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Brigo F, Lattanzi S. Diagnosing epileptic seizures in patients with Alzheimer's disease and deciding on the appropriate treatment plan. Expert Rev Neurother 2024; 24:361-370. [PMID: 38426448 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2024.2325038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the predominant cause of dementia and a significant contributor to morbidity among the elderly. Patients diagnosed with AD face an increased risk of epileptic seizures. AREAS COVERED Herein, the authors review the challenges in the diagnosis of seizures in patients with AD, the risks of seizures related to medications used in AD and the pharmacological treatment of seizures in AD. The authors also provide the reader with their expert opinion on the subject matter and future perspectives. EXPERT OPINION Healthcare professionals should maintain a vigilant approach to suspecting seizures in AD patients. Acute symptomatic seizures triggered by metabolic disturbances, infections, toxins, or drug-related factors often have a low risk of recurrence. In such cases, addressing the underlying cause may suffice without initiating antiseizure medications (ASMs). However, unprovoked seizures in certain AD patients carry a higher risk of recurrence over time, warranting the use of ASMs. Although data is limited, both lamotrigine and levetiracetam appear to be reasonable choices for controlling seizures in elderly AD patients. Decisions should be informed by the best available evidence, the treating physician's clinical experience, and the patient's preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Brigo
- Innovation, Research and Teaching Service (SABES-ASDAA), Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical Private University (PMU), Bolzano, Italy
| | - Simona Lattanzi
- Neurological Clinic, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
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Kamondi A, Grigg-Damberger M, Löscher W, Tanila H, Horvath AA. Epilepsy and epileptiform activity in late-onset Alzheimer disease: clinical and pathophysiological advances, gaps and conundrums. Nat Rev Neurol 2024; 20:162-182. [PMID: 38356056 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-024-00932-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
A growing body of evidence has demonstrated a link between Alzheimer disease (AD) and epilepsy. Late-onset epilepsy and epileptiform activity can precede cognitive deterioration in AD by years, and its presence has been shown to predict a faster disease course. In animal models of AD, amyloid and tau pathology are linked to cortical network hyperexcitability that precedes the first signs of memory decline. Thus, detection of epileptiform activity in AD has substantial clinical importance as a potential novel modifiable risk factor for dementia. In this Review, we summarize the epidemiological evidence for the complex bidirectional relationship between AD and epilepsy, examine the effect of epileptiform activity and seizures on cognition in people with AD, and discuss the precision medicine treatment strategies based on the latest research in human and animal models. Finally, we outline some of the unresolved questions of the field that should be addressed by rigorous research, including whether particular clinicopathological subtypes of AD have a stronger association with epilepsy, and the sequence of events between epileptiform activity and amyloid and tau pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Kamondi
- National Institute of Mental Health, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Budapest, Hungary.
- Department of Neurology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
| | | | - Wolfgang Löscher
- Department of Experimental Otology of the ENT Clinics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Heikki Tanila
- A. I. Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Andras Attila Horvath
- National Institute of Mental Health, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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3
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De Bastiani MA, Bellaver B, Carello-Collar G, Zimmermann M, Kunach P, Lima-Filho RA, Forner S, Martini AC, Pascoal TA, Lourenco MV, Rosa-Neto P, Zimmer ER. Cross-species comparative hippocampal transcriptomics in Alzheimer's disease. iScience 2024; 27:108671. [PMID: 38292167 PMCID: PMC10824791 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial pathology, with most cases having a sporadic origin. Recently, knock-in (KI) mouse models, such as the novel humanized amyloid-β (hAβ)-KI, have been developed to better resemble sporadic human AD. METHODS Here, we compared hippocampal publicly available transcriptomic profiles of transgenic (5xFAD and APP/PS1) and KI (hAβ-KI) mouse models with early- (EOAD) and late- (LOAD) onset AD patients. RESULTS The three mouse models presented more Gene Ontology biological processes terms and enriched signaling pathways in common with LOAD than with EOAD individuals. Experimental validation of consistently dysregulated genes revealed five altered in mice (SLC11A1, S100A6, CD14, CD33, and C1QB) and three in humans (S100A6, SLC11A1, and KCNK). Finally, we identified 17 transcription factors potentially acting as master regulators of AD. CONCLUSION Our cross-species analyses revealed that the three mouse models presented a remarkable similarity to LOAD, with the hAβ-KI being the more specific one.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Antônio De Bastiani
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Health Basic Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, State of Rio Grande do Sul 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Bruna Bellaver
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Giovanna Carello-Collar
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Health Basic Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, State of Rio Grande do Sul 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Maria Zimmermann
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montréal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3A 1A1, Canada
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Peter Kunach
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montréal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3A 1A1, Canada
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H4H 1R3, Canada
- Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Québec H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Ricardo A.S. Lima-Filho
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Stefania Forner
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Alessandra Cadete Martini
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Tharick A. Pascoal
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Mychael V. Lourenco
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Pedro Rosa-Neto
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montréal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3A 1A1, Canada
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H4H 1R3, Canada
- Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Québec H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Eduardo R. Zimmer
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Health Basic Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, State of Rio Grande do Sul 90035-003, Brazil
- Department of Pharmacology, ICBS, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, State of Rio Grande do Sul 90035-003, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Department of Pharmacology, ICBS, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, State of Rio Grande do Sul 90035-003, Brazil
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande Do Sul, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, State of Rio Grande do Sul 90610-000, Brazil
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Costa C, Nardi Cesarini E, Eusebi P, Franchini D, Casucci P, De Giorgi MF, Calvello C, Paolini Paoletti F, Romoli M, Parnetti L. Incidence and Risk Factors Epilepsy in Patients with Dementia: A Population-Based Study Using Regional Healthcare Databases in Umbria. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 98:1533-1542. [PMID: 38607757 DOI: 10.3233/jad-231309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Background Dementia is prevalent among the elderly, also representing a risk for seizures/epilepsy. Estimations of epilepsy risk in dementia patients are not widely available. Objective Our research aims to ascertain the incidence of epilepsy and its associated risk factors in subjects with dementia in the Umbria region, based on data from healthcare databases. Methods In this retrospective study based on the healthcare administrative database of Umbria, we identified all patients diagnosed with dementia from 2013 to 2017, based on ICD-9-CM codes. For epilepsy ascertainment, we used a validated algorithm that required an EEG and the prescription of one or more anti-seizure medications post-dementia diagnosis. A case-control analysis was conducted, matching five non-dementia subjects by gender and age to each dementia patient. Cox proportional hazards models were then utilized in the analysis. Results We identified 7,314 dementia cases, also including 35,280 age- and sex-matched control subjects. Out of patients with dementia, 148 individuals (2.02%) were diagnosed with epilepsy. We observed a progressive increase in the cumulative incidence of seizures over time, registering 1.45% in the first year following the diagnosis, and rising to 1.96% after three years. Analysis using Cox regression revealed a significant association between the development of epilepsy and dementia (HR = 4.58, 95% CI = 3.67-5.72). Additional risk factors were male gender (HR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.07-1.69) and a younger age at dementia onset (HR = 1.03, 95% CI=1.02-1.04). Conclusions Dementia increases epilepsy risk, especially with early onset and male gender. Clinicians should have a low threshold to suspect seizures in dementia cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cinzia Costa
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Neurology Clinic, University of Perugia, S.M. Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy
| | - Elena Nardi Cesarini
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Neurology Clinic, University of Perugia, S.M. Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy
- UOC Neurologia, Ospedali Riuniti Marche Nord, Fano-Pesaro, Italy
| | - Paolo Eusebi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Neurology Clinic, University of Perugia, S.M. Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy
| | - David Franchini
- Health ICT Service, Regional Health Authority of Umbria, Perugia, Italy
| | - Paola Casucci
- Health ICT Service, Regional Health Authority of Umbria, Perugia, Italy
| | | | - Carmen Calvello
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Neurology Clinic, University of Perugia, S.M. Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy
- UOC Neurologia, SM Goretti, Latina, Italy
| | - Federico Paolini Paoletti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Neurology Clinic, University of Perugia, S.M. Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy
| | - Michele Romoli
- Neurology and Stroke Unit, Bufalini Hospital, Cesena, Italy
| | - Lucilla Parnetti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Neurology Clinic, University of Perugia, S.M. Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy
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Stam CJ, de Haan W. Network Hyperexcitability in Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease: Evaluation of Functional Connectivity Biomarkers in a Computational Disease Model. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 99:1333-1348. [PMID: 38759000 PMCID: PMC11191539 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Background There is increasing evidence from animal and clinical studies that network hyperexcitability (NH) may be an important pathophysiological process and potential target for treatment in early Alzheimer's disease (AD). Measures of functional connectivity (FC) have been proposed as promising biomarkers for NH, but it is unknown which measure has the highest sensitivity for early-stage changes in the excitation/inhibition balance. Objective We aim to test the performance of different FC measures in detecting NH at the earliest stage using a computational approach. Methods We use a whole brain computational model of activity dependent degeneration to simulate progressive AD pathology and NH. We investigate if and at what stage four measures of FC (amplitude envelope correlation corrected [AECc], phase lag index [PLI], joint permutation entropy [JPE] and a new measure: phase lag time [PLT]) can detect early-stage AD pathophysiology. Results The activity dependent degeneration model replicates spectral changes in line with clinical data and demonstrates increasing NH. Compared to relative theta power as a gold standard the AECc and PLI are shown to be less sensitive in detecting early-stage NH and AD-related neurophysiological abnormalities, while the JPE and the PLT show more sensitivity with excellent test characteristics. Conclusions Novel FC measures, which are better in detecting rapid fluctuations in neural activity and connectivity, may be superior to well-known measures such as the AECc and PLI in detecting early phase neurophysiological abnormalities and in particular NH in AD. These markers could improve early diagnosis and treatment target identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelis Jan Stam
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Neurophysiology and MEG Center, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Center (Amsterdam UMC), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Willem de Haan
