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Grapperon AM, Harlay V, Boucekine M, Devos D, Rolland AS, Desnuelle C, Delmont E, Verschueren A, Attarian S. Could the motor unit number index be an early prognostic biomarker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis? Clin Neurophysiol 2024; 163:47-55. [PMID: 38703699 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2024.04.013] [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: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the associations between motor unit number index (MUNIX) and disease progression and prognosis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in a large-scale longitudinal study. METHODS MUNIX was performed at the patient's first visit, at 3, 6, and 12 months in 4 muscles. MUNIX data from the patients were compared with those from 38 age-matched healthy controls. Clinical data included the revised ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R), the forced vital capacity (FVC), and the survival of the patients. RESULTS Eighty-two patients were included at baseline, 62 were evaluated at three months, 48 at six months, and 33 at twelve months. MUNIX score was lower in ALS patients compared to controls. At baseline, MUNIX was correlated with ALSFRS-R and FVC. Motor unit size index (MUSIX) was correlated with patient survival. Longitudinal analyses showed that MUNIX decline was greater than ALSFRS-R decline at each evaluation. A baseline MUNIX score greater than 378 predicted survival over the 12-month period with a sensitivity of 82% and a specificity of 56%. CONCLUSIONS This longitudinal study suggests that MUNIX could be an early quantitative marker of disease progression and prognosis in ALS. SIGNIFICANCE MUNIX might be considered as potential indicator for monitoring disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aude-Marie Grapperon
- APHM, Timone University Hospital, Referral Center for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS, ERN Euro-NMD Center, Marseille, France.
| | - Vincent Harlay
- APHM, Timone University Hospital, Referral Center for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS, ERN Euro-NMD Center, Marseille, France
| | - Mohamed Boucekine
- Aix Marseille University, Center for Studies and Research on Health Services and Quality of Life, Marseille, France
| | - David Devos
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Expert Center of ALS Lille University, INSERM UMRS_1772, Lille University Hospital, LICEND COEN Centre, LilNCog - Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, 59000, ACT4ALS-MND Network, France
| | - Anne-Sophie Rolland
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Expert Center of ALS Lille University, INSERM UMRS_1772, Lille University Hospital, LICEND COEN Centre, LilNCog - Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, 59000, ACT4ALS-MND Network, France
| | - Claude Desnuelle
- Côte d'Azur University, Medical Faculty of Nice, Department of Neurology, Nice, France
| | - Emilien Delmont
- APHM, Timone University Hospital, Referral Center for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS, ERN Euro-NMD Center, Marseille, France
| | - Annie Verschueren
- APHM, Timone University Hospital, Referral Center for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS, ERN Euro-NMD Center, Marseille, France
| | - Shahram Attarian
- APHM, Timone University Hospital, Referral Center for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS, ERN Euro-NMD Center, Marseille, France; Aix Marseille University, Inserm, GMGF, Marseille, France
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Shin-Yi Lin C, Howells J, Rutkove S, Nandedkar S, Neuwirth C, Noto YI, Shahrizaila N, Whittaker RG, Bostock H, Burke D, Tankisi H. Neurophysiological and imaging biomarkers of lower motor neuron dysfunction in motor neuron diseases/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: IFCN handbook chapter. Clin Neurophysiol 2024; 162:91-120. [PMID: 38603949 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2024.03.015] [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: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
This chapter discusses comprehensive neurophysiological biomarkers utilised in motor neuron disease (MND) and, in particular, its commonest form, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). These encompass the conventional techniques including nerve conduction studies (NCS), needle and high-density surface electromyography (EMG) and H-reflex studies as well as novel techniques. In the last two decades, new methods of assessing the loss of motor units in a muscle have been developed, that are more convenient than earlier methods of motor unit number estimation (MUNE),and may use either electrical stimulation (e.g. MScanFit MUNE) or voluntary activation (MUNIX). Electrical impedance myography (EIM) is another novel approach for the evaluation that relies upon the application and measurement of high-frequency, low-intensity electrical current. Nerve excitability techniques (NET) also provide insights into the function of an axon and reflect the changes in resting membrane potential, ion channel dysfunction and the structural integrity of the axon and myelin sheath. Furthermore, imaging ultrasound techniques as well as magnetic resonance imaging are capable of detecting the constituents of morphological changes in the nerve and muscle. The chapter provides a critical description of the ability of each technique to provide neurophysiological insight into the complex pathophysiology of MND/ALS. However, it is important to recognise the strengths and limitations of each approach in order to clarify utility. These neurophysiological biomarkers have demonstrated reliability, specificity and provide additional information to validate and assess lower motor neuron dysfunction. Their use has expanded the knowledge about MND/ALS and enhanced our understanding of the relationship between motor units, axons, reflexes and other neural circuits in relation to clinical features of patients with MND/ALS at different stages of the disease. Taken together, the ultimate goal is to aid early diagnosis, distinguish potential disease mimics, monitor and stage disease progression, quantify response to treatment and develop potential therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Shin-Yi Lin
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Central Clinical School, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia.
| | - James Howells
- Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Seward Rutkove
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sanjeev Nandedkar
- Natus Medical Inc, Middleton, Wisconsin, USA and Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Christoph Neuwirth
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit/ALS Clinic, Kantonsspital, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Yu-Ichi Noto
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Nortina Shahrizaila
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Roger G Whittaker
- Newcastle University Translational and Clinical Research Institute (NUTCRI), Newcastle University., Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Hugh Bostock
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, WC1N 3BG, London, United Kingdom
| | - David Burke
- Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Hatice Tankisi
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Aarhus University Hospital and Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
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Evans LJ, O'Brien D, Shaw PJ. Current neuroprotective therapies and future prospects for motor neuron disease. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 176:327-384. [PMID: 38802178 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2024.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Four medications with neuroprotective disease-modifying effects are now in use for motor neuron disease (MND). With FDA approvals for tofersen, relyvrio and edaravone in just the past year, 2022 ended a quarter of a century when riluzole was the sole such drug to offer to patients. The acceleration of approvals may mean we are witnessing the beginning of a step-change in how MND can be treated. Improvements in understanding underlying disease biology has led to more therapies being developed to target specific and multiple disease mechanisms. Consideration for how the pipeline of new therapeutic agents coming through in clinical and preclinical development can be more effectively evaluated with biomarkers, advances in patient stratification and clinical trial design pave the way for more successful translation for this archetypal complex neurodegenerative disease. While it must be cautioned that only slowed rates of progression have so far been demonstrated, pre-empting rapid neurodegeneration by using neurofilament biomarkers to signal when to treat, as is currently being trialled with tofersen, may be more effective for patients with known genetic predisposition to MND. Early intervention with personalized medicines could mean that for some patients at least, in future we may be able to substantially treat what is considered by many to be one of the most distressing diseases in medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Evans
- The Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, and the NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - David O'Brien
- The Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, and the NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- The Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, and the NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
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Pennuto M, Pradat PF, Sorarù G, Greensmith L. 271st ENMC international workshop: Towards a unifying effort to fight Kennedy's disease. 20-22 October 2023, Hoofddorp, Netherlands. Neuromuscul Disord 2024; 38:8-19. [PMID: 38552412 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2024.03.003] [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: 02/24/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
The workshop held in the Netherlands from October 20-22, 2023, united 27 scientists from academia, healthcare, and industry representing 11 countries, alongside four patient and charity representatives. Focused on Kennedy's Disease (KD), also known as spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), the workshop aimed to consolidate knowledge, align on clinical trial designs, and promote participative medicine for effective treatments. Discussions emphasized KD's molecular mechanisms, highlighting its status as a neuromuscular disorder with motor neuron degeneration. Strategies for therapeutic intervention, including AR activity modulation and targeting post-translational modifications, were proposed. The need for diagnostic, prognostic, and target engagement biomarkers was stressed. Challenges in patient stratification and clinical trial recruitment were acknowledged, with the International KD/SBMA Registry praised for its role. The workshop concluded with a patient-focused session, underscoring challenges in KD diagnosis and the vital support provided by patient associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Pennuto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences (DBS), University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova 35100, Italy.
| | - P F Pradat
- Département de Neurologie, AP-HP, Groupe hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, F-75013 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, UPMC University Paris 06, CNRS, INSERM, Laboratoire d'Imagerie Biomédicale (LIB), 75013 Paris, France
| | - G Sorarù
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - L Greensmith
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK.
