took part; 25 patients had no cognitive impairment (ALSni), and 13 were cognitively impaired (ALSci). On average, patients lost 294 mm3 in their superior frontal gyri, 225 mm3 in their orbitofrontal gyri, and 15.97 mm3 in their hippocampi over 12 months. There was strong evidence that CR protected letter fluency from further decline (Bayes factor [BF] >10) and moderate evidence that it supported learning effects in letter flexibility (BF >3). However, there is a lack of evidence supporting the notion that working memory, shifting, selective attention or verbal memory (BF = 1) are protected. Discussion As CR is easily determined and protects ALS‐specific cognitive domains over time, it should be regarded as a valuable predictive marker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna G M Temp
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Rostock-Greifswald, Germany.,Translational Neurodegeneration Section "Albrecht Kossel", Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre, Rostock, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre, Rostock, Germany.,Neurozentrum, Berufsgenossenschaftliches Klinikum Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Kasper
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Rostock-Greifswald, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre, Rostock, Germany
| | - Judith Machts
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Site Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Vielhaber
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Site Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Teipel
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Rostock-Greifswald, Germany.,Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, University Medical Centre, Rostock, Germany
| | - Andreas Hermann
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Rostock-Greifswald, Germany.,Translational Neurodegeneration Section "Albrecht Kossel", Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre, Rostock, Germany
| | - Johannes Prudlo
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Rostock-Greifswald, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre, Rostock, Germany
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22
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Tang Y, Liu P, Li W, Liu Z, Zhou M, Li J, Yuan Y, Fang L, Wang M, Shen L, Huang Y, Tang B, Wang J, Hu S. Detection of changes in synaptic density in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients using 18 F-SynVesT-1 positron-emission tomography. Eur J Neurol 2022; 29:2934-2943. [PMID: 35708508 DOI: 10.1111/ene.15451] [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: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Synaptic loss is well established as the major correlate of characteristic and consistent pathology in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We aimed to assess the possible discriminant diagnostic value of 18 F-SynVesT-1 positron-emission tomography (PET) as a marker of ALS pathology and investigate whether specific synaptic density signatures are present in ALS with different subtypes. METHODS Twenty-one patients with ALS and 25 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. All participants underwent 18 F-SynVesT-1-PET. Synaptic density between ALS and HCs and between different ALS subgroups were compared. Correlation between synaptic density and clinical features in ALS was also performed. RESULTS Low uptake distribution was found in the group comprising 21 ALS patients as compared with HCs in the right temporal lobe and the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate, and hippocampus-insula region. We also found a low uptake in the bilateral superior temporal gyrus, hippocampus-insula, anterior cingulate and left inferior frontal gyrus in ALS patients with cognitive impairment compared to HCs. Furthermore, compared to spinal-onset ALS, bulbar-onset ALS showed low uptake in the bilateral cingulate gyrus and high uptake in the bilateral superior temporal gyrus and left occipital lobe. No significant result was found in correlation analysis. CONCLUSION This approach may provide a direct measure of synaptic density, and it therefore might represent a potentially useful biomarker for ALS diagnosis, as well as for estimating the cognitive decline and site of onset in ALS. 18 F-SynVesT-1-PET is presently not justified as a routine investigation to detect evidence of brain dysfunction justifying progression in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxiang Tang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Pan Liu
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Wanzhen Li
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Zhen Liu
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Ming Zhou
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Jian Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Yanchun Yuan
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Liangjuan Fang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Mengli Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Lu Shen
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China.,Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China.,Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University
| | - Yiyun Huang
- PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Beisha Tang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China.,Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China.,Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University
| | - Junling Wang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China.,Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China.,Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University.,Engineering Research Center of Hunan Province in Cognitive Impairment Disorders, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Neurodegenerative and Neurogenetic Diseases, Changsha, China
| | - Shuo Hu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China.,Key Laboratory of Biological Nanotechnology of National Health Commission, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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23
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Reyes-Leiva D, Dols-Icardo O, Sirisi S, Cortés-Vicente E, Turon-Sans J, de Luna N, Blesa R, Belbin O, Montal V, Alcolea D, Fortea J, Lleó A, Rojas-García R, Illán-Gala I. Pathophysiological Underpinnings of Extra-Motor Neurodegeneration in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: New Insights From Biomarker Studies. Front Neurol 2022; 12:750543. [PMID: 35115992 PMCID: PMC8804092 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.750543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) lie at opposing ends of a clinical, genetic, and neuropathological continuum. In the last decade, it has become clear that cognitive and behavioral changes in patients with ALS are more frequent than previously recognized. Significantly, these non-motor features can impact the diagnosis, prognosis, and management of ALS. Partially overlapping neuropathological staging systems have been proposed to describe the distribution of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) aggregates outside the corticospinal tract. However, the relationship between TDP-43 inclusions and neurodegeneration is not absolute and other pathophysiological processes, such as neuroinflammation (with a prominent role of microglia), cortical hyperexcitability, and synaptic dysfunction also play a central role in ALS pathophysiology. In the last decade, imaging and biofluid biomarker studies have revealed important insights into the pathophysiological underpinnings of extra-motor neurodegeneration in the ALS-FTLD continuum. In this review, we first summarize the clinical and pathophysiological correlates of extra-motor neurodegeneration in ALS. Next, we discuss the diagnostic and prognostic value of biomarkers in ALS and their potential to characterize extra-motor neurodegeneration. Finally, we debate about how biomarkers could improve the diagnosis and classification of ALS. Emerging imaging biomarkers of extra-motor neurodegeneration that enable the monitoring of disease progression are particularly promising. In addition, a growing arsenal of biofluid biomarkers linked to neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation are improving the diagnostic accuracy and identification of patients with a faster progression rate. The development and validation of biomarkers that detect the pathological aggregates of TDP-43 in vivo are notably expected to further elucidate the pathophysiological underpinnings of extra-motor neurodegeneration in ALS. Novel biomarkers tracking the different aspects of ALS pathophysiology are paving the way to precision medicine approaches in the ALS-FTLD continuum. These are essential steps to improve the diagnosis and staging of ALS and the design of clinical trials testing novel disease-modifying treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Reyes-Leiva
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, CIBERER, Valencia, Spain
| | - Oriol Dols-Icardo
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, CIBERNED, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonia Sirisi
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, CIBERNED, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Cortés-Vicente
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, CIBERER, Valencia, Spain
| | - Janina Turon-Sans
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, CIBERER, Valencia, Spain
| | - Noemi de Luna
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, CIBERER, Valencia, Spain
| | - Rafael Blesa
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, CIBERNED, Madrid, Spain
| | - Olivia Belbin
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, CIBERNED, Madrid, Spain
| | - Victor Montal
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, CIBERNED, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Alcolea
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, CIBERNED, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Fortea
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, CIBERNED, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Lleó
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, CIBERNED, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ricard Rojas-García
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, CIBERER, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ignacio Illán-Gala
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, CIBERNED, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Ignacio Illán-Gala
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24
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Liu X, Yu T, Zhao X, Li G, Lv R, Ai L, Wang Q. 18 F-fluorodeoxy-glucose positron emission tomography pattern and prognostic predictors in patients with anti-GABAB receptor encephalitis. CNS Neurosci Ther 2021; 28:269-278. [PMID: 34837479 PMCID: PMC8739043 DOI: 10.1111/cns.13767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Aims To identify the metabolic pattern and prognostic predictors in anti‐gamma‐aminobutyric‐acid B (GABAB) receptor encephalitis using 18F‐fluorodeoxy‐glucose positron emission tomography (18F‐FDG‐PET). Methods Twenty‐one patients diagnosed anti‐GABAB receptor encephalitis who underwent 18F‐FDG‐PET at first hospitalization were retrospectively reviewed. 18F‐FDG‐PET images were analyzed in comparison with controls. Further group comparisons of 18F‐FDG‐PET data were carried out between prognostic subgroups. Results 18F‐FDG‐PET was abnormal in 81% patients with anti‐GABAB receptor encephalitis and was more sensitive than MRI (81% vs. 42.9%, p = 0.025). Alter limbic lobe glucose metabolism (mostly hypermetabolism) was observed in 14 patients (66.7%), of whom 10 (10/14, 71.4%) demonstrated hypermetabolism in the medial temporal lobe (MTL). Group analysis also confirmed MTL hypermetabolism in association with relative frontal and parietal hypometabolism was a general metabolic pattern. After a median follow‐up of 33 months, the group comparisons revealed that patients with poor outcome demonstrated increased metabolism in the MTL compared to those with good outcome. Conclusion 18F‐FDG‐PET may be more sensitive than MRI in the early diagnosis of anti‐GABAB receptor encephalitis. MTL hypermetabolism was associated with relative frontal or parietal hypometabolism and may serve as a prognostic biomarker in anti‐GABAB receptor encephalitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Liu
