Facial Emotion Recognition Impairment in Patients with Parkinson's Disease and Isolated Apathy

Apathy is a frequent feature of Parkinson's disease (PD), usually related with executive dysfunction. However, in a subgroup of PD patients apathy may represent the only or predominant neuropsychiatric feature. To understand the mechanisms underlying apathy in PD, we investigated emotional processing in PD patients with and without apathy and in healthy controls (HC), assessed by a facial emotion recognition task (FERT). We excluded PD patients with cognitive impairment, depression, other affective disturbances and previous surgery for PD. PD patients with apathy scored significantly worse in the FERT, performing worse in fear, anger, and sadness recognition. No differences, however, were found between nonapathetic PD patients and HC. These findings suggest the existence of a disruption of emotional-affective processing in cognitive preserved PD patients with apathy. To identify specific dysfunction of limbic structures in PD, patients with isolated apathy may have therapeutic and prognostic implications

A Randomized Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Effects of Safinamide on Apathetic Non-demented Patients With Parkinson's Disease

Altres ajuts: CERCA; CIBERNED; La Marató de TV3 (2014/U/477, 20142910); Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER).Background: Apathy is highly prevalent and disabling in Parkinson's disease (PD). Pharmacological options for its management lack sufficient evidence. Objective: We studied the effects of safinamide on apathy in PD. Methods: Prospective, 24-week, two-site, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group exploratory study in non-demented PD on stable dopaminergic therapy randomized 1:1 to adjunct safinamide (50 mg/day for 2 weeks and 100 mg/day for 22 weeks) or placebo. The primary endpoint was the mean change from baseline to week 24 on the Apathy Scale (AS) total score. Secondary endpoints included changes in cognition, activities of daily living, motor scores, the impression of change, and safety and tolerability measures. Results: In total, 30 participants (active treatment = 15; placebo = 15; 80% showing clinically significant apathetic symptoms according to the AS) were enrolled, and included in the intention-to-treat analysis. Change in AS (ANOVA) showed a trend to significance [p = 0.059] mediated by a more marked decrease in AS score with safinamide (−7.5 ± 6.9) than with placebo (−2.8 ± 5.7). Post-hoc analysis (paired t-test) showed a significant positive change in the AS score between 12-week and 24-week [p = 0.001] only in the active group. No significant or trend changes were found for any of the secondary outcome variables. Adverse events were few and only mild in both treatment groups. Conclusions: Safinamide was safe and well-tolerated, but failed to provide evidence of improved apathy. The positive trend observed in the post-hoc analyses deserves to be studied in depth in larger studies. Trial Registration: EudraCT 2017-003254-17

Pattern of Regional Cortical Thinning Associated with Cognitive Deterioration in Parkinson's Disease

Altres ajuts: Sociedad Española de Radiologia Médica (SERAM 06-09)Background: Dementia is a frequent and devastating complication in Parkinson's disease (PD). There is an intensive search for biomarkers that may predict the progression from normal cognition (PD-NC) to dementia (PDD) in PD. Mild cognitive impairment in PD (PD-MCI) seems to represent a transitional state between PD-NC and PDD. Few studies have explored the structural changes that differentiate PD-NC from PD-MCI and PDD patients. Objectives and Methods: We aimed to analyze changes in cortical thickness on 3.0T Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) across stages of cognitive decline in a prospective sample of PD-NC (n = 26), PD-MCI (n = 26) and PDD (n = 20) patients, compared to a group of healthy subjects (HC) (n = 18). Cortical thickness measurements were made using the automatic software Freesurfer. Results: In a sample of 72 PD patients, a pattern of linear and progressive cortical thinning was observed between cognitive groups in cortical areas functionally specialized in declarative memory (entorhinal cortex, anterior temporal pole), semantic knowledge (parahippocampus, fusiform gyrus), and visuoperceptive integration (banks of the superior temporal sulcus, lingual gyrus, cuneus and precuneus). Positive correlation was observed between confrontation naming and thinning in the fusiform gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus and anterior temporal pole; clock copy with thinning of the precuneus, parahippocampal and lingual gyrus; and delayed memory with thinning of the bilateral anteromedial temporal cortex. Conclusions: The pattern of regional decreased cortical thickness that relates to cognitive deterioration is present in PD-MCI patients, involving areas that play a central role in the storage of prior experiences, integration of external perceptions, and semantic processing

