The potential role of chronic pain and the polytrauma clinical triad in predicting prodromal PD: A cross-sectional study of U.S. Veterans

Introduction

The research criteria for prodromal Parkinson disease (pPD) depends on prospectively validated clinical inputs with large effect sizes and/or high prevalence. Neither traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), nor chronic pain are currently included in the calculator, despite recent evidence of association with pPD. These conditions are widely prevalent, co-occurring, and already known to confer risk of REM behavior disorder (RBD) and PD. Few studies have examined PD risk in the context of TBI and PTSD; none have examined chronic pain. This study aimed to measure the risk of pPD caused by TBI, PTSD, and chronic pain.

Methods

216 US Veterans were enrolled who had self-reported recurrent or persistent pain for at least three months. Of these, 44 met criteria for PTSD, 39 for TBI, and 41 for all three conditions. Several pain, sleep, affective, and trauma questionnaires were administered. Participants' history of RBD was determined via self-report, with a subset undergoing confirmatory video polysomnography.

Results

A greater proportion of Veterans with chronic pain met criteria for RBD (36 % vs. 10 %) and pPD (18.0 % vs. 8.3 %) compared to controls. Proportions were increased in RBD (70 %) and pPD (27 %) when chronic pain co-occurred with TBI and PTSD. Partial effects were seen with just TBI or PTSD alone. When analyzed as continuous variables, polytrauma symptom severity correlated with pPD probability (r = 0.28, P = 0.03).

Conclusion

These data demonstrate the potential utility of chronic pain, TBI, and PTSD in the prediction of pPD, and the importance of trauma-related factors in the pathogenesis of PD.

Dietary fasting and time-restricted eating in Huntington's disease: therapeutic potential and underlying mechanisms

Huntington's disease (HD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder caused by aggregation of the mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein, resulting from a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene HTT. HD is characterized by a variety of debilitating symptoms including involuntary movements, cognitive impairment, and psychiatric disturbances. Despite considerable efforts, effective disease-modifying treatments for HD remain elusive, necessitating exploration of novel therapeutic approaches, including lifestyle modifications that could delay symptom onset and disease progression. Recent studies suggest that time-restricted eating (TRE), a form of intermittent fasting involving daily caloric intake within a limited time window, may hold promise in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, including HD. TRE has been shown to improve mitochondrial function, upregulate autophagy, reduce oxidative stress, regulate the sleep-wake cycle, and enhance cognitive function. In this review, we explore the potential therapeutic role of TRE in HD, focusing on its underlying physiological mechanisms. We discuss how TRE might enhance the clearance of mHTT, recover striatal brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels, improve mitochondrial function and stress-response pathways, and synchronize circadian rhythm activity. Understanding these mechanisms is critical for the development of targeted lifestyle interventions to mitigate HD pathology and improve patient outcomes. While the potential benefits of TRE in HD animal models are encouraging, future comprehensive clinical trials will be necessary to evaluate its safety, feasibility, and efficacy in persons with HD.

Lifelong Association of Disorders Related to Military Trauma with Subsequent Parkinson's Disease

BACKGROUND

Trauma-related disorders such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are emerging as risk factors for Parkinson's disease (PD), but their association with development of PD and independence from comorbid disorders remains unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To examine TBI and PTSD related to early trauma in military veterans using a case-control study.

METHODS

PD was identified by International Classification of Diseases (ICD) code, recurrent PD-specific prescriptions, and availability of 5+ years of earlier records. Validation was performed by chart review by a movement disorder-trained neurologist. Control subjects were matched 4:1 by age, duration of preceding health care, race, ethnicity, birth year, and sex. TBI and PTSD were identified by ICD code and onset based on active duty. Association and interaction were measured for TBI and PTSD with PD going back 60 years. Interaction was measured for comorbid disorders.

