1
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Jellinger KA. Pathomechanisms of behavioral abnormalities in Huntington disease: an update. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2024; 131:999-1012. [PMID: 38874766 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-024-02794-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD), a devastating autosomal-dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by an expanded CAG trinucleotide repeat, is clinically characterized by a triad of symptoms including involuntary motions, behavior problems and cognitive deficits. Behavioral symptoms with anxiety, irritability, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, apathy and other neuropsychiatric symptoms, occurring in over 50% of HD patients are important features of this disease and contribute to impairment of quality of life, but their pathophysiology is poorly understood. Behavior problems, more frequent than depression, can be manifest before obvious motor symptoms and occur across all HD stages, usually correlated with duration of illness. While specific neuropathological data are missing, the relations between gene expression and behavior have been elucidated in transgenic models of HD. Disruption of interneuronal communications, with involvement of prefronto-striato-thalamic networks and hippocampal dysfunctions produce deficits in multiple behavioral domains. These changes that have been confirmed by multistructural neuroimaging studies are due to a causal cascade linking molecular pathologies (glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunctions inducing multiple biochemical and structural alterations) and deficits in multiple behavioral domains. The disruption of large-scale connectivities may explain the variability of behavior profiles and is useful in understanding the biological backgrounds of functional decline in HD. Such findings offer new avenues for targeted treatments in terms of minimizing neurobehavioral impairment in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt A Jellinger
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, Alberichgasse 5/13, Vienna, A-1150, Austria.
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2
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Considine CM, Rossetti MA, Anderson K, Del Bene VA, Anderson SA, Celka AS, Edmondson MC, Sheese ALN, Piccolino A, Teixeira AL, Stout JC. Huntington study group's neuropsychology working group position on best practice recommendations for the clinical neuropsychological evaluation of patients with Huntington disease. Clin Neuropsychol 2024; 38:984-1006. [PMID: 37849335 DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2023.2267789] [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: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Objective: Neuropsychological evaluation is critical to detection and management of cognitive and neuropsychiatric changes associated with Huntington disease (HD). Accurate assessment of non-motor complications of HD is critical given the prominent impact on functional disability, frequently commensurate with or exceeding that of motor symptoms. The increasing emphasis on developing disease-modifying therapies targeting cognitive decline in HD requires consensus on clinical neuropsychological assessment methods. The Neuropsychology Working Group (NPWG) of the Huntington Study Group (HSG) sought to provide evidence and consensus-based, practical guidelines for the evaluation of cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with HD. Method: The NPWG recruited a multi-disciplinary group of neuropsychologists, neurologists, and psychiatrists to inform best practices in assessing, diagnosing, and treating the non-motor symptoms in HD. A review was circulated among the NPWG, and in an iterative process informed by reviewed literature, best practices in neuropsychological evaluation of patients with HD were identified. Results: A brief review of the available literature and rational for a clinical consensus battery is offered. Conclusion: Clinical neuropsychologists are uniquely positioned to both detect and characterize the non-motor symptoms in HD, and further, provide neurologists and allied health professions with clinically meaningful information that impacts functional outcomes and quality of life. The NPWG provides guidance on best practices to clinical neuropsychologists in this statement. A companion paper operationalizing clinical application of previous research-based non-motor diagnostic criteria for HD is forthcoming, which also advises on non-motor symptom screening methods for the non-neuropsychologist working with HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciaran M Considine
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - M Agustina Rossetti
- Department of Neurology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Kendra Anderson
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School UT Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Victor A Del Bene
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Sharlet A Anderson