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Vucic S, de Carvalho M, Bashford J, Alix JJP. Contribution of neurophysiology to the diagnosis and monitoring of ALS. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 176:87-118. [PMID: 38802184 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2024.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
This chapter describes the role of neurophysiological techniques in diagnosing and monitoring amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Despite many advances, electromyography (EMG) remains a keystone investigation from which to build support for a diagnosis of ALS, demonstrating the pathophysiological processes of motor unit hyperexcitability, denervation and reinnervation. We consider development of the different diagnostic criteria and the role of EMG therein. While not formally recognised by established diagnostic criteria, we discuss the pioneering studies that have demonstrated the diagnostic potential of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the motor cortex and highlight the growing evidence for TMS in the diagnostic process. Finally, accurately monitoring disease progression is crucial for the successful implementation of clinical trials. Neurophysiological measures of disease state have been incorporated into clinical trials for over 20 years and we review prominent techniques for assessing disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Vucic
- Brain and Nerve Research Centre, Concord Clinical School and Department of Neurology, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mamede de Carvalho
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; Department of Neurosciences, CHULN, Centro Académico de Medicina de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - James Bashford
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - James J P Alix
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
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Abstract
Although the past two decades have produced exciting discoveries in the genetics and pathology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), progress in developing an effective therapy remains slow. This review summarizes the critical discoveries and outlines the advances in disease characterization, diagnosis, imaging, and biomarkers, along with the current status of approaches to ALS care and treatment. Additional knowledge of the factors driving disease progression and heterogeneity will hopefully soon transform the care for patients with ALS into an individualized, multi-prong approach able to prevent disease progression sufficiently to allow for a dignified life with limited disability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hristelina Ilieva
- Jefferson Weinberg ALS Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Justin Kwan
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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7
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Vucic S. Clinical utility of far field motor potentials in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Muscle Nerve 2023; 68:237-239. [PMID: 37269166 DOI: 10.1002/mus.27852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
See article on pages 257–263 in this issue
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Vucic
- Brain and Nerve Research Center, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Higashihara M, Yamazaki H, Izumi Y, Kobayashi M, Nodera H, Oishi C, Iwata A, Murayama S, Kaji R, Sonoo M. Far-field potential of the compound muscle action potential as a reliable marker in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Muscle Nerve 2023; 68:257-263. [PMID: 37086196 DOI: 10.1002/mus.27829] [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: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION/AIMS Reliable neurophysiological markers in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are of great interest. The compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitude has been a conventional marker, although it is greatly influenced by the electrode position. We propose the far-field potential of the CMAP (FFP-CMAP) as a new neurophysiological marker in ALS. METHODS Patients with ALS and age-matched healthy controls were enrolled. We used a proximal reference (pref) in addition to the conventional distal reference (dref). Routine CMAP was recorded from the belly-dref lead and FFP-CMAP from the dref-pref lead for the ulnar and tibial nerves. Multiple point stimulation motor unit number estimation (MUNE) was also examined in the ulnar nerve. Inter-rater reproducibility was evaluated by two examiners, and some patients were followed up every 3 mo for 1 y. RESULTS We tested 17 patients with ALS and 10 controls. The amplitudes of routine CMAP and FFP-CMAP in the ulnar and tibial nerves, and hypothenar MUNE value in the ulnar nerve were significantly decreased in ALS compared to controls. Ulnar FFP-CMAP achieved the highest inter-rater intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) value (0.942) when compared with routine CMAP (0.880) and MUNE (0.839). The tibial FFP-CMAP had a higher ICC value (0.986) than the routine CMAP (0.697). In this way, the FFP-CMAP showed high inter-rater reproducibility because its shape was not much influenced by the electrode position. During 1-y follow-up, decline of CMAP, FFP, and MUNE showed significant correlations with the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale - Revised (ALSFRS-R). DISCUSSION The FFP-CMAP shows promise as a reliable marker for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mana Higashihara
- Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroki Yamazaki
- Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Yuishin Izumi
- Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | | | - Hiroyuki Nodera
- Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Tenri Hospital, Tenri, Japan
| | - Chizuko Oishi
- Department of Neurology, Kyorin University Hospital, Mitaka, Japan
| | - Atsushi Iwata
- Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigeo Murayama
- Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryuji Kaji
- Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Utano National Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masahiro Sonoo
- Department of Neurology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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Xue S, Gao F, Wu X, Xu Q, Weng X, Zhang Q. MUNIX repeatability evaluation method based on FastICA demixing. MATHEMATICAL BIOSCIENCES AND ENGINEERING : MBE 2023; 20:16362-16382. [PMID: 37920016 DOI: 10.3934/mbe.2023730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
To enhance the reproducibility of motor unit number index (MUNIX) for evaluating neurological disease progression, this paper proposes a negative entropy-based fast independent component analysis (FastICA) demixing method to assess MUNIX reproducibility in the presence of inter-channel mixing of electromyography (EMG) signals acquired by high-density electrodes. First, composite surface EMG (sEMG) signals were obtained using high-density surface electrodes. Second, the FastICA algorithm based on negative entropy was employed to determine the orthogonal projection matrix that minimizes the negative entropy of the projected signal and effectively separates mixed sEMG signals. Finally, the proposed experimental approach was validated by introducing an interrelationship criterion to quantify independence between adjacent channel EMG signals, measuring MUNIX repeatability using coefficient of variation (CV), and determining motor unit number and size through MUNIX. Results analysis shows that the inclusion of the full (128) channel sEMG information leads to a reduction in CV value by $1.5 \pm 0.1$ and a linear decline in CV value with an increase in the number of channels. The correlation between adjacent channels in participants decreases by $0.12 \pm 0.05$ as the number of channels gradually increases. The results demonstrate a significant reduction in the number of interrelationships between sEMG signals following negative entropy-based FastICA processing, compared to the mixed sEMG signals. Moreover, this decrease in interrelationships becomes more pronounced with an increasing number of channels. Additionally, the CV of MUNIX gradually decreases with an increase in the number of channels, thereby optimizing the issue of abnormal MUNIX repeatability patterns and further enhancing the reproducibility of MUNIX based on high-density surface EMG signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suqi Xue
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Farong Gao
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Xudong Wu
- Department of Orthopedics, Zhoushan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhoushan 316000, China
| | - Qun Xu
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Xuecheng Weng
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Qizhong Zhang
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
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Risi B, Cotti Piccinelli S, Gazzina S, Labella B, Caria F, Damioli S, Poli L, Padovani A, Filosto M. Prognostic Usefulness of Motor Unit Number Index (MUNIX) in Patients Newly Diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. J Clin Med 2023; 12:5036. [PMID: 37568439 PMCID: PMC10420094 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12155036] [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: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The MUNIX technique allows us to estimate the number and size of surviving motor units (MUs). Previous studies on ALS found correlations between MUNIX and several clinical measures, but its potential role as a predictor of disease progression rate (DPR) has not been thoroughly evaluated to date. We aimed to investigate MUNIX's ability to predict DPR at a six-month follow up. METHODS 24 ALS patients with short disease duration (<24 months from symptoms' onset) were enrolled and divided according to their baseline DPR into two groups (normal [DPR-N] and fast [DPR-F] progressors). MUNIX values were obtained from five muscles (TA, APB, ADM, FDI, Trapezius) and averaged for each subject. RESULTS MUNIX was found to predict DPR at follow up in a multivariable linear regression model; namely, patients with lower MUNIX values were at risk of showing greater DPR scores at follow up. The result was replicated in a simple logistic regression analysis, with the dichotomic category "MUNIX-Low" as the independent variable and the outcome "DPR-F" as the dependent variable. CONCLUSIONS our results pave the way for the use of the MUNIX method as a prognostic tool in early ALS, enabling patients' stratification according to their rates of future decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Risi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy; (B.R.); (S.C.P.); (B.L.); (A.P.)
- Unit of Neurology, ASST Spedali Civili, 25123 Brescia, Italy;
- NeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, 25064 Gussago, Italy; (F.C.); (S.D.)
| | - Stefano Cotti Piccinelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy; (B.R.); (S.C.P.); (B.L.); (A.P.)
- NeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, 25064 Gussago, Italy; (F.C.); (S.D.)
| | - Stefano Gazzina
- Unit of Neurophysiology, ASST Spedali Civili, 25123 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Beatrice Labella
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy; (B.R.); (S.C.P.); (B.L.); (A.P.)
- Unit of Neurology, ASST Spedali Civili, 25123 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Filomena Caria
- NeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, 25064 Gussago, Italy; (F.C.); (S.D.)
| | - Simona Damioli
- NeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, 25064 Gussago, Italy; (F.C.); (S.D.)
| | - Loris Poli
- Unit of Neurology, ASST Spedali Civili, 25123 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Alessandro Padovani
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy; (B.R.); (S.C.P.); (B.L.); (A.P.)
- Unit of Neurology, ASST Spedali Civili, 25123 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Massimiliano Filosto
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy; (B.R.); (S.C.P.); (B.L.); (A.P.)
- NeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, 25064 Gussago, Italy; (F.C.); (S.D.)
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Bireley JD, Morren JA. CNM-Au8: an experimental agent for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2023; 32:677-683. [PMID: 37642362 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2023.2252738] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Two established disease-specific therapies for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are riluzole and edaravone. Limitations of these medications include minimal progression slowing or survival benefit, and effectiveness only in selected populations, particularly for edaravone. AMX0035 and tofersen received US FDA approval in September 2022 and April 2023, respectively. However, phase 3 trials, further examining both medications' efficacy, are ongoing. CNM-Au8 is an efficient catalyst of energy metabolism and is therefore a potential disease-modifying treatment for ALS, a neurodegenerative condition in which there is bioenergetics impairment. AREAS COVERED In this review, we provide an overview of the current ALS treatment market, followed by a description of the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of CNM-Au8. The main preclinical and available early clinical evidence of CNM-Au8 is then described, as well as its potential as an ALS treatment. EXPERT OPINION Oral treatment with CNM-Au8 failed to meet primary clinical and electrodiagnostic endpoints in phase 2/3 clinical trials. Despite this failure, a number of exploratory endpoints included in phase 2/3 trials suggest CNM-Au8 has the potential to significantly slow clinical worsening, improve quality of life, and prolong survival in ALS. Further study of CNM-Au8 in a phase 3 clinical trial is currently underway.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Daniel Bireley
- Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - John A Morren
- Neuromuscular Center, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
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Vucic S, Menon P, Huynh W, Mahoney C, Ho KS, Hartford A, Rynders A, Evan J, Evan J, Ligozio S, Glanzman R, Hotchkin MT, Kiernan MC. Efficacy and safety of CNM-Au8 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (RESCUE-ALS study): a phase 2, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial and open label extension. EClinicalMedicine 2023; 60:102036. [PMID: 37396808 PMCID: PMC10314176 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background CNM-Au8® is a catalytically-active gold nanocrystal neuroprotective agent that enhances intracellular energy metabolism and reduces oxidative stress. The phase 2, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial and open label extension RESCUE-ALS trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of CNM-Au8 for treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods RESCUE-ALS and its long-term open label extension (OLE) were conducted at two multidisciplinary ALS clinics located in Sydney, Australia: (i) the Brain and Mind Centre and (ii) Westmead Hospital. The double-blind portion of RESCUE-ALS was conducted from January 16, 2020 (baseline visit, first-patient first-visit (FPFV)) through July 13, 2021 (double-blind period, last-patient last-visit (LPLV)). Participants (N = 45) were randomised 1:1 to receive 30 mg of CNM-Au8 or matching placebo daily over 36 weeks in addition to background standard of care, riluzole. The primary outcome was mean percent change in summed motor unit number index (MUNIX), a sensitive neurophysiological biomarker of lower motor neuron function. Change in total (or summated) MUNIX score and change in forced vital capacity (FVC) were secondary outcome measures. ALS disease progression events, ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R) change, change in quality of life (ALSSQOL-SF) were assessed as exploratory outcome measures. Long-term survival evaluated vital status of original active versus placebo randomisation for all participants through at least 12 months following last-patient last-visit (LPLV) of the double-blind period. RESCUE-ALS and the open label study are registered in clinicaltrials.gov with registration numbers NCT04098406 and NCT05299658, respectively. Findings In the intention-to-treat (ITT) population, there was no significant difference in the summated MUNIX score percent change (LS mean difference: 7.7%, 95% CI: -11.9 to 27.3%, p = 0.43), total MUNIX score change (18.8, 95% CI: -56.4 to 94.0), or FVC change (LS mean difference: 3.6, 95% CI: -12.4 to 19.7) between the active and placebo treated groups at week 36. In contrast, survival analyses through 12-month LPLV demonstrated a 60% reduction in all-cause mortality with CNM-Au8 treatment [hazard ratio = 0.408 (95% Wald CI: 0.166 to 1.001, log-rank p = 0.0429). 36 participants entered the open label extension (OLE), and those initially randomised to CNM-Au8 exhibited a slower rate of disease progression, as measured by time to the occurrence of death, tracheostomy, initiation of non-invasive ventilatory support, or gastrostomy tube placement. CNM-Au8 was well-tolerated, and no safety signals were observed. Interpretation CNM-Au8, in combination with riluzole, was well-tolerated in ALS with no identified safety signals. While the primary and secondary outcomes of this trial were not significant, the clinically meaningful exploratory results support further investigation of CNM-Au8 in ALS. Funding The RESCUE-ALS was substantially funded by a grant from FightMND. Additional funding was provided by Clene Australia Pty Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Vucic
- Brain and Nerve Research Centre, Concord Clinical School and Department of Neurology, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Parvathi Menon
- Brain and Nerve Research Centre, Concord Clinical School and Department of Neurology, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - William Huynh
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, and Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Colin Mahoney
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, and Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Karen S. Ho
- Clene Nanomedicine, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | | | | | - Jacob Evan
- Clene Nanomedicine, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Jeremy Evan
- Clene Nanomedicine, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | | | | | | | - Matthew C. Kiernan
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, and Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
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13
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Motor unit number index (MUNIX) loss of 50% occurs in half the time of 50% functional loss according to the D50 disease progression model of ALS. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3981. [PMID: 36894607 PMCID: PMC9998642 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30871-x] [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: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Capturing disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is challenging and refinement of progression markers is urgently needed. This study introduces new motor unit number index (MUNIX), motor unit size index (MUSIX) and compound muscle action potential (CMAP) parameters called M50, MUSIX200 and CMAP50. M50 and CMAP50 indicate the time in months from symptom onset an ALS patient needs to lose 50% of MUNIX or CMAP in relation to the mean values of controls. MUSIX200 represents the time in months until doubling of the mean MUSIX of controls. We used MUNIX parameters of Musculi abductor pollicis brevis (APB), abductor digiti minimi (ADM) and tibialis anterior (TA) of 222 ALS patients. Embedded in the D50 disease progression model, disease aggressiveness and accumulation were analyzed separately. M50, CMAP50 and MUSIX200 significantly differed among disease aggressiveness subgroups (p < 0.001) regardless of disease accumulation. ALS patients with a low M50 had a significantly shorter survival compared to high M50 (median 32 versus 74 months). M50 preceded the loss of global function (median of about 14 months). M50, CMAP50 and MUSIX200 characterize the disease course in ALS in a new way and may be applied as early measures of disease progression.