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Yu
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaobin Zhao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Gongfei Li
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Ruijuan Lv
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Ai
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Qun Wang
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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25
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Bede P, Chipika RH, Christidi F, Hengeveld JC, Karavasilis E, Argyropoulos GD, Lope J, Li Hi Shing S, Velonakis G, Dupuis L, Doherty MA, Vajda A, McLaughlin RL, Hardiman O. Genotype-associated cerebellar profiles in ALS: focal cerebellar pathology and cerebro-cerebellar connectivity alterations. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2021; 92:1197-1205. [PMID: 34168085 PMCID: PMC8522463 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2021-326854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cerebellar disease burden and cerebro-cerebellar connectivity alterations are poorly characterised in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) despite the likely contribution of cerebellar pathology to the clinical heterogeneity of the condition. METHODS A prospective imaging study has been undertaken with 271 participants to systematically evaluate cerebellar grey and white matter alterations, cerebellar peduncle integrity and cerebro-cerebellar connectivity in ALS. Participants were stratified into four groups: (1) patients testing positive for GGGGCC repeat expansions in C9orf72, (2) patients carrying an intermediate-length repeat expansion in ATXN2, (3) patients without established ALS-associated mutations and (4) healthy controls. Additionally, the cerebellar profile of a single patient with ALS who had an ATXN2 allele length of 62 was evaluated. Cortical thickness, grey matter and white matter volumes were calculated in each cerebellar lobule complemented by morphometric analyses to characterise genotype-associated atrophy patterns. A Bayesian segmentation algorithm was used for superior cerebellar peduncle volumetry. White matter diffusivity parameters were appraised both within the cerebellum and in the cerebellar peduncles. Cerebro-cerebellar connectivity was assessed using deterministic tractography. RESULTS Cerebellar pathology was confined to lobules I-V of the anterior lobe in patients with sporadic ALS in contrast to the considerable posterior lobe and vermis disease burden identified in C9orf72 mutation carriers. Patients with intermediate ATXN2 expansions did not exhibit significant cerebellar pathology. CONCLUSIONS Focal rather than global cerebellar degeneration characterises ALS. Pathognomonic ALS symptoms which are typically attributed to other anatomical regions, such as dysarthria, dysphagia, pseudobulbar affect, eye movement abnormalities and cognitive deficits, may be modulated, exacerbated or partially driven by cerebellar changes in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Bede
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Foteini Christidi
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | | | | | - Jasmin Lope
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Stacey Li Hi Shing
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Léonie Dupuis
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Mark A Doherty
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Alice Vajda
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Orla Hardiman
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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26
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Mahoney CJ, Ahmed RM, Huynh W, Tu S, Rohrer JD, Bedlack RS, Hardiman O, Kiernan MC. Pathophysiology and Treatment of Non-motor Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. CNS Drugs 2021; 35:483-505. [PMID: 33993457 DOI: 10.1007/s40263-021-00820-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease typically presenting with bulbar or limb weakness. There is increasing evidence that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a multisystem disease with early and frequent impacts on cognition, behaviour, sleep, pain and fatigue. Dysfunction of normal physiological and metabolic processes also appears common. Evidence from pre-symptomatic studies and large epidemiological cohorts examining risk factors for the future development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis have reported a high prevalence of changes in behaviour and mental health before the emergence of motor weakness. This suggests that changes beyond the motor system are underway at an early stage with dysfunction across brain networks regulating a variety of cognitive, behavioural and other homeostatic processes. The full impact of non-motor dysfunction continues to be established but there is now sufficient evidence that the presence of non-motor symptoms impacts overall survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and with up to 80% reporting non-motor symptoms, there is an urgent need to develop more robust therapeutic approaches. This review provides a contemporary overview of the pathobiology of non-motor dysfunction, offering readers a practical approach with regard to assessment and management. We review the current evidence for pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment of non-motor dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and highlight the need to further integrate non-motor dysfunction as an important outcome measure for future clinical trial design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin J Mahoney
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Rebekah M Ahmed
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.,Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - William Huynh
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Sicong Tu
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Jonathan D Rohrer
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Richard S Bedlack
- Department of Neurology, Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Orla Hardiman
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.,Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
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Costello E, Rooney J, Pinto-Grau M, Burke T, Elamin M, Bede P, McMackin R, Dukic S, Vajda A, Heverin M, Hardiman O, Pender N. Cognitive reserve in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): a population-based longitudinal study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2021; 92:460-465. [PMID: 33563807 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2020-324992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is often associated with cognitive and/or behavioural impairment. Cognitive reserve (CR) may play a protective role in offsetting cognitive impairment. This study examined the relationship between CR and longitudinal change in cognition in an Irish ALS cohort. METHODS Longitudinal neuropsychological assessment was carried out on 189 patients over 16 months using the Edinburgh cognitive and behavioural ALS screen (ECAS) and an additional battery of neuropsychological tests. CR was measured by combining education, occupation and physical activity data. Joint longitudinal and time-to-event models were fitted to investigate the associations between CR, performance at baseline and decline over time while controlling for non-random drop-out. RESULTS CR was a significant predictor of baseline neuropsychological performance, with high CR patients performing better than those with medium or low CR. Better cognitive performance in high CR individuals was maintained longitudinally for ECAS, social cognition, executive functioning and confrontational naming. Patients displayed little cognitive decline over the course of the study, despite controlling for non-random drop-out. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that CR plays a role in the presentation of cognitive impairment at diagnosis but is not protective against cognitive decline. However, further research is needed to examine the interaction between CR and other objective correlates of cognitive impairment in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmet Costello
- Department of Psychology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland .,Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - James Rooney
- Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social- and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, Munich, Germany
| | - Marta Pinto-Grau
- Department of Psychology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland.,Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Tom Burke
- Department of Psychology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland.,Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Marwa Elamin
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Peter Bede
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Roisin McMackin
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Stefan Dukic
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin 2, Ireland.,Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Utrecht Brain Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Alice Vajda
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Mark Heverin
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Orla Hardiman
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Niall Pender
- Department of Psychology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland.,Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin 2, Ireland
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Cognitive dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: can we predict it? Neurol Sci 2021; 42:2211-2222. [PMID: 33772353 PMCID: PMC8159827 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-021-05188-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Background and aim Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the degeneration of both upper and lower motoneurons in the brain and spinal cord leading to motor and extra-motor symptoms. Although traditionally considered a pure motor disease, recent evidences suggest that ALS is a multisystem disorder. Neuropsychological alterations, in fact, are observed in more than 50% of patients: while executive dysfunctions have been firstly identified, alterations in verbal fluency, behavior, and pragmatic and social cognition have also been described. Detecting and monitoring ALS cognitive and behavioral impairment even at early disease stages is likely to have staging and prognostic implications, and it may impact the enrollment in future clinical trials. During the last 10 years, humoral, radiological, neurophysiological, and genetic biomarkers have been reported in ALS, and some of them seem to potentially correlate to cognitive and behavioral impairment of patients. In this review, we sought to give an up-to-date state of the art of neuropsychological alterations in ALS: we will describe tests used to detect cognitive and behavioral impairment, and we will focus on promising non-invasive biomarkers to detect pre-clinical cognitive decline. Conclusions To date, the research on humoral, radiological, neurophysiological, and genetic correlates of neuropsychological alterations is at the early stage, and no conclusive longitudinal data have been published. Further and longitudinal studies on easily accessible and quantifiable biomarkers are needed to clarify the time course and the evolution of cognitive and behavioral impairments of ALS patients.