Clinical and structural brain correlates of hypomimia in early-stage Parkinson's disease

Altres ajuts: acord transformatiu CRUE-CSICBackground and purpose: Reduced facial expression of emotions is a very frequent symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD) and has been considered part of the motor features of the disease. However, the neural correlates of hypomimia and the relationship between hypomimia and other non-motor symptoms of PD are poorly understood. Methods: The clinical and structural brain correlates of hypomimia were studied. For this purpose, cross-sectional data from the COPPADIS study database were used. Age, disease duration, levodopa equivalent daily dose, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part III (UPDRS-III), severity of apathy and depression and global cognitive status were collected. At the imaging level, analyses based on gray matter volume and cortical thickness were used. Results: After controlling for multiple confounding variables such as age or disease duration, the severity of hypomimia was shown to be indissociable from the UPDRS-III speech and bradykinesia items and was significantly related to the severity of apathy (β = 0.595; p < 0.0001). At the level of neural correlates, hypomimia was related to motor regions brodmann area 8 (BA 8) and to multiple fronto-temporo-parietal regions involved in the decoding, recognition and production of facial expression of emotions. Conclusion: Reduced facial expressivity in PD is related to the severity of symptoms of apathy and is mediated by the dysfunction of brain systems involved in motor control and in the recognition, integration and expression of emotions. Therefore, hypomimia in PD may be conceptualized not exclusively as a motor symptom but as a consequence of a multidimensional deficit leading to a symptom where motor and non-motor aspects converge

Management of Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders in women of childbearing age: Part 2

[ES] Introducción: Muchas enfermedades que cursan con trastornos del movimiento hipercinético comienzan o afectan a mujeres en edad fértil. Es importante conocer los riesgos que tienen las mujeres con estas enfermedades durante el embarazo, así como los posibles efectos de los tratamientos sobre el feto. Objetivos: Definir las características clínicas y los factores que condicionan la vida de la mujer en edad fértil con distonía, corea, síndrome de Tourette, temblor y síndrome de piernas inquietas. Definir una guía de actuación y manejo del embarazo y lactancia en las pacientes con esta enfermedad. Desarrollo: Este documento de consenso se ha realizado mediante una búsqueda bibliográfica exhaustiva y discusión de los contenidos llevadas a cabo por un Grupo de Expertos en Trastornos del Movimiento de la Sociedad Española de Neurología (SEN). Conclusiones: En todas las mujeres que padecen o comienzan con trastornos del movimiento hipercinéticos se debe valorar el riesgo-beneficio de los tratamientos, reducir al máximo la dosis eficaz o administrarlo de forma puntual en los casos en que sea posible. En aquellas enfermedades de causa hereditaria es importante un consejo genético para las familias. Es importante reconocer los trastornos del movimiento desencadenados durante el embarazo como determinadas coreas y síndrome de piernas inquietas.[EN] Introduction: Many diseases associated with hyperkinetic movement disorders manifest in women of childbearing age. It is important to understand the risks of these diseases during pregnancy, and the potential risks of treatment for the fetus. Objectives: This study aims to define the clinical characteristics and the factors affecting the lives of women of childbearing age with dystonia, chorea, Tourette syndrome, tremor, and restless legs syndrome, and to establish guidelines for management of pregnancy and breastfeeding in these patients. Results: This consensus document was developed through an exhaustive literature search and a discussion of the content by a group of movement disorder experts from the Spanish Society of Neurology. Conclusions: We must evaluate the risks and benefits of treatment in all women with hyperkinetic movement disorders, whether pre-existing or with onset during pregnancy, and aim to reduce effective doses as much as possible or to administer drugs only when necessary. In hereditary diseases, families should be offered genetic counselling. It is important to recognise movement disorders triggered during pregnancy, such as certain types of chorea and restless legs syndrome

Management of Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders in woman of childbearing age: Part 1