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14
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Mead RJ, Shan N, Reiser HJ, Marshall F, Shaw PJ. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a neurodegenerative disorder poised for successful therapeutic translation. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:185-212. [PMID: 36543887 PMCID: PMC9768794 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-022-00612-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 89.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating disease caused by degeneration of motor neurons. As with all major neurodegenerative disorders, development of disease-modifying therapies has proven challenging for multiple reasons. Nevertheless, ALS is one of the few neurodegenerative diseases for which disease-modifying therapies are approved. Significant discoveries and advances have been made in ALS preclinical models, genetics, pathology, biomarkers, imaging and clinical readouts over the last 10-15 years. At the same time, novel therapeutic paradigms are being applied in areas of high unmet medical need, including neurodegenerative disorders. These developments have evolved our knowledge base, allowing identification of targeted candidate therapies for ALS with diverse mechanisms of action. In this Review, we discuss how this advanced knowledge, aligned with new approaches, can enable effective translation of therapeutic agents from preclinical studies through to clinical benefit for patients with ALS. We anticipate that this approach in ALS will also positively impact the field of drug discovery for neurodegenerative disorders more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Mead
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Keapstone Therapeutics, The Innovation Centre, Broomhall, Sheffield, UK
| | - Ning Shan
- Aclipse Therapeutics, Radnor, PA, US
| | | | - Fiona Marshall
- MSD UK Discovery Centre, Merck, Sharp and Dohme (UK) Limited, London, UK
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
- Keapstone Therapeutics, The Innovation Centre, Broomhall, Sheffield, UK.
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15
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Xu Q, Xue S, Gao F, Wu Q, Zhang Q. Evaluation method of motor unit number index based on optimal muscle strength combination. MATHEMATICAL BIOSCIENCES AND ENGINEERING : MBE 2023; 20:3854-3872. [PMID: 36899608 DOI: 10.3934/mbe.2023181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Repeatability is an important attribute of motor unit number index (MUNIX) technology. This paper proposes an optimal contraction force combination for MUNIX calculation in an effort to improve the repeatability of this technology. In this study, the surface electromyography (EMG) signals of the biceps brachii muscle of eight healthy subjects were initially recorded with high-density surface electrodes, and the contraction strength was the maximum voluntary contraction force of nine progressive levels. Then, by traversing and comparing the repeatability of MUNIX under various combinations of contraction force, the optimal combination of muscle strength is determined. Finally, calculate MUNIX using the high-density optimal muscle strength weighted average method. The correlation coefficient and the coefficient of variation are utilized to assess repeatability. The results show that when the muscle strength combination is 10, 20, 50 and 70% of the maximum voluntary contraction force, the repeatability of MUNIX is greatest, and the correlation between MUNIX calculated using this combination of muscle strength and conventional methods is high (PCC > 0.99), the repeatability of the MUNIX method improved by 11.5-23.8%. The results indicate that the repeatability of MUNIX differs for various combinations of muscle strength and that MUNIX, which is measured with a smaller number and lower-level contractility, has greater repeatability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qun Xu
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Suqi Xue
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Farong Gao
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Qiuxuan Wu
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Qizhong Zhang
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
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16
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Motor unit number index (MUNIX) in the D50 disease progression model reflects disease accumulation independently of disease aggressiveness in ALS. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15997. [PMID: 36163485 PMCID: PMC9512899 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19911-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurophysiological technique motor unit number index (MUNIX) is increasingly used in clinical trials to measure loss of motor units. However, the heterogeneous disease course in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) obfuscates robust correlations between clinical status and electrophysiological assessments. To address this heterogeneity, MUNIX was applied in the D50 disease progression model by analyzing disease aggressiveness (D50) and accumulation (rD50 phase) in ALS separately. 237 ALS patients, 45 controls and 22 ALS-Mimics received MUNIX of abductor pollicis brevis (APB), abductor digiti minimi (ADM) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles. MUNIX significantly differed between controls and ALS patients and between ALS-Mimics and controls. Within the ALS cohort, significant differences between Phase I and II revealed in MUNIX, compound muscle action potential (CMAP) and motor unit size index (MUSIX) of APB as well as in MUNIX and CMAP of TA. For the ADM, significant differences occurred later in CMAP and MUNIX between Phase II and III/IV. In contrast, there was no significant association between disease aggressiveness and MUNIX. In application of the D50 disease progression model, MUNIX can demonstrate disease accumulation already in early Phase I and evaluate effects of therapeutic interventions in future therapeutic trials independent of individual disease aggressiveness.
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17
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Oki R, Izumi Y, Fujita K, Miyamoto R, Nodera H, Sato Y, Sakaguchi S, Nokihara H, Kanai K, Tsunemi T, Hattori N, Hatanaka Y, Sonoo M, Atsuta N, Sobue G, Shimizu T, Shibuya K, Ikeda K, Kano O, Nishinaka K, Kojima Y, Oda M, Komai K, Kikuchi H, Kohara N, Urushitani M, Nakayama Y, Ito H, Nagai M, Nishiyama K, Kuzume D, Shimohama S, Shimohata T, Abe K, Ishihara T, Onodera O, Isose S, Araki N, Morita M, Noda K, Toda T, Maruyama H, Furuya H, Teramukai S, Kagimura T, Noma K, Yanagawa H, Kuwabara S, Kaji R. Efficacy and Safety of Ultrahigh-Dose Methylcobalamin in Early-Stage Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Neurol 2022; 79:575-583. [PMID: 35532908 PMCID: PMC9086935 DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2022.0901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Importance The effectiveness of currently approved drugs for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is restricted; there is a need to develop further treatments. Initial studies have shown ultrahigh-dose methylcobalamin to be a promising agent. Objective To validate the efficacy and safety of ultrahigh-dose methylcobalamin for patients with ALS enrolled within 1 year of onset. Design, Setting, and Participants This was a multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized phase 3 clinical trial with a 12-week observation and 16-week randomized period, conducted from October 17, 2017, to September 30, 2019. Patients were recruited from 25 neurology centers in Japan; those with ALS diagnosed within 1 year of onset by the updated Awaji criteria were initially enrolled. Of those, patients fulfilling the following criteria after 12-week observation were eligible for randomization: 1- or 2-point decrease in the Revised Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R) total score, a percent forced vital capacity greater than 60%, no history of noninvasive respiratory support and tracheostomy, and being ambulatory. The target participant number was 64 in both the methylcobalamin and placebo groups. Patients were randomly assigned through an electronic web-response system to methylcobalamin or placebo. Interventions Intramuscular injection of methylcobalamin (50-mg dose) or placebo twice weekly for 16 weeks. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary end point was change in ALSFRS-R total score from baseline to week 16 in the full analysis set. Results A total of 130 patients (mean [SD] age, 61.0 [11.7] years; 74 men [56.9%]) were randomly assigned to methylcobalamin or placebo (65 each). A total of 129 patients were eligible for the full analysis set, and 126 completed the double-blind stage. Of these, 124 patients proceeded to the open-label extended period. The least square means difference in ALSFRS-R total score at week 16 of the randomized period was 1.97 points greater with methylcobalamin than placebo (-2.66 vs -4.63; 95% CI, 0.44-3.50; P = .01). The incidence of adverse events was similar between the 2 groups. Conclusions and Relevance Results of this randomized clinical trial showed that ultrahigh-dose methylcobalamin was efficacious in slowing functional decline in patients with early-stage ALS and with moderate progression rate and was safe to use during the 16-week treatment period. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03548311.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryosuke Oki
- Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Yuishin Izumi
- Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Koji Fujita
- Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Miyamoto
- Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Nodera
- Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Yasutaka Sato
- Clinical Research Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Tokushima University Hospital, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Satoshi Sakaguchi
- Clinical Research Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Tokushima University Hospital, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nokihara
- Clinical Research Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Tokushima University Hospital, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Kanai
- Department of Neurology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan.,Department of Neurology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taiji Tsunemi
- Department of Neurology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nobutaka Hattori
- Department of Neurology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuki Hatanaka
- Department of Neurology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masahiro Sonoo
- Department of Neurology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoki Atsuta
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Gen Sobue
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Toshio Shimizu
- Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazumoto Shibuya
- Department of Neurology, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Ken Ikeda
- Department of Neurology, Toho University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Osamu Kano
- Department of Neurology, Toho University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Yasuhiro Kojima
- Department of Neurology, Takeda General Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masaya Oda
- Department of Neurology, Vihara Hananosato Hospital, Miyoshi, Japan
| | - Kiyonobu Komai
- Department of Neurology, National Hospital Organization Iou Hospital, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Kikuchi
- Department of Neurology, Murakami Karindoh Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Nobuo Kohara
- Department of Neurology, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, Kobe, Japan
| | - Makoto Urushitani
- Department of Neurology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Nakayama
- Department of Neurology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Hidefumi Ito
- Department of Neurology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Makiko Nagai
- Department of Neurology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Japan
| | - Kazutoshi Nishiyama
- Department of Neurology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Japan
| | - Daisuke Kuzume
- Department of Neurology, Chikamori Hospital, Kochi, Japan
| | - Shun Shimohama
- Department of Neurology, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takayoshi Shimohata
- Department of Neurology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
| | - Koji Abe
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Tomohiko Ishihara
- Department of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Osamu Onodera
- Department of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Sagiri Isose
- Department of Neurology, National Hospital Organization Chibahigashi Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Araki
- Department of Neurology, National Hospital Organization Chibahigashi Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Mitsuya Morita
- Division of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan
| | - Kazuyuki Noda
- Department of Neurology, Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital, Izunokuni, Japan
| | - Tatsushi Toda
- Department of Neurology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Maruyama
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Furuya
- Department of Neurology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Japan
| | - Satoshi Teramukai
- Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tatsuo Kagimura
- Translational Research Center for Medical Innovation, Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation, Kobe, Japan
| | - Kensuke Noma
- Division of Regeneration and Medicine, Medical Center for Translational and Clinical Research, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.,Department of Cardiovascular Regeneration and Medicine, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Yanagawa
- Clinical Research Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Tokushima University Hospital, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Satoshi Kuwabara
- Department of Neurology, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Ryuji Kaji
- Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan.,Department of Neurology, National Hospital Organization Utano Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
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18
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Ahmed N, Baker MR, Bashford J. The landscape of neurophysiological outcome measures in ALS interventional trials: A systematic review. Clin Neurophysiol 2022; 137:132-141. [PMID: 35313253 PMCID: PMC10166714 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2022.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We collated all interventional clinical trials in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which utilised at least one neurophysiological technique as a primary or secondary outcome measure. By identifying the strengths and limitations of these studies, we aim to guide study design in future trials. METHODS We conducted and reported this systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Eight databases were searched from inception. In total, 703 studies were retrieved for screening and eligibility assessment. RESULTS Dating back to 1986, 32 eligible interventional clinical trials were identified, recruiting a median of 30 patients per completed trial. The most widely employed neurophysiological techniques were electromyography, motor unit number estimation (including motor unit number index), neurophysiological index and transcranial magnetic stimulation (including resting motor threshold and short-interval intracortical inhibition). Almost 40% of trials reported a positive outcome with respect to at least one neurophysiological measure. The interventions targeted either ion channels, immune mechanisms or neuronal metabolic pathways. CONCLUSIONS Neurophysiology offers many promising biomarkers that can be utilised as outcome measures in interventional clinical trials in ALS. When selecting the most appropriate technique, key considerations include methodological standardisation, target engagement and logistical burden. SIGNIFICANCE Future trial design in ALS would benefit from a standardised, updated and easily accessible repository of neurophysiological outcome measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Ahmed
- GKT School of Medical Education, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, UK
| | - M R Baker
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - J Bashford
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK.