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Temp AGM, Prudlo J, Vielhaber S, Machts J, Hermann A, Teipel SJ, Kasper E. Cognitive reserve and regional brain volume in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Cortex 2021; 139:240-248. [PMID: 33892294 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We investigated whether cognitive reserve measured by education and premorbid IQ allows amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients to compensate for regional brain volume loss. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study. We recruited sixty patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis from two specialist out-patient clinics. All participants underwent neuropsychological assessment; the outcomes were standardized z-scores reflecting verbal fluency, executive functions (shifting, planning, working memory), verbal memory and visuo-constructive ability. The predictor was regional brain volume. The moderating proxies of cognitive reserve were premorbid IQ (estimated by vocabulary) and educational years. We hypothesized that higher cognitive reserve would correlate with better performance on a cognitive test battery, and tested this hypothesis with Bayesian analysis of covariance. RESULTS The analyses provided moderate to very strong evidence in favor of our hypothesis with regard to verbal fluency functions, working memory, verbal learning and recognition, and visuo-constructive ability (all BF01 > 3): higher cognitive reserve was associated with a mild increase in performance. For shifting and planning ability, the evidence was anecdotal. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that cognitive reserve moderates the effect of brain morphology on cognition in ALS. Patients draw small but meaningful benefits from higher reserve, preserving fluency, memory and visuo-constructive functions. Executive functions presented a dissociation: verbally assessed functions benefitted from cognitive reserve, non-verbally assessed functions did not. This motivates future research into cognitive reserve in ALS and practical implications, such as strengthening reserve to delay decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna G M Temp
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock, Germany.
| | - Johannes Prudlo
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock, Germany; Department of Neurology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.
| | - Stefan Vielhaber
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany; German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Judith Machts
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany; German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Andreas Hermann
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock, Germany; Translational Neurodegeneration Section "Albrecht-Kossel", Department of Neurology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.
| | - Stefan J Teipel
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock, Germany; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.
| | - Elisabeth Kasper
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock, Germany; Department of Neurology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.
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Tefera TW, Steyn FJ, Ngo ST, Borges K. CNS glucose metabolism in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: a therapeutic target? Cell Biosci 2021; 11:14. [PMID: 33431046 PMCID: PMC7798275 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-020-00511-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal progressive neurodegenerative disorder primarily characterized by selective degeneration of both the upper motor neurons in the brain and lower motor neurons in the brain stem and the spinal cord. The exact mechanism for the selective death of neurons is unknown. A growing body of evidence demonstrates abnormalities in energy metabolism at the cellular and whole-body level in animal models and in people living with ALS. Many patients with ALS exhibit metabolic changes such as hypermetabolism and body weight loss. Despite these whole-body metabolic changes being observed in patients with ALS, the origin of metabolic dysregulation remains to be fully elucidated. A number of pre-clinical studies indicate that underlying bioenergetic impairments at the cellular level may contribute to metabolic dysfunctions in ALS. In particular, defects in CNS glucose transport and metabolism appear to lead to reduced mitochondrial energy generation and increased oxidative stress, which seem to contribute to disease progression in ALS. Here, we review the current knowledge and understanding regarding dysfunctions in CNS glucose metabolism in ALS focusing on metabolic impairments in glucose transport, glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, TCA cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. We also summarize disturbances found in glycogen metabolism and neuroglial metabolic interactions. Finally, we discuss options for future investigations into how metabolic impairments can be modified to slow disease progression in ALS. These investigations are imperative for understanding the underlying causes of metabolic dysfunction and subsequent neurodegeneration, and to also reveal new therapeutic strategies in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tesfaye Wolde Tefera
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| | - Frederik J Steyn
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.,Center for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Shyuan T Ngo
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.,Center for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Karin Borges
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
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31
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Joosten L, Boss M, Jansen T, Brom M, Buitinga M, Aarntzen E, Eriksson O, Johansson L, de Galan B, Gotthardt M. Molecular Imaging of Diabetes. Mol Imaging 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-816386-3.00041-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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32
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Canosa A, Vacchiano V, D'Ovidio F, Calvo A, Moglia C, Manera U, Vasta R, Liguori R, Arena V, Grassano M, Palumbo F, Peotta L, Iazzolino B, Pagani M, Chiò A. Brain metabolic correlates of apathy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: An 18F-FDG-positron emission tomography stud. Eur J Neurol 2020; 28:745-753. [PMID: 33175462 DOI: 10.1111/ene.14637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The aim of this study was to evaluate brain metabolic correlates of apathy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). METHODS A total of 165 ALS patients underwent 18 F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (18 F-FDG-PET) and Frontal Systems Behaviour Scale (FrSBe) evaluation. FrSBe provides "before" and "after" apathy subscores, referring to premorbid and morbid conditions. "After" apathy subscore and "before-after" gap, i.e. the difference between "before" and "after" subscores, were regressed against whole-brain metabolism. Among patients with a pathological "after" apathy subscore (i.e., ≥65), we compared patients with "before" apathy subscores ≥65 and <65, and patients with "before-after" gaps of <22 and ≥22. RESULTS In the whole sample, the "after" apathy subscore negatively correlated with metabolism in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC), ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC), premotor cortex (PMC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and insula bilaterally. A positive correlation was found in the cerebellum and pons. The "before-after" gap negatively correlated with metabolism in bilateral DLPFC, DMPFC and PMC, and left VLPFC and ACC, and positively correlated with cerebellar and pontine clusters. Among patients with an "after" apathy subscore ≥65, we found no difference between those with "before" apathy subscores ≥65 and <65. Patients with a "before-after" gap ≥22, compared to patients with a gap <22, showed relative hypometabolism in bilateral DLPFC and DMPFC, and left ACC and PMC, and relative cerebellar and pontine hypermetabolism. CONCLUSION No studies on brain 18 F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography correlates of apathy have been performed in ALS. We found that FrSBe "after" apathy subscore correlated with metabolic changes in brain regions known as neuroanatomical correlates of apathy. Furthermore, our findings support the relevance of the gap between premorbid and morbid conditions to detect behavioural changes due to the neurodegenerative process underlying ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Canosa
