Cognitive functioning throughout adulthood and illness stages in individuals with psychotic disorders and their unaffected siblings

Important questions remain about the profile of cognitive impairment in psychotic disorders across adulthood and illness stages. The age-associated profile of familial impairments also remains unclear, as well as the effect of factors, such as symptoms, functioning, and medication. Using cross-sectional data from the EU-GEI and GROUP studies, comprising 8455 participants aged 18 to 65, we examined cognitive functioning across adulthood in patients with psychotic disorders (n = 2883), and their unaffected siblings (n = 2271), compared to controls (n = 3301). An abbreviated WAIS-III measured verbal knowledge, working memory, visuospatial processing, processing speed, and IQ. Patients showed medium to large deficits across all functions (ES range = -0.45 to -0.73, p <0.001), while siblings showed small deficits on IQ, verbal knowledge, and working memory (ES = -0.14 to -0.33, p <0.001). Magnitude of impairment was not associated with participant age, such that the size of impairment in older and younger patients did not significantly differ. However, first-episode patients performed worse than prodromal patients (ES range = -0.88 to -0.60, p <0.001). Adjusting for cannabis use, symptom severity, and global functioning attenuated impairments in siblings, while deficits in patients remained statistically significant, albeit reduced by half (ES range = -0.13 to -0.38, p <0.01). Antipsychotic medication also accounted for around half of the impairment in patients (ES range = -0.21 to -0.43, p <0.01). Deficits in verbal knowledge, and working memory may specifically index familial, i.e., shared genetic and/or shared environmental, liability for psychotic disorders. Nevertheless, potentially modifiable illness-related factors account for a significant portion of the cognitive impairment in psychotic disorders

Cognitive functioning throughout adulthood and illness stages in individuals with psychotic disorders and their unaffected siblings.

Important questions remain about the profile of cognitive impairment in psychotic disorders across adulthood and illness stages. The age-associated profile of familial impairments also remains unclear, as well as the effect of factors, such as symptoms, functioning, and medication. Using cross-sectional data from the EU-GEI and GROUP studies, comprising 8455 participants aged 18 to 65, we examined cognitive functioning across adulthood in patients with psychotic disorders (n = 2883), and their unaffected siblings (n = 2271), compared to controls (n = 3301). An abbreviated WAIS-III measured verbal knowledge, working memory, visuospatial processing, processing speed, and IQ. Patients showed medium to large deficits across all functions (ES range = -0.45 to -0.73, p < 0.001), while siblings showed small deficits on IQ, verbal knowledge, and working memory (ES = -0.14 to -0.33, p < 0.001). Magnitude of impairment was not associated with participant age, such that the size of impairment in older and younger patients did not significantly differ. However, first-episode patients performed worse than prodromal patients (ES range = -0.88 to -0.60, p < 0.001). Adjusting for cannabis use, symptom severity, and global functioning attenuated impairments in siblings, while deficits in patients remained statistically significant, albeit reduced by half (ES range = -0.13 to -0.38, p < 0.01). Antipsychotic medication also accounted for around half of the impairment in patients (ES range = -0.21 to -0.43, p < 0.01). Deficits in verbal knowledge, and working memory may specifically index familial, i.e., shared genetic and/or shared environmental, liability for psychotic disorders. Nevertheless, potentially modifiable illness-related factors account for a significant portion of the cognitive impairment in psychotic disorders.The European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme under grant agreement No. HEALTH-F2-2010-241909 (EU-GEI)

Association of Variants in the SPTLC1 Gene With Juvenile Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Importance: Juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare form of ALS characterized by age of symptom onset less than 25 years and a variable presentation.Objective: To identify the genetic variants associated with juvenile ALS.Design, Setting, and Participants: In this multicenter family-based genetic study, trio whole-exome sequencing was performed to identify the disease-associated gene in a case series of unrelated patients diagnosed with juvenile ALS and severe growth retardation. The patients and their family members were enrolled at academic hospitals and a government research facility between March 1, 2016, and March 13, 2020, and were observed until October 1, 2020. Whole-exome sequencing was also performed in a series of patients with juvenile ALS. A total of 66 patients with juvenile ALS and 6258 adult patients with ALS participated in the study. Patients were selected for the study based on their diagnosis, and all eligible participants were enrolled in the study. None of the participants had a family history of neurological disorders, suggesting de novo variants as the underlying genetic mechanism.Main Outcomes and Measures: De novo variants present only in the index case and not in unaffected family members.Results: Trio whole-exome sequencing was performed in 3 patients diagnosed with juvenile ALS and their parents. An additional 63 patients with juvenile ALS and 6258 adult patients with ALS were subsequently screened for variants in the SPTLC1 gene. De novo variants in SPTLC1 (p.Ala20Ser in 2 patients and p.Ser331Tyr in 1 patient) were identified in 3 unrelated patients diagnosed with juvenile ALS and failure to thrive. A fourth variant (p.Leu39del) was identified in a patient with juvenile ALS where parental DNA was unavailable. Variants in this gene have been previously shown to be associated with autosomal-dominant hereditary sensory autonomic neuropathy, type 1A, by disrupting an essential enzyme complex in the sphingolipid synthesis pathway.Conclusions and Relevance: These data broaden the phenotype associated with SPTLC1 and suggest that patients presenting with juvenile ALS should be screened for variants in this gene.</p