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Andrea S Celka
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | - Amelia L Nelson Sheese
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Adam Piccolino
- Psychology, Piccolino Psychological Services, Burnsville, MN, USA
| | - Antonio L Teixeira
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Julie C Stout
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, and School of Psychological Science, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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3
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Gaudet ID, Xu H, Gordon E, Cannestro GA, Lu ML, Wei J. Elevated SLC7A2 expression is associated with an abnormal neuroinflammatory response and nitrosative stress in Huntington's disease. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:59. [PMID: 38419038 PMCID: PMC10900710 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03038-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
We previously identified solute carrier family 7 member 2 (SLC7A2) as one of the top upregulated genes when normal Huntingtin was deleted. SLC7A2 has a high affinity for L-arginine. Arginine is implicated in inflammatory responses, and SLC7A2 is an important regulator of innate and adaptive immunity in macrophages. Although neuroinflammation is clearly demonstrated in animal models and patients with Huntington's disease (HD), the question of whether neuroinflammation actively participates in HD pathogenesis is a topic of ongoing research and debate. Here, we studied the role of SLC7A2 in mediating the neuroinflammatory stress response in HD cells. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), quantitative RT-PCR and data mining of publicly available RNA-seq datasets of human patients were performed to assess the levels of SLC7A2 mRNA in different HD cellular models and patients. Biochemical studies were then conducted on cell lines and primary mouse astrocytes to investigate arginine metabolism and nitrosative stress in response to neuroinflammation. The CRISPR-Cas9 system was used to knock out SLC7A2 in STHdhQ7 and Q111 cells to investigate its role in mediating the neuroinflammatory response. Live-cell imaging was used to measure mitochondrial dynamics. Finally, exploratory studies were performed using the Enroll-HD periodic human patient dataset to analyze the effect of arginine supplements on HD progression. We found that SLC7A2 is selectively upregulated in HD cellular models and patients. HD cells exhibit an overactive response to neuroinflammatory challenges, as demonstrated by abnormally high iNOS induction and NO production, leading to increased protein nitrosylation. Depleting extracellular Arg or knocking out SLC7A2 blocked iNOS induction and NO production in STHdhQ111 cells. We further examined the functional impact of protein nitrosylation on a well-documented protein target, DRP-1, and found that more mitochondria were fragmented in challenged STHdhQ111 cells. Last, analysis of Enroll-HD datasets suggested that HD patients taking arginine supplements progressed more rapidly than others. Our data suggest a novel pathway that links arginine uptake to nitrosative stress via upregulation of SLC7A2 in the pathogenesis and progression of HD. This further implies that arginine supplements may potentially pose a greater risk to HD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian D Gaudet
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA
| | - Hongyuan Xu
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA
| | - Emily Gordon
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA
| | - Gianna A Cannestro
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA
| | - Michael L Lu
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA
| | - Jianning Wei
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA.
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Saft C, Burgunder JM, Dose M, Jung HH, Katzenschlager R, Priller J, Nguyen HP, Reetz K, Reilmann R, Seppi K, Landwehrmeyer GB. Symptomatic treatment options for Huntington's disease (guidelines of the German Neurological Society). Neurol Res Pract 2023; 5:61. [PMID: 37968732 PMCID: PMC10652593 DOI: 10.1186/s42466-023-00285-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ameliorating symptoms and signs of Huntington's disease (HD) is essential to care but can be challenging and hard to achieve. The pharmacological treatment of motor signs (e.g. chorea) may favorably or unfavorably impact other facets of the disease phenotype (such as mood and cognition). Similarly, pharmacotherapy for behavioral issues may modify the motor phenotype. Sometimes synergistic effects can be achieved. In patients undergoing pragmatic polypharmacological therapy, emerging complaints may stem from the employed medications' side effects, a possibility that needs to be considered. It is recommended to clearly and precisely delineate the targeted signs and symptoms (e.g., chorea, myoclonus, bradykinesia, Parkinsonism, or dystonia). Evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is limited. Therefore, the guidelines prepared for the German