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Veria Vacchiano
- Bellaria Hospital, IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabrizio D'Ovidio
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Andrea Calvo
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy.,Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Turin, Italy
| | - Cristina Moglia
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Umberto Manera
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Rosario Vasta
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Rocco Liguori
- Bellaria Hospital, IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Arena
- Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A, Turin, Italy
| | - Maurizio Grassano
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Francesca Palumbo
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Laura Peotta
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Barbara Iazzolino
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Pagani
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, C.N.R, Rome, Italy.,Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Adriano Chiò
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy.,Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Turin, Italy.,Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, C.N.R, Rome, Italy
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Canosa A, Moglia C, Manera U, Vasta R, Torrieri MC, Arena V, D'Ovidio F, Palumbo F, Zucchetti JP, Iazzolino B, Peotta L, Calvo A, Pagani M, Chiò A. Metabolic brain changes across different levels of cognitive impairment in ALS: a 18F-FDG-PET study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2020; 92:jnnp-2020-323876. [PMID: 33229451 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2020-323876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify the metabolic changes related to the various levels of cognitive deficits in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) using 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET) imaging. METHODS 274 ALS patients underwent neuropsychological assessment and brain 18F-FDG-PET at diagnosis. According to the criteria published in 2017, cognitive status was classified as ALS with normal cognition (ALS-Cn, n=132), ALS with behavioural impairment (ALS-Bi, n=66), ALS with cognitive impairment (ALS-Ci, n=30), ALS with cognitive and behavioural impairment (ALS-Cbi, n=26), ALS with frontotemporal dementia (ALS-FTD, n=20). We compared each group displaying some degree of cognitive and/or behavioural impairment to ALS-Cn patients, including age at PET, sex and ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised as covariates. RESULTS We identified frontal lobe relative hypometabolism in cognitively impaired patients that resulted more extensive and significant across the continuum from ALS-Ci, through ALS-Cbi, to ALS-FTD. ALS-FTD patients also showed cerebellar relative hypermetabolism. ALS-Bi patients did not show any difference compared with ALS-Cn. CONCLUSIONS These data support the concept that patients with cognitive impairment have a more widespread neurodegenerative process compared with patients with a pure motor disease: the more severe the cognitive impairment, the more diffuse the metabolic changes. Otherwise, metabolic changes related to pure behavioural impairment need further characterisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Canosa
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, ALS Centre, Turin, Italy
- SC Neurologia 1U, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Cristina Moglia
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, ALS Centre, Turin, Italy
- SC Neurologia 1U, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Umberto Manera
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, ALS Centre, Turin, Italy
| | - Rosario Vasta
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, ALS Centre, Turin, Italy
| | - Maria Claudia Torrieri
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, ALS Centre, Turin, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Arena
- Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A, Turin, Italy
| | - Fabrizio D'Ovidio
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, ALS Centre, Turin, Italy
| | - Francesca Palumbo
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, ALS Centre, Turin, Italy
| | - Jean Pierre Zucchetti
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, ALS Centre, Turin, Italy
| | - Barbara Iazzolino
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, ALS Centre, Turin, Italy
| | - Laura Peotta
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, ALS Centre, Turin, Italy
| | - Andrea Calvo
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, ALS Centre, Turin, Italy
- SC Neurologia 1U, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
- Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Pagani
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, C.N.R, Rome, Italy
- Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Adriano Chiò
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, ALS Centre, Turin, Italy
- SC Neurologia 1U, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
- Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Turin, Italy
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, C.N.R, Rome, Italy
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Canosa A, Palumbo F, Iazzolino B, Peotta L, Di Pede F, Manera U, Vasta R, Grassano M, Solero L, Arena V, Moglia C, Calvo A, Chiò A, Pagani M. The interplay among education, brain metabolism, and cognitive impairment suggests a role of cognitive reserve in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 98:205-213. [PMID: 33316576 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
We tested the Cognitive Reserve (CR) hypothesis in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), enrolling 111 patients, using education as CR proxy, 18F-FDG-PET to assess brain damage, and ECAS to measure cognition. Education was regressed out against brain metabolism, including age, sex, spinal/bulbar onset, ALSFRS-R, and ECAS as covariates. Clusters showing a significant correlation were used as seed regions in an interregional correlation analysis (IRCA) in the ALS group and in 40 controls. In the ALS group, we found a negative correlation between brain metabolism and education in the right anterior cingulate and bilateral medial frontal gyrus. In the IRCA in the ALS group, the medial frontal cluster metabolism positively correlated with that of frontotemporal regions (right > left), bilateral caudate nuclei, and right insula, and negatively correlated with that of corticospinal tracts, cerebellum, and pons. In controls, the IRCA showed significant positive correlations in the same regions but less extended. Our results agree with the CR hypothesis. The negative correlation between the medial frontal cluster and the cerebellum found only in ALS patients might reflect cerebellar compensation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Canosa
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy.