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Neurophysiology and MEG Center, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Center (Amsterdam UMC), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Center (Amsterdam UMC), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Ciliento R, Gjini K, Dabbs K, Hermann B, Riedner B, Jones S, Fatima S, Johnson S, Bendlin B, Lam AD, Boly M, Struck AF. Prevalence and localization of nocturnal epileptiform discharges in mild cognitive impairment. Brain Commun 2023; 5:fcad302. [PMID: 37965047 PMCID: PMC10642616 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence shows that identifying and treating epileptiform abnormalities in patients with Alzheimer's disease could represent a potential avenue to improve clinical outcome. Specifically, animal and human studies have revealed that in the early phase of Alzheimer's disease, there is an increased risk of seizures. It has also been demonstrated that the administration of anti-seizure medications can slow the functional progression of the disease only in patients with EEG signs of cortical hyperexcitability. In addition, although it is not known at what disease stage hyperexcitability emerges, there remains no consensus regarding the imaging and diagnostic methods best able to detect interictal events to further distinguish different phenotypes of Alzheimer's disease. In this exploratory work, we studied 13 subjects with amnestic mild cognitive impairment and 20 healthy controls using overnight high-density EEG with 256 channels. All participants also underwent MRI and neuropsychological assessment. Electronic source reconstruction was also used to better select and localize spikes. We found spikes in six of 13 (46%) amnestic mild cognitive impairment compared with two of 20 (10%) healthy control participants (P = 0.035), representing a spike prevalence similar to that detected in previous studies of patients with early-stage Alzheimer's disease. The interictal events were low-amplitude temporal spikes more prevalent during non-rapid eye movement sleep. No statistically significant differences were found in cognitive performance between amnestic mild cognitive impairment patients with and without spikes, but a trend in immediate and delayed memory was observed. Moreover, no imaging findings of cortical and subcortical atrophy were found between amnestic mild cognitive impairment participants with and without epileptiform spikes. In summary, our exploratory study shows that patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment reveal EEG signs of hyperexcitability early in the disease course, while no other significant differences in neuropsychological or imaging features were observed among the subgroups. If confirmed with longitudinal data, these exploratory findings could represent one of the first signatures of a preclinical epileptiform phenotype of amnestic mild cognitive impairment and its progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosario Ciliento
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Klevest Gjini
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Kevin Dabbs
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Bruce Hermann
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Brady Riedner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53719, USA
| | - Stephanie Jones
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53719, USA
| | - Safoora Fatima
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Sterling Johnson
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Barbara Bendlin
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Alice D Lam
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Melanie Boly
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Aaron F Struck
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Department of Neurology, William S. Middleton Veterans Administration Hospital, Madison, WI 53705, USA
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Stam CJ, van Nifterick AM, de Haan W, Gouw AA. Network Hyperexcitability in Early Alzheimer's Disease: Is Functional Connectivity a Potential Biomarker? Brain Topogr 2023:10.1007/s10548-023-00968-7. [PMID: 37173584 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-023-00968-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Network hyperexcitability (NH) is an important feature of the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease. Functional connectivity (FC) of brain networks has been proposed as a potential biomarker for NH. Here we use a whole brain computational model and resting-state MEG recordings to investigate the relation between hyperexcitability and FC. Oscillatory brain activity was simulated with a Stuart Landau model on a network of 78 interconnected brain regions. FC was quantified with amplitude envelope correlation (AEC) and phase coherence (PC). MEG was recorded in 18 subjects with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and 18 subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Functional connectivity was determined with the corrected AECc and phase lag index (PLI), in the 4-8 Hz and the 8-13 Hz bands. The excitation/inhibition balance in the model had a strong effect on both AEC and PC. This effect was different for AEC and PC, and was influenced by structural coupling strength and frequency band. Empirical FC matrices of SCD and MCI showed a good correlation with model FC for AEC, but less so for PC. For AEC the fit was best in the hyperexcitable range. We conclude that FC is sensitive to changes in E/I balance. The AEC was more sensitive than the PLI, and results were better for the thetaband than the alpha band. This conclusion was supported by fitting the model to empirical data. Our study justifies the use of functional connectivity measures as surrogate markers for E/I balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- C J Stam
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Clinical Neurophysiology and MEG Center, Vrij Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - A M van Nifterick
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Clinical Neurophysiology and MEG Center, Vrij Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - W de Haan
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Clinical Neurophysiology and MEG Center, Vrij Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A A Gouw
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Clinical Neurophysiology and MEG Center, Vrij Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Yang F, Chen L, Yu Y, Xu T, Chen L, Yang W, Wu Q, Han Y. Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy: An increasingly recognized comorbidity. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:940515. [PMID: 36438002 PMCID: PMC9685172 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.940515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Both Alzheimer's disease (AD) and epilepsy are common chronic diseases in older people. Seizures and epileptiform discharges are very prevalent in AD and can occur since any stage of AD. Increasing evidence indicates that AD and epilepsy may be comorbid. Several factors may be related to the underlying mechanism of the comorbidity. Identifying seizures in patients with AD is a challenge because seizures are often clinically non-motor and may overlap with some AD symptoms. Not only seizures but also epileptiform discharges may exacerbate the cognitive decline in AD patients, highlighting the importance of early recognition and treatment. This review provides a comprehensive overview of seizures in AD from multiple aspects to provide more insight.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Yanbing Han
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
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Purushotham M, Tashrifwala F, Jena R, Vudugula SA, Patil RS, Agrawal A. The Association Between Alzheimer's Disease and Epilepsy: A Narrative Review. Cureus 2022; 14:e30195. [DOI: 10.7759/cureus.30195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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10
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Zhang D, Chen S, Xu S, Wu J, Zhuang Y, Cao W, Chen X, Li X. The clinical correlation between Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. Front Neurol 2022; 13:922535. [PMID: 35937069 PMCID: PMC9352925 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.922535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy are common nervous system diseases in older adults, and their incidence rates tend to increase with age. Patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease are more prone to have seizures. In patients older than 65 years, neurodegenerative conditions accounted for ~10% of all late-onset epilepsy cases, most of which are Alzheimer's disease. Epilepsy and seizure can occur in the early and late stages of Alzheimer's disease, leading to functional deterioration and behavioral alterations. Seizures promote amyloid-β and tau deposits, leading to neurodegenerative processes. Thus, there is a bi-directional association between Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. Epilepsy is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and, in turn, Alzheimer's disease is an independent risk factor for developing epilepsy in old age. Many studies have evaluated the shared pathogenesis and clinical relevance of Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. In this review, we discuss the clinical associations between Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy, including their incidence, clinical features, and electroencephalogram abnormalities. Clinical studies of the two disorders in recent years are summarized, and new antiepileptic drugs used for treating Alzheimer's disease are reviewed.
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Banote RK, Håkansson S, Zetterberg H, Zelano J. CSF biomarkers in patients with epilepsy in Alzheimer’s disease: a nation-wide study. Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac210. [PMID: 36043137 PMCID: PMC9419062 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative dementia. A subset of Alzheimer’s disease patients develop epilepsy. The risk is higher in young-onset Alzheimer’s disease, but pathophysiological mechanisms remain elusive. The purpose of this study was to assess biomarkers reflecting neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease patients with and without epilepsy. By cross-referencing the largest national laboratory database with Swedish National Patient Register, we could identify CSF biomarker results from 17901 Alzheimer’s disease patients, and compare levels of neurofilament light, glial fibrillary acidic protein, total tau, phosphorylated tau and amyloid beta 42 in patients with (n = 851) and without epilepsy. The concentrations of total tau and phosphorylated tau were higher in Alzheimer’s disease patients with epilepsy than Alzheimer’s disease patients without epilepsy and amyloid beta 42 levels were significantly lower in Alzheimer’s disease patients with epilepsy. No differences in the levels of neurofilament light and glial fibrillary acidic protein were observed. Our study suggests that epilepsy is more common in Alzheimer’s disease patients with more pronounced Alzheimer’s pathology, as determined by the CSF biomarkers. Further studies are needed to investigate the biomarker potential of these CSF markers as predictors of epilepsy course or as indicators of epileptogenesis in Alzheimer’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakesh Kumar Banote
- Department of Neurology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital , Gothenburg 41345 , Sweden
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg , Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg , Sweden
| | - Samuel Håkansson
- Department of Neurology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital , Gothenburg 41345 , Sweden
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg , Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg , Sweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg , Mölndal 43180 , Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital , Mölndal 43180 , Sweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology , Queen Square, London WC1E 6BT , UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL , London WC1E 6BT , UK
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases , Clear Water Bay , Hong Kong , China
| | - Johan Zelano
- Department of Neurology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital , Gothenburg 41345 , Sweden
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg , Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg , Sweden
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12
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Babiloni C. The Dark Side of Alzheimer's Disease: Neglected Physiological Biomarkers of Brain Hyperexcitability and Abnormal Consciousness Level. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 88:801-807. [PMID: 35754282 DOI: 10.3233/jad-220582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Babiloni
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Hospital San Raffaele Cassino, Cassino (FR), Italy
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13
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Babiloni C, Noce G, Di Bonaventura C, Lizio R, Eldellaa A, Tucci F, Salamone EM, Ferri R, Soricelli A, Nobili F, Famà F, Arnaldi D, Palma E, Cifelli P, Marizzoni M, Stocchi F, Bruno G, Di Gennaro G, Frisoni GB, Del Percio C. Alzheimer's Disease with Epileptiform EEG Activity: Abnormal Cortical Sources of Resting State Delta Rhythms in Patients with Amnesic Mild Cognitive Impairment. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 88:903-931. [PMID: 35694930 DOI: 10.3233/jad-220442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with amnesic mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease (ADMCI) typically show a "slowing" of cortical resting-state eyes-closed electroencephalographic (rsEEG) rhythms. Some of them also show subclinical, non-convulsive, and epileptiform EEG activity (EEA) with an unclear relationship with that "slowing." OBJECTIVE Here we tested the hypothesis that the "slowing" of rsEEG rhythms is related to EEA in ADMCI patients. METHODS Clinical and instrumental datasets in 62 ADMCI patients and 38 normal elderly (Nold) subjects were available in a national archive. No participant had received a clinical diagnosis of epilepsy. The eLORETA freeware estimated rsEEG cortical sources. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROCC) indexed the accuracy of eLORETA solutions in the classification between ADMCI-EEA and ADMCI-noEEA individuals. RESULTS EEA was observed in 15% (N = 8) of the ADMCI patients. The ADMCI-EEA group showed: 1) more abnormal Aβ 42 levels in the cerebrospinal fluid as compared to the ADMCI-noEEA group and 2) higher temporal and occipital delta (<4 Hz) rsEEG source activities as compared to the ADMCI-noEEA and Nold groups. Those source activities showed moderate accuracy (AUROCC = 0.70-0.75) in the discrimination between ADMCI-noEEA versus ADMCI-EEA individuals. CONCLUSION It can be speculated that in ADMCI-EEA patients, AD-related amyloid neuropathology may be related to an over-excitation in neurophysiological low-frequency (delta) oscillatory mechanisms underpinning cortical arousal and quiet vigilance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Babiloni
