The impact of recurrent Covid-19 waves on patients with Functional Movement Disorders: A follow-up study

Background: Functional Movement Disorders (FMDs) might exacerbate in stressful conditions. As the global health emergency due to Covid-19 rise and multiple waves hit the Italian population, the recurrent severe restrictions' periods imposed could represent important triggers and worsen the symptoms of FMDs. Through a follow-up study, we compare results on Motor Symptoms (MS), Non-Motor Symptoms (NMS), and Global Health Status (GHS) of two surveys, one referred to the first Covid-19 wave and the other to the third Covid-19 wave. Methods: 60 FMDs patients responded to an online survey after the first and the third Covid-19 waves in Italy. Questions regarding sociodemographic, clinical and Covid-19 information, MS, NMS, and GHS were collected to assess severity of symptoms and changes in comparison to a period with less severe social restrictions. Results: Patients showed minimal to mild motor symptoms' severity, and substantial stability through time in all collected measures, both for severity and changes of MS, NMS, and GHS in comparison at two time points (p > 0.050). The worsening of pain resulted as predictor factor for the worsening of Motor Symptoms (p = 0.042). Conclusions: Patients did not show a vulnerability due to the recurrent restrictions' periods: MS, NMS and GHS did not vary in comparison to the first wave, confirming the previous results and highlighting the role of the social context in those disorders. Further investigations are required to better disentangle the relationship between stressful events, motor symptoms, and pain

Performance validity tests in nonlitigant patients with functional motor disorder

Background: Performance Validity Tests (PVTs) are used in neuropsychological assessments to detect patterns of performance suggesting that the broader evaluation may be an invalid reflection of an individual's abilities. Data on Functional motor disorder (FMD) are currently poor and conflicting. Objectives: We aimed to examine the rate of failure at three different PVTs of non-litigant, non-compensation seeking FMD patients, and we compared their performance to that of healthy controls and controls asked to simulate malingering (healthy simulators). Methods: We enrolled 29 non-litigant, non-compensation seeking patients with a clinical diagnosis of FMD, 29 healthy controls and 29 healthy simulators. Three PVTs, the Coin in the Hand Test (CIH), the Rey 15-item Test (REY) and the Finger Tapping Test (FTT), were employed. Results: FMD Patients showed low rates of failure at the CIH and REY tests (7% and 10%, respectively) and slightly higher at the FTT (15%, n=26) test, which implies a motor task. Their performance was statistically comparable to that of healthy controls but statistically different from that of healthy simulators (p<0.001). 93% of FMD patients, 7% of healthy simulators, and 100% of healthy controls passed at least two of the three tests. Conclusions: PVT performance of non-litigant, non-compensation seeking patients with FMD ranged from 7 to 15%. Patient's performance was comparable to controls and significantly differed from that of simulators. This simple battery of three PVTs could be of practical utility and routinely used in clinical practice

Search for new particles in events with energetic jets and large missing transverse momentum in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

A search is presented for new particles produced at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at root s = 13 TeV, using events with energetic jets and large missing transverse momentum. The analysis is based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 101 fb(-1), collected in 2017-2018 with the CMS detector. Machine learning techniques are used to define separate categories for events with narrow jets from initial-state radiation and events with large-radius jets consistent with a hadronic decay of a W or Z boson. A statistical combination is made with an earlier search based on a data sample of 36 fb(-1), collected in 2016. No significant excess of events is observed with respect to the standard model background expectation determined from control samples in data. The results are interpreted in terms of limits on the branching fraction of an invisible decay of the Higgs boson, as well as constraints on simplified models of dark matter, on first-generation scalar leptoquarks decaying to quarks and neutrinos, and on models with large extra dimensions. Several of the new limits, specifically for spin-1 dark matter mediators, pseudoscalar mediators, colored mediators, and leptoquarks, are the most restrictive to date.Peer reviewe

Probing effective field theory operators in the associated production of top quarks with a Z boson in multilepton final states at root s=13 TeV

Peer reviewe

Medico-legal aspects of functional neurological disorders: time for an interdisciplinary dialogue

[no abstract available

Gaps in Functional Motor Disorders care in two European countries: time to address shared terminology, medico-legal barriers and public investments

Functional Motor Disorders (FMDs) are frequent and highly disabling conditions. Despite the substantial advances in FMDs diagnosis, mechanisms and treatments, tangible applications to care are yet to be accomplished. We intended to identify the main real-life gaps and barriers in FMDs both patients and physicians face, in two different European countries, Italy and Czechia

Motor and non-motor outcomes after a rehabilitation program for patients with Functional Motor Disorders: a prospective, observational cohort study

BACKGROUND: Rehabilitation has proven effective in improving motor symptoms (i.e., weakness, tremor, gait and balance disorders) in patients with Functional Motor Disorders (FMDs). Its effects on non-motor symptoms (NMSs) such as fatigue, pain, depression, anxiety and alexithymia, have not been explored yet.OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of a validated inpatient 5-day rehabilitation program, followed by a home-based self-management plan on functional motor symptoms, NMSs, self-rated perception of change, and quality of life (QoL).METHODS: 33 FMD patients were enrolled. Measures for motor symptoms and NMSs were primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes included measures of self-perception of change and QoL. Patients were evaluated pre-treatment (T0), post-treatment (T1), and 3-month follow-up (T2).RESULTS: There was an overall significant decrease in functional motor symptoms, general, physical, and reduced-activity fatigue (for all, p\u200a< \u200a0.001). Post hoc comparison showed significant improvements at T1, whereas effects remained significant at T2 for motor symptoms and physical fatigue. Gait and balance, alexithymia, and physical functioning (QoL) significantly improved at T2. More than 50% of patients reported marked improvement at T1 and T2.CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests the benefits of rehabilitation and self-management plan on functional motor symptoms and physical fatigue in the medium-term. More actions are needed for the management of pain and other distressing NMSs in FMDs

The impact of lockdown on Functional Motor Disorders patients during the first COVID-19 outbreak: acase-control study

No abstract availabl

Biochemical Mechanisms beyond Glycosphingolipid Accumulation in Fabry Disease: Might They Provide Additional Therapeutic Treatments?

: Fabry disease is a rare X-linked disease characterized by deficient expression and activity of alpha-galactosidase A (α-GalA) with consequent lysosomal accumulation of glycosphingolipid in various organs. Currently, enzyme replacement therapy is the cornerstone of the treatment of all Fabry patients, although in the long-term it fails to completely halt the disease's progression. This suggests on one hand that the adverse outcomes cannot be justified only by the lysosomal accumulation of glycosphingolipids and on the other that additional therapies targeted at specific secondary mechanisms might contribute to halt the progression of cardiac, cerebrovascular, and renal disease that occur in Fabry patients. Several studies reported how secondary biochemical processes beyond Gb3 and lyso-Gb3 accumulation-such as oxidative stress, compromised energy metabolism, altered membrane lipid, disturbed cellular trafficking, and impaired autophagy-might exacerbate Fabry disease adverse outcomes. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge of these pathogenetic intracellular mechanisms in Fabry disease, which might suggest novel additional strategies for its treatment

Un approccio territoriale allo studio della vegetazione e del paesaggio.

la classificazione gerarchica territoriale integra, a differenti scale, l'analisi fitosociologica e sinfitosociologica con l'analisi dei parametri abiotici. attraverso questo percorso vengono riconosciute unità ecologicamente omogenee i termini di potenzialità vegetazionale. Questi studi hanno portato alla realizzazione di numerose cartografie tematiche utilizzate come documenti di base per la pianificazione territoriale di parchi nazionali e di ambiti territoriali molto complessi