RESULTS

A total of 71,933 cases and 287,732 controls were identified. TBI and PTSD increased odds of subsequent PD at all preceding 5-year intervals back to year -60 (odds ratio range: 1.5 [1.4, 1.7] to 2.1 [2.0, 2.1]). TBI and PTSD showed synergism (synergy index range: 1.14 [1.09, 1.29] to 1.28 [1.09, 1.51]) and additive association (odds ratio range: 2.2 [1.6, 2.8] to 2.7 [2.5, 2.8]). Chronic pain and migraine showed greatest synergy with PTSD and TBI. Effect sizes for trauma-related disorders were comparable with established prodromal disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

TBI and PTSD are associated with later PD and are synergistic with chronic pain and migraine. These findings provide evidence for TBI and PTSD as risk factors preceding PD by decades and could aid in prognostic calculation and earlier intervention. © 2023 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.

Screening and Targeting Risk Factors for Prodromal Synucleinopathy: Taking Steps toward a Prescriptive Multi-modal Framework

As the prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD) grows, so too does the population at-risk of developing PD, those in the so-called prodromal period. This period can span from those experiencing subtle motor deficits yet not meeting full diagnostic criteria or those with physiologic markers of disease alone. Several disease-modifying therapies have failed to show a neuroprotective effect. A common criticism is that neurodegeneration, even in the early motor stages, has advanced too far for neuro-restoration-based interventions to be effective. Therefore, identifying this early population is essential. Once identified, these patients could then potentially benefit from sweeping lifestyle modifications to alter their disease trajectory. Herein, we review the literature on risk factors for, and prodromal symptoms of, PD with an emphasis on ones which may be modifiable in the earliest possible stages. We propose a process for identifying this population and speculate on some strategies which may modulate disease trajectory. Ultimately, this proposal warrants prospective studies.

Oxidative stress in multiple sclerosis-Emerging imaging techniques

While conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is central to the evaluation of patients with multiple sclerosis, its role in detecting the pathophysiology underlying neurodegeneration is more limited. One of the common outcome measures for progressive multiple sclerosis trials, atrophy on brain MRI, is non-specific and reflects end-stage changes after considerable neurodegeneration has occurred. Identifying biomarkers that identify processes underlying neurodegeneration before it is irreversible and that reflect relevant neurodegenerative pathophysiology is an area of significant need. Accumulating evidence suggests that oxidative stress plays a major role in the pathogenesis of multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including multiple sclerosis. Imaging markers related to inflammation, myelination, and neuronal integrity have been areas of advancement in recent years but oxidative stress has remained an area of unrealized potential. In this article we will begin by reviewing the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. Chronic inflammation appears to be directly related to the increased production of reactive oxygen species and the effects of subsequent oxidative stress appear to be amplified by aging and accumulating disease. We will then discuss techniques in development used in the assessment of MS as well as other models of neurodegenerative disease in which oxidative stress is implicated. Multiple blood and CSF markers of oxidative stress have been evaluated in subjects with MS, but non-invasive imaging offers major upside in that it provides real-time assessment within the brain.

Extension of community healthcare outcomes in Parkinson disease (Parkinson ECHO): A feasibility study

Background

Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder and presents with a heterogeneous group of symptoms. Managing these symptoms requires coordinated care from a neurology specialist and a primary care provider. Access to neurology care is limited for those patients with Parkinson's disease who reside in rural areas given financial and mobility constraints along with the rarity of specialty providers.

Methods

To close this gap, we developed and implemented a telehealth-based Project ECHO® (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) program, "Parkinson ECHO," to provide education and support for rural clinicians and allied health members. The sessions focused on a topic within Parkinson's disease diagnosis or management followed by case discussions. We assessed the feasibility of this tele-mentoring educational offering, the favorability of this approach, and the effect it had on clinician confidence in diagnosing and treating Parkinson's disease using Likert-based surveys.