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Hospital San Raffaele Cassino, Cassino (FR), Italy
| | | | - Carlo Di Bonaventura
- Epilepsy Unit, Department of Neurosciences/Mental Health, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Ali Eldellaa
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Federico Tucci
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico M Salamone
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Epilepsy Unit, Department of Neurosciences/Mental Health, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Soricelli
- IRCCS Synlab SDN, Naples, Italy.,Department of Motor Sciences and Healthiness, University of Naples Parthenope, Naples, Italy
| | - Flavio Nobili
- Clinical Neurology, IRCCS Hospital Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience (DiNOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesco Famà
- Clinical Neurology, IRCCS Hospital Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Dario Arnaldi
- Clinical Neurology, IRCCS Hospital Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Eleonora Palma
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Pasteur Institute-Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Pierangelo Cifelli
- IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, (IS), Italy.,Department of Applied and Biotechnological Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Moira Marizzoni
- Laboratory of Alzheimer's Neuroimaging and Epidemiology, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Bruno
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Giovanni B Frisoni
- Department of Applied and Biotechnological Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.,Memory Clinic and LANVIE - Laboratory of Neuroimaging of Aging, University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Claudio Del Percio
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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14
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Baker J, Schott J. AD and its comorbidities: An obstacle to develop a clinically efficient treatment? Rev Neurol (Paris) 2022; 178:450-459. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurol.2022.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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15
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del Pozo A, Lehmann L, Knox KM, Barker-Haliski M. Can Old Animals Reveal New Targets? The Aging and Degenerating Brain as a New Precision Medicine Opportunity for Epilepsy. Front Neurol 2022; 13:833624. [PMID: 35572927 PMCID: PMC9096090 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.833624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Older people represent the fastest growing group with epilepsy diagnosis. For example, cerebrovascular disease may underlie roughly 30-50% of epilepsy in older adults and seizures are also an underrecognized comorbidity of Alzheimer's disease (AD). As a result, up to 10% of nursing home residents may take antiseizure medicines (ASMs). Despite the greater incidence of epilepsy in older individuals and increased risk of comorbid seizures in people with AD, aged animals with seizures are strikingly underrepresented in epilepsy drug discovery practice. Increased integration of aged animals into preclinical epilepsy drug discovery could better inform the potential tolerability and pharmacokinetic interactions in aged individuals as the global population becomes increasingly older. Quite simply, the ASMs on the market today were brought forth based on efficacy in young adult, neurologically intact rodents; preclinical information concerning the efficacy and safety of promising ASMs is not routinely evaluated in aged animals. Integrating aged animals more often into basic epilepsy research may also uncover novel treatments for hyperexcitability. For example, cannabidiol and fenfluramine demonstrated clear efficacy in syndrome-specific pediatric models that led to a paradigm shift in the perceived value of pediatric models for ASM discovery practice; aged rodents with seizures or rodents with aging-related neuropathology represent an untapped resource that could similarly change epilepsy drug discovery. This review, therefore, summarizes how aged rodent models have thus far been used for epilepsy research, what studies have been conducted to assess ASM efficacy in aged rodent seizure and epilepsy models, and lastly to identify remaining gaps to engage aging-related neurological disease models for ASM discovery, which may simultaneously reveal novel mechanisms associated with epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Melissa Barker-Haliski
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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16
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Mechanisms Involved in Epileptogenesis in Alzheimer's Disease and Their Therapeutic Implications. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23084307. [PMID: 35457126 PMCID: PMC9030029 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23084307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease (AD) incidence increases with age. There are reciprocal relationships between epilepsy and AD. Epilepsy is a risk factor for AD and, in turn, AD is an independent risk factor for developing epilepsy in old age, and abnormal AD biomarkers in PET and/or CSF are frequently found in late-onset epilepsies of unknown etiology. Accordingly, epilepsy and AD share pathophysiological processes, including neuronal hyperexcitability and an early excitatory-inhibitory dysregulation, leading to dysfunction in the inhibitory GABAergic and excitatory glutamatergic systems. Moreover, both β-amyloid and tau protein aggregates, the anatomopathological hallmarks of AD, have proepileptic effects. Finally, these aggregates have been found in the resection material of refractory temporal lobe epilepsies, suggesting that epilepsy leads to amyloid and tau aggregates. Some epileptic syndromes, such as medial temporal lobe epilepsy, share structural and functional neuroimaging findings with AD, leading to overlapping symptomatology, such as episodic memory deficits and toxic synergistic effects. In this respect, the existence of epileptiform activity and electroclinical seizures in AD appears to accelerate the progression of cognitive decline, and the presence of cognitive decline is much more prevalent in epileptic patients than in elderly patients without epilepsy. Notwithstanding their clinical significance, the diagnosis of clinical seizures in AD is a challenge. Most are focal and manifest with an altered level of consciousness without motor symptoms, and are often interpreted as cognitive fluctuations. Finally, despite the frequent association of epilepsy and AD dementia, there is a lack of clinical trials to guide the use of antiseizure medications (ASMs). There is also a potential role for ASMs to be used as disease-modifying drugs in AD.
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17
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Csernus EA, Werber T, Kamondi A, Horvath AA. The Significance of Subclinical Epileptiform Activity in Alzheimer's Disease: A Review. Front Neurol 2022; 13:856500. [PMID: 35444602 PMCID: PMC9013745 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.856500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Hyperexcitability is a recently recognized contributor to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Subclinical epileptiform activity (SEA) is a neurophysiological sign of cortical hyperexcitability; however, the results of the studies in this field vary due to differences in the applied methodology. The aim of this review is to summarize the results of the related studies aiming to describe the characteristic features and significance of subclinical epileptiform discharges in the pathophysiologic process of AD from three different directions: (1) what SEA is; (2) why we should diagnose SEA, and (3) how we should diagnose SEA. We scrutinized both the completed and ongoing antiepileptic drug trials in AD where SEA served as a grouping variable or an outcome measure. SEA seems to appear predominantly in slow-wave sleep and in the left temporal region and to compromise cognitive functions. We clarify using supportive literature the high sensitivity of overnight electroencephalography (EEG) in the detection of epileptiform discharges. Finally, we present the most important research questions around SEA and provide an overview of the possible solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emoke Anna Csernus
- School of PhD Studies, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Neurocognitive Research Center, National Institute of Mental Health, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tom Werber
- Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anita Kamondi
- Neurocognitive Research Center, National Institute of Mental Health, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Neurology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Andras Attila Horvath
- Neurocognitive Research Center, National Institute of Mental Health, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- *Correspondence: Andras Attila Horvath
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18
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Cope ZA, Murai T, Sukoff Rizzo SJ. Emerging Electroencephalographic Biomarkers to Improve Preclinical to Clinical Translation in Alzheimer’s Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:805063. [PMID: 35250541 PMCID: PMC8891809 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.805063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Continually emerging data indicate that sub-clinical, non-convulsive epileptiform activity is not only prevalent in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) but is detectable early in the course of the disease and predicts cognitive decline in both humans and animal models. Epileptiform activity and other electroencephalographic (EEG) measures may hold powerful, untapped potential to improve the translational validity of AD-related biomarkers in model animals ranging from mice, to rats, and non-human primates. In this review, we will focus on studies of epileptiform activity, EEG slowing, and theta-gamma coupling in preclinical models, with particular focus on its role in cognitive decline and relevance to AD. Here, each biomarker is described in the context of the contemporary literature and recent findings in AD relevant animal models are discussed.
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19
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Teplyshova AM, Datieva VK. [Alzheimer disease and epilepsy]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2021; 121:23-29. [PMID: 34870910 DOI: 10.17116/jnevro202112110223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer Disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by loss of memory, difficulty in thinking, changes in behavior and personality disorders. The risk of developing epileptic seizures (ES) in patients with AD increases significantly. Animal and human studies have shown a close relationship between the pathogenesis of ES and AD. The exact prevalence of ES in AD remains unclear due to methodological difficulties, in particular, detection of ES in patients with cognitive impairment. EP types differ in sporadic and hereditary forms of AD. Antiepileptic therapy in AD has its own characteristics. Certain antiepileptic drugs can have a positive effect on cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - V K Datieva
- State Outpatient Clinic No 62, Moscow, Russia
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20
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Jeremic D, Jiménez-Díaz L, Navarro-López JD. Past, present and future of therapeutic strategies against amyloid-β peptides in Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review. Ageing Res Rev 2021; 72:101496. [PMID: 34687956 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease in ageing, affecting around 46 million people worldwide but few treatments are currently available. The etiology of AD is still puzzling, and new drugs development and clinical trials have high failure rates. Urgent outline of an integral (multi-target) and effective treatment of AD is needed. Accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides is considered one of the fundamental neuropathological pillars of the disease, and its dyshomeostasis has shown a crucial role in AD onset. Therefore, many amyloid-targeted therapies have been investigated. Here, we will systematically review recent (from 2014) investigational, follow-up and review studies focused on anti-amyloid strategies to summarize and analyze their current clinical potential. Combination of anti-Aβ therapies with new developing early detection biomarkers and other therapeutic agents acting on early functional AD changes will be highlighted in this review. Near-term approval seems likely for several drugs acting against Aβ, with recent FDA approval of a monoclonal anti-Aβ oligomers antibody -aducanumab- raising hopes and controversies. We conclude that, development of oligomer-epitope specific Aβ treatment and implementation of multiple improved biomarkers and risk prediction methods allowing early detection, together with therapies acting on other factors such as hyperexcitability in early AD, could be the key to slowing this global pandemic.