Neurological Society (DGN) for German-speaking countries intentionally extend beyond evidence from RCTs and aim to synthesize evidence from RCTs and recommendations of experienced clinicians. RECOMMENDATIONS First-line treatment for chorea is critically discussed, and a preference in prescription practice for using tiapride instead of tetrabenazine is noted. In severe chorea, combining two antidopaminergic drugs with a postsynaptic (e.g., tiapride) and presynaptic mode of action (e.g., tetrabenazine) is discussed as a potentially helpful strategy. Sedative side effects of both classes of compounds can be used to improve sleep if the highest dosage of the day is given at night. Risperidone, in some cases, may ameliorate irritability but also chorea and sleep disorders. Olanzapine can be helpful in the treatment of weight loss and chorea, and quetiapine as a mood stabilizer with an antidepressant effect. CONCLUSIONS Since most HD patients simultaneously suffer from distinct motor signs and distinct psychiatric/behavioral symptoms, treatment should be individually adapted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Saft
- Department of Neurology, Huntington-Zentrum NRW, St. Josef-Hospital, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Jean-Marc Burgunder
- Department of Neurology, Schweizerisches Huntington-Zentrum, Bern University, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Dose
- Kbo-Isar-Amper-Klinikum, Taufkirchen/München-Ost, Germany
| | | | - Regina Katzenschlager
- Department of Neurology and Karl Landsteiner Institute for Neuroimmunological and Neurodegenerative Disorders, Klinik Donaustadt, Vienna, Austria
| | - Josef Priller
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Neuropsychiatry, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Huu Phuc Nguyen
- Huntington-Zentrum NRW, Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Kathrin Reetz
- Department of Neurology, Euregional Huntington Centre Aachen, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ralf Reilmann
- George-Huntington-Institute, Muenster, Germany
- Department of Radiology, Universitaetsklinikum Muenster (UKM), Westfaelische Wilhelms-University, Muenster, Germany
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Klaus Seppi
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Wong TS, Li G, Li S, Gao W, Chen G, Gan S, Zhang M, Li H, Wu S, Du Y. G protein-coupled receptors in neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:177. [PMID: 37137892 PMCID: PMC10154768 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01427-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric disorders are multifactorial disorders with diverse aetiological factors. Identifying treatment targets is challenging because the diseases are resulting from heterogeneous biological, genetic, and environmental factors. Nevertheless, the increasing understanding of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) opens a new possibility in drug discovery. Harnessing our knowledge of molecular mechanisms and structural information of GPCRs will be advantageous for developing effective drugs. This review provides an overview of the role of GPCRs in various neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. Besides, we highlight the emerging opportunities of novel GPCR targets and address recent progress in GPCR drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thian-Sze Wong
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Steroid Drug Discovery and Development, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 518172, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Guangzhi Li
- Institute of Urology, The Affiliated Luohu Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen University, 518000, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Shiliang Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 200237, Shanghai, China
- Innovation Center for AI and Drug Discovery, East China Normal University, 200062, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Gao
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Steroid Drug Discovery and Development, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 518172, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Innovation Center for AI and Drug Discovery, East China Normal University, 200062, Shanghai, China
| | - Geng Chen
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Steroid Drug Discovery and Development, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 518172, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Shiyi Gan
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Steroid Drug Discovery and Development, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 518172, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Manzhan Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 200237, Shanghai, China
- Innovation Center for AI and Drug Discovery, East China Normal University, 200062, Shanghai, China
| | - Honglin Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 200237, Shanghai, China.
- Innovation Center for AI and Drug Discovery, East China Normal University, 200062, Shanghai, China.