| | - Francesca Palumbo
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Barbara Iazzolino
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Laura Peotta
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Francesca Di Pede
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Umberto Manera
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Rosario Vasta
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Maurizio Grassano
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Luca Solero
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Arena
- Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.P.A., Turin, Italy
| | - Cristina Moglia
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy
| | - Andrea Calvo
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Turin, Italy
| | - Adriano Chiò
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, C.N.R., Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Pagani
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, C.N.R., Rome, Italy; Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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Canosa A, Calvo A, Moglia C, Manera U, Vasta R, Di Pede F, Cabras S, Nardo D, Arena V, Grassano M, D'Ovidio F, Van Laere K, Van Damme P, Pagani M, Chiò A. Brain metabolic changes across King's stages in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-positron emission tomography study. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2020; 48:1124-1133. [PMID: 33029654 PMCID: PMC8041703 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-020-05053-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Purpose To assess the brain metabolic correlates of the different regional extent of ALS, evaluated with the King’s staging system, using brain 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose-PET (18F-FDG-PET). Methods Three hundred ninety ALS cases with King’s stages 1, 2, and 3 (n = 390), i.e., involvement of 1, 2, and 3 body regions respectively, underwent brain 18F-FDG-PET at diagnosis. King’s stage at PET was derived from ALSFRS-R and was regressed out against whole-brain metabolism in the whole sample. The full factorial design confirmed the hypothesis that differences among groups (King’s 1, King’s 2, King’s 3, and 40 healthy controls (HC)) existed overall. Comparisons among stages and between each group and HC were performed. We included age at PET and sex as covariates. Results Brain metabolism was inversely correlated with stage in medial frontal gyrus bilaterally, and right precentral and postcentral gyri. The full factorial design resulted in a significant main effect of groups. There was no significant difference between stages 1 and 2. Comparing stage 3 to stage 1+2, a significant relative hypometabolism was highlighted in the former in the left precentral and medial frontal gyri, and in the right medial frontal, postcentral, precentral, and middle frontal gyri. The comparisons between each group and HC showed the extension of frontal metabolic changes from stage 1 to stage 3, with the larger metabolic gap between stages 2 and 3. Conclusions Our findings support the hypothesis that in ALS, the propagation of neurodegeneration follows a corticofugal, regional ordered pattern, extending from the motor cortex to posterior and anterior regions. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00259-020-05053-w) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Canosa
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15, 10126, Turin, Italy. .,Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy.
| | - Andrea Calvo
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15, 10126, Turin, Italy.,Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy.,Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Turin, Italy
| | - Cristina Moglia
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15, 10126, Turin, Italy.,Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Umberto Manera
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15, 10126, Turin, Italy
| | - Rosario Vasta
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15, 10126, Turin, Italy
| | - Francesca Di Pede
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15, 10126, Turin, Italy
| | - Sara Cabras
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15, 10126, Turin, Italy
| | - Davide Nardo
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Vincenzo Arena
- Positron Emission Tomography Centre AFFIDEA-IRMET S.p.A, Turin, Italy
| | - Maurizio Grassano
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15, 10126, Turin, Italy
| | - Fabrizio D'Ovidio
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15, 10126, Turin, Italy
| | - Koen Van Laere
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Philip Van Damme
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marco Pagani
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, C.N.R., Rome, Italy.,Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Adriano Chiò
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15, 10126, Turin, Italy.,Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy.,Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Turin, Italy.,Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, C.N.R., Rome, Italy
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Steinke A, Lange F, Seer C, Petri S, Kopp B. A Computational Study of Executive Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. J Clin Med 2020; 9:E2605. [PMID: 32796719 PMCID: PMC7463664 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9082605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive dysfunction is a well-documented, yet nonspecific corollary of various neurological diseases and psychiatric disorders. Here, we applied computational modeling of latent cognition for executive control in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. We utilized a parallel reinforcement learning model of trial-by-trial Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) behavior. Eighteen ALS patients and 21 matched healthy control participants were assessed on a computerized variant of the WCST (cWCST). ALS patients showed latent cognitive symptoms, which can be characterized as bradyphrenia and haphazard responding. A comparison with results from a recent computational Parkinson's disease (PD) study (Steinke et al., 2020, J Clin Med) suggests that bradyphrenia represents a disease-nonspecific latent cognitive symptom of ALS and PD patients alike. Haphazard responding seems to be a disease-specific latent cognitive symptom of ALS, whereas impaired stimulus-response learning seems to be a disease-specific latent cognitive symptom of PD. These data were obtained from the careful modeling of trial-by-trial behavior on the cWCST, and they suggest that computational cognitive neuropsychology provides nosologically specific indicators of latent facets of executive dysfunction in ALS (and PD) patients, which remain undiscoverable for traditional behavioral cognitive neuropsychology. We discuss implications for neuropsychological assessment, and we discuss opportunities for confirmatory computational brain imaging studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Steinke
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (F.L.); (C.S.); (S.P.); (B.K.)
| | - Florian Lange
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (F.L.); (C.S.); (S.P.); (B.K.)
- Behavioral Engineering Research Group, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 69, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline Seer
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (F.L.); (C.S.); (S.P.); (B.K.)
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- LBI-KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Susanne Petri
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (F.L.); (C.S.); (S.P.); (B.K.)
| | - Bruno Kopp
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (F.L.); (C.S.); (S.P.); (B.K.)
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37
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Tondo G, Iaccarino L, Cerami C, Vanoli GE, Presotto L, Masiello V, Coliva A, Salvi F, Bartolomei I, Mosca L, Lunetta C, Perani D. 11 C-PK11195 PET-based molecular study of microglia activation in SOD1 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2020; 7:1513-1523. [PMID: 32762033 PMCID: PMC7480909 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Neuroinflammation is considered a key driver for neurodegeneration in several neurological diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). SOD1 mutations cause about 20% of familial ALS, and related pathology might generate microglial activation triggering neurodegeneration. 11C‐PK11195 is the prototypical and most validated PET radiotracer, targeting the 18‐kDa translocator protein which is overexpressed in activated microglia. In this study, we investigated microglia activation in asymptomatic (ASYM) and symptomatic (SYM) SOD1 mutated carriers, by using 11C‐PK11195 and PET imaging. Methods We included 20 subjects: 4 ASYM‐carriers, neurologically normal, 6 SYM‐carriers with probable ALS, and 10 healthy controls. A receptor parametric mapping procedure estimated 11C‐PK11195 binding potentials and voxel‐wise statistical comparisons were performed at group and single‐subject levels. Results Both the SYM‐ and ASYM‐carriers showed significant microglia activation in cortical and subcortical structures, with variable patterns at individual level. Clusters of activation were present in occipital and temporal regions, cerebellum, thalamus, and medulla oblongata. Notably, SYM‐carriers showed microglia activation also in supplementary and primary motor cortices and in the somatosensory regions. Interpretation In vivo neuroinflammation occurred in all SOD1 mutated cases since the presymptomatic stages, as shown by a significant cortical and subcortical microglia activation. The involvement of sensorimotor cortex became evident at the symptomatic disease stage. Although our data indicate the role of in vivo PET imaging for assessing resident microglia in the investigation of SOD1‐ALS pathophysiology, further studies are needed to clarify the temporal and spatial dynamics of microglia activation and its relationship with neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Tondo
- School of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.,In Vivo Human Molecular and Structural Neuroimaging Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Leonardo Iaccarino
- School of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.,In Vivo Human Molecular and Structural Neuroimaging Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Chiara Cerami
- In Vivo Human Molecular and Structural Neuroimaging Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Scuola Universitaria di Studi Superiori IUSS Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Luca Presotto
- School of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Masiello
- Nuclear Medicine Unit, IRCCS and San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Angela Coliva
- Nuclear Medicine Unit, IRCCS and San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Salvi
- Bellaria Hospital, IRCCS of Neurological Sciences, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Lorena Mosca
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical Genetics Unit, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Daniela Perani
- School of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.,In Vivo Human Molecular and Structural Neuroimaging Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Nuclear Medicine Unit, IRCCS and San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