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21
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Wilcox JM, Consoli DC, Tienda AA, Dixit S, Buchanan RA, May JM, Nobis WP, Harrison FE. Altered synaptic glutamate homeostasis contributes to cognitive decline in young APP/PSEN1 mice. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 158:105486. [PMID: 34450329 PMCID: PMC8457528 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-convulsive epileptiform activity is a common and under-studied comorbidity of Alzheimer’s disease that may significantly contribute to onset of clinical symptoms independently of other neuropathological features such as β-amyloid deposition. We used repeated treatment with low dose kainic acid (KA) to trigger subthreshold epileptiform activity in young (less than 6 months) wild-type (WT) and APP/PSEN1 mice to test the role of disruption to the glutamatergic system in epileptiform activity changes and the development of memory deficits. Short-term repeated low-dose KA (five daily treatments with 5 mg/kg, IP) impaired long-term potentiation in hippocampus of APP/PSEN1 but not WT mice. Long-term repeated low-dose KA (fourteen weeks of bi-weekly treatment with 7.5–10 mg/kg) led to high mortality in APP/PSEN1 mice. KA treatment also impaired memory retention in the APP/PSEN1 mice in a Morris water maze task under cognitively challenging reversal learning conditions where the platform was moved to a new location. Four weeks of bi-weekly treatment with 5 mg/kg KA also increased abnormal spike activity in APP/PSEN1 and not WT mice but did not impact sleep/wake behavioral states. These findings suggest that hyperexcitability in Alzheimer’s disease may indeed be an early contributor to cognitive decline that is independent of heavy β-amyloid-plaque load, which is absent in APP/PSEN1 mice under 6 months of age.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Wilcox
- Program in Neuroscience, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States of America; Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States of America
| | - D C Consoli
- Program in Neuroscience, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States of America
| | - A A Tienda
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States of America
| | - S Dixit
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States of America
| | - R A Buchanan
- Program in Neuroscience, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States of America
| | - J M May
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States of America
| | - W P Nobis
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States of America
| | - F E Harrison
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States of America.
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22
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Dávila-Bouziguet E, Casòliba-Melich A, Targa-Fabra G, Galera-López L, Ozaita A, Maldonado R, Ávila J, Delgado-García JM, Gruart A, Soriano E, Pascual M. Functional protection in J20/VLW mice: a model of non-demented with Alzheimer's disease neuropathology. Brain 2021; 145:729-743. [PMID: 34424282 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease comprises amyloid-β and hyperphosphorylated Tau accumulation, imbalanced neuronal activity, aberrant oscillatory rhythms, and cognitive deficits. Non-Demented with Alzheimer's disease Neuropathology (NDAN) defines a novel clinical entity with amyloid-β and Tau pathologies but preserved cognition. The mechanisms underlying such neuroprotection remain undetermined and animal models of NDAN are currently unavailable. We demonstrate that J20/VLW mice (accumulating amyloid-β and hyperphosphorylated Tau) exhibit preserved hippocampal rhythmic activity and cognition, as opposed to J20 and VLW animals, which show significant alterations. Furthermore, we show that the overexpression of mutant human Tau in coexistence with amyloid-β accumulation renders a particular hyperphosphorylated Tau signature in hippocampal interneurons. The GABAergic septohippocampal pathway, responsible for hippocampal rhythmic activity, is preserved in J20/VLW mice, in contrast to single mutants. Our data highlight J20/VLW mice as a suitable animal model in which to explore the mechanisms driving cognitive preservation in NDAN. Moreover, they suggest that a differential Tau phosphorylation pattern in hippocampal interneurons prevents the loss of GABAergic septohippocampal innervation and alterations in local field potentials, thereby avoiding cognitive deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Dávila-Bouziguet
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED, ISCIII), Spain
| | - Arnau Casòliba-Melich
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED, ISCIII), Spain
| | - Georgina Targa-Fabra
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED, ISCIII), Spain
| | - Lorena Galera-López
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology-NeuroPhar, Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrés Ozaita
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology-NeuroPhar, Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Maldonado
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology-NeuroPhar, Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Ávila
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED, ISCIII), Spain.,Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Neurobiology Laboratory, Madrid, Spain
| | - José M Delgado-García
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Neurobiology Laboratory, Madrid, Spain.,Division of Neurosciences, Pablo de Olavide University, Seville, Spain
| | - Agnès Gruart
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Neurobiology Laboratory, Madrid, Spain.,Division of Neurosciences, Pablo de Olavide University, Seville, Spain
| | - Eduardo Soriano
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED, ISCIII), Spain
| | - Marta Pascual
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED, ISCIII), Spain
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23
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Tok S, Ahnaou A, Drinkenburg W. Functional Neurophysiological Biomarkers of Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease: A Perspective of Network Hyperexcitability in Disease Progression. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 88:809-836. [PMID: 34420957 PMCID: PMC9484128 DOI: 10.3233/jad-210397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Network hyperexcitability (NH) has recently been suggested as a potential neurophysiological indicator of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), as new, more accurate biomarkers of AD are sought. NH has generated interest as a potential indicator of certain stages in the disease trajectory and even as a disease mechanism by which network dysfunction could be modulated. NH has been demonstrated in several animal models of AD pathology and multiple lines of evidence point to the existence of NH in patients with AD, strongly supporting the physiological and clinical relevance of this readout. Several hypotheses have been put forward to explain the prevalence of NH in animal models through neurophysiological, biochemical, and imaging techniques. However, some of these hypotheses have been built on animal models with limitations and caveats that may have derived NH through other mechanisms or mechanisms without translational validity to sporadic AD patients, potentially leading to an erroneous conclusion of the underlying cause of NH occurring in patients with AD. In this review, we discuss the substantiation for NH in animal models of AD pathology and in human patients, as well as some of the hypotheses considering recently developed animal models that challenge existing hypotheses and mechanisms of NH. In addition, we provide a preclinical perspective on how the development of animal models incorporating AD-specific NH could provide physiologically relevant translational experimental data that may potentially aid the discovery and development of novel therapies for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Tok
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium.,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Abdallah Ahnaou
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Wilhelmus Drinkenburg
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium.,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
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24
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Epileptic Mechanisms Shared by Alzheimer's Disease: Viewed via the Unique Lens of Genetic Epilepsy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22137133. [PMID: 34281185 PMCID: PMC8268161 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22137133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Our recent work on genetic epilepsy (GE) has identified common mechanisms between GE and neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although both disorders are seemingly unrelated and occur at opposite ends of the age spectrum, it is likely there are shared mechanisms and studies on GE could provide unique insights into AD pathogenesis. Neurodegenerative diseases are typically late-onset disorders, but the underlying pathology may have already occurred long before the clinical symptoms emerge. Pathophysiology in the early phase of these diseases is understudied but critical for developing mechanism-based treatment. In AD, increased seizure susceptibility and silent epileptiform activity due to disrupted excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance has been identified much earlier than cognition deficit. Increased epileptiform activity is likely a main pathology in the early phase that directly contributes to impaired cognition. It is an enormous challenge to model the early phase of pathology with conventional AD mouse models due to the chronic disease course, let alone the complex interplay between subclinical nonconvulsive epileptiform activity, AD pathology, and cognition deficit. We have extensively studied GE, especially with gene mutations that affect the GABA pathway such as mutations in GABAA receptors and GABA transporter 1. We believe that some mouse models developed for studying GE and insights gained from GE could provide unique opportunity to understand AD. These include the pathology in early phase of AD, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and E/I imbalance as well as the contribution to cognitive deficit. In this review, we will focus on the overlapping mechanisms between GE and AD, the insights from mutations affecting GABAA receptors, and GABA transporter 1. We will detail mechanisms of E/I imbalance and the toxic epileptiform generation in AD, and the complex interplay between ER stress, impaired membrane protein trafficking, and synaptic physiology in both GE and AD.
