Prolonged injury symptoms and later visits to psychiatric care after mild traumatic brain injury in school-age

Objective To investigate demographic and pre-injury factors in Finnish school-aged children admitted to pediatric neurology services after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The relation of these factors to prolonged injury symptoms and later visits into psychiatric care was assessed. Methods Demographic information, pre-injury learning status, and neuropsychological test results of 120 patients aged 7-16 years were retrospectively collected from the hospital medical records. Data were compared with self- or parent-reported injury symptoms at 1-3 months post-injury and later visits to psychiatric care. Results According to medical records, 14.2% of the children with mTBI had a diagnosed neurobehavioral or psychiatric condition pre-injury. Additionally, 53.3% of the children had some neurobehavioral or psychiatric concerns or traits prior to the injury. Over half (56.7%) of the children studied were symptomatic at 1-3 months following the injury. Female gender and presence of prolonged symptoms were predictive for later visit into psychiatric care. Conclusions Pre-injury neurobehavioral or psychiatric problems may predict prolonged injury symptoms following pediatric mTBI. In this retrospective patient series, prolonged symptoms and female gender seem to predict the need for later psychiatric care. Monitoring the recovery of children with mTBI and pre-injury risk factors is important for timely interventions.Peer reviewe

Executive function subdomains are associated with post-stroke functional outcome and permanent institutionalization

Background and purposeImpairment of executive functions (EFs) is a common cognitive symptom post-stroke and affects independence in daily activities. Previous studies have often relied on brief cognitive tests not fully considering the wide spectrum of EF subdomains. A detailed assessment of EFs was used to examine which of the subdomains and tests have the strongest predictive value on post-stroke functional outcome and institutionalization in long-term follow-up. MethodsA subsample of 62 patients from the Helsinki Stroke Aging Memory Study was evaluated with a battery of seven neuropsychological EF tests 3 months post-stroke and compared to 39 healthy control subjects. Functional impairment was evaluated with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scale at 3 months, and with the mRS at 15 months post-stroke. Institutionalization was reviewed from the national registers of permanent hospital admissions in up to 21-year follow-up. ResultsThe stroke group performed more poorly than the control group in multiple EF tests. Tests of inhibition, set shifting, initiation, strategy formation and processing speed were associated with the mRS and IADL scale in stroke patients. EF subdomain scores of inhibition, set shifting and processing speed were associated with functional outcome. In addition, inhibition was associated with the risk for earlier institutionalization. ConclusionsExecutive function was strongly associated with post-stroke functional impairment. In follow-up, poor inhibition was related to earlier permanent institutionalization. The results suggest the prognostic value of EF subdomains after stroke.Peer reviewe

Brain atrophy accelerates cognitive decline in cerebral small vessel disease: The LADIS study

Objective: To examine the independent contributions and combined interactions of medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA), cortical and subcortical atrophy, and white matter lesion (WML) volume in longitudinal cognitive performance. Methods: A total of 477 subjects with age-relatedWMLwere evaluated with brain MRI and annual neuropsychological examinations in 3-year follow-up. Baseline MRI determinants of cognitive decline were analyzed with linear mixed models controlling for multiple confounders. Results: MTA and subcortical atrophy predicted significantly steeper rate of decline in global cognitive measures as well as compound scores for psychomotor speed, executive functions, and memory after adjusting for age, gender, education, lacunes/infarcts, and WML volume. Cortical atrophy independently predicted decline in psychomotor speed. WML volume remained significantly associated with cognitive decline even after controlling for the atrophy scores. Moreover, significant synergistic interactions were found between WML and atrophy measures in overall cognitive performance across time and the rate of cognitive decline. Synergistic effects were also observed between baseline lacunar infarcts and all atrophy measures on change in psychomotor speed. The main results remained robust after exclusion of subjects with clinical stroke or incident dementia, and after additional adjustments for progression of WML and lacunes. Conclusions: Brain atrophy and WML are independently related to longitudinal cognitive decline in small vessel disease. MTA, subcortical, and cortical atrophy seem to potentiate the effect ofWML and lacunes on cognitive decline

