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Use of Alzheimer's Disease Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers in A Tertiary Care Memory Clinic. Can J Neurol Sci 2021; 49:203-209. [PMID: 33845924 DOI: 10.1017/cjn.2021.67] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alzheimer's disease (AD) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers are promising tools to help identify the underlying pathology of neurocognitive disorders. In this manuscript, we report our experience with AD CSF biomarkers in 262 consecutive patients in a tertiary care memory clinic. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 262 consecutive patients who underwent lumbar puncture (LP) and CSF measurement of AD biomarkers (Aβ1-42, total tau or t-tau, and p-tau181). We studied the safety of the procedure and its impact on patient's diagnosis and management. RESULTS The LP allowed to identify underlying AD pathology in 72 of the 121 patients (59%) with early onset amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) with a high probability of progression to AD; to distinguish the behavioral/dysexecutive variant of AD from the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) in 25 of the 45 patients (55%) with an atypical neurobehavioral profile; to identify AD as the underlying pathology in 15 of the 27 patients (55%) with atypical or unclassifiable primary progressive aphasia (PPA); and to distinguish AD from other disorders in 9 of the 29 patients (31%) with psychiatric differential diagnoses and 19 of the 40 patients (47%) with lesional differential diagnoses (normal pressure hydrocephalus, encephalitis, prion disease, etc.). No major complications occurred following the LP. INTERPRETATION Our results suggest that CSF analysis is a safe and effective diagnostic tool in select patients with neurocognitive disorders. We advocate for a wider use of this biomarker in tertiary care memory clinics in Canada.
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Yang J, Jia L, Li Y, Qiu Q, Quan M, Jia J. Fluid Biomarkers in Clinical Trials for Alzheimer's Disease: Current and Future Application. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 81:19-32. [PMID: 33749646 DOI: 10.3233/jad-201068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) research is entering a unique moment in which enormous information about the molecular basis of this disease is being translated into therapeutics. However, almost all drug candidates have failed in clinical trials over the past 30 years. These many trial failures have highlighted a need for the incorporation of biomarkers in clinical trials to help improve the trial design. Fluid biomarkers measured in cerebrospinal fluid and circulating blood, which can reflect the pathophysiological process in the brain, are becoming increasingly important in AD clinical trials. In this review, we first succinctly outline a panel of fluid biomarkers for neuropathological changes in AD. Then, we provide a comprehensive overview of current and future application of fluid biomarkers in clinical trials for AD. We also summarize the many challenges that have been encountered in efforts to integrate fluid biomarkers in clinical trials, and the barriers that have begun to be overcome. Ongoing research efforts in the field of fluid biomarkers will be critical to make significant progress in ultimately unveiling disease-modifying therapies in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianwei Yang
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Longfei Jia
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Clinical Center for Neurodegenerative Disease and Memory Impairment, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Li
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiongqiong Qiu
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Meina Quan
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianping Jia
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Clinical Center for Neurodegenerative Disease and Memory Impairment, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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Nguyen TT, Ta QTH, Nguyen TKO, Nguyen TTD, Vo VG. Role of Body-Fluid Biomarkers in Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis. Diagnostics (Basel) 2020; 10:diagnostics10050326. [PMID: 32443860 PMCID: PMC7277970 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics10050326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease that requires extremely specific biomarkers for its diagnosis. For current diagnostics capable of identifying AD, the development and validation of early stage biomarkers is a top research priority. Body-fluid biomarkers might closely reflect synaptic dysfunction in the brain and, thereby, could contribute to improving diagnostic accuracy and monitoring disease progression, and serve as markers for assessing the response to disease-modifying therapies at early onset. Here, we highlight current advances in the research on the capabilities of body-fluid biomarkers and their role in AD pathology. Then, we describe and discuss current applications of the potential biomarkers in clinical diagnostics in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thuy Trang Nguyen
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH), Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam;
| | - Qui Thanh Hoai Ta
- Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Danang 550000, Vietnam;
| | - Thi Kim Oanh Nguyen
- Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam;
| | - Thi Thuy Dung Nguyen
- Faculty of Environmental and Food Engineering, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City 70000, Vietnam
- Correspondence: (T.T.D.N.); (V.G.V.)
| | - Van Giau Vo
- Department of Industrial and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Environment, Gachon University, 1342 Sungnam-daero, Sujung-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 461-701, Korea
- Department of BionanoTechnology, Gachon University, 1342 Sungnam-daero, Sujung-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 461-701, Korea
- Correspondence: (T.T.D.N.); (V.G.V.)