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25
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Ahnaou A, Drinkenburg WHIM. Sleep, neuronal hyperexcitability, inflammation and neurodegeneration: Does early chronic short sleep trigger and is it the key to overcoming Alzheimer's disease? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 129:157-179. [PMID: 34214513 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.06.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Evidence links neuroinflammation to Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, its exact contribution to the onset and progression of the disease is poorly understood. Symptoms of AD can be seen as the tip of an iceberg, consisting of a neuropathological build-up in the brain of extracellular amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and intraneuronal hyperphosphorylated aggregates of Tau (pTau), which are thought to stem from an imbalance between its production and clearance resulting in loss of synaptic health and dysfunctional cortical connectivity. The glymphatic drainage system, which is particularly active during sleep, plays a key role in the clearance of proteinopathies. Poor sleep can cause hyperexcitability and promote Aβ and tau pathology leading to systemic inflammation. The early neuronal hyperexcitability of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic inhibitory interneurons and impaired inhibitory control of cortical pyramidal neurons lie at the crossroads of excitatory/inhibitory imbalance and inflammation. We outline, with a prospective framework, a possible vicious spiral linking early chronic short sleep, neuronal hyperexcitability, inflammation and neurodegeneration. Understanding the early predictors of AD, through an integrative approach, may hold promise for reducing attrition in the late stages of neuroprotective drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ahnaou
- Dept. of Neuroscience Discovery, Janssen Research & Development, A Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, Beerse, B-2340, Belgium.
| | - W H I M Drinkenburg
- Dept. of Neuroscience Discovery, Janssen Research & Development, A Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, Beerse, B-2340, Belgium
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26
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Müller L, Kirschstein T, Köhling R, Kuhla A, Teipel S. Neuronal Hyperexcitability in APPSWE/PS1dE9 Mouse Models of Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 81:855-869. [PMID: 33843674 DOI: 10.3233/jad-201540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Transgenic mouse models serve a better understanding of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis and its consequences on neuronal function. Well-known and broadly used AD models are APPswe/PS1dE9 mice, which are able to reproduce features of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaque formations as well as neuronal dysfunction as reflected in electrophysiological recordings of neuronal hyperexcitability. The most prominent findings include abnormal synaptic function and synaptic reorganization as well as changes in membrane threshold and spontaneous neuronal firing activities leading to generalized excitation-inhibition imbalances in larger neuronal circuits and networks. Importantly, these findings in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice are at least partly consistent with results of electrophysiological studies in humans with sporadic AD. This underscores the potential to transfer mechanistic insights into amyloid related neuronal dysfunction from animal models to humans. This is of high relevance for targeted downstream interventions into neuronal hyperexcitability, for example based on repurposing of existing antiepileptic drugs, as well as the use of combinations of imaging and electrophysiological readouts to monitor effects of upstream interventions into amyloid build-up and processing on neuronal function in animal models and human studies. This article gives an overview on the pathogenic and methodological basis for recording of neuronal hyperexcitability in AD mouse models and on key findings in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice. We point at several instances to the translational perspective into clinical intervention and observation studies in humans. We particularly focus on bi-directional relations between hyperexcitability and cerebral amyloidosis, including build-up as well as clearance of amyloid, possibly related to sleep and so called glymphatic system function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Müller
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.,Rudolf Zenker Institute for Experimental Surgery, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.,Centre for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Timo Kirschstein
- Oscar Langendorff Institute of Physiology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.,Centre for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Köhling
- Oscar Langendorff Institute of Physiology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.,Centre for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Angela Kuhla
- Rudolf Zenker Institute for Experimental Surgery, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.,Centre for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Stefan Teipel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock and Greifswald, Germany.,Centre for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
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27
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Jin N, Babiloni C, Drinkenburg WH, Hajós M, Nygaard HB, Tanila H. Recommendations for Preclinical Testing of Treatments Against Alzheimer's Disease-Related Epileptiform Spikes in Transgenic Rodent Models. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 88:849-865. [PMID: 34092642 DOI: 10.3233/jad-210209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that about 30%of patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) without a known diagnosis of epilepsy may display epileptiform spikes during electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings. These abnormal discharges occur predominantly during sleep and may be associated with accelerated disease progression. Subclinical spikes may represent a relevant target for clinical drug interventions, and there is a clear unmet need for preclinical testing of novel disease modifying agents in suitable animal models. Transgenic rodent models of AD pathology exhibit various forms of epileptiform EEG activity related to the abnormal levels of amyloid species in the brain. Among them, large-amplitude cortical and hippocampal EEG spikes in mouse and rat AD models may be reminiscent of the subclinical epileptiform EEG spikes recorded in some AD patients. This article reports the recommendations of a multidisciplinary panel of experts on optimal EEG markers and experimental designs to measure and report epileptiform activities and their response to symptomatic and disease-modifying drugs in transgenic AD model rodents. These recommendations may harmonize future preclinical EEG studies in the drug discovery research and may increase the comparability of experimental outcomes and their translational clinical value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanxiang Jin
- A. I. Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Claudio Babiloni
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Hospital San Raffaele Cassino, Cassino (FR), Italy
| | - Wilhelmus H Drinkenburg
- Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium.,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Mihály Hajós
- Cognito Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Haakon B Nygaard
- Division of Neurology and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Heikki Tanila
- A. I. Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
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28
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Kumar S. Relevance of cortical excitability in Alzheimer's disease. Clin Neurophysiol 2021; 132:1961-1963. [PMID: 34099407 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sanjeev Kumar
- Adult Neurodevelopmental and Geriatric Psychiatry Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Canada.
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29
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Horvath AA, Papp A, Zsuffa J, Szucs A, Luckl J, Radai F, Nagy F, Hidasi Z, Csukly G, Barcs G, Kamondi A. Subclinical epileptiform activity accelerates the progression of Alzheimer's disease: A long-term EEG study. Clin Neurophysiol 2021; 132:1982-1989. [PMID: 34034963 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.03.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE While many studies suggest that patients with Alzheimer's disease have a higher chance for developing epileptic seizures, only a few studies are available examining independent epileptic discharges. The major aims of our study was to determine the prevalence of subclinical epileptiform activity (SEA) in AD compared to healthy elderly controls with the hypothesis that SEA is more frequent in AD than in cognitively normal individuals. Another aim was to analyze the effect of baseline SEA captured with electroencephalography on the progression of the disease with longitudinal cognitive testing. METHODS We investigated 52 Alzheimer patients with no history of epileptic seizures and 20 healthy individuals. All participants underwent a 24-hour electroencephalography, neurology, neuroimaging and neuropsychology examination. Two independent raters analyzed visually the electroencephalograms and both raters were blind to the diagnoses. Thirty-eight Alzheimer patients were enrolled in a 3-year long prospective follow-up study with yearly repeated cognitive evaluation. RESULTS Subclinical epileptiform discharges were recorded significantly (p:0.018) more frequently in Alzheimer patients (54%) than in healthy elderly (25%). Epileptiform discharges were associated with lower performance scores in memory. Alzheimer patients with spikes showed 1.5-times faster decline in global cognitive scores than patients without (p < 0.001). The decline in cognitive performance scores showed a significant positive correlation with spike frequency (r:+0.664; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Subclinical epileptiform activity occurs in half of Alzheimer patients who have never suffered epileptic seizures. Alzheimer patients with subclinical epileptiform activity showed accelerated cognitive decline with a strong relation to the frequency and spatial distribution (left temporal) of spikes. SIGNIFICANCE Our findings suggest the prominent role of epileptiform discharges in the pathomechanism of Alzheimer's disease which might serve as potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andras Attila Horvath
- National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Department of Neurology Budapest, Hungary; Semmelweis University, Department of Anatomy Histology and Embryology, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Aniko Papp
- National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Department of Neurology Budapest, Hungary; Semmelweis University, School of PhD Studies, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Janos Zsuffa
- János Zsuffa, Zsuffa-Med Ltd., Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anna Szucs
- National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Department of Neurology Budapest, Hungary
| | - Janos Luckl
- Department of Neurology, Kaposi Mór County Hospital, Kaposvár, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Radai
- Department of Neurology, Kaposi Mór County Hospital, Kaposvár, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Nagy
- Department of Neurology, Kaposi Mór County Hospital, Kaposvár, Hungary
| | - Zoltan Hidasi
- Semmelweis University, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gabor Csukly
- Semmelweis University, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gabor Barcs
- National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Department of Neurology Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anita Kamondi
- National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Department of Neurology Budapest, Hungary; Semmelweis University Department of Neurology, Budapest, Hungary
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Neuronal Network Excitability in Alzheimer's Disease: The Puzzle of Similar versus Divergent Roles of Amyloid β and Tau. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0418-20.2020. [PMID: 33741601 PMCID: PMC8174042 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0418-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most frequent neurodegenerative disorder that commonly causes dementia in the elderly. Recent evidence indicates that network abnormalities, including hypersynchrony, altered oscillatory rhythmic activity, interneuron dysfunction, and synaptic depression, may be key mediators of cognitive decline in AD. In this review, we discuss characteristics of neuronal network excitability in AD, and the role of Aβ and tau in the induction of network hyperexcitability. Many patients harboring genetic mutations that lead to increased Aβ production suffer from seizures and epilepsy before the development of plaques. Similarly, pathologic accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau has been associated with hyperexcitability in the hippocampus. We present common and divergent roles of tau and Aβ on neuronal hyperexcitability in AD, and hypotheses that could serve as a template for future experiments.
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31
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Briels CT, Stam CJ, Scheltens P, Gouw AA. The predictive value of normal EEGs in dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2021; 8:1038-1048. [PMID: 33835723 PMCID: PMC8108419 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To determine differences in clinical presentation and disease progression between patients with dementia due to AD with visually normal and abnormal EEG recordings. We hypothesized that patients with normal electroencephalographs (EEGs) are a representation of the heterogeneity of AD. We expected this group to have a phenotype with relatively predominant hippocampal atrophy, memory deficits, and a slower disease progression. Methods Patients were included based on diagnosis of dementia due to AD, positive amyloid and tau cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, and the availability of EEG recordings. Patients were categorized in groups of normal (N = 208) and abnormal (N = 336) EEG recordings based on visual assessment by experienced neurophysiologists. At baseline demographics, cognitive, MRI, and CSF measures were compared between groups. Cognitive data from follow‐up visits were assessed by linear mixed‐effects models (LMMs), and corrected for baseline value, sex, age, and educational level, to compare cognitive deterioration over time between groups. Results About 1 in 4.5 patients with AD dementia had a visually normal EEG and this group showed better overall cognitive performance compared to the abnormal group, where memory was the most prominent affected domain. The normal group showed less global and parietal but similar medial temporal atrophy. Follow‐up data showed a slower deterioration on all tested cognitive domains in the normal EEG group. Interpretation Patients with dementia due to AD and visually normal EEG recordings showed a milder clinical presentation and had a milder disease progression compared to patients with an abnormal EEG. These results provide evidence of clinical and biological heterogeneity within AD dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casper T Briels
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelis J Stam
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Philip Scheltens
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Alida A Gouw
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Se Thoe E, Fauzi A, Tang YQ, Chamyuang S, Chia AYY. A review on advances of treatment modalities for Alzheimer's disease. Life Sci 2021; 276:119129. [PMID: 33515559 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disease which is mainly characterized by progressive impairment in cognition, emotion, language and memory in older population. Considering the impact of AD, formulations of pharmaceutical drugs and cholinesterase inhibitors have been widely propagated, receiving endorsement by FDA as a form of AD treatment. However, these medications were gradually discovered to be ineffective in removing the root of AD pathogenesis but merely targeting the symptoms so as to improve a patient's cognitive outcome. Hence, a search for better disease-modifying alternatives is put into motion. Having a clear understanding of the neuroprotective mechanisms and diverse properties undertaken by specific genes, antibodies and nanoparticles is central towards designing novel therapeutic agents. In this review, we provide a brief introduction on the background of Alzheimer's disease, the biology of blood-brain barrier, along with the potentials and drawbacks associated with current therapeutic treatment avenues pertaining to gene therapy, immunotherapy and nanotherapy for better diagnosis and management of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewen Se Thoe
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, 47500 Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ayesha Fauzi
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, 47500 Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Yin Quan Tang
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, 47500 Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Sunita Chamyuang
- School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chaing Rai 57100, Thailand; Microbial Products and Innovation Research Group, Mae Fah Luang University, Chaing Rai 57100, Thailand
| | - Adeline Yoke Yin Chia
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, 47500 Selangor, Malaysia.