Haptoglobin Hp1 Variant Does Not Associate with Small Vessel Disease

Haptoglobin (Hp) is a plasma protein that binds free hemoglobin and protects tissues from oxidative damage. An Hp2 allele has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications. On the other hand, recent studies have suggested that Hp1 allele increases risk to develop severe cerebral small vessel disease. We aimed to replicate this finding in a first-ever stroke patient cohort. Hp was genotyped by PCR and gel electrophoresis in the Helsinki Stroke Aging Memory Study in patients with DNA and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) available (SAM; n = 316). Lacunar infarcts and white matter lesions (WML) classified by Fazekas grading from brain MRI were associated with Hp genotypes. As population controls, we used participants of Cardiovascular diseases-a sub study of Health 2000 Survey (n = 1417). In the SAM cohort, 63.0% of Hp1-1 carriers (n = 46), 52.5% of Hp1-2 carriers (n = 141) and 51.2% of Hp2-2 carriers (n = 129) had severe WML (p = 0.372). There was no difference in severe WMLs between Hp1-1 vs. Hp1-2 and Hp2-2 carriers (p = 0.201). In addition, 68.9% of Hp1-1 carriers (n = 45), 58.5% of Hp1-2 carriers (n = 135), and 61.8% of Hp2-2 carriers (n = 126) had one or more lacunar lesions (p = 0.472). There was no difference in the number of patients with at least one lacunar infarct between Hp1-1 vs. Hp1-2 and Hp2-2 groups (p = 0.322). Neither was there any difference when diabetic patients (type I and II) were examined separately. Hp1 allele is not associated with an increased risk for cerebral small vessel disease in a well-characterized Finnish stroke patient cohort

Relationship between progression of brain white matter changes and late-life depression: 3-year results from the LADIS study

Background: Brain white matter changes (WMC) and depressive symptoms are linked, but the directionality of this association remains unclear. Aims: To investigate the relationship between baseline and incident depression and progression of white matter changes. Method: In a longitudinal multicentre pan-European study (Leukoaraiosis and Disability in the elderly, LADIS), participants aged over 64 underwent baseline magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical assessments. Repeat scans were obtained at 3 years. Depressive outcomes were assessed in terms of depressive episodes and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Progression of WMC was measured using the modified Rotterdam Progression scale. Results: Progression of WMC was significantly associated with incident depression during year 3 of the study (P = 0.002) and remained significant after controlling for transition to disability, baseline WMC and baseline history of depression. There was no significant association between progression of WMC and GDS score, and no significant relationship between progression of WMC and history of depression at baseline. Conclusions: Our results support the vascular depression hypothesis and implicate WMC as causal in the pathogenesis of late-life depression.Full Tex

Disturbed oscillatory brain dynamics in subcortical ischemic vascular dementia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>White matter hyperintensities (WMH) can lead to dementia but the underlying physiological mechanisms are unclear. We compared relative oscillatory power from electroencephalographic studies (EEGs) of 17 patients with subcortical ischemic vascular dementia, based on extensive white matter hyperintensities (SIVD-WMH) with 17 controls to investigate physiological changes underlying this diagnosis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Differences between the groups were large, with a decrease of relative power of fast activity in patients (alpha power 0.25 ± 0.12 versus 0.38 ± 0.13, p = 0.01; beta power 0.08 ± 0.04 versus 0.19 ± 0.07; p<0.001) and an increase in relative powers of slow activity in patients (theta power 0.32 ± 0.11 versus 0.14 ± 0.09; p<0.001 and delta power 0.31 ± 0.14 versus 0.23 ± 0.09; p<0.05). Lower relative beta power was related to worse cognitive performance in a linear regression analysis (standardized beta = 0.67, p<0.01).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This pattern of disturbance in oscillatory brain activity indicate loss of connections between neurons, providing a first step in the understanding of cognitive dysfunction in SIVD-WMH.</p

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Neuropsychological Assessment Battery of the LADIS study: a longitudinal analysis