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38
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Chen Q, Konrad C, Sandhu D, Roychoudhury D, Schwartz BI, Cheng RR, Bredvik K, Kawamata H, Calder EL, Studer L, Fischer SM, Manfredi G, Gross SS. Accelerated transsulfuration metabolically defines a discrete subclass of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 144:105025. [PMID: 32745521 PMCID: PMC7491150 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a disease characterized by progressive paralysis and death. Most ALS-cases are sporadic (sALS) and patient heterogeneity poses challenges for effective therapies. Applying metabolite profiling on 77-sALS patient-derived-fibroblasts and 43-controls, we found ~25% of sALS cases (termed sALS-1) are characterized by transsulfuration pathway upregulation, where methionine-derived-homocysteine is channeled into cysteine for glutathione synthesis. sALS-1 fibroblasts selectively exhibited a growth defect under oxidative conditions, fully-rescued by N-acetylcysteine (NAC). [U–13C]-glucose tracing showed transsulfuration pathway activation with accelerated glucose flux into the Krebs cycle. We established a four-metabolite support vector machine model predicting sALS-1 metabotype with 97.5% accuracy. Both sALS-1 metabotype and growth phenotype were validated in an independent cohort of sALS cases. Importantly, plasma metabolite profiling identified a system-wide cysteine metabolism perturbation as a hallmark of sALS-1. Findings reveal that sALS patients can be stratified into distinct metabotypes with differential sensitivity to metabolic stress, providing novel insights for personalized therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuying Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Csaba Konrad
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Davinder Sandhu
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Roger R Cheng
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kirsten Bredvik
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hibiki Kawamata
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elizabeth L Calder
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lorenz Studer
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Giovanni Manfredi
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Steven S Gross
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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39
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Rajagopalan V, Pioro EP. 2-Deoxy-2-[ 18 F]fluoro-d-glucose positron emission tomography, cortical thickness and white matter graph network abnormalities in brains of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia suggest early neuronopathy rather than axonopathy. Eur J Neurol 2020; 27:1904-1912. [PMID: 32432818 DOI: 10.1111/ene.14332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron disorder, although extra-motor degeneration is well recognized, especially in frontotemporal regions manifested as ALS with frontotemporal dementia (ALS-FTD). Previous neuroimaging studies of the brains of ALS-FTD patients have measured abnormalities of either grey matter (GM) or white matter (WM) structures but not of both together. Therefore, the aim was to evaluate both GM and WM in the same ALS-FTD patient using functional and structural neuroimaging. By doing so, insights could be gained into whether neurodegeneration in ALS-FTD is primarily a neuronopathy or axonopathy. METHODS After high-resolution brain 2-deoxy-2-[18 F]fluoro-D-glucose (18 F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were obtained in ALS-FTD patients and in age- and sex-matched neurological controls, changes in metabolic rate, cortical thickness (CT) and WM network analysis using graph theory were analyzed. RESULTS Significant reductions in 18 F-FDG PET metabolism, CT and WM connections were observed in motor and extra-motor brain regions of ALS-FTD patients compared to controls. Both CT and underlying WM networks were abnormal in frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobes of ALS-FTD patients with 86 of 90 brain regions showing reductions of CT. CONCLUSION Abnormalities in significantly fewer WM networks underlying the affected cortical regions suggest that neurodegeneration in brains of ALS-FTD patients is primarily a 'neuronopathy' rather than an 'axonopathy.'
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Affiliation(s)
- V Rajagopalan
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad, India.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - E P Pioro
- Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
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40
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Canosa A, D'Ovidio F, Calvo A, Moglia C, Manera U, Torrieri MC, Vasta R, Cistaro A, Gallo S, Iazzolino B, Nobili FM, Casale F, Chiò A, Pagani M. Lifetime sport practice and brain metabolism in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2020; 27:102312. [PMID: 32622315 PMCID: PMC7334468 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The possible impact of lifetime physical activity on the risk of ALS is debated. Brain18F-FDG-PET is a marker of neuronal integrity in vivo. We compared cases who did not practice sport (N), cases who did (Y) and controls. N had more extensive changes in areas involved in ALS at the same disability level. N might cope better with the neurodegenerative process compared to Y.
Objective To evaluate the metabolic correlates of lifetime sport practice in ALS through brain 18F-FDG-PET. Methods 131 patients completed a questionnaire about lifetime exposures, including physical activity related to sports, hobbies and occupations, and underwent brain 18F-FDG-PET. Exposure to sports was expressed as MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task). We considered only regular practice (at least 2 h/week, for at least three months). We compared brain metabolism between two groups: subjects who did not report regular sport practice during life (N-group) and patients who did (Y-group). The resulting significant clusters were used in each group as seed regions in an interregional correlation analysis (IRCA) to evaluate the impact of lifetime sport practice on brain networks typically involved by the neurodegenerative process of ALS. Each group was compared to healthy controls (HC, n = 40). Results We found a significant, relative cerebellar hypermetabolism in the N-group compared to the Y-group. The metabolism of such cerebellar cluster resulted correlated to more significant and widespread metabolic changes in areas known to be affected by ALS (i.e. frontotemporal regions and corticospinal tracts) in the N-group as compared to the Y-group, despite the same level of disability as expressed by the ALS FRS-R. Such findings resulted independent of age, sex, site of onset (bulbar/spinal), presence/absence of C9ORF72 expansion, cognitive status and physical activity related to hobbies and occupations. When compared to HC, the N-group showed more widespread metabolic changes than the Y-group in cortical regions known to be relatively hypometabolic in ALS patients as compared to HC. Conclusions We hypothesize that patients of the N-group might cope better with the neurodegenerative process, since they show more widespread metabolic changes as compared to the Y-group, despite the same level of disability. Nevertheless, further studies are necessary to corroborate this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Canosa
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy.
| | - Fabrizio D'Ovidio
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Andrea Calvo
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Turin, Italy
| | - Cristina Moglia
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy
| | - Umberto Manera
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Maria Claudia Torrieri
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Rosario Vasta
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Angelina Cistaro
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Nuclear Medicine Advisor for the ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Silvia Gallo
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Barbara Iazzolino
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Flavio Mariano Nobili
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DiNOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; Clinica Neurologica, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Federico Casale
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Adriano Chiò
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, C.N.R., Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Pagani
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, C.N.R., Rome, Italy; Department of Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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Wong P, Ho WY, Yen YC, Sanford E, Ling SC. The vulnerability of motor and frontal cortex-dependent behaviors in mice expressing ALS-linked mutation in TDP-43. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 92:43-60. [PMID: 32422502 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
TDP-43 aggregates are the defining pathological hallmark for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Strikingly, these TDP-43 proteinopathies are also found in other neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and are prevalent in the brains of old-aged humans. Furthermore, disease-causal mutations in TDP-43 have been identified for ALS and FTD. Collectively, the evidence indicates that TDP-43 dysfunctions lead to motor and cognitive deficits. To determine whether the mouse line expressing an ALS-linked mutation in TDP-43 (Q331K) can be used to study ALS-FTD spectrum disorders, we performed a systematic and longitudinal behavioral assessment that covered motor and cognitive functions. Deficits in motor and cognitive abilities were observed as early as 3 months of age and persisted through to 12 months of age. Within the cognitive modalities, the hippocampus-mediated spatial learning and memory, and contextual fear conditioning, were normal; whereas the frontal cortex-mediated working memory and cognitive flexibility were impaired. Biochemically, the human TDP-43 transgene downregulates endogenous mouse TDP-43 mRNA and protein, resulting in human TDP-43 protein that is comparable with the physiological level in cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Furthermore, Q331K TDP-43 is largely retained at the nucleus without apparent aggregates. Taken together, our data suggest that motor and frontal cortex may be more vulnerable to disease-linked mutation in TDP-43 and, this mouse model may be used to assess ALS-FTD-related spectrum diseases and the molecular underpinnings associated with the phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiyan Wong
- Department of Pharmacology, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Wan Yun Ho
- Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yi-Chun Yen
- Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Emma Sanford
- Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shuo-Chien Ling
- Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Neurobiology/Ageing Programme, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Program in Neuroscience and Behavior Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.