Results

Thirty-three unique participants from 13 Oregon counties and one county in the state of Washington, of whom 70 % served rural and/or medically underserved communities, participated in Parkinson ECHO. There was a 52 % dropout rate based on survey response, though session attendance was higher. Participants were overall satisfied with the format and content of Parkinson ECHO. There were improvements in knowledge and confidence in diagnosing and treating Parkinson's disease which persisted 6 months following the conclusion of the program. Unexpectedly, two participants reported convening a multidisciplinary group to discuss improvements to PD care.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic was an unexpected obstacle, but the teleconference nature permitted us to complete the program to positive effect. We found Parkinson ECHO did significantly increase participant confidence levels in diagnosing and managing Parkinson's disease.

Oligoclonal Bands in Multiple System Atrophy: Case Report and Proposed Mechanisms of Immunogenicity

Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative disease with heterogeneous manifestations and is therefore difficult to diagnose definitively. Because of this, oftentimes an extensive workup for mimickers is undertaken. We herein report a case where the history and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings of oligoclonal bands suggested an inflammatory disorder. Immunomodulatory therapy failed to ameliorate symptoms or alter the trajectory of continued physical decline, prompting re-visitation of the diagnosis. Oligoclonal bands, while generally viewed as specific to multiple sclerosis or other inflammatory conditions, may be seen in other disease processes. Therefore, this finding should not exclude consideration of neurodegenerative disease.

Peripheral Blood NRF2 Expression as a Biomarker in Human Health and Disease

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2), a transcription factor which plays a critical role in maintenance of cellular redox, has been identified as a therapeutic target in a number of human diseases. Several reports have demonstrated beneficial effects of NRF2 manipulation in animal models of disease, and one NRF2-activating drug, dimethyl fumarate, is already approved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. However, drug discovery is slowed due to a dearth of biomarkers which can inform target engagement and magnitude and duration of action. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are an accessible, minimally-invasive source of biomarkers which can be readily assayed and objectively monitored as a surrogate endpoint of NRF2 activation in clinical trials. We undertook a review of the literature on PBMC NRF2 measurements in human studies to explore its role as a suitable biomarker in various contexts of health and disease. It is clear that NRF2 and its target genes can be readily assayed from PBMCs in multiple disease contexts and may track with disease progression. Further work needs to be undertaken to evaluate its stability but should be considered as an exploratory marker in clinical trials targeting NRF2 activation.

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Nuclear Translocator in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Is Required for Optimal Peripheral Perfusion Recovery

BACKGROUND

Limb ischemia resulting from peripheral vascular disease is a common cause of morbidity. Vessel occlusion limits blood flow, creating a hypoxic environment that damages distal tissue, requiring therapeutic revascularization. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are key transcriptional regulators of hypoxic vascular responses, including angiogenesis and arteriogenesis. Despite vascular smooth muscle cells' (VSMCs') importance in vessel integrity, little is known about their functional responses to hypoxia in peripheral vascular disease. This study investigated the role of VSMC HIF in mediating peripheral ischemic responses.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We used ArntSMKO mice with smooth muscle-specific deletion of aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT, HIF-1β), required for HIF transcriptional activity, in a femoral artery ligation model of peripheral vascular disease. ArntSMKO mice exhibit impaired perfusion recovery despite normal collateral vessel dilation and angiogenic capillary responses. Decreased blood flow manifests in extensive tissue damage and hypoxia in ligated limbs of ArntSMKO mice. Furthermore, loss of aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator changes the proliferation, migration, and transcriptional profile of cultured VSMCs. ArntSMKO mice display disrupted VSMC morphologic features and wrapping around arterioles and increased vascular permeability linked to decreased local blood flow.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data demonstrate that traditional vascular remodeling responses are insufficient to provide robust peripheral tissue reperfusion in ArntSMKO mice. In all, this study highlights HIF responses to hypoxia in arteriole VSMCs critical for the phenotypic and functional stability of vessels that aid in the recovery of blood flow in ischemic peripheral tissues.