WOS:000315985900004Age-related white matter changes have been associated with cognitive functioning, even though their role is not fully understood. This work aimed to test a 3-factor model of the neuropsychological assessment battery and evaluate how the model fit the data longitudinally. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to investigate the dimensions of a structured set of neuropsychological tests administered to a multicenter, international sample of independent older adults (LADIS study). Six hundred and thirty-eight older adults completed baseline neuropsychological, clinical, functional and motor assessments, which were repeated each year for a 3-year follow-up. CFA provided support for a 3-factor model. These factors involve the dimensions of executive functions, memory functions, and speed and motor control abilities. Performance decreased in most neuropsychological measures. Results showed that executive functioning, memory and speed of motor abilities are valid latent variables of neuropsychological performance among older adults, and that this structure is relatively consistent longitudinally, even though performance decreases with time.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Diffusion-Weighted Imaging and Cognition in the Leukoariosis and Disability in the Elderly Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE-: The mechanisms by which leukoariosis impacts on clinical and cognitive functions are not yet fully understood. We hypothesized that ultrastructural abnormalities of the normal-appearing brain tissue (NABT) assessed by diffusion-weighted imaging played a major and independent role. METHODS-: In addition to a comprehensive clinical, neuropsychologic, and imaging work-up, diffusion-weighted imaging was performed in 340 participants of the multicenter leukoariosis and disability study examining the impact of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on 65-to 85-year old individuals without previous disability. WMH severity was rated according to the Fazekas score. Multivariate regression analysis served to assess correlations of histogram metrics of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of whole-brain tissue, NABT, and of the mean ADC of WMH with cognitive functions. RESULTS-: Increasing WMH scores were associated with a higher frequency of hypertension, a greater WMH volume, more brain atrophy, worse overall cognitive performance, and changes in ADC. We found strong associations between the peak height of the ADC histogram of whole-brain tissue and NABT with memory performance, executive dysfunction, and speed, which remained after adjustment for WMH lesion volume and brain atrophy and were consistent among centers. No such association was seen with the mean ADC of WMH. CONCLUSIONS-: Ultrastructural abnormalities of NABT increase with WMH severity and have a strong and independent effect on cognitive functions, whereas diffusion-weighted imaging metrics within WMH have no direct impact. This should be considered when defining outcome measures for trials that attempt to ameliorate the consequences of WMH progression

White Matter Lesion Progression in LADIS Frequency, Clinical Effects, and Sample Size Calculations

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: White matter lesion (WML) progression has been advocated as a surrogate marker in intervention trials on cerebral small vessel disease. We assessed the rate of visually rated WML progression, studied correlations between lesion progression and cognition, and estimated sample sizes for clinical trials with pure WML progression vs combined WML progression-cognitive outcomes. METHODS: Those 394 participants of the Leukoaraiosis and Disability Study (LADIS) study with magnetic resonance imaging scanning at baseline and 3-year follow-up were analyzed. WML progression rating relied on the modified Rotterdam Progression Scale. The Vascular Dementia Assessment Scale global score and a composite score of specific executive function tests assessed longitudinal change in cognition. Sample size calculations were based on the assumption that treatment reduces WML progression by 1 grade on the Rotterdam Progression Scale. RESULTS: WML progression related to deterioration in cognitive functioning. This relationship was less pronounced in subjects with early confluent and confluent lesions. Consequently, studies in which the outcome is cognitive change resulting from treatment effects on lesion progression will need between 1809 subjects per treatment arm when using executive tests and up to 18 853 subjects when using the Vascular Dementia Assessment Scale score. Studies having WML progression as the sole outcome will need only 58 or 70 individuals per treatment arm. CONCLUSIONS: WML progression is an interesting outcome for proof-of-concept studies in cerebral small vessel disease. If cognitive outcome measures are added to protocols, then sample size estimates increase substantially. Our data support the use of an executive test battery rather than the Vascular Dementia Assessment Scale as the primary cognitive outcome measure

"Closing-in" phenomenon in Alzheimer's disease and subcortical vascular dementia

BACKGROUND: The 'closing-in' phenomenon is defined as a tendency to close in on a model while copying it. This is one of several constructional apraxia observed in dementia, particularly in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of it in the differential diagnosis of AD and subcortical vascular dementia (SVD) and to clarify the factors associated with it. METHODS: We operationally defined and classified it into three types, namely overlap, adherent, and near type. We analyzed the incidence of it in patients with AD (n = 98) and SVD (n = 48). RESULTS: AD patients exhibited a significantly higher occurrence of it as compared to SVD patients. Among the different types of it, the overlap and adherent types occurred almost exclusively in AD patients. A discriminant analysis in AD subjects revealed that the scores obtained from the MMSE, CDR, Barthel index, and the Rey-Osterrieth complex figure test were correlated significantly with the occurrence of it. There was no statistical difference between the Q-EEG parameters of patients that exhibited the closing-in phenomenon and those that did not. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the closing-in phenomenon is phase- and AD-specific and might be a useful tool for the differential diagnosis of AD and SVD