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33
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Babiloni C, Noce G, Di Bonaventura C, Lizio R, Pascarelli MT, Tucci F, Soricelli A, Ferri R, Nobili F, Famà F, Palma E, Cifelli P, Marizzoni M, Stocchi F, Frisoni GB, Del Percio C. Abnormalities of Cortical Sources of Resting State Delta Electroencephalographic Rhythms Are Related to Epileptiform Activity in Patients With Amnesic Mild Cognitive Impairment Not Due to Alzheimer's Disease. Front Neurol 2020; 11:514136. [PMID: 33192962 PMCID: PMC7644902 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.514136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present exploratory and retrospective study, we hypothesized that cortical sources of resting state eyes-closed electroencephalographic (rsEEG) rhythms might be more abnormal in patients with epileptiform EEG activity (spike-sharp wave discharges, giant spikes) and amnesic mild cognitive impairment not due to Alzheimer's disease (noADMCI-EEA) than matched noADMCI patients without EEA (noADMCI-noEEA). Clinical, neuroimaging, neuropsychological, and rsEEG data in 32 noADMCI and 30 normal elderly (Nold) subjects were available in a national archive. Age, gender, and education were carefully matched among them. No subject had received a clinical diagnosis of epilepsy. Individual alpha frequency peak (IAF) was used to determine the delta, theta, and alpha frequency bands of rsEEG rhythms. Fixed beta and gamma bands were also considered. Regional rsEEG cortical sources were estimated by eLORETA freeware. Area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves indexed the accuracy of eLORETA solutions in the classification between noADMCI-EEA and noADMCI-noEEA individuals. As novel findings, EEA was observed in 41% of noADMCI patients. Furthermore, these noADMCI-EEA patients showed higher temporal delta source activities as compared to noADMCI-no EEA patients and Nold subjects. Those activities discriminated individuals of the two NoADMCI groups with an accuracy of about 70%. The significant percentage of noADMCI-EEA patients showing EEA and marked abnormalities in temporal rsEEG rhythms at delta frequencies suggest a substantial role of underlying neural hypersynchronization mechanisms in their brain dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Babiloni
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,San Raffaele Cassino, Cassino (FR), Italy
| | | | - Carlo Di Bonaventura
- Epilepsy Unit, Department of Neurosciences/Mental Health, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Federico Tucci
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Soricelli
- IRCCS SDN, Naples, Italy.,Department of Motor Sciences and Healthiness, University of Naples Parthenope, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Flavio Nobili
- Clinica Neurologica, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy.,Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Oftalmologia, Genetica, Riabilitazione e Scienze Materno-infantili (DiNOGMI), Università di Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Francesco Famà
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Oftalmologia, Genetica, Riabilitazione e Scienze Materno-infantili (DiNOGMI), Università di Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Eleonora Palma
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Pasteur Institute-Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Pierangelo Cifelli
- IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy.,Scienze Cliniche Applicate e Biotecnologiche, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Moira Marizzoni
- Laboratory of Alzheimer's Neuroimaging and Epidemiology, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Giovanni B Frisoni
- Laboratory of Alzheimer's Neuroimaging and Epidemiology, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy.,Memory Clinic and LANVIE-Laboratory of Neuroimaging of Aging, University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Claudio Del Percio
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Horvath AA, Csernus EA, Lality S, Kaminski RM, Kamondi A. Inhibiting Epileptiform Activity in Cognitive Disorders: Possibilities for a Novel Therapeutic Approach. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:557416. [PMID: 33177974 PMCID: PMC7593384 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.557416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive impairment is a common and seriously debilitating symptom of various mental and neurological disorders including autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's disease. In these conditions, high prevalence of epileptiform activity emerges as a common pathophysiological hallmark. Growing body of evidence suggests that this discrete but abnormal activity might have a long-term negative impact on cognitive performance due to neuronal circuitries' remodeling, altered sleep structure, pathological hippocampo-cortical coupling, and even progressive neuronal loss. In animal models, epileptiform activity was shown to enhance the formation of pathological amyloid and tau proteins that in turn trigger network hyperexcitability. Abolishing epileptiform discharges might slow down the cognitive deterioration. These findings might provide basis for therapeutic use of antiepileptic drugs in neurodegenerative cognitive disorders. The aim of our review is to describe the data on the prevalence of epileptiform activity in various cognitive disorders, to summarize the current knowledge of the mechanisms of epileptic activity in relation to cognitive impairment, and to explore the utility of antiepileptic drugs in the therapy of cognitive disorders. We also propose future directions for drug development and novel therapeutic interventions targeting epileptiform discharges in these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andras Attila Horvath
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Sara Lality
- Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Rafal M. Kaminski
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Anita Kamondi
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Neurology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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Vöglein J, Ricard I, Noachtar S, Kukull WA, Dieterich M, Levin J, Danek A. Seizures in Alzheimer's disease are highly recurrent and associated with a poor disease course. J Neurol 2020; 267:2941-2948. [PMID: 32488295 PMCID: PMC7501095 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-020-09937-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Seizures are an important comorbidity in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Conflicting results regarding clinical parameters associated with seizures in AD were previously reported. Data on seizure recurrence risk, a crucial parameter for treatment decisions, are lacking. METHODS National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center data were analyzed. Seizure prevalence in AD and an association with disease duration were investigated. Associations of seizures with age of AD onset and with cognitive and functional performance, and seizure recurrence risk were studied. RESULTS 20,745 individuals were investigated. In AD dementia, seizure recurrence risk was 70.4% within 7.5 months. Seizure history was associated with an earlier age of onset of cognitive symptoms (seizures vs. no seizures: 64.7 vs. 70.4 years; p < 0.0001) and worse cognitive and functional performance (mean MMSE score: 16.6 vs. 19.6; mean CDR-sum of boxes score: 9.3 vs. 6.8; p < 0.0001; adjusted for disease duration and age). Seizure prevalence increased with duration of AD dementia (standardized OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.39-1.73, p < 0.0001), rising from 1.51% at 4.8 years to 5.43% at 11 years disease duration. Seizures were more frequent in AD dementia compared to normal controls (active seizures: 1.51% vs. 0.35%, p < 0.0001, OR = 4.34, 95% CI = 3.01-6.27; seizure history: 3.14% vs. 1.57%, p < 0.0001, OR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.67-2.46). CONCLUSION Seizures in AD dementia feature an exceptionally high recurrence risk and are associated with a poor course of cognitive symptoms. AD patients are at an increased risk for seizures, particularly in later disease stages. Our findings emphasize a need for seizure history assessment in AD, inform individual therapeutic decisions and underline the necessity of systematic treatment studies of AD-associated epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Vöglein
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Feodor-Lynen-Straße 17, 81377, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Ingrid Ricard
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Soheyl Noachtar
- Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Walter A Kukull
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington School of Public Health, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Marianne Dieterich
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Feodor-Lynen-Straße 17, 81377, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Feodor-Lynen-Straße 17, 81377, Munich, Germany
- German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Johannes Levin
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Feodor-Lynen-Straße 17, 81377, Munich, Germany.
- Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Feodor-Lynen-Straße 17, 81377, Munich, Germany.
| | - Adrian Danek
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Feodor-Lynen-Straße 17, 81377, Munich, Germany.
- Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.
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36
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Epilepsy and Alzheimer’s Disease: Potential mechanisms for an association. Brain Res Bull 2020; 160:107-120. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2020.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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37
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Temporal phenotyping for transitional disease progress: An application to epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease. J Biomed Inform 2020; 107:103462. [PMID: 32562896 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbi.2020.103462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Complicated multifactorial diseases deteriorate from one disease to other diseases. For example, existing studies consider Alzheimer's disease (AD) a comorbidity of epilepsy, but also recognize epilepsy to occur more frequently in patients with AD than those without. It is important to understand the progress of disease that deteriorates to severe diseases. To this end, we develop a transitional phenotyping method based on both longitudinal and cross-sectional relationships between diseases and/or medications. For a cross-sectional approach, we utilized a skip-gram model to represent co-occurred disease or medication. For a longitudinal approach, we represented each patient as a transition probability between medical events and used supervised tensor factorization to decompose into groups of medical events that develop together. Then we harmonized both information to derive high-risk transitional patterns. We applied our method to disease progress from epilepsy to AD. An epilepsy-AD cohort of 600,000 patients were extracted from Cerner Health Facts data. Our experimental results suggested a causal relationship between epilepsy and later onset of AD, and also identified five epilepsy subgroups with distinct phenotypic patterns leading to AD. While such findings are preliminary, the proposed method combining representation learning with tensor factorization seems to be an effective approach for risk factor analysis.