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19
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Nandedkar SD, Barkhaus PE, V Stålberg E. Analysis of the compound muscle action potential scan: Step Index (STEPIX) and Amplitude Index (AMPIX). Clin Neurophysiol 2022; 139:119-127. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2022.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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20
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Chen M, Bashford J, Zhou P. Motor Unit Number Estimation (MUNE) Free of Electrical Stimulation or M Wave Recording: Feasibility and Challenges. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:799676. [PMID: 35221991 PMCID: PMC8873975 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.799676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maoqi Chen
- Faculty of Rehabilitation Engineering, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - James Bashford
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, UK Dementia Research Institute, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ping Zhou
- Faculty of Rehabilitation Engineering, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, China
- *Correspondence: Ping Zhou
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21
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Zhang S, Yang X, Xu Y, Luo Y, Fan D, Liu X. Application Value of the Motor Unit Number Index in Patients With Kennedy Disease. Front Neurol 2022; 12:705816. [PMID: 34992574 PMCID: PMC8724309 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.705816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the motor unit number index (MUNIX) technique in Kennedy disease (KD) and test the correlation between the MUNIX and other clinical parameters. The MUNIX values of the bilateral deltoid, abductor digiti minimi (ADM), quadriceps femoris (QF), and tibialis anterior (TA) were determined and compared with the course of the disease. The MUNIX sum score was calculated by adding the MUNIX values of these 8 muscles. Disability was evaluated using the spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy functional rating scale (SBMAFRS). The MUNIX scores of patients with KD were negatively correlated with the course of the disease (p < 0.05), whereas their motor unit size index (MUSIX) scores were positively correlated with the course the of disease (p < 0.05). MUNIX sum scores were correlated with SBMAFRS scores (r = 0.714, p < 0.05). MUNIX was more sensitive than compound muscle action potentials or muscle strength as an indicator of neuron loss and axonal collateral reinnervation. The MUNIX sum score is an objective and a reliable indicator of disease progression, and it is a potential choice for therapeutic clinical trials. The MUNIX can assess the functional loss of motor axons and is correlated with disability. The MUNIX sum score may be especially suitable as an objective parameter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Yang
- Department of Neurology, Changchun Central Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Yingsheng Xu
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yongmei Luo
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Dongsheng Fan
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Liu
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
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22
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Querin G, Grazia Biferi M, Pradat PF. Biomarkers for C9orf7-ALS in Symptomatic and Pre-symptomatic Patients: State-of-the-art in the New Era of Clinical Trials. J Neuromuscul Dis 2021; 9:25-37. [PMID: 34864683 PMCID: PMC8842771 DOI: 10.3233/jnd-210754] [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] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The development of new possible treatments for C9orf72-related ALS and the possibility of early identification of subjects genetically at risk of developing the disease is creating a critical need for biomarkers to track neurodegeneration that could be used as outcome measures in clinical trials. Current candidate biomarkers in C9orf72-ALS include neuropsychology tests, imaging, electrophysiology as well as different circulating biomarkers. Neuropsychology tests show early executive and verbal function involvement both in symptomatic and asymptomatic mutation carriers. At brain MRI, C9orf72-ALS patients present diffuse white and grey matter degeneration, which are already identified up to 20 years before symptom onset and that seem to be slowly progressive over time, while regions of altered connectivity at fMRI and of hypometabolism at [18F]FDG PET have been described as well. At the same time, spinal cord MRI has also shown progressive decrease of FA in the cortico-spinal tract over time. On the side of wet biomarkers, neurofilament proteins are increased both in the CSF and serum just before symptom onset and tend to slowly increase over time, while poly(GP) protein can be detected in the CSF and probably used as target engagement marker in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Querin
- Institut de Myologie, I-Motion Adult ClinicalTrials Platform, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.,APHP, Centre de référence desmaladies neuromusculaires Nord/Est/Ile de France, HôpitalPitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Maria Grazia Biferi
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm UMRS974, Centre of Research in Myology (CRM), Institut de Myologie, GH PitiéSalpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Pierre-Francois Pradat
- APHP, Département de Neurologie, Centre Référent SLA, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.,Laboratoire d'Imagerie Biomédicale, CNRS, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.,Northern Ireland Centre for Stratified Medicine, Biomedical Sciences Research Institute Ulster University, C-TRIC, Altnagelvin Hospital, Londonderry, United Kingdom
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23
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Chan Y, Alix JJP, Neuwirth C, Barkhaus PE, Castro J, Jenkins TM, McDermott CJ, Shaw PJ, de Carvalho M, Nandedkar S, Stålberg E, Weber M. Reinnervation as measured by the motor unit size index is associated with preservation of muscle strength in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, but not all muscles reinnervate. Muscle Nerve 2021; 65:203-210. [PMID: 34687220 DOI: 10.1002/mus.27444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION/AIMS The motor unit size index (MUSIX) may provide insight into reinnervation patterns in diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, it is not known whether MUSIX detects clinically relevant changes in reinnervation, or if all muscles manifest changes in MUSIX in response to reinnervation after motor unit loss. METHODS Fifty-seven patients with ALS were assessed at 3-month intervals for 12 months in four centers. Muscles examined were abductor pollicis brevis, abductor digiti minimi, biceps brachii, and tibialis anterior. Results were split into two groups: muscles with increases in MUSIX and those without increases. Longitudinal changes in MUSIX, motor unit number index (MUNIX), compound muscle action potential amplitude, and Medical Research Council strength score were investigated. RESULTS One hundred thirty-three muscles were examined. Fifty-nine percent of the muscles exhibited an increase in MUSIX during the study. Muscles with MUSIX increases lost more motor units (58% decline in MUNIX at 12 months, P < .001) than muscles that did not increase MUSIX (34.6% decline in MUNIX at 12 months, P < .001). However, longitudinal changes in muscle strength were similar. When motor unit loss was similar, the absence of a MUSIX increase was associated with a significantly greater loss of muscle strength (P = .002). DISCUSSION MUSIX increases are associated with greater motor unit loss but relative preservation of muscle strength. Thus, MUSIX appears to be measuring a clinically relevant response that can provide a quantitative outcome measure of reinnervation in clinical trials. Furthermore, MUSIX suggests that reinnervation may play a major role in determining the progression of weakness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Chan
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - James J P Alix
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Christoph Neuwirth
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit/ALS Clinic, Kantonsspital, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | | | - José Castro
- Department of Neurosciences, Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte-Hospital de Santa Maria, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Thomas M Jenkins
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | | | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Mamede de Carvalho
- Department of Neurosciences, Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte-Hospital de Santa Maria, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal
| | | | - Erik Stålberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Clinical Neurophysiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Markus Weber
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit/ALS Clinic, Kantonsspital, St. Gallen, Switzerland
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24
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Vucic S, Wray N, Henders A, Henderson RD, Talman P, Mathers S, Bellgard M, Aoun S, Birks C, Thomas G, Hansen C, Thomas G, Hogden A, Needham M, Schultz D, Soulis T, Sheean B, Milne J, Rowe D, Zoing M, Kiernan MC. MiNDAUS partnership: a roadmap for the cure and management of motor Neurone disease. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2021; 23:321-328. [PMID: 34590512 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2021.1980889] [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: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
An innovative approach to patient management, evidence-based policy development, and clinical drug trials is required to provide personalized care and to improve the likelihood of finding an effective treatment for Motor Neurone Disease (MND). The MiNDAus Partnership builds on and extends existing national collaborations in a targeted approach to improve the standard and coordination of care for people living with MND in Australia, and to enhance the prospects of discovering a cure or treatment. Relationships have been developed between leading clinical and research groups as well as patient-centered organizations, care providers, and philanthropy with a shared vision. MiNDAus has established a corporate structure and meets at least biannually to decide on how best to progress research, drug development, and patient management. The key themes are; (i) empowering patients and their family carers to engage in self-management and ensure personalized service provision, treatment, and policy development, (ii) integration of data collection so as to better inform policy development, (iii) unifying patients and carers with advocacy groups, funding bodies, clinicians and academic institutions so as to inform policy development and research, (iv) coordination of research efforts and development of standardized national infrastructure for conducting innovative clinical MND trials that can be harmonized within Australia and with international trials consortia. Such a collaborative approach is required across stakeholders in order to develop innovative management guidelines, underpinned by necessary and evidence-based policy change recommendations, which, will ensure the best patient care until a cure is discovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Vucic
- Brain and Nerve Research Center, Concord Clinical School, University of Sydney and Concord Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Naomi Wray
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Anjali Henders
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Robert D Henderson
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Paul Talman
- Deakin University, University Hospital Geelong, Geelong, Australia
| | - Susan Mathers
- Department of Neurology, Calvary Health Care Bethlehem Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Matthew Bellgard
- Office of eResearch, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Samar Aoun
- Perron Institute for Neurological and translational Science, Perth, Western Australia.,La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria
| | | | | | | | - Geoff Thomas
- Thomas MND Research Group, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Anne Hogden
- Australian Institute of Health Service Management, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Merrilee Needham
- Department of Neurology, Fiona Stanley Hospital, CMMIT Murdoch University and School of Medicine, University of Notre Dame, Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - David Schultz
- Department of Neurology, Flinders Medical Centre, Flinders Drive, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
| | - Tina Soulis
- Neuroscience Trials Australia, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Jane Milne
- MND and Me Foundation, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Dominic Rowe
- MCentre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Human and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Margie Zoing
- Brain and Mind Center, University of Sydney, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, Australia
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- Brain and Mind Center, University of Sydney, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, Australia
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25