[ES] Introducción: El manejo de la enfermedad de Parkinson en la mujer en edad fértil nos plantea como principal reto el manejo de la enfermedad y los fármacos durante el embarazo y lactancia. El aumento de la edad gestacional de la mujer hace más probable que la incidencia de embarazos pueda incrementarse. Objetivo: Definir las características clínicas y los factores que condicionan la vida de la mujer en edad fértil con enfermedad de Parkinson y definir una guía de actuación y manejo del embarazo en estas pacientes. Resultados: Este documento de consenso se ha realizado mediante una búsqueda bibliográfica exhaustiva y discusión de los contenidos realizados por un grupo de expertos en trastornos del movimiento de la Sociedad Española de Neurología. Conclusiones: La enfermedad de Parkinson afecta a todos los aspectos relacionados con la salud sexual y reproductiva de la mujer en edad fértil. Se debe planificar el embarazo en las mujeres con enfermedad de Parkinson para minimizar los riesgos teratogénicos sobre el feto. Se recomienda un abordaje multidisciplinar de estas pacientes para tener en cuenta todos los aspectos implicados.[EN] Introduction: The main challenge of Parkinson's disease in women of childbearing age is managing symptoms and drugs during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The increase in the age at which women are having children makes it likely that these pregnancies will become more common in future. Objectives: This study aims to define the clinical characteristics of women of childbearing age with Parkinson's disease and the factors affecting their lives, and to establish a series of guidelines for managing pregnancy in these patients. Results: This consensus document was developed through an exhaustive literature search and a discussion of the available evidence by a group of movement disorder experts from the Spanish Society of Neurology. Conclusions: Parkinson's disease affects all aspects of sexual and reproductive health in women of childbearing age. Pregnancy should be well planned to minimise teratogenic risk. A multidisciplinary approach should be adopted in the management of these patients in order to take all relevant considerations into account

Identifying comorbidities and lifestyle factors contributing to the cognitive profile of early Parkinson's disease

Background: Identifying modifiable risk factors for cognitive impairment in the early stages of Parkinson's disease (PD) and estimating their impact on cognitive status may help prevent dementia (PDD) and the design of cognitive trials. Methods: Using a standard approach for the assessment of global cognition in PD and controlling for the effects of age, education and disease duration, we explored the associations between cognitive status, comorbidities, metabolic variables and lifestyle variables in 533 PD participants from the COPPADIS study. Results: Among the overall sample, 21% of participants were classified as PD-MCI (n = 114) and 4% as PDD (n = 26). The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia was significantly higher in cognitively impaired patients while no between-group differences were found for smoking, alcohol intake or use of supplementary vitamins. Better cognitive scores were significantly associated with regular physical exercise (p < 0.05) and cognitive stimulation (< 0.01). Cognitive performance was negatively associated with interleukin 2 (Il2) (p < 0.05), Il6 (p < 0.05), iron (p < 0.05), and homocysteine (p < 0.005) levels, and positively associated with vitamin B12 levels (p < 0.005). Conclusions: We extend previous findings regarding the positive and negative influence of various comorbidities and lifestyle factors on cognitive status in early PD patients, and reinforce the need to identify and treat potentially modifiable variables with the intention of exploring the possible improvement of the global cognitive status of patients with PD

Non-motor symptom burden in patients with Parkinson's disease with impulse control disorders and compulsive behaviours : results from the COPPADIS cohort

The study was aimed at analysing the frequency of impulse control disorders (ICDs) and compulsive behaviours (CBs) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and in control subjects (CS) as well as the relationship between ICDs/CBs and motor, nonmotor features and dopaminergic treatment in PD patients. Data came from COPPADIS-2015, an observational, descriptive, nationwide (Spain) study. We used the validated Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's Disease-Rating Scale (QUIP-RS) for ICD/CB screening. The association between demographic data and ICDs/CBs was analyzed in both groups. In PD, this relationship was evaluated using clinical features and treatment-related data. As result, 613 PD patients (mean age 62.47 ± 9.09 years, 59.87% men) and 179 CS (mean age 60.84 ± 8.33 years, 47.48% men) were included. ICDs and CBs were more frequent in PD (ICDs 12.7% vs. 1.6%, p < 0.001; CBs 7.18% vs. 1.67%, p = 0.01). PD patients had more frequent previous ICDs history, premorbid impulsive personality and antidepressant treatment (p < 0.05) compared with CS. In PD, patients with ICDs/CBs presented younger age at disease onset, more frequent history of previous ICDs and premorbid personality (p < 0.05), as well as higher comorbidity with nonmotor symptoms, including depression and poor quality of life. Treatment with dopamine agonists increased the risk of ICDs/CBs, being dose dependent (p < 0.05). As conclusions, ICDs and CBs were more frequent in patients with PD than in CS. More nonmotor symptoms were present in patients with PD who had ICDs/CBs compared with those without. Dopamine agonists have a prominent effect on ICDs/CBs, which could be influenced by dose