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Obrocki P, Khatun A, Ness D, Senkevich K, Hanrieder J, Capraro F, Mattsson N, Andreasson U, Portelius E, Ashton NJ, Blennow K, Schöll M, Paterson RW, Schott JM, Zetterberg H. Perspectives in fluid biomarkers in neurodegeneration from the 2019 biomarkers in neurodegenerative diseases course-a joint PhD student course at University College London and University of Gothenburg. ALZHEIMERS RESEARCH & THERAPY 2020; 12:20. [PMID: 32111242 PMCID: PMC7049194 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-020-00586-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Until relatively recently, a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders was principally based on clinical presentation, with post-mortem examination remaining a gold standard for disease confirmation. This is in sharp contrast to other areas of medicine, where fluid biomarkers, such as troponin levels in myocardial infarction, form an integral part of the diagnostic and treatment criteria. There is a pressing need for such quantifiable and easily accessible tools in neurodegenerative diseases.In this paper, based on lectures given at the 2019 Biomarkers in Neurodegenerative Diseases Course, we provide an overview of a range of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood biomarkers in neurodegenerative disorders, including the 'core' AD biomarkers amyloid β (Aβ) and tau, as well as other disease-specific and general markers of neuroaxonal injury. We then highlight the main challenges in the field, and how those could be overcome with the aid of new methodological advances, such as assay automation, mass spectrometry and ultrasensitive immunoassays.As we hopefully move towards an era of disease-modifying treatments, reliable biomarkers will be essential to increase diagnostic accuracy, allow for earlier diagnosis, better participant selection and disease activity and treatment effect monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawel Obrocki
- Department of Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.
| | - Ayesha Khatun
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegeneration, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Deborah Ness
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Konstantin Senkevich
- First Pavlov State Medical University of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Russia.,Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute named by B.P. Konstantinov of National Research Center, Kurchatov Institute, Gatchina, Russia
| | - Jörg Hanrieder
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK.,Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Federica Capraro
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Niklas Mattsson
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ulf Andreasson
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.,Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Erik Portelius
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.,Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Nicholas J Ashton
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.,Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, London, UK.,NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health & Biomedical Research Unit for Dementia at South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation, London, UK
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.,Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Michael Schöll
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegeneration, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK.,Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.,Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Ross W Paterson
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegeneration, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Jonathan M Schott
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegeneration, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.,Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, UK
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Maeba R, Araki A, Fujiwara Y. Serum Ethanolamine Plasmalogen and Urine Myo-Inositol as Cognitive Decline Markers. Adv Clin Chem 2018; 87:69-111. [PMID: 30342713 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acc.2018.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that metabolic disorders, particularly type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), were linked at the clinical and molecular levels. Brain insulin deficiency and resistance may be key events in AD pathology mechanistically linking AD to T2DM. Ethanolamine plasmalogens (PlsEtns) are abundant in the brain and play essential roles in neuronal function and myelin formation. As such, PlsEtn deficiency may be pathologically relevant in some neurodegenerative disorders such as AD. Decreased brain PlsEtn associated with dementia may reflect serum PlsEtn deficiency. We hypothesized that myo-inositol plays a role in myelin formation through its facilitation of PlsEtn biosynthesis. Excessive urinary myo-inositol (UMI) loss would likely result in PlsEtn deficiency potentially leading to demyelinating diseases such as dementia. Accordingly, measurement of both serum PlsEtn and baseline UMI excretion could improve the detection of cognitive impairment (CI) in a more specific and reliable manner. To verify our hypothesis, we conducted a clinical observational study of memory clinic outpatients (MCO) and cognitively normal elderly (NE) for nearly 4.5years. We demonstrated that serum PlsEtn concentration associated with UMI excretion was useful for predicting advancing dementia in patients with mild CI. Because hyperglycemia and associated insulin resistance might be a leading cause of increased baseline UMI excretion, serum PlsEtn quantitation would be useful in detecting CI among the elderly with hyperglycemia. Our findings suggest that myo-inositol is a novel candidate molecule linking T2DM to AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryouta Maeba