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42
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Huynh W, Ahmed R, Mahoney CJ, Nguyen C, Tu S, Caga J, Loh P, Lin CSY, Kiernan MC. The impact of cognitive and behavioral impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Expert Rev Neurother 2020; 20:281-293. [DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2020.1727740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- William Huynh
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Prince of Wales Clinical School, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rebekah Ahmed
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Colin J. Mahoney
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Chilan Nguyen
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- School of Medicine, The University of Notre Dame, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sicong Tu
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jashelle Caga
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Patricia Loh
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Cindy S-Y Lin
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Matthew C. Kiernan
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
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43
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Taga A, Schito P, Trapasso MC, Zinno L, Pavesi G. Pain at the onset of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: a cross-sectional study. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2019; 186:105540. [PMID: 31634749 DOI: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2019.105540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We evaluated ALS patients reporting pain, either generalized or localized, at disease onset and determined whether this feature defined a specific ALS phenotype. PATIENTS AND METHODS We considered all consecutive ALS patients referred to our Motor Neuron Diseases Center between 2006 and 2016 and included only patients who fulfilled the El Escorial revised criteria for probable and definite ALS diagnosis. We then identified those cases who reported pain at disease onset and compared them to all remaining cases. Secondary causes of pain have been excluded. RESULTS Our initial sample consisted of 108 patients (55 men and 53 women). We identified 5 cases with generalized pain and 16 cases with localized pain at disease onset, corresponding to 4.6% and 14.8% of the initial sample, respectively. Cases with generalized pain were all female and had an earlier disease onset (49.6 ± 1.5 vs 66.6 ± 10.2 yrs, p = 0.002). Cases with localized pain showed a preponderance of upper motor neuron symptoms/signs at disease onset. Patients with pain, either localized or generalized, had a significantly higher involvement of the limbs (82.6% vs 100%, p = 0.022), while the bulbar district was spared at disease onset (17.4% vs 0%, p = 0.008). More specifically, the proximal upper and distal lower limbs were more frequently affected by ALS in patients with pain at disease onset. In two cases, the clinical presentation was notable for the resemblance with complex regional pain syndrome. CONCLUSION The presence of pain at disease onset seems to relate to peculiar clinical features of ALS and may be pathophysiologically associated with neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arens Taga
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, 855 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Paride Schito
- Università degli Studi di Parma, Via Università 12, 43121, Parma, Italy
| | - Maria Claudia Trapasso
- Dipartimento di Emergenza-Urgenza, ed Area Medica Generale e Specialistica, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43126, Parma, Italy
| | - Lucia Zinno
- Dipartimento di Emergenza-Urgenza, ed Area Medica Generale e Specialistica, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43126, Parma, Italy
| | - Giovanni Pavesi
- Dipartimento di Emergenza-Urgenza, ed Area Medica Generale e Specialistica, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43126, Parma, Italy
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Benbrika S, Desgranges B, Eustache F, Viader F. Cognitive, Emotional and Psychological Manifestations in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis at Baseline and Overtime: A Review. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:951. [PMID: 31551700 PMCID: PMC6746914 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
It is now well recognized that, in addition to motor impairment, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may cause extra-motor clinical signs and symptoms. These can include the alteration of certain cognitive functions, impaired social cognition, and changes in the perception and processing of emotions. Where these extra-motor manifestations occur in ALS, they usually do so from disease onset. In about 10% of cases, the cognitive and behavioral changes meet the diagnostic criteria for frontotemporal dementia. The timecourse of behavioral and cognitive involvement in ALS is unclear. Whereas longitudinal studies have failed to show cognitive decline over time, some cross-sectional studies have demonstrated poorer cognitive performances in the advanced stages of the disease. Neuroimaging studies show that in ALS, extra-motor signs and symptoms are associated with specific brain lesions, but little is known about how they change over time. Finally, patients with ALS appear less depressed than might be expected, given the prognosis. Moreover, many patients achieve satisfactory psychosocial adjustment throughout the course of the disease, regardless of their degree of motor disability. There are scant longitudinal data on extra-motor impairment in ALS, and to our knowledge, no systematic review on this subject has yet been published. Even so, a better understanding of patients' clinical trajectory is essential if they are to be provided with tailored care and given the best possible support. We therefore undertook to review the evidence for extra-motor changes and their time course in ALS, in both the cognitive, emotional and psychological domains, with a view to identifying mechanisms that may help these patients cope with their disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Béatrice Desgranges
- Neuropsychology and Imaging of Human Memory, Normandy University-PSL Research University-EPHE-INSERM U1077, Caen University Hospital, Caen, France
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Verber NS, Shepheard SR, Sassani M, McDonough HE, Moore SA, Alix JJP, Wilkinson ID, Jenkins TM, Shaw PJ. Biomarkers in Motor Neuron Disease: A State of the Art Review. Front Neurol 2019; 10:291. [PMID: 31001186 PMCID: PMC6456669 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Motor neuron disease can be viewed as an umbrella term describing a heterogeneous group of conditions, all of which are relentlessly progressive and ultimately fatal. The average life expectancy is 2 years, but with a broad range of months to decades. Biomarker research deepens disease understanding through exploration of pathophysiological mechanisms which, in turn, highlights targets for novel therapies. It also allows differentiation of the disease population into sub-groups, which serves two general purposes: (a) provides clinicians with information to better guide their patients in terms of disease progression, and (b) guides clinical trial design so that an intervention may be shown to be effective if population variation is controlled for. Biomarkers also have the potential to provide monitoring during clinical trials to ensure target engagement. This review highlights biomarkers that have emerged from the fields of systemic measurements including biochemistry (blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and urine analysis); imaging and electrophysiology, and gives examples of how a combinatorial approach may yield the best results. We emphasize the importance of systematic sample collection and analysis, and the need to correlate biomarker findings with detailed phenotype and genotype data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick S Verber
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Stephanie R Shepheard
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Matilde Sassani
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Harry E McDonough
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie A Moore
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - James J P Alix
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Iain D Wilkinson
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Tom M Jenkins