Efectos agudos de la levodopa en el rendimiento cognitivo y humor en pacientes afectos de enfermedad de Parkinson con respuesta motora estable y fluctuante : levodopa estándar vs. levodopa de liberación controlada /

Consultable des del TDXTítol obtingut de la portada digitalitzadaINTRODUCCIÓN Los pacientes con enfermedad de Parkinson (EP) presentan fluctuaciones cognitivas y anímicas en relación con la administración de levodopa (LD). No existen estudios formales que exploren la relación de estas fluctuaciones no motoras con la respuesta motora del paciente a la LD oral (estable o fluctuante) ni con diferentes perfiles farmacocinéticos de LD oral. OBJETIVO Los objetivos primarios de la tesis fueron analizar los cambios cognitivos y del humor y sus relaciones en dos grupos pacientes con EP con respuesta motora estable y fluctuante a la LD oral, a los cuales se les administró una dosis aguda de LD de liberación inmediata ó estándar (LD-St) y una dosis aguda de LD de liberación controlada (LD-R). Un objetivo secundario fue evaluar con HMPAO-SPECT los cambios en el flujo sanguíneo regional cerebral (FSCr) de los pacientes con EP durante una tarea de activación frontal (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test -WCST). MÉTODOS Estudio randomizado, doble ciego y cruzado en 14 pacientes (siete estables, siete fluctuantes). Se monitorizaron el estado motor, los niveles plasmáticos de LD, las funciones cognitivas frontales (con el -WCST-, test de memoria de Sternberg, test de Stroop y torre de Hanoi), el humor y la ansiedad (con escalas analógicas visuales, EAV) desde una hora antes hasta seis horas después de la administración de una dosis aguda de LD-St y LD-R. RESULTADOS Cognición: bajo la administración de LD-R, los pacientes mejoraron a lo largo de las sesiones el rendimiento del WCST (pacientes fluctuantes) y del test de Sternberg (muestra global de pacientes), y no hubo cambios significativos en el rendimiento del test de Stroop y la torre de Hanoi. El análisis del humor mostró que solo los pacientes fluctuantes presentaron significativas oscilaciones del humor, en especial bajo los efectos de LD-St. El pico de máxima reducción de la UPDRS con LD-St (+2.5H) coincidió con el pico de máxima reducción de la ansiedad, apareciendo ambos en una fase retrasada respecto al pico efecto del humor (+2H). El estado motor correlacionó con los niveles de LD en plasma y ansiedad, pero no con las puntuaciones del humor. No se pudo hallar una relación consistente entre el rendimiento cognitivo y las puntuaciones del humor. En el estudio con HMPAO-SPECT, los pacientes fluctuantes con LD-R activaron significativamente más la corteza frontal que el resto de grupos, lo cual coincidió con un mejor rendimiento en el WCST. CONCLUSIONES Los resultados de este trabajo indican que los pacientes con fluctuaciones motoras tienen un mayor riesgo de sufrir fluctuaciones del humor y de la ansiedad que los pacientes estables, y que las fluctuaciones del humor y la ansiedad son más marcadas que las de tipo cognitivo 'frontal'. A lo largo del tiempo, la LD-R mejora más que la LD-St el rendimiento en los tests frontales de mayor demanda ejecutiva, existiendo una disociación del rendimiento frente a la estimulación dopaminérgica aguda en tests ejecutivos, tanto en función de la diferente demanda y complejidad cognitiva como de la dependencia de subcircuitos fronto-estriatales diferentes. El desfase entre la más precoz mejoría del humor y la más tardía mejoría de la ansiedad sugiere que ambos fenómenos -aunque relacionados-, dependen de circuitos segregados, estando las fluctuaciones de la ansiedad más relacionadas con las fluctuaciones motoras. No hubo una correlación directa entre las oscilaciones del humor y de la ansiedad y el rendimiento en tareas frontales de alta demanda, como el WCST. Por último, los pacientes fluctuantes son capaces de activar más las zonas frontales ante una tarea frontal que los pacientes estables, especialmente bajo los efectos de LD-R.BACKGROUND Parkinson's disease (PD) patients treated with levodopa (LD) experience cognitive and mood fluctuations. How these non-motor fluctuations relate to the patient's motor response (stable or wearing-off) and to pharmacokinetic profiles of oral LD has nor been addressed in a formal study. OBJECTIVES The main objective of this study was to plot cognitive and mood changes and their relationships in two comparable groups exhibiting stable and wearing-off motor response to oral LD. Patients in both groups were acutely challenged with an oral dose of immediate-release (IR) and controlled-release (CR) LD formulations. A secondary objective was to evaluate the regional cerebral blood flow of PD patients by means of HMPAO-SPECT during a frontal activation test (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test-WCST). METHODS A randomised, double-blind, cross-over study of 14 patients (seven stable, seven wearing-off) monitored for motor status, plasma LD levels, frontal cognition (WCST, Sternberg Test, Stroop Test and Tower of Hanoi), mood and anxiety (Visual Analogue Scales, VAS), one hour before and over six hours after an oral dose of IR and CR-LD. RESULTS Cognition: following an oral dose of CR-LD, patients improved WCST performance (wearing-off patients) and Sternberg Test (total sample of patients) over the sessions, and there were not significant changes on Stroop Test and Tower of Hanoi performance. Mood: only the wearing-off patients had a significant mood elevation, and this was only significant when challenged with IR-LD. The peak-effect for the maximum reduction of the UPDRS (+2.5H) with IR-LD coincided with the peak-effect for the maximum reduction of anxiety, both phase-delayed with respect to the peak-effect of mood (+2H). Motor status strongly correlated with LD plasma levels and anxiety but not with mood scores. There was not consistent correlation between cognitive performance and mood scores. In the brain activation with HMPAO-SPECT, wearing-off patients under CR-LD showed activation of the frontal cortex more than other groups, this being coincident with a better performance. CONCLUSIONS Results of this study shown than wearing-off patients are more at risk for mood and anxiety fluctuations than stable patients, and that these fluctuations are more marked than 'frontal' cognitive fluctuations. Over time, performance of frontal tests with greater executive complexity improves more with CR-LD than IR-LD, existing a dissociation of performance in front of an acute dopaminergic stimulation in executive tests, depending of the different cognitive complexity and of the subjacent fronto-striatal circuits. The earlier improvement in mood and the later improvement in anxiety suggest that both phenomena -although related- are dependent on segregated circuits, with the anxiety fluctuations being more related to motor fluctuations. We found no direct correlation between mood and anxiety oscillations and performance in high-complexity frontal test, such as the WCST. Finally, wearing-off patients are able to activate the frontal regions more when performing a frontal task than stable patients, especially under the effects of CR-LD