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Pino MG, Rich KA, Kolb SJ. Update on Biomarkers in Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Biomark Insights 2021; 16:11772719211035643. [PMID: 34421296 PMCID: PMC8371741 DOI: 10.1177/11772719211035643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The availability of disease modifying therapies for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) has created an urgent need to identify clinically meaningful biomarkers. Biomarkers present a means to measure and evaluate neurological disease across time. Changes in biomarkers provide insight into disease progression and may reveal biologic, physiologic, or pharmacologic phenomena occurring prior to clinical detection. Efforts to identify biomarkers for SMA, a genetic motor neuron disease characterized by motor neuron degeneration and weakness, have culminated in a number of putative molecular and physiologic markers that evaluate biological media (eg, blood and cerebrospinal fluid [CSF]) or nervous system function. Such biomarkers include SMN2 copy number, SMN mRNA and protein levels, neurofilament proteins (NFs), plasma protein analytes, creatine kinase (CK) and creatinine (Crn), and various electrophysiology and imaging measures. SMN2 copy number inversely correlates with disease severity and is the best predictor of clinical outcome in untreated individuals. SMN mRNA and protein are commonly measured in the blood or CSF of patients receiving SMA therapies, particularly those aimed at increasing SMN protein expression, and provide insight into current disease state. NFs have proven to be robust prognostic, disease progression, and pharmacodynamic markers for SMA infants undergoing treatment, but less so for adolescents and adults. Select plasma proteins are altered in SMA individuals and may track response to therapy. CK and Crn from blood correlate with motor function and disease severity status and are useful for predicting which individuals will respond to therapy. Electrophysiology measures comprise the most reliable means for monitoring motor function throughout disease course and are sensitive enough to detect neuromuscular changes before overt clinical manifestation, making them robust predictive and pharmacodynamic biomarkers. Finally, magnetic resonance imaging and muscle ultrasonography are non-invasive techniques for studying muscle structure and physiology and are useful diagnostic tools, but cannot reliably track disease progression. Importantly, biomarkers can provide information about the underlying mechanisms of disease as well as reveal subclinical disease progression, allowing for more appropriate timing and dosing of therapy for individuals with SMA. Recent therapeutic advancements in SMA have shown promising results, though there is still a great need to identify and understand the impact of biomarkers in modulating disease onset and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan G Pino
- Department of Neurology, The Ohio State
University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Kelly A Rich
- Department of Neurology, The Ohio State
University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Stephen J Kolb
- Department of Neurology, The Ohio State
University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and
Pharmacology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH,
USA
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26
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Boulay C, Delmont E, Audic F, Chabrol B, Attarian S. Motor unit number index: A potential electrophysiological biomarker for pediatric spinal muscular atrophy. Muscle Nerve 2021; 64:445-453. [PMID: 34255873 DOI: 10.1002/mus.27372] [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: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION/AIMS In adult spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the motor unit number index (MUNIX) has been shown to be an useful electrophysiological biomarker. This study evaluated the feasibility and the clinical relevance of using the MUNIX technique for patients with pediatric SMA (Ped-SMA) and correlated MUNIX results with clinical scores. METHODS Fourteen patients with type II Ped-SMA (11 females; median age 11 y [interquartile range (IQR), 4.8-17 y]) and 14 controls (nine females; median age 10.75 y [IQR, 6.5-13.4 y]) were enrolled and matched by sex, age, height, weight, and body mass index. Clinical examination included manual muscle testing, dynamometry (grasp and pinch), and motor function measure (MFM). The MUNIX technique was evaluated in the abductor digiti minimi (ADM) and abductor pollicis brevis (APB) on two sides when possible. RESULTS In the patients with Ped-SMA, the MUNIX and compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitudes were significantly decreased and the motor size unit index (MUSIX) was significantly increased in the ADM and APB when compared to controls. The intraclass correlation coefficient was good for the intrarater variability of the CMAP amplitude, MUNIX, and MUSIX in the ADM (0.95, 0.83, and 0.89, respectively) and the APB (0.98, 0.96, and 0.94, respectively). The total CMAP amplitude correlated with the grasp and pinch scores (P < .05), and the MUNIX measurements correlated with the MFM scores. DISCUSSION The MUNIX technique, which accurately estimated lower motor neuron loss and the number of remaining functional motor units, was shown to be a useful electrophysiological biomarker for disease progression and a potential biomarker for treatment response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Boulay
- Neuropediatric Department, Children Timone University Hospital, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.,Reference Center for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS Timone University Hospital, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.,Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, ISM UMR 7287, Marseille, France
| | - Emilien Delmont
- Reference Center for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS Timone University Hospital, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.,Aix-Marseille University, UMR 7286, Medicine Faculty, Marseille, France
| | - Frédérique Audic
- Neuropediatric Department, Children Timone University Hospital, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.,Reference Center for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS Timone University Hospital, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Brigitte Chabrol
- Neuropediatric Department, Children Timone University Hospital, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.,Reference Center for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS Timone University Hospital, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.,Aix-Marseille University, Inserm UMR S 910, Medical Genetics and Functional Genomics, Marseille, France
| | - Shahram Attarian
- Reference Center for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS Timone University Hospital, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.,Aix-Marseille University, Inserm UMR S 910, Medical Genetics and Functional Genomics, Marseille, France
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27
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Ranieri F, Mariotto S, Dubbioso R, Di Lazzaro V. Brain Stimulation as a Therapeutic Tool in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Current Status and Interaction With Mechanisms of Altered Cortical Excitability. Front Neurol 2021; 11:605335. [PMID: 33613416 PMCID: PMC7892772 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.605335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last 20 years, several modalities of neuromodulation, mainly based on non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques, have been tested as a non-pharmacological therapeutic approach to slow disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In both sporadic and familial ALS cases, neurophysiological studies point to motor cortical hyperexcitability as a possible priming factor in neurodegeneration, likely related to dysfunction of both excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms. A trans-synaptic anterograde mechanism of excitotoxicity is thus postulated, causing upper and lower motor neuron degeneration. Specifically, motor neuron hyperexcitability and hyperactivity are attributed to intrinsic cell abnormalities related to altered ion homeostasis and to impaired glutamate and gamma aminobutyric acid gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) signaling. Several neuropathological mechanisms support excitatory and synaptic dysfunction in ALS; additionally, hyperexcitability seems to drive DNA-binding protein 43-kDA (TDP-43) pathology, through the upregulation of unusual isoforms directly contributing to ASL pathophysiology. Corticospinal excitability can be suppressed or enhanced using NIBS techniques, namely, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), as well as invasive brain and spinal stimulation. Experimental evidence supports the hypothesis that the after-effects of NIBS are mediated by long-term potentiation (LTP)-/long-term depression (LTD)-like mechanisms of modulation of synaptic activity, with different biological and physiological mechanisms underlying the effects of tDCS and rTMS and, possibly, of different rTMS protocols. This potential has led to several small trials testing different stimulation interventions to antagonize excitotoxicity in ALS. Overall, these studies suggest a possible efficacy of neuromodulation in determining a slight reduction of disease progression, related to the type, duration, and frequency of treatment, but current evidence remains preliminary. Main limitations are the small number and heterogeneity of recruited patients, the limited “dosage” of brain stimulation that can be delivered in the hospital setting, the lack of a sufficient knowledge on the excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms targeted by specific stimulation interventions, and the persistent uncertainty on the key pathophysiological processes leading to motor neuron loss. The present review article provides an update on the state of the art of neuromodulation in ALS and a critical appraisal of the rationale for the application/optimization of brain stimulation interventions, in the light of their interaction with ALS pathophysiological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Ranieri
- Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Sara Mariotto
- Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Raffaele Dubbioso
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Di Lazzaro
- Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy
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28
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Vucic S, Kiernan MC, Menon P, Huynh W, Rynders A, Ho KS, Glanzman R, Hotchkin MT. Study protocol of RESCUE-ALS: A Phase 2, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in early symptomatic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients to assess bioenergetic catalysis with CNM-A u8 as a mechanism to slow diseas e progression. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e041479. [PMID: 33431491 PMCID: PMC7802642 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset, progressive and universally fatal neurodegenerative disorder. In Europe, Australia and Canada, riluzole is the only approved therapeutic agent for the treatment of ALS, while in the USA, riluzole and edaravone have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) . Neither riluzole nor edaravone treatment has resulted in substantial disease-modifying effects. There is, therefore, an urgent need for drugs that result in safe and effective treatment. Here, we present the design and rationale for the phase 2 RESCUE-ALS study, investigating the novel nanocatalytic drug, CNM-Au8, as a therapeutic intervention that enhances the metabolic and energetic capacity of motor neurones. CNM-Au8 is an aqueous suspension of clean-surfaced, faceted gold nanocrystals that have extraordinary catalytic capabilities, that enhance efficiencies of key metabolic reactions, while simultaneously reducing levels of reactive oxygen species. This trial utilises a novel design by employing motor unit number index (MUNIX), measured by electromyography, as a quantitative measure of lower motor neurone loss and as an early marker of ALS disease progression. METHODS AND ANALYSIS This is a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, parallel group, placebo-controlled study of the efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of CNM-Au8 in ALS patients. Patients will be randomised 1:1 to either receive 30 mg of CNM-Au8 once daily or matching placebo over a 36-week double-blind treatment period. Efficacy will be assessed as the change in motor neurone loss as measured by electromyography (eg, MUNIX, the primary endpoint; and secondary endpoints including MScanFit, motor unit size index, Split Hand Index, Neurophysiology Index). Exploratory endpoints include standard clinical and quality of life assessments. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION RESCUE-ALS was approved by the Western Sydney Local Health District Human Research Ethics Committee (Ethics Ref: 2019/ETH12107). Results of the study will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT04098406.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Vucic
- Department of Neurology, Westmead Hospital and Western Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Parvathi Menon
- Department of Neurology, Westmead Hospital and Western Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - William Huynh
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Karen S Ho
- Clene Nanomedicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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Wannop K, Bashford J, Wickham A, Iniesta R, Drakakis E, Boutelle M, Mills K, Shaw C. Fasciculation analysis reveals a novel parameter that correlates with predicted survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Muscle Nerve 2020; 63:392-396. [DOI: 10.1002/mus.27139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kate Wannop
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London UK Dementia Research Institute London UK
| | - James Bashford
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London UK Dementia Research Institute London UK
| | - Aidan Wickham
- Department of Bioengineering Imperial College London London UK
| | - Raquel Iniesta
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, King's College London London UK
| | | | - Martyn Boutelle
- Department of Bioengineering Imperial College London London UK
| | - Kerry Mills
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London UK Dementia Research Institute London UK
| | - Chris Shaw
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London UK Dementia Research Institute London UK
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30