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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Chew S, Atassi N. Positron Emission Tomography Molecular Imaging Biomarkers for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Neurol 2019; 10:135. [PMID: 30881332 PMCID: PMC6405430 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder with limited treatment options. Despite decades of therapeutic development, only two modestly efficacious disease-modifying drugs-riluzole and edaravone-are available to ALS patients. Biomarkers that can facilitate ALS diagnosis, aid in prognosis, and measure drug pharmacodynamics are needed to accelerate therapeutic development for patients with ALS. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has promise as a biomarker for ALS because it permits visualization of central nervous system (CNS) pathology in individuals living with ALS. The availability of PET radioligands that target a variety of potential pathophysiological mechanisms-including cerebral metabolism, neuroinflammation, neuronal dysfunction, and oxidative stress-has enabled dynamic interrogation of molecular changes in ALS, in both natural history studies and human clinical trials. PET imaging has potential as a diagnostic biomarker that can establish upper motor neuron (UMN) pathology in ALS patients without overt UMN symptoms, as a prognostic biomarker that might help stratify patients for clinical trials, and as a pharmacodynamic biomarker that measures the biological effect of investigational drugs in the brain and spinal cord. In this Review, we discuss progress made with 30 years of PET imaging studies in ALS and consider future research needed to establish PET imaging biomarkers for ALS therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheena Chew
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nazem Atassi
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
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Sala A, Iaccarino L, Fania P, Vanoli EG, Fallanca F, Pagnini C, Cerami C, Calvo A, Canosa A, Pagani M, Chiò A, Cistaro A, Perani D. Testing the diagnostic accuracy of [18F]FDG-PET in discriminating spinal- and bulbar-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2019; 46:1117-1131. [PMID: 30617963 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-018-4246-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The role for [18F]FDG-PET in supporting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis is not fully established. In this study, we aim at evaluating [18F]FDG-PET hypo- and hyper-metabolism patterns in spinal- and bulbar-onset ALS cases, at the single-subject level, testing the diagnostic value in discriminating the two conditions, and the correlations with core clinical symptoms severity. METHODS We included 95 probable-ALS patients with [18F]FDG-PET scan and clinical follow-up. [18F]FDG-PET images were analyzed with an optimized voxel-based-SPM method. The resulting single-subject SPM-t maps were used to: (a) assess brain regional hypo- and hyper-metabolism; (b) evaluate the accuracy of regional hypo- and hyper metabolism in discriminating spinal vs. bulbar-onset ALS; (c) perform correlation analysis with motor symptoms severity, as measured by ALS-FRS-R. RESULTS Primary motor cortex showed the most frequent hypo-metabolism in both spinal-onset (∼57%) and bulbar-onset (∼64%) ALS; hyper-metabolism was prevalent in the cerebellum in both spinal-onset (∼56.5%) and bulbar-onset (∼55.7%) ALS, and in the occipital cortex in bulbar-onset (∼62.5%) ALS. Regional hypo- and hyper-metabolism yielded a very low accuracy (AUC < 0.63) in discriminating spinal- vs. bulbar-onset ALS, as obtained from single-subject SPM-t-maps. Severity of motor symptoms correlated with hypo-metabolism in sensorimotor cortex in spinal-onset ALS, and with cerebellar hyper-metabolism in bulbar-onset ALS. CONCLUSIONS The high variability in regional hypo- and hyper-metabolism patterns, likely reflecting the heterogeneous pathology and clinical phenotypes, limits the diagnostic potential of [18F]FDG-PET in discriminating spinal and bulbar onset patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Sala
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- In Vivo Human Molecular and Structural Neuroimaging Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Leonardo Iaccarino
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- In Vivo Human Molecular and Structural Neuroimaging Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Piercarlo Fania
- Positron Emission Tomography Centre IRMET, Affidea, Turin, Italy
| | - Emilia G Vanoli
- Nuclear Medicine Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Via Olgettina, 60, Milan, Italy
| | - Federico Fallanca
- Nuclear Medicine Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Via Olgettina, 60, Milan, Italy
| | - Caterina Pagnini
- In Vivo Human Molecular and Structural Neuroimaging Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Cerami
- In Vivo Human Molecular and Structural Neuroimaging Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Clinical Neuroscience Department, San Raffaele Turro Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Calvo
- ALS Center, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Antonio Canosa
- ALS Center, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Pagani
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, C.N.R, Rome, Italy
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Adriano Chiò
- ALS Center, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, C.N.R, Rome, Italy
- Neuroscience Institute of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Angelina Cistaro
- Department of Neuroscience, Advisor Nuclear Medicine for Amiotrophic Lateral SclerosisRegional Expert Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Daniela Perani
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
- In Vivo Human Molecular and Structural Neuroimaging Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
- Nuclear Medicine Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Via Olgettina, 60, Milan, Italy.
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Risacher SL, Saykin AJ. Neuroimaging in aging and neurologic diseases. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2019; 167:191-227. [PMID: 31753134 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-804766-8.00012-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Neuroimaging biomarkers for neurologic diseases are important tools, both for understanding pathology associated with cognitive and clinical symptoms and for differential diagnosis. This chapter explores neuroimaging measures, including structural and functional measures from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and molecular measures primarily from positron emission tomography (PET), in healthy aging adults and in a number of neurologic diseases. The spectrum covers neuroimaging measures from normal aging to a variety of dementias: late-onset Alzheimer's disease [AD; including mild cognitive impairment (MCI)], familial and nonfamilial early-onset AD, atypical AD syndromes, posterior cortical atrophy (PCA), logopenic aphasia (lvPPA), cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), vascular dementia (VaD), sporadic and familial behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), semantic dementia (SD), progressive nonfluent aphasia (PNFA), frontotemporal dementia with motor neuron disease (FTD-MND), frontotemporal dementia with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FTD-ALS), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), Parkinson's disease (PD) with and without dementia, and multiple systems atrophy (MSA). We also include a discussion of the appropriate use criteria (AUC) for amyloid imaging and conclude with a discussion of differential diagnosis of neurologic dementia disorders in the context of neuroimaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon L Risacher
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Andrew J Saykin
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States.
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Steinacker P, Barschke P, Otto M. Biomarkers for diseases with TDP-43 pathology. Mol Cell Neurosci 2018; 97:43-59. [PMID: 30399416 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery that aggregated transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43) is the major component of pathological ubiquitinated inclusions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) caused seminal progress in the unveiling of the genetic bases and molecular characteristics of these now so-called TDP-43 proteinopathies. Substantial increase in the knowledge of clinic-pathological coherencies, especially for FTLD variants, could be made in the last decade, but also revealed a considerable complexity of TDP-43 pathology and often a poor correlation of clinical and molecular disease characteristics. To date, an underlying TDP-43 pathology can be predicted only for patients with mutations in the genes C9orf72 and GRN, but is dependent on neuropathological verification in patients without family history, which represent the majority of cases. As etiology-specific therapies for neurodegenerative proteinopathies are emerging, methods to forecast TDP-43 pathology at patients' lifetime are highly required. Here, we review the current status of research pursued to identify specific indicators to predict or exclude TDP-43 pathology in the ALS-FTLD spectrum disorders and findings on candidates for prognosis and monitoring of disease progression in TDP-43 proteinopathies with a focus on TDP-43 with its pathological forms, neurochemical and imaging biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peggy Barschke
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Markus Otto
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
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