- Department of Biochemistry, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Araki
- Department of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Fujiwara
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
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Neergaard JS, Dragsbæk K, Christiansen C, Karsdal MA, Brix S, Henriksen K. Two novel blood-based biomarker candidates measuring degradation of tau are associated with dementia: A prospective study. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194802. [PMID: 29641555 PMCID: PMC5895005 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Truncated tau appears to be specifically related to disease pathology and recent studies have shown the presence and elevation of several truncated tau species in Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of subjects with Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, the relevance of truncated Tau measurements in blood is still being studied. OBJECTIVE The aim of the current study was to assess the longitudinal associations between baseline levels of two novel blood biomarker candidates measuring truncated tau, Tau-A and Tau-C, and the risk of incident dementia and AD in elderly women. METHODS Using solid phase competitive ELISA, two tau fragments were detected in serum of 5,309 women from the Prospective Epidemiological Risk Factor study. The study was an observational, prospective study of Danish postmenopausal women. Subjects were followed with registry-linkage for up to 15 years (median follow-up time 13.7 years). Cox regression was used to assess the utility of the biomarker candidates in relation to dementia and AD. RESULTS High levels of Tau-A and Tau-C (above the median) in blood were associated with lower risk of dementia and AD (Tau-A: Dementia HR[95% CI] = 0.85[0.70-1.04]; AD 0.71[0.52-0.98] and Tau-C: Dementia 0.84[0.70-1.00]; AD 0.78[0.60-1.03]). Tau-C gave a very modest increase in the AUC in a 5-year prediction horizon as compared to a reference model with age and education, while a combination of the two did not improve their predictive capacity. CONCLUSIONS Measurement of tau in serum is feasible. The serological tau turnover profile may be related to the diagnosis and development of dementia and AD. The exact processing and profile in serum in relation to cognitive disorders remains to be further assessed to provide simple non-invasive tests to identify subjects with progressive cognitive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesper Skov Neergaard
- Nordic Bioscience A/S, Herlev, Denmark
- DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs, Lyngby, Denmark
- * E-mail:
| | - Katrine Dragsbæk
- Nordic Bioscience A/S, Herlev, Denmark
- DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs, Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | | | - Susanne Brix
- DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs, Lyngby, Denmark
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Patra K, Soosaipillai A, Sando SB, Lauridsen C, Berge G, Møller I, Grøntvedt GR, Bråthen G, Begcevic I, Moussaud S, Minthon L, Hansson O, Diamandis EP, White LR, Nielsen HM. Assessment of kallikrein 6 as a cross-sectional and longitudinal biomarker for Alzheimer's disease. ALZHEIMERS RESEARCH & THERAPY 2018; 10:9. [PMID: 29378650 PMCID: PMC5789599 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-018-0336-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Background Kallikrein 6 (KLK6) is known to be an age-related protease expressed at high levels in the central nervous system. It was previously shown to be involved in proteolysis of extracellular proteins implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), prompting validation of KLK6 as a potential biomarker of disease. However, analyses of both plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of KLK6 in patients with AD have been inconclusive. We present a detailed analysis of KLK6 in plasma and CSF in two separate cohorts in a cross-sectional and a longitudinal clinical setting. Methods The cross-sectional cohort included control subjects without dementia and patients with AD, and the longitudinal cohort included patients with MCI and patients with AD followed over a 2-year period. Plasma and CSF levels of KLK6 were quantified by use of a previously developed and validated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical analyses were performed to compare KLK6 levels between diagnostic groups and to identify potential associations between KLK6 level, age, apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype, total apoE level and the classical CSF AD biomarkers. Results In the cross-sectional setting, KLK6 levels in plasma but not in CSF were significantly higher in the AD group than in control subjects. CSF but not plasma KLK6 levels were positively correlated with age in both the cross-sectional and longitudinal settings. In both cohorts, the CSF KLK6 levels were significantly and positively correlated with the CSF levels of core AD biomarkers. Total plasma and CSF apoE levels were positively associated with KLK6 in the cross-sectional study. Finally, during the 2-year monitoring period of the longitudinal cohort, CSF KLK6 levels increased with disease progression over time in the investigated patient groups. Conclusions In two separate cohorts we have confirmed the previously reported correlation between age and CSF levels of KLK6. Increased plasma KLK6 levels in patients with AD with a more advanced disease stage suggest KLK6 as a potential biomarker in patients with AD with more severe dementia. Significant correlations between KLK6 levels and core CSF AD biomarkers suggest molecular links between KLK6 and AD-related pathological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalicharan Patra