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Gunes T, Sirin NG, Sahin S, Kose E, Isak B. Use of CMAP, MScan fit-MUNE, and MUNIX in understanding neurodegeneration pattern of ALS and detection of early motor neuron loss in daily practice. Neurosci Lett 2020; 741:135488. [PMID: 33217503 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2020.135488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pattern of lower motor neuron (LMN) degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), i.e., dying-back (from the nerve ending to cell body) or dying-forward (from the cell body to nerve ending), has been widely discussed. In this study, we aimed to evaluate LMN loss using compound muscle action potential (CMAP), motor unit number index (MUNIX), and MScan-fit-based motor unit number estimation (MUNE) to understand the pattern of neurodegeneration in ALS. METHODS Twenty-five patients were compared with 25 controls using CMAP amplitude and area, MUNIX, and MScan-fit MUNE in three proximal and distal muscles innervated by the ulnar nerve. RESULTS Unlike the controls, the CMAP area, MScan-fit MUNE, and MUNIX recorded in ALS patients showed more neurodegeneration in distal muscles than proximal muscles. In ALS patients with unaffected CMAP amplitudes (n = 13), the CMAP area, MScan-fit MUNE, and MUNIX showed subtle motor unit loss of 30.7 %, 53.8 %, and 38.4 %, respectively. CONCLUSION The CMAP area, MScan-fit MUNE, and MUNIX showed neurodegeneration earlier than the reduction in CMAP amplitude. These tests confirmed dying-back neurodegeneration, while only MUSIX showed re-innervation in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taskin Gunes
- Department of Neurology, Marmara University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey; VM Maltepe Medicalpark Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | | | - Sevki Sahin
- Department of Neurology, Maltepe University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Ercan Kose
- Department of Neurology, Sultan 2. Abdulhamit Han Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Baris Isak
- Department of Neurology, Marmara University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
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Rajabkhah S, Moradi K, Okhovat AA, Van Alfen N, Fathi D, Aghaghazvini L, Ashraf-Ganjouei A, Attarian S, Nafissi S, Fatehi F. Application of muscle ultrasound for the evaluation of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: An observational cross-sectional study. Muscle Nerve 2020; 62:516-521. [PMID: 32710682 DOI: 10.1002/mus.27036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We evaluated the association between muscle ultrasound, number of motor units, and clinical parameters, and assessed their utility for distinguishing amyotrophic lateral scleorisis (ALS) patients from healthy individuals. METHODS Three muscle pairs (abductor pollicis brevis, abductor digiti minimi, and tibialis anterior) of 18 ALS patients and 18 controls underwent muscle ultrasound (echointensity and thickness) and assessment of motor unit number index (MUNIX). The clinical and functional status of participants were also assessed. RESULTS Mean age of the patients was 53.8 ± 12.1 years, and score on the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised was 38.9 ± 4.1. Echointensity of all tested muscles of ALS participants was significantly higher than that of controls, but there was no significant difference in muscle thickness. Muscle echointensity correlated significantly with clinical and electrophysiological parameters. CONCLUSION Echointensity of muscles was highly associated with clinical scales and MUNIX, confirming its relevance as an ancillary diagnostic test in ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahebeh Rajabkhah
- Department of Neurology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Jalal al Ahmad, Tehran, 1411713135, Iran
| | - Kamyar Moradi
- Department of Neurology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Jalal al Ahmad, Tehran, 1411713135, Iran
| | - Ali A Okhovat
- Department of Neurology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Jalal al Ahmad, Tehran, 1411713135, Iran.,Iranian Center of Neurological Research, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nens Van Alfen
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Davood Fathi
- Department of Neurology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Jalal al Ahmad, Tehran, 1411713135, Iran.,Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Leila Aghaghazvini
- Department of Radiology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Ashraf-Ganjouei
- Department of Neurology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Jalal al Ahmad, Tehran, 1411713135, Iran
| | - Shahram Attarian
- Neuromuscular Disease and ALS Reference Center, Timone University Hospital Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Shahriar Nafissi
- Department of Neurology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Jalal al Ahmad, Tehran, 1411713135, Iran.,Iranian Center of Neurological Research, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farzad Fatehi
- Department of Neurology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Jalal al Ahmad, Tehran, 1411713135, Iran.,Iranian Center of Neurological Research, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Delmont E, Wang F, Lefaucheur JP, Puma A, Breniere C, Beaudonnet G, Cintas P, Collin R, Fortanier E, Grapperon AM, Jomir L, Kribich H, Kouton L, Kuntzer T, Lenglet T, Magot A, Nordine T, Ochsner F, Bolloy G, Pereon Y, Salort-Campana E, Tard C, Vicino A, Verschueren A, Attarian S. Motor unit number index as an individual biomarker: Reference limits of intra-individual variability over time in healthy subjects. Clin Neurophysiol 2020; 131:2209-2215. [PMID: 32707479 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2020.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Motor unit number index (MUNIX) is proposed to monitor neuromuscular disorders. Our objective is to determine the intra-individual variability over time of the MUNIX. METHODS In 11 different hospital centres, MUNIX was assessed twice, at least 3 months apart (range 90-360 days), in tibialis anterior (TA), abductor pollicis brevis (APB), abductor digiti minimi (ADM) and deltoid muscles in 118 healthy subjects. MUNIX sum score 2, 3 and 4 were respectively the sum of the MUNIX of the TA and ADM, of the TA, APB and ADM and of the TA, APB, ADM and deltoid muscles. RESULTS The repeatability of the MUNIX was better for sum scores than for single muscle recordings. The variability of the MUNIX was independent of sex, age, interval between measurements and was lower for experienced than non-experienced operators. The 95th percentile of the coefficient of variability of the MUNIX sum score 2, 3 and 4 were respectively 22%, 18% and 15% for experienced operators. CONCLUSIONS The MUNIX technique must be performed by experienced operators on several muscles to reduce its variability and improve its reliability. SIGNIFICANCE A variation of the MUNIX sum score ≥20% can be interpreted as a significant change of muscle innervation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilien Delmont
- Referral Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS, La Timone Hospital, Marseille, France; Aix-Marseille University, Timone Neuroscience Institute, UMR CNRS 7289, 13005 Marseille, France.
| | - François Wang
- Department of Neurophysiology, CHU Sart Tilman B35, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Jean-Pascal Lefaucheur
- EA 4391, Excitabilité Nerveuse et Thérapeutique, Université Paris-Est-Créteil, Créteil, France; Unité de Neurophysiologie Clinique, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France
| | - Angela Puma
- Université Côte d'Azur, Peripheral Nervous System and Muscle Department, CHU Nice, France
| | | | - Guillemette Beaudonnet
- Unité de Neurophysiologie Clinique et Epileptologie, CHU Bicêtre, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | | | - Romain Collin
- Department of Neurophysiology, CHU Sart Tilman B35, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Etienne Fortanier
- Referral Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS, La Timone Hospital, Marseille, France
| | - Aude-Marie Grapperon
- Referral Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS, La Timone Hospital, Marseille, France
| | - Laurent Jomir
- Department of Neurology, Hospices Civiles de Lyon, France
| | - Hafida Kribich
- Referral Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS, La Timone Hospital, Marseille, France
| | - Ludivine Kouton
- Referral Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS, La Timone Hospital, Marseille, France
| | - Thierry Kuntzer
- Nerve Muscle Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Timothee Lenglet
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, APHP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Armelle Magot
- Laboratoire d'explorations fonctionnelles, Referral Centre for Neuromuscular Disease Atlantique-Occitanie-Caraïbes, Hôtel-Dieu, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - Tarik Nordine
- EA 4391, Excitabilité Nerveuse et Thérapeutique, Université Paris-Est-Créteil, Créteil, France; Unité de Neurophysiologie Clinique, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France
| | - François Ochsner
- Nerve Muscle Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gaëlle Bolloy
- Laboratoire d'explorations fonctionnelles, Referral Centre for Neuromuscular Disease Atlantique-Occitanie-Caraïbes, Hôtel-Dieu, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - Yann Pereon
- Laboratoire d'explorations fonctionnelles, Referral Centre for Neuromuscular Disease Atlantique-Occitanie-Caraïbes, Hôtel-Dieu, 44093 Nantes, France
| | | | - Céline Tard
- U1172 Lille Neuroscience et Cognition, CHU de Lille, Centre de référence des maladies neuromusculaires Nord Est Ile de France, Department of Neurology, Lille, France
| | - Alex Vicino
- Nerve Muscle Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Annie Verschueren
- Referral Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS, La Timone Hospital, Marseille, France
| | - Shahram Attarian
- Referral Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS, La Timone Hospital, Marseille, France
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Neuwirth C, Weber M. Estimating the Number of Motor Neurons: First Go to the Roots Before Cropping the Fruits. Muscle Nerve 2020; 62:154-155. [PMID: 32406530 DOI: 10.1002/mus.26920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Neuwirth
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit/ALS Clinic, Kantonsspital St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Markus Weber
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit/ALS Clinic, Kantonsspital St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland
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Bashford J, Mills K, Shaw C. The evolving role of surface electromyography in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A systematic review. Clin Neurophysiol 2020; 131:942-950. [PMID: 32044239 PMCID: PMC7083223 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2019.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 11/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disease that leads to inexorable motor decline and a median survival of three years from symptom onset. Surface EMG represents a major technological advance that has been harnessed in the development of novel neurophysiological biomarkers. We have systematically reviewed the current application of surface EMG techniques in ALS. METHODS We searched PubMed to identify 42 studies focusing on surface EMG and its associated analytical methods in the diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of ALS patients. RESULTS A wide variety of analytical techniques were identified, involving motor unit decomposition from high-density grids, motor unit number estimation and measurements of neuronal hyperexcitability or neuromuscular architecture. Some studies have proposed specific diagnostic and prognostic criteria however clinical calibration in large ALS cohorts is currently lacking. The most validated method to monitor disease is the motor unit number index (MUNIX), which has been implemented as an outcome measure in two ALS clinical trials. CONCLUSION Surface EMG offers significant practical and analytical flexibility compared to invasive techniques. To capitalise on this fully, emphasis must be placed upon the multi-disciplinary collaboration of clinicians, bioengineers, mathematicians and biostatisticians. SIGNIFICANCE Surface EMG techniques can enrich effective biomarker development in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Bashford
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College, London, UK
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Higashihara M, Menon P, van den Bos M, Pavey N, Vucic S. Reproducibility of motor unit number index and MScanFit motor unit number estimation across intrinsic hand muscles. Muscle Nerve 2020; 62:192-200. [PMID: 32077117 DOI: 10.1002/mus.26839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We sought to evaluate the reproducibility of the motor unit number index (MUNIX) and MScanFit motor unit number estimation (MScan) when recording was performed over intrinsic hand muscles. METHODS The compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitude, MUNIX, and MScan were measured from the abductor pollicis brevis (APB), first dorsal interosseous (FDI), and abductor digit minimi (ADM) muscles from 15 healthy volunteers on three different occasions. RESULTS The reproducibility of CMAP amplitudes was excellent, with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) of 0.86 (APB), 0.90 (FDI), and 0.96 (ADM). Motor unit number index (ICCAPB 0.73, ICCFDI 0.85, ICCADM 0.85) and MScan (ICCAPB 0.86, ICCFDI 0.83, ICCADM 0.81) were highly reproducible across the three muscles. There were no significant correlations between MUNIX and MScan coefficients of variation (CV) and CMAP amplitude CVs. DISCUSSION Reproducibility of MUNIX and MScan was not significantly different across the intrinsic hand muscles and was independent of CMAP amplitude variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mana Higashihara
- Westmead Clinical School, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Parvathi Menon
- Westmead Clinical School, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mehdi van den Bos
- Westmead Clinical School, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Nathan Pavey
- Westmead Clinical School, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Steve Vucic
- Westmead Clinical School, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