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Babiloni C, Lopez S, Del Percio C, Noce G, Pascarelli MT, Lizio R, Teipel SJ, González-Escamilla G, Bakardjian H, George N, Cavedo E, Lista S, Chiesa PA, Vergallo A, Lemercier P, Spinelli G, Grothe MJ, Potier MC, Stocchi F, Ferri R, Habert MO, Fraga FJ, Dubois B, Hampel H. Resting-state posterior alpha rhythms are abnormal in subjective memory complaint seniors with preclinical Alzheimer's neuropathology and high education level: the INSIGHT-preAD study. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 90:43-59. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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Prediction of Cognitive Decline in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and Mild Cognitive Impairment by EEG, MRI, and Neuropsychology. COMPUTATIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND NEUROSCIENCE 2020; 2020:8915961. [PMID: 32549888 PMCID: PMC7256687 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8915961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive decline is a severe concern of patients with mild cognitive impairment. Also, in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, memory problems are a frequently encountered problem with potential progression. On the background of a unifying hypothesis for cognitive decline, we merged knowledge from dementia and epilepsy research in order to identify biomarkers with a high predictive value for cognitive decline across and beyond these groups that can be fed into intelligent systems. We prospectively assessed patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (N = 9), mild cognitive impairment (N = 19), and subjective cognitive complaints (N = 4) and healthy controls (N = 18). All had structural cerebral MRI, EEG at rest and during declarative verbal memory performance, and a neuropsychological assessment which was repeated after 18 months. Cognitive decline was defined as significant change on neuropsychological subscales. We extracted volumetric and shape features from MRI and brain network measures from EEG and fed these features alongside a baseline testing in neuropsychology into a machine learning framework with feature subset selection and 5-fold cross validation. Out of 50 patients, 27 had a decline over time in executive functions, 23 in visual-verbal memory, 23 in divided attention, and 7 patients had an increase in depression scores. The best sensitivity/specificity for decline was 72%/82% for executive functions based on a feature combination from MRI volumetry and EEG partial coherence during recall of memories; 95%/74% for visual-verbal memory by combination of MRI-wavelet features and neuropsychology; 84%/76% for divided attention by combination of MRI-wavelet features and neuropsychology; and 81%/90% for increase of depression by combination of EEG partial directed coherence factor at rest and neuropsychology. Combining information from EEG, MRI, and neuropsychology in order to predict neuropsychological changes in a heterogeneous population could create a more general model of cognitive performance decline.
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Sarycheva T, Lavikainen P, Taipale H, Tiihonen J, Tanskanen A, Hartikainen S, Tolppanen AM. Antiepileptic drug use and mortality among community-dwelling persons with Alzheimer disease. Neurology 2020; 94:e2099-e2108. [PMID: 32327491 PMCID: PMC7526675 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000009435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To evaluate the risk of death in relation to incident antiepileptic drug (AED) use compared with nonuse in people with Alzheimer disease (AD) through the assessment in terms of duration of use, specific drugs, and main causes of death. Methods The MEDALZ (Medication Use and Alzheimer Disease) cohort study includes all Finnish persons who received a clinically verified AD diagnosis (n = 70,718) in 2005–2011. Incident AED users were identified with 1-year washout period. For each incident AED user (n = 5,638), 1 nonuser was matched according to sex, age, and time since AD diagnosis. Analyses were conducted with Cox proportional regression models and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Results Nearly 50% discontinued AEDs within 6 months. Compared with nonusers, AED users had an increased relative risk of death (IPTW hazard ratio [HR], 1.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12–1.36). This was mainly due to deaths from dementia (IPTW HR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.42–1.86). There was no difference in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular deaths (IPTW HR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.67–1.44). The overall mortality was highest during the first 90 days of AED use (IPTW HR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.91–3.03). Among users of older AEDs, relative risk of death was greater compared to users of newer AEDs (IPTW HR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.52–2.16). Conclusion In older vulnerable patients with a cognitive disorder, careful consideration of AED initiation and close adverse events monitoring are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatyana Sarycheva
- From the School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences (T.S., P.L., H.T., S.H., A.-M.T.), Kuopio Research Centre of Geriatric Care (T.S., H.T., S.H.), and Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Niuvanniemi Hospital (H.T., J.T., A.T.), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (H.T., J.T., A.T.), Karolinska Institutet; and Centre for Psychiatry Research (J.T.), Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Sweden.
| | - Piia Lavikainen
- From the School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences (T.S., P.L., H.T., S.H., A.-M.T.), Kuopio Research Centre of Geriatric Care (T.S., H.T., S.H.), and Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Niuvanniemi Hospital (H.T., J.T., A.T.), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (H.T., J.T., A.T.), Karolinska Institutet; and Centre for Psychiatry Research (J.T.), Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Sweden
| | - Heidi Taipale
- From the School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences (T.S., P.L., H.T., S.H., A.-M.T.), Kuopio Research Centre of Geriatric Care (T.S., H.T., S.H.), and Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Niuvanniemi Hospital (H.T., J.T., A.T.), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (H.T., J.T., A.T.), Karolinska Institutet; and Centre for Psychiatry Research (J.T.), Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Sweden
| | - Jari Tiihonen
- From the School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences (T.S., P.L., H.T., S.H., A.-M.T.), Kuopio Research Centre of Geriatric Care (T.S., H.T., S.H.), and Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Niuvanniemi Hospital (H.T., J.T., A.T.), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (H.T., J.T., A.T.), Karolinska Institutet; and Centre for Psychiatry Research (J.T.), Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Sweden
| | - Antti Tanskanen
- From the School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences (T.S., P.L., H.T., S.H., A.-M.T.), Kuopio Research Centre of Geriatric Care (T.S., H.T., S.H.), and Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Niuvanniemi Hospital (H.T., J.T., A.T.), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (H.T., J.T., A.T.), Karolinska Institutet; and Centre for Psychiatry Research (J.T.), Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Sweden
| | - Sirpa Hartikainen
- From the School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences (T.S., P.L., H.T., S.H., A.-M.T.), Kuopio Research Centre of Geriatric Care (T.S., H.T., S.H.), and Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Niuvanniemi Hospital (H.T., J.T., A.T.), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (H.T., J.T., A.T.), Karolinska Institutet; and Centre for Psychiatry Research (J.T.), Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Sweden
| | - Anna-Maija Tolppanen
- From the School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences (T.S., P.L., H.T., S.H., A.-M.T.), Kuopio Research Centre of Geriatric Care (T.S., H.T., S.H.), and Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Niuvanniemi Hospital (H.T., J.T., A.T.), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (H.T., J.T., A.T.), Karolinska Institutet; and Centre for Psychiatry Research (J.T.), Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Sweden
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Epilepsy and aging. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2020. [PMID: 31753149 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-804766-8.00025-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The intersection of epilepsy and aging has broad, significant implications. Substantial increases in seizures occur both in the elderly population, who are at a higher risk of developing new-onset epilepsy, and in those with chronic epilepsy who become aged. There are notable gaps in our understanding of aging and epilepsy at the basic and practical levels, which have important consequences. We are in the early stages of understanding the complex relationships between epilepsy and other age-related brain diseases such as stroke, dementia, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and cancer. Furthermore, the clinician must recognize that the presentation and treatment of epilepsy in the elderly are different from those of younger populations. Given the developing awareness of the problem and the capabilities of contemporary, multidisciplinary approaches to advance understanding about the biology of aging and epilepsy, it is reasonable to expect that we will unravel some of the intricacies of epilepsy in the elderly; it is also reasonable to expect that these gains will lead to further improvements in our understanding and treatment of epilepsy for all age groups.
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Arnaldi D, Donniaquio A, Mattioli P, Massa F, Grazzini M, Meli R, Filippi L, Grisanti S, Famà F, Terzaghi M, Girtler N, Brugnolo A, Doglione E, Pardini M, Villani F, Nobili F. Epilepsy in Neurodegenerative Dementias: A Clinical, Epidemiological, and EEG Study. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 74:865-874. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-191315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dario Arnaldi
- Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Clinical Neurology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Andrea Donniaquio
- Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Clinical Neurology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Pietro Mattioli
- Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Clinical Neurology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Federico Massa
- Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Clinical Neurology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Matteo Grazzini
- Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Clinical Neurology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Riccardo Meli
- Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Clinical Neurology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Laura Filippi
- Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Clinical Neurology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Stefano Grisanti
- Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Clinical Neurology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesco Famà
- Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Clinical Neurology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Michele Terzaghi
- Unit of Sleep Medicine and Epilepsy, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Nicola Girtler
- Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Clinical Neurology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Andrea Brugnolo
- Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Clinical Neurology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Elisa Doglione
- Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Clinical Neurology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Matteo Pardini
- Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Clinical Neurology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Flavio Nobili
- Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Clinical Neurology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
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What electrophysiology tells us about Alzheimer's disease: a window into the synchronization and connectivity of brain neurons. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 85:58-73. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2019.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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Hofer C, Kwitt R, Höller Y, Trinka E, Uhl A. An empirical assessment of appearance descriptors applied to MRI for automated diagnosis of TLE and MCI. Comput Biol Med 2019; 117:103592. [PMID: 32072961 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2019.103592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Differential diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment MCI and temporal lobe epilepsy TLE is a debated issue, specifically because these conditions may coincide in the elderly population. We evaluate automated differential diagnosis based on characteristics derived from structural brain MRI of different brain regions. METHODS In 22 healthy controls, 19 patients with MCI, and 17 patients with TLE we used scale invariant feature transform (SIFT), local binary patterns (LBP), and wavelet-based features and investigate their predictive performance for MCI and TLE. RESULTS The classification based on SIFT features resulted in an accuracy of 81% of MCI vs. TLE and reasonable generalizability. Local binary patterns yielded satisfactory diagnostic performance with up to 94.74% sensitivity and 88.24% specificity in the right Thalamus for the distinction of MCI vs. TLE, but with limited generalizable. Wavelet features yielded similar results as LPB with 94.74% sensitivity and 82.35% specificity but generalize better. SIGNIFICANCE Features beyond volume analysis are a valid approach when applied to specific regions of the brain. Most significant information could be extracted from the thalamus, frontal gyri, and temporal regions, among others. These results suggest that analysis of changes of the central nervous system should not be limited to the most typical regions of interest such as the hippocampus and parahippocampal areas. Region-independent approaches can add considerable information for diagnosis. We emphasize the need to characterize generalizability in future studies, as our results demonstrate that not doing so can lead to overestimation of classification results. LIMITATIONS The data used within this study allows for separation of MCI and TLE subjects using a simple age threshold. While we present a strong indication that the presented method is age-invariant and therefore agnostic to this situation, new data would be needed for a rigorous empirical assessment of this findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Hofer
- Department of Computer Science, University of Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Roland Kwitt
- Department of Computer Science, University of Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Yvonne Höller
- Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Medical Centre, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria; Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Eugen Trinka
- Spinal Cord Injury & Tissue Regeneration Centre Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria; Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Medical Centre, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria; Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Andreas Uhl
- Department of Computer Science, University of Salzburg, Austria.