The structure of b-diketones related to curcumin determined by X-ray crystallography, NMR (solution and solid state) and theoretical calculations

p { margin-bottom: 0.25cm; direction: ltr; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 120%; }p.western { font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; }p.cjk { font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; }p.ctl { font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; }a:visited { color: rgb(128, 0, 128); }a.western:visited { }a.cjk:visited { }a.ctl:visited { }a:link { color: rgb(0, 0, 255); }Structural data are reported on sixteen ketoenols of β-diketones:solution NMR, solid-state NMR (CPMAS and MAS) and X-raycrystallography (eight compounds, where three are new). The emphasisis on the tautomerism between both ketoenols, in solution and in the solid statep { margin-bottom: 0.25cm; direction: ltr; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 120%; }p.western { font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; }p.cjk { font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; }p.ctl { font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; }a:visited { color: rgb(128, 0, 128); }a.western:visited { }a.cjk:visited { }a.ctl:visited { }a:link { color: rgb(0, 0, 255); }Structural data are reported in sixteen ketoenols of beta diketones, solution NMR, solid-state NMR(CPMAS and MAS) and X-ray crystallography (four compounds, where three are new). The emphasis is on the tautomerist between both ketoenols, both in solution and solid-state.  GIAO-B3LYP 6-311g (d,p)  and Quantum ESPRESSO (QE) calculations were used and compared. For average values, the GIAO-DMSO-PCM is enough but splittings can only be approached by using QE. A case of rotational disorder has been analyzed. Some anomalies related to C-F bonds and to the C-CF3 group have been detected.Fil: Nieto, Carla I.. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; EspañaFil: Abelaira, Pilar. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; EspañaFil: Claramunt, Rosa M.. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; EspañaFil: Cornago, Pilar. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; EspañaFil: Sanz, Dionisia. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; EspañaFil: Torralba, M. Carmen. Universidad Complutense de Madrid; EspañaFil: Torres, M. Rosario. Universidad Complutense de Madrid; EspañaFil: Ferraro, Marta Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Ibon Alkorta. Instituto de Quımica Medica; EspañaFil: Marín Luna, M.. Instituto de Quımica Medica; EspañaFil: Elguero, José. Instituto de Quımica Medica; Españ

The structure of β-diketones related to curcumin determined by X-ray crystallography, NMR (solution and solid state) and theoretical calculations

Structural data are reported on sixteen ketoenols of β-diketones: solution NMR, solid-state NMR (CPMAS and MAS) and X-ray crystallography (four compounds, where three are new). The emphasis is on the tautomerism between both ketoenols, in solution and in the solid state. GIAO/B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) and Quantum ESPRESSO (QE) calculations were used and compared. For average values, the GIAO/DMSO-PCM is enough, but splittings can only be approached by using QE. A case of rotational disorder has been analyzed. Some anomalies related to C-F bonds and to the C-CF group have been detected.This work has been financed by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad of Spain (CTQ2012-35513-C02-02 and CTQ2014-56833-R) and Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (Project Fotocarbon, S2013/MIT-2841). One of us (C. I. Nieto) is indebted to Struct Chem (2016) 27:705–730 729 123 UNED for a predoctoral fellowship (FPI ‘‘Grupos de Investigación’’ UNED). Financial support from the Universidad de Buenos Aires and the CONICET is also greatly acknowledged.Peer Reviewe

MND Phenotypes Differentiation: The Role of Multimodal Characterization at the Time of Diagnosis

Pure/predominant upper motor neuron (pUMN) and lower motor neuron (pLMN) diseases have significantly better prognosis compared to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but their early differentiation is often challenging. We therefore tested whether a multimodal characterization approach embedding clinical, cognitive/behavioral, genetic, and neurophysiological data may improve the differentiation of pUMN and pLMN from ALS already by the time of diagnosis. Dunn’s and chi-squared tests were used to compare data from 41 ALS, 34 pLMN, and 19 pUMN cases with diagnoses confirmed throughout a 2-year observation period. Area under the curve (AUC) analyses were implemented to identify the finest tools for phenotypes discrimination. Relative to ALS, pLMN showed greater lower limbs weakness, lower UMN burden, and progression rate (p p p = 0.05–0.03). The UMN progression rate was the finest measure to identify pLMN cases (AUC = 90%), while the MRC progression rate was the finest tool to identify pUMN (AUC = 82%). Detailed clinical and neurophysiological examinations may significantly improve MNDs differentiation, facilitating prognosis estimation and ameliorating stratification strategies for clinical trials enrollment