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Cao B, Gu X, Zhang L, Hou Y, Chen Y, Wei Q, Ou R, Shang H. Reference values for the motor unit number index and the motor unit size index in five muscles. Muscle Nerve 2020; 61:657-661. [PMID: 32068896 DOI: 10.1002/mus.26837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Revised: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Few reference values have been established for the motor unit number index (MUNIX) and motor unit size index (MUSIX). In this study we aimed to investigate the features of MUNIX in healthy individuals for five muscles. METHODS We measured the MUNIX in the right abductor pollicis brevis (APB), abductor digiti minimi (ADM), biceps brachii (BB), tibialis anterior (TA), and trapezius (TR) muscles. RESULTS The study enrolled 76 male and 74 female participants. The mean MUNIX and mean MUSIX of the right APB, ADM, BB, TA, and TR muscles were 191.0 ± 43.6, 179.1 ± 38.8, 179.7 ± 36.2, 152.1 ± 38.8, and 166.1 ± 40.7; and 60.4 ± 12.5, 59.3 ± 13.7, 43.8 ± 11.5, 41.3 ± 10.7, and 49.1 ± 15.2, respectively. MUNIX in these five muscles was inversely related to age. DISCUSSION The establishment of reference values for MUNIX and MUSIX in five muscles may help in monitoring the progression of neuromuscular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bei Cao
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaojing Gu
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lingyu Zhang
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanbing Hou
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yongping Chen
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qianqian Wei
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ruwei Ou
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Huifang Shang
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Bashford JA, Wickham A, Iniesta R, Drakakis EM, Boutelle MG, Mills KR, Shaw CE. The rise and fall of fasciculations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain Commun 2020; 2:fcaa018. [PMID: 32901231 PMCID: PMC7425399 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcaa018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a devastating neurodegenerative disease with a median survival of 3 years from symptom onset. Accessible and reliable biomarkers of motor neuron decline are urgently needed to quicken the pace of drug discovery. Fasciculations represent an early pathophysiological hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and can be reliably detected by high-density surface electromyography. We set out to quantify fasciculation potentials prospectively over 14 months, seeking comparisons with established markers of disease progression. Twenty patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and five patients with benign fasciculation syndrome underwent up to seven assessments each. At each assessment, we performed the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-functional rating scale, sum power score, slow vital capacity, 30-min high-density surface electromyography recordings from biceps and gastrocnemius and the motor unit number index. We employed the Surface Potential Quantification Engine, which is an automated analytical tool to detect and characterize fasciculations. Linear mixed-effect models were employed to account for the pseudoreplication of serial measurements. The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-functional rating scale declined by 0.65 points per month (P < 0.0001), 35% slower than average. A total of 526 recordings were analysed. Compared with benign fasciculation syndrome, biceps fasciculation frequency in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was 10 times greater in strong muscles and 40 times greater in weak muscles. This was coupled with a decline in fasciculation frequency among weak muscles of -7.6/min per month (P = 0.003), demonstrating the rise and fall of fasciculation frequency in biceps muscles. Gastrocnemius behaved differently, whereby strong muscles in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis had fasciculation frequencies five times greater than patients with benign fasciculation syndrome while weak muscles were increased by only 1.5 times. Gastrocnemius demonstrated a significant decline in fasciculation frequency in strong muscles (2.4/min per month, P < 0.0001), which levelled off in weak muscles. Fasciculation amplitude, an easily quantifiable surrogate of the reinnervation process, was highest in the biceps muscles that transitioned from strong to weak during the study. Pooled analysis of >900 000 fasciculations revealed inter-fasciculation intervals <100 ms in the biceps of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, particularly in strong muscles, consistent with the occurrence of doublets. We hereby present the most comprehensive longitudinal quantification of fasciculation parameters in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, proposing a unifying model of the interactions between motor unit loss, muscle power and fasciculation frequency. The latter showed promise as a disease biomarker with linear rates of decline in strong gastrocnemius and weak biceps muscles, reflecting the motor unit loss that drives clinical progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Bashford
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
- Correspondence to: James A. Bashford, MRCP, PhD UK Dementia Research Institute, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, 5 Cutcombe Road, King’s College London, London SE5 9RT, UK E-mail:
| | - Aidan Wickham
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Raquel Iniesta
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, King’s College London, London, UK
| | | | | | - Kerry R Mills
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Chris E Shaw
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
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Jenkins TM, Alix JJP, Fingret J, Esmail T, Hoggard N, Baster K, McDermott CJ, Wilkinson ID, Shaw PJ. Longitudinal multi-modal muscle-based biomarker assessment in motor neuron disease. J Neurol 2019; 267:244-256. [PMID: 31624953 PMCID: PMC6954906 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-019-09580-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Background Clinical phenotypic heterogeneity represents a major barrier to trials in motor neuron disease (MND) and objective surrogate outcome measures are required, especially for slowly progressive patients. We assessed responsiveness of clinical, electrophysiological and radiological muscle-based assessments to detect MND-related progression. Materials and methods A prospective, longitudinal cohort study of 29 MND patients and 22 healthy controls was performed. Clinical measures, electrophysiological motor unit number index/size (MUNIX/MUSIX) and relative T2- and diffusion-weighted whole-body muscle magnetic resonance (MR) were assessed three times over 12 months. Multi-variable regression models assessed between-group differences, clinico-electrophysiological associations, and longitudinal changes. Standardized response means (SRMs) assessed sensitivity to change over 12 months. Results MND patients exhibited 18% higher whole-body mean muscle relative T2-signal than controls (95% CI 7–29%, p < 0.01), maximal in leg muscles (left tibialis anterior 71% (95% CI 33–122%, p < 0.01). Clinical and electrophysiological associations were evident. By 12 months, 16 patients had died or could not continue. In the remainder, relative T2-signal increased over 12 months by 14–29% in right tibialis anterior, right quadriceps, bilateral hamstrings and gastrocnemius/soleus (p < 0.01), independent of onset-site, and paralleled progressive weakness and electrophysiological loss of motor units. Highest clinical, electrophysiological and radiological SRMs were found for revised ALS-functional rating scale scores (1.22), tibialis anterior MUNIX (1.59), and relative T2-weighted leg muscle MR (right hamstrings: 0.98), respectively. Diffusion MR detected minimal changes. Conclusion MUNIX and relative T2-weighted MR represent objective surrogate markers of progressive denervation in MND. Radiological changes were maximal in leg muscles, irrespective of clinical onset-site. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00415-019-09580-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M Jenkins
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, 385a Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK. .,Department of Neurology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK.
| | - James J P Alix
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, 385a Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK.,Departments of Neurophysiology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Jacob Fingret
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, 385a Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Taniya Esmail
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, 385a Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Nigel Hoggard
- Academic Unit of Radiology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Kathleen Baster
- Statistics Services Unit, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Christopher J McDermott
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, 385a Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK.,Department of Neurology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Iain D Wilkinson
- Academic Unit of Radiology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, 385a Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK.,Department of Neurology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
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Stålberg E, van Dijk H, Falck B, Kimura J, Neuwirth C, Pitt M, Podnar S, Rubin DI, Rutkove S, Sanders DB, Sonoo M, Tankisi H, Zwarts M. Standards for quantification of EMG and neurography. Clin Neurophysiol 2019; 130:1688-1729. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2019.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Motor unit number index and compound muscle action potential amplitude. Clin Neurophysiol 2019; 130:1734-1740. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2019.05.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Revised: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Moldovan M, Vucic S. Is Motor Unit Number Index (MUNIX) an index of Compound Muscle Action Potential amplitude rather than motor unit number? Clin Neurophysiol 2019; 130:1686-1687. [PMID: 31303432 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2019.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mihai Moldovan
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Steve Vucic
- Department of Neurology, Westmead Hospital, Cnr Hawkesbury and Darcy Roads, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.
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Bashford J, Wickham A, Iniesta R, Drakakis E, Boutelle M, Mills K, Shaw C. SPiQE: An automated analytical tool for detecting and characterising fasciculations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Clin Neurophysiol 2019; 130:1083-1090. [PMID: 31078984 PMCID: PMC6553680 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2019.03.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Fasciculations are a clinical hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Compared to concentric needle EMG, high-density surface EMG (HDSEMG) is non-invasive and records fasciculation potentials (FPs) from greater muscle volumes over longer durations. To detect and characterise FPs from vast data sets generated by serial HDSEMG, we developed an automated analytical tool. METHODS Six ALS patients and two control patients (one with benign fasciculation syndrome and one with multifocal motor neuropathy) underwent 30-minute HDSEMG from biceps and gastrocnemius monthly. In MATLAB we developed a novel, innovative method to identify FPs amidst fluctuating noise levels. One hundred repeats of 5-fold cross validation estimated the model's predictive ability. RESULTS By applying this method, we identified 5,318 FPs from 80 minutes of recordings with a sensitivity of 83.6% (+/- 0.2 SEM), specificity of 91.6% (+/- 0.1 SEM) and classification accuracy of 87.9% (+/- 0.1 SEM). An amplitude exclusion threshold (100 μV) removed excessively noisy data without compromising sensitivity. The resulting automated FP counts were not significantly different to the manual counts (p = 0.394). CONCLUSION We have devised and internally validated an automated method to accurately identify FPs from HDSEMG, a technique we have named Surface Potential Quantification Engine (SPiQE). SIGNIFICANCE Longitudinal quantification of fasciculations in ALS could provide unique insight into motor neuron health.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Bashford
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, United Kingdom
| | - A. Wickham
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - R. Iniesta
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, King’s College London, United Kingdom
| | - E. Drakakis
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - M. Boutelle
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - K. Mills
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, United Kingdom
| | - C. Shaw
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, United Kingdom
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disorder of the motor neurons, characterized by upper motor neuron (UMN) and lower motor neuron (LMN) dysfunction. There have been significant technological advances in the development of neurophysiological biomarkers of UMN and LMN dysfunction in ALS. In this review, we discuss major advances in development of neurophysiological biomarkers in ALS, critiquing their potential in diagnosis and prognosis of ALS, as well as utility in monitoring treatment effects. RECENT FINDINGS The threshold tracking transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) technique has established cortical hyperexcitability as an early and specific biomarker of UMN dysfunction in ALS, and associated with neurodegeneration. In addition to establishing cortical hyperexcitability as a pathophysiological mechanism, threshold tracking TMS has enabled an earlier diagnosis of ALS and provided a means of monitoring effects of therapeutic agents. Biomarkers of LMN dysfunction, including motor unit number estimation, the neurophysiological index, electrical impedance myography and axonal excitability techniques, have all exhibited utility in monitoring disease progression. SUMMARY In addition to enhancing ALS diagnosis, the development of novel neurophysiological biomarkers has implications for clinical trials research and drug development, enabling the assessment of biological efficacy of agents in early stages of drug development.