Tremor Types in Parkinson Disease: A Descriptive Study Using a New Classification

Background. The current classification of tremor types in Parkinson disease (PD) is potentially confusing, particularly for mixed tremor, and there is no label for pure resting tremor. With a view to better defining the clinical phenomenological classification of these tremors, our group relabeled the different types as follows: pure resting tremor (type I); mixed resting and action tremor with similar frequencies (type II) divided, according to action tremor presentation, into II-R when there is a time lag and II-C otherwise; pure action tremor (type III); and mixed resting and action tremor with differing frequencies (type IV). We performed a descriptive study to determine prevalence and clinical correlates for this new tremor classification. Patient/Methods. A total of 315 consecutively recruited patients with PD and tremor were clinically evaluated. X2 tests were used to assess tremor type associations with categorical variables, namely, sex, family history of PD, motor fluctuations, and anticholinergic and beta-blocker use. With tremor type as the independent variable, ANOVA was performed to study the relationship between dependent quantitative variables, namely, age, age at PD diagnosis, disease duration, and UPDRS scores for rigidity. Results. The studied patients had tremor types as follows: type I, 30%; type II, 50% (II-R, 25% and II-C, 25%); type III, 19%; and type IV, 1%. No significant association was found between the studied clinical variables and tremor types. Conclusions. Mixed tremor was the most common tremor type in our series of patients with PD according to our proposed classification, which we hope will enhance understanding of the broad clinical phenomenology of PD