[Contents of BDNF, miR-30a-5p and miR-122 during alcohol withdrawal syndrome]

Some BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor)-targeted microRNAs such as miR-30a-5p associate with alcohol dependence phenomenon however their relationship with AWS is not described. We aimed to measure serum BDNF concentration and relative content of miR-30a-5p over the course of alcohol abstinence and compare obtained results with clinics of AWS. Additionally, we studied relative serum content of miR-30a-5p, a microRNA which does not target BDNF but relates to alcohol use disorder. Serum BDNF concentration increased over the course of alcohol abstinence, contrary relative content of miR-122 but not miR-30a-5p decreased. Moreover, during AWS miR-122 but miR-30a-5p negatively correlated with serum BDNF concentrations. Relative content of miR-122 negatively correlated with depression and state anxiety levels on 8th day of abstinence. According to multiple regressions on 21st day of abstinence alcohol craving and cognitive disturbances may be predictors of serum BDNF concentration, and vice versa. Thus, serum BDNF concentration and relative content of miR-122 associate with some aspects of AWS clinics and may dynamically reflect AWS severity.

Validation of the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) in the Russian Population

OBJECTIVE

Cognitive dysfunction is common in multiple sclerosis (MS). The Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS) battery of tests has been suggested as a measure for the evaluation of the cognitive status of MS patients. This study aims to validate the BICAMS battery in the Russian population of MS patients.

METHODS

Age- and sex-matched MS patients (n = 98) and healthy individuals (n = 86) were included in the study. Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), California Verbal Learning Test, 2nd edition (CVLT-II) and the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test - Revised (BVMT-R) were administered to all participants. The battery was readministered 1 month later to 44 MS patients to investigate the test-retest reliability.

RESULTS

MS patients exhibited a significantly lower performance in testing with BICAMS than the control group in all three neuropsychological tests. Test-retest reliability was good for SDMT and CVLT-II (r = .82 and r = .85, respectively) and adequate for BVMT-R (r = .70). Based on the proposed criterion for impairment as z score below 1.5 SD the mean of the control group, we found that 34/98 (35%) of MS patients were found impaired at least in one cognitive domain. Patients with Expanded Disability Status Scale score ≥3.5 performed significantly worse than controls (SDMT, p < .0001; CVLT-II, p = .03; BVMT-R, p = .0004), while those with ≤3.0 scores did not.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that the BICAMS battery is a valid instrument to identify cognitive impairment in MS patients and it can be recommended for routine use in the Russian Federation.