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Verber NS, Shepheard SR, Sassani M, McDonough HE, Moore SA, Alix JJP, Wilkinson ID, Jenkins TM, Shaw PJ. Biomarkers in Motor Neuron Disease: A State of the Art Review. Front Neurol 2019; 10:291. [PMID: 31001186 PMCID: PMC6456669 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Motor neuron disease can be viewed as an umbrella term describing a heterogeneous group of conditions, all of which are relentlessly progressive and ultimately fatal. The average life expectancy is 2 years, but with a broad range of months to decades. Biomarker research deepens disease understanding through exploration of pathophysiological mechanisms which, in turn, highlights targets for novel therapies. It also allows differentiation of the disease population into sub-groups, which serves two general purposes: (a) provides clinicians with information to better guide their patients in terms of disease progression, and (b) guides clinical trial design so that an intervention may be shown to be effective if population variation is controlled for. Biomarkers also have the potential to provide monitoring during clinical trials to ensure target engagement. This review highlights biomarkers that have emerged from the fields of systemic measurements including biochemistry (blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and urine analysis); imaging and electrophysiology, and gives examples of how a combinatorial approach may yield the best results. We emphasize the importance of systematic sample collection and analysis, and the need to correlate biomarker findings with detailed phenotype and genotype data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick S Verber
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Stephanie R Shepheard
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Matilde Sassani
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Harry E McDonough
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie A Moore
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - James J P Alix
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Iain D Wilkinson
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Tom M Jenkins
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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45
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Lingor P, Weber M, Camu W, Friede T, Hilgers R, Leha A, Neuwirth C, Günther R, Benatar M, Kuzma-Kozakiewicz M, Bidner H, Blankenstein C, Frontini R, Ludolph A, Koch JC. ROCK-ALS: Protocol for a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Phase IIa Trial of Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of the Rho Kinase (ROCK) Inhibitor Fasudil in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Neurol 2019; 10:293. [PMID: 30972018 PMCID: PMC6446974 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: Disease-modifying therapies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are still not satisfactory. The Rho kinase (ROCK) inhibitor fasudil has demonstrated beneficial effects in cell culture and animal models of ALS. For many years, fasudil has been approved in Japan for the treatment of vasospasm in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage with a favorable safety profile. Here we describe a clinical trial protocol to repurpose fasudil as a disease-modifying therapy for ALS patients. Methods: ROCK-ALS is a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase IIa trial of fasudil in ALS patients (EudraCT: 2017-003676-31, NCT: 03792490). Safety and tolerability are the primary endpoints. Efficacy is a secondary endpoint and will be assessed by the change in ALSFRS-R, ALSAQ-5, slow vital capacity (SVC), ECAS, and the motor unit number index (MUNIX), as well as survival. Efficacy measures will be assessed before (baseline) and immediately after the infusion therapy as well as on days 90 and 180. Patients will receive a daily dose of either 30 or 60 mg fasudil, or placebo in two intravenous applications for a total of 20 days. Regular assessments of safety will be performed throughout the treatment period, and in the follow-up period until day 180. Additionally, we will collect biological fluids to assess target engagement and evaluate potential biomarkers for disease progression. A total of 120 patients with probable or definite ALS (revised El Escorial criteria) and within 6-18 months of the onset of weakness shall be included in 16 centers in Germany, Switzerland and France. Results and conclusions: The ROCK-ALS trial is a phase IIa trial to evaluate the ROCK-inhibitor fasudil in early-stage ALS-patients that started patient recruitment in 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Lingor
- Department of Neurology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Weber
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit/ALS Clinic, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St., Gallen, Switzerland
| | - William Camu
- Reference Center for ALS and Other Rare Motoneuron Disorders, University Hospital Gui de Chauliac, Montpellier, France
| | - Tim Friede
- Department of Medical Statistics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Reinhard Hilgers
- Department of Medical Statistics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Leha
- Department of Medical Statistics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Neuwirth
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit/ALS Clinic, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St., Gallen, Switzerland
| | - René Günther
- Department of Neurology, Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael Benatar
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | | | - Helen Bidner
- Münchner Studienzentrum, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Roberto Frontini
- Pharmacy at the University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Albert Ludolph
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jan C. Koch
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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46
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Alix JJP, Neuwirth C, Gelder L, Burkhardt C, Castro J, de Carvalho M, Gawel M, Goedee S, Grosskreutz J, Lenglet T, Moglia C, Omer T, Schrooten M, Nandedkar S, Stalberg E, Barkhaus PE, Furtula J, van Dijk JP, Baldinger R, Costa J, Otto M, Sandberg A, Weber M. Assessment of the reliability of the motor unit size index (MUSIX) in single subject "round-robin" and multi-centre settings. Clin Neurophysiol 2019; 130:666-674. [PMID: 30870802 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2019.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The motor unit size index (MUSIX) is incorporated into the motor unit number index (MUNIX). Our objective was to assess the intra-/inter-rater reliability of MUSIX in healthy volunteers across single subject "round robin" and multi-centre settings. METHODS Data were obtained from (i) a round-robin assessment in which 12 raters (6 with prior experience and 6 without) assessed six muscles (abductor pollicis brevis, abductor digiti minimi, biceps brachii, tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum brevis and abductor hallucis) and (ii) a multi-centre study with 6 centres studying the same muscles in 66 healthy volunteers. Intra/inter-rater data were provided by 5 centres, 1 centre provided only intra-rater data. Intra/inter-rater variability was assessed using the coefficient of variation (COV), Bland-Altman plots, bias and 95% limits of agreement. RESULTS In the round-robin assessment intra-rater COVs for MUSIX ranged from 7.8% to 28.4%. Inter-rater variability was between 7.8% and 16.2%. Prior experience did not impact on MUSIX values. In the multi-centre study MUSIX was more consistent than the MUNIX. Abductor hallucis was the least reliable muscle. CONCLUSIONS The MUSIX is a reliable neurophysiological biomarker of reinnervation. SIGNIFICANCE MUSIX could provide insights into the pathophysiology of a range of neuromuscular disorders, providing a quantitative biomarker of reinnervation.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J P Alix
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, 385A Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK.
| | - Christoph Neuwirth
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit/ALS Clinic, Kantonsspital, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Lucy Gelder
- Statistical Services Unit, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Christian Burkhardt
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit/ALS Clinic, Kantonsspital, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - José Castro
- Department of Neurosciences, Hospital de Santa Maria, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Mamede de Carvalho
- Department of Neurosciences, Hospital de Santa Maria, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Malgorzata Gawel
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Stephan Goedee
- Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Julian Grosskreutz
- Hans-Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Timothée Lenglet
- Département de Neurophysiologie, Groupe hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, APHP, Paris, France
| | - Cristina Moglia
- ALS Centre of Torino, Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Taha Omer
- Trinity College Biomedical Science Institute (TBSI) and Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Maarten Schrooten
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sanjeev Nandedkar
- Natus Medical, Inc., 15 Dartantra Drive, Hopewell Junction, NY 12533, USA
| | - Erik Stalberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Clinical Neurophysiology, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Paul E Barkhaus
- Milwaukee Veterans Administration Medical Center and Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Jasna Furtula
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Reto Baldinger
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit/ALS Clinic, Kantonsspital, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Joao Costa
- Department of Neurosciences, Hospital de Santa Maria, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Marit Otto
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Arne Sandberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Clinical Neurophysiology, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Markus Weber
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit/ALS Clinic, Kantonsspital, St. Gallen, Switzerland
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47
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Yunusova Y, Plowman EK, Green JR, Barnett C, Bede P. Clinical Measures of Bulbar Dysfunction in ALS. Front Neurol 2019; 10:106. [PMID: 30837936 PMCID: PMC6389633 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Bulbar impairment represents a hallmark feature of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) that significantly impacts survival and quality of life. Speech and swallowing dysfunction are key contributors to the clinical heterogeneity of ALS and require well-timed and carefully coordinated interventions. The accurate clinical, radiological and electrophysiological assessment of bulbar dysfunction in ALS is one of the most multidisciplinary aspects of ALS care, requiring expert input from speech-language pathologists (SLPs), neurologists, otolaryngologists, augmentative alternative communication (AAC) specialists, dieticians, and electrophysiologists—each with their own evaluation strategies and assessment tools. The need to systematically evaluate the comparative advantages and drawbacks of various bulbar assessment instruments and to develop integrated assessment protocols is increasingly recognized. In this review, we provide a comprehensive appraisal of the most commonly utilized clinical tools for assessing and monitoring bulbar dysfunction in ALS based on the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) evaluation framework. Despite a plethora of assessment tools, considerable geographical differences exist in bulbar assessment practices and individual instruments exhibit considerable limitations. The gaps identified in the literature offer unique opportunities for the optimization of existing and development of new tools both for clinical and research applications. The multicenter validation and standardization of these instruments will be essential for guideline development and best practice recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yana Yunusova
- Department of Speech Language Pathology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Volcal Tract Visualization Lab, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Emily K Plowman
- Swallowing Systems Core, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Jordan R Green
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA, United States.,Speech and Hearing Biosciences and Technology Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Carolina Barnett
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto and University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Peter Bede
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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48
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Huynh W, Dharmadasa T, Vucic S, Kiernan MC. Functional Biomarkers for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Neurol 2019; 9:1141. [PMID: 30662429 PMCID: PMC6328463 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.01141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The clinical diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) relies on determination of progressive dysfunction of both cortical as well as spinal and bulbar motor neurons. However, the variable mix of upper and lower motor neuron signs result in the clinical heterogeneity of patients with ALS, resulting frequently in delay of diagnosis as well as difficulty in monitoring disease progression and treatment outcomes particularly in a clinical trial setting. As such, the present review provides an overview of recently developed novel non-invasive electrophysiological techniques that may serve as biomarkers to assess UMN and LMN dysfunction in ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Huynh
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Steve Vucic
- Western Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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49
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Floeter MK, Gendron TF. Biomarkers for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia Associated With Hexanucleotide Expansion Mutations in C9orf72. Front Neurol 2018; 9:1063. [PMID: 30568632 PMCID: PMC6289985 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.01063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Now that genetic testing can identify persons at risk for developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) many decades before symptoms begin, there is a critical need for biomarkers that signal the onset and progression of degeneration. The search for candidate disease biomarkers in patients with mutations in the gene C9orf72 has included imaging, physiology, and biofluid measurements. In cross-sectional imaging studies, C9+ ALS patients display diffuse reductions of gray and white matter integrity compared to ALS patients without mutations. This structural imaging signature overlaps with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), reflecting the frequent co-occurrence of cognitive impairment, even frank FTD, in C9+ ALS patients. Changes in functional connectivity occur as critical components of the networks associated with cognition and behavior degenerate. In presymptomatic C9+carriers, subtle differences in volumes of subcortical structures and functional connectivity can be detected, often decades before the typical family age of symptom onset. Dipeptide repeat proteins produced by the repeat expansion mutation are also measurable in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of presymptomatic gene carriers, possibly throughout their lives. In contrast, a rise in the level of neurofilament proteins in the CSF appears to presage the onset of degeneration in presymptomatic carriers in one longitudinal study. Cross-sectional studies indicate that neurofilament protein levels may provide prognostic information for survival in C9+ ALS patients. Longitudinal studies will be needed to validate the candidate biomarkers discussed here. Understanding how these candidate biomarkers change over time is critical if they are to be used in future therapeutic decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Kay Floeter
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Tania F Gendron
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
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50
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Jacobsen AB, Bostock H, Tankisi H. Following disease progression in motor neuron disorders with 3 motor unit number estimation methods. Muscle Nerve 2018; 59:82-87. [DOI: 10.1002/mus.26304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/15/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bystrup Jacobsen
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology; Aarhus University Hospital; Nørrebrogade 44, 8000 Aarhus C Denmark
| | - Hugh Bostock
- Institute of Neurology; University College London; London UK
| | - Hatice Tankisi
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology; Aarhus University Hospital; Nørrebrogade 44, 8000 Aarhus C Denmark
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