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Baker J, Libretto T, Henley W, Zeman A. A Longitudinal Study of Epileptic Seizures in Alzheimer's Disease. Front Neurol 2019; 10:1266. [PMID: 31866927 PMCID: PMC6904279 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.01266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of epileptic seizures is increased in patients in the clinical stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) when compared to age-matched cognitively normal populations. In previously reported work from the Presentation of Epileptic Seizures in Dementia (PrESIDe) study, we identified a clinical suspicion of epilepsy in between 12.75 and 28.43% of patients with AD recruited from a memory clinic. EEGs were not performed in this study. Patients with epilepsy performed similarly to patients without epilepsy on cognitive testing at the time of recruitment but were more impaired on two measures of everyday functioning [Cambridge Behavioral Inventory—Revised and Clinical Dementia Rating (CBI-R and CDR)]. On repeated testing in this 12-month follow-up study, patients in whom a suspicion of epilepsy was identified performed significantly worse on cognitive function testing (p = 0.028) in addition to maintaining a difference on the informant questionnaires (CBI-R p < 0.001, CDR p = 0.020). These findings suggest that seizures in this population could be a marker of a more rapid decline and worse prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Baker
- Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Tina Libretto
- NIHR Exeter Clinical Research Facility, Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - William Henley
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Adam Zeman
- Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
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46
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Synthesis, in-vitro cholinesterase inhibition, in-vivo anticonvulsant activity and in-silico exploration of N-(4-methylpyridin-2-yl)thiophene-2-carboxamide analogs. Bioorg Chem 2019; 92:103216. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2019.103216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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47
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Paulson C, Chien D, Lin F, Seidlits S, Cai Y, Sargolzaei S, Harris NG, Giza CC. A Novel Modular Headmount Design for non-invasive Scalp EEG Recordings in Awake Animal Models. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2019; 2018:5422-5425. [PMID: 30441563 DOI: 10.1109/embc.2018.8513686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
We have designed and developed a novel, noninvasive modular headmount to be used for awake animal scalp electroencephalography (EEG). The design is based on a developing rat that will accommodate rapid head growth. Desired characteristics include non-invasiveness, adjustable quantity and positioning, light weight, and tolerability by the animal. Axial Dependent Modular Electrode Mount (ADMEM), as designed here, addresses the aforementioned constraints by using light-weight and adjustable materials. The initial prototype of ADMEM has been tested in vivo with rat pups, using the open field test to assess for stress and anxiety at two post-installation time-points: one day after ADMEM installation (acute time-point) and four days after ADMEM installation (sub-acute time-point). There was no significant difference in normal developmental weight gain between Control and ADMEM rat groups. Although no significant difference was found in the level of anxiety between groups at the acute time-point, the ADMEM group spent significantly less time in the center of the open field test, suggesting higher anxiety. The test also showed no difference in the measured traveled distances between Control and ADMEM groups on either time-points.
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48
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Bugay V, Bozdemir E, Vigil FA, Chun SH, Holstein DM, Elliott WR, Sprague CJ, Cavazos JE, Zamora DO, Rule G, Shapiro MS, Lechleiter JD, Brenner R. A Mouse Model of Repetitive Blast Traumatic Brain Injury Reveals Post-Trauma Seizures and Increased Neuronal Excitability. J Neurotrauma 2019; 37:248-261. [PMID: 31025597 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2018.6333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Repetitive blast traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects numerous soldiers on the battlefield. Mild TBI has been shown to have long-lasting effects with repeated injury. We have investigated effects on neuronal excitability after repetitive, mild TBI in a mouse model of blast-induced brain injury. We exposed mice to mild blast trauma of an average peak overpressure of 14.6 psi, repeated across three consecutive days. While a single exposure did not reveal trauma as indicated by the glial fibrillary acidic protein indicator, three repetitive blasts did show significant increases. As well, mice had an increased indicator of inflammation (Iba-1) and increased tau, tau phosphorylation, and altered cytokine levels in the spleen. Video-electroencephalographic monitoring 48 h after the final blast exposure demonstrated seizures in 50% (12/24) of the mice, most of which were non-convulsive seizures. Long-term monitoring revealed that spontaneous seizures developed in at least 46% (6/13) of the mice. Patch clamp recording of dentate gyrus hippocampus neurons 48 h post-blast TBI demonstrated a shortened latency to the first spike and hyperpolarization of action potential threshold. We also found that evoked excitatory postsynaptic current amplitudes were significantly increased. These findings indicate that mild, repetitive blast exposures cause increases in neuronal excitability and seizures and eventual epilepsy development in some animals. The non-convulsive nature of the seizures suggests that subclinical seizures may occur in individuals experiencing even mild blast events, if repeated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladislav Bugay
- Cell and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Eda Bozdemir
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Fabio A Vigil
- Cell and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Sang H Chun
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Deborah M Holstein
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - William R Elliott
- Sensory Trauma, United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston San Antonio, Texas
| | - Cassie J Sprague
- Sensory Trauma, United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston San Antonio, Texas
| | - Jose E Cavazos
- Cell and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas.,Department of Neurology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - David O Zamora
- Sensory Trauma, United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston San Antonio, Texas
| | | | - Mark S Shapiro
- Cell and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - James D Lechleiter
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Robert Brenner
- Cell and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
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Stout KA, Dunn AR, Hoffman C, Miller GW. The Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2: Structure, Function, and Disease Relevance. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:3927-3938. [PMID: 31394034 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2 (SV2) family is comprised of three paralogues: SV2A, SV2B, and SV2C. In vertebrates, SV2s are 12-transmembrane proteins present on every secretory vesicle, including synaptic vesicles, and are critical to neurotransmission. Structural and functional studies suggest that SV2 proteins may play several roles to promote proper vesicular function. Among these roles are their potential to stabilize the transmitter content of vesicles, to maintain and orient the releasable pool of vesicles, and to regulate vesicular calcium sensitivity to ensure efficient, coordinated release of the transmitter. The SV2 family is highly relevant to human health in a number of ways. First, SV2A plays a role in neuronal excitability and as such is the specific target for the antiepileptic drug levetiracetam. SV2 proteins also act as the target by which potent neurotoxins, particularly botulinum, gain access to neurons and exert their toxicity. Both SV2B and SV2C are increasingly implicated in diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Interestingly, despite decades of intensive research, their exact function remains elusive. Thus, SV2 proteins are intriguing in their potentially diverse roles within the presynaptic terminal, and several recent developments have enhanced our understanding and appreciation of the protein family. Here, we review the structure and function of SV2 proteins as well as their relevance to disease and therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen A Stout
- Department of Physiology , Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine , Chicago , Illinois , United States
| | - Amy R Dunn
- The Jackson Laboratory , Bar Harbor , Maine , United States
| | - Carlie Hoffman
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health , Emory University , Atlanta , Georgia , United States
| | - Gary W Miller
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health , Columbia University , New York , New York , United States
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50
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Horvath A, Kiss M, Szucs A, Kamondi A. Precuneus-Dominant Degeneration of Parietal Lobe Is at Risk of Epilepsy in Mild Alzheimer's Disease. Front Neurol 2019; 10:878. [PMID: 31507508 PMCID: PMC6713905 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of cognitive decline. Epilepsy is a frequent comorbid condition of AD. While previous studies analyzed the risk factors of AD-related epileptic seizures, we still lack biomarkers of epilepsy in mild AD cases. Purpose: The aim of our study was to analyze the correlations between neuropsychology, cortical thickness, and brain volumetric measurements in mild Alzheimer patients with concomitant epileptic seizures. Materials and methods: We selected mild AD patients from our database to examine them with structural magnetic resonance imaging, 24 h electroencephalography, and detailed neuropsychology. We made the diagnosis of epilepsy based on epileptology data including neurophysiology. We retrospectively analyzed the neuropsychology pattern, clinical and epidemiologic features, cortical thickness, and volumetric values of mild AD patients with and without overt clinical seizures using covariance weighted general linear model. Results: We found epileptic seizures in 26% of mild AD patients. Patients with seizures performed worse in visuo-spatial scores than patients without (p = 0.003). Patients with seizures had smaller parietal thickness (p = 0.018), being associated to reduced thickness of left (p = 0.007), and right precunei (p = 0.005). The visuo-spatial performance positively and strongly correlated with the thickness of the parietal lobe (r = 0.67; p = 0.002) and with the volume of the precuneus (r = 0.612; p = 0.005). Conclusion: Epileptic seizures are common even in mild AD. We found that a prominent deficit in visuo-spatial skills is a red flag for epileptic seizures in the initial phase of AD, indicating the early involvement of parietal lobe in the neurodegenerative process. Because our findings suggest that the degeneration of precuneus is a sensitive marker of seizures associated to mild AD, clinicians need to pay special attention to the pattern of atrophy shown by structural MRI. Our results confirm previous data suggesting that epileptic seizures might be associated to a faster progressing type of AD with the early degeneration of posterior cortical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andras Horvath
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Anatomy Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Mate Kiss
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anna Szucs
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anita Kamondi
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Neurology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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