- Department of Neurochemistry, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 16B, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Antoninus Soosaipillai
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute-Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sigrid Botne Sando
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Trondheim, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Camilla Lauridsen
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Guro Berge
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ina Møller
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Gøril Rolfseng Grøntvedt
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Geir Bråthen
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Trondheim, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ilijana Begcevic
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute-Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Simon Moussaud
- Department of Neurochemistry, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 16B, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lennart Minthon
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Oskar Hansson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Eleftherios P Diamandis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute-Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Linda R White
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Trondheim, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Henrietta M Nielsen
- Department of Neurochemistry, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 16B, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Bechter K. Encephalitis, Mild Encephalitis, Neuroprogression, or Encephalopathy-Not Merely a Question of Terminology. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:782. [PMID: 30787887 PMCID: PMC6372546 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Psychoneuroimmunology research has presented emerging evidence of the involvement of inflammatory and immune mechanisms in the pathogenesis of severe mental disorders. In this context, new terms with increasing clinical relevance have been proposed, challenging the existing terms, and requiring consensus definitions of the new ones. Method: From a perspective of longstanding personal involvement in clinical settings and research in psychoneuroimmunology, the new and the existing terms are critically reconsidered. Results: Meningoencephalitis and encephalitis are comparably well defined clinical terms in neuropsychiatry, although in the individual case approach diagnosis can be difficult, for example in some cases of encephalitis that are described with normal cerebrospinal fluid findings, or often in chronic encephalitis. Encephalopathy is also a widely accepted term, however, with a surprisingly broad meaning with regard to the assigned underlying pathophysiology, ranging from one-hit traumatic encephalopathy to inflammatory encephalopathy, the latter term addressing a type of brain dysfunction secondary to acute systemic inflammation without proven brain autochthonus inflammation (neuroinflammation). However, this latter assumption and term may be wrong as neuroinflammation is difficult to prove in vivo. With emerging insights into prevailing inflammatory and neuroinflammatory mechanisms that are involved in the pathogenesis of severe mental disorders, the interdependent aspects of sensitive assessment and potential clinical relevance of mild neuroinflammation are becoming more apparent and of increasing clinical interest. The new terms "mild encephalitis," "parainflammation," and "neuroprogression" show considerable overlap in addition to gaps and hardly defined borders. However, details are hard to discuss as available studies use many biomarkers, but most of these are done without an established categorical attribution to exclusive terms. Most important, the three new concepts (neruoprogression, parainflammation, and mild encephalitis) are not mutually exclusive, even at the individual case level, and therefore will require state-related individual assessment approaches beyond large confirmatory studies. Conclusion: The newly proposed terms of mild encephalitis, parainflammation, and neuroprogression have an emerging clinical relevance, but respective borders, gaps and overlap in between them remain unclear, and these concepts may even be seen as complementary. Categorical delineation of the new and reconsideration of the existing terms with respect to individualized psychiatric treatment is required for better clinical use, eventually requiring a consensus approach. Here, a critique based on available data and a focus on clinical perspective was outlined, which may help to enhance fruitful discussion. The idea followed here is in line with pillar number six as proposed for the Research Diagnostic Domains, i.e., to provide and follow new concepts in psychiatric research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Bechter
- Department Psychiatry and Psychotherapy II, Bezirkskrankenhaus Günzburg, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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