| | - Song Wu
- Institute of Urology, The Affiliated Luohu Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen University, 518000, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
- Department of Urology, South China Hospital, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, 518116, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
| | - Yang Du
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Steroid Drug Discovery and Development, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 518172, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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Lunven M, Hernandez Dominguez K, Youssov K, Hamet Bagnou J, Fliss R, Vandendriessche H, Bapst B, Morgado G, Remy P, Schubert R, Reilmann R, Busse M, Craufurd D, Massart R, Rosser A, Bachoud-Lévi AC. A new approach to digitized cognitive monitoring: validity of the SelfCog in Huntington's disease. Brain Commun 2023; 5:fcad043. [PMID: 36938527 PMCID: PMC10018460 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive deficits represent a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases, but evaluating their progression is complex. Most current evaluations involve lengthy paper-and-pencil tasks which are subject to learning effects dependent on the mode of response (motor or verbal), the countries' language or the examiners. To address these limitations, we hypothesized that applying neuroscience principles may offer a fruitful alternative. We thus developed the SelfCog, a digitized battery that tests motor, executive, visuospatial, language and memory functions in 15 min. All cognitive functions are tested according to the same paradigm, and a randomization algorithm provides a new test at each assessment with a constant level of difficulty. Here, we assessed its validity, reliability and sensitivity to detect decline in early-stage Huntington's disease in a prospective and international multilingual study (France, the UK and Germany). Fifty-one out of 85 participants with Huntington's disease and 40 of 52 healthy controls included at baseline were followed up for 1 year. Assessments included a comprehensive clinical assessment battery including currently standard cognitive assessments alongside the SelfCog. We estimated associations between each of the clinical assessments and SelfCog using Spearman's correlation and proneness to retest effects and sensitivity to decline through linear mixed models. Longitudinal effect sizes were estimated for each cognitive score. Voxel-based morphometry and tract-based spatial statistics analyses were conducted to assess the consistency between performance on the SelfCog and MRI 3D-T1 and diffusion-weighted imaging in a subgroup that underwent MRI at baseline and after 12 months. The SelfCog detected the decline of patients with Huntington's disease in a 1-year follow-up period with satisfactory psychometric properties. Huntington's disease patients are correctly differentiated from controls. The SelfCog showed larger effect sizes than the classical cognitive assessments. Its scores were associated with grey and white matter damage at baseline and over 1 year. Given its good performance in longitudinal analyses of the Huntington's disease cohort, it should likely become a very useful tool for measuring cognition in Huntington's disease in the future. It highlights the value of moving the field along the neuroscience principles and eventually applying them to the evaluation of all neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Lunven
- Département d'Etudes Cognitives, École normale supérieure, PSL University, 75005 Paris, France
- University Paris Est Creteil, INSERM U955, Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale, Equipe NeuroPsychologie Interventionnelle, F-94010 Creteil, France
- AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Centre de référence Maladie de Huntington, Service de Neurologie, F-94010 Créteil, France
- NeurATRIS, Hôpital Henri Mondor, 94010 Créteil, France
| | - Karen Hernandez Dominguez
- Département d'Etudes Cognitives, École normale supérieure, PSL University, 75005 Paris, France
- University Paris Est Creteil, INSERM U955, Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale, Equipe NeuroPsychologie Interventionnelle, F-94010 Creteil, France
- AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Centre de référence Maladie de Huntington, Service de Neurologie, F-94010 Créteil, France
- NeurATRIS, Hôpital Henri Mondor, 94010 Créteil, France
| | - Katia Youssov
- Département d'Etudes Cognitives, École normale supérieure, PSL University, 75005 Paris, France
- University Paris Est Creteil, INSERM U955, Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale, Equipe NeuroPsychologie Interventionnelle, F-94010 Creteil, France
- AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Centre de référence Maladie de Huntington, Service de Neurologie, F-94010 Créteil, France
- NeurATRIS, Hôpital Henri Mondor, 94010 Créteil, France
| | - Jennifer Hamet Bagnou
- Département d'Etudes Cognitives, École normale supérieure, PSL University, 75005 Paris, France
- University Paris Est Creteil, INSERM U955, Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale, Equipe NeuroPsychologie Interventionnelle, F-94010 Creteil, France
- AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Centre de référence Maladie de Huntington, Service de Neurologie, F-94010 Créteil, France
- NeurATRIS, Hôpital Henri Mondor, 94010 Créteil, France
| | - Rafika Fliss
- Département d'Etudes Cognitives, École normale supérieure, PSL University, 75005 Paris, France
- University Paris Est Creteil, INSERM U955, Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale, Equipe NeuroPsychologie Interventionnelle, F-94010 Creteil, France
- AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Centre de référence Maladie de Huntington, Service de Neurologie, F-94010 Créteil, France
- NeurATRIS, Hôpital Henri Mondor, 94010 Créteil, France
| | - Henri Vandendriessche
- Département d'Etudes Cognitives, École normale supérieure, PSL University, 75005 Paris, France
- University Paris Est Creteil, INSERM U955, Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale, Equipe NeuroPsychologie Interventionnelle, F-94010 Creteil, France
- AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Centre de référence Maladie de Huntington, Service de Neurologie, F-94010 Créteil, France
- NeurATRIS, Hôpital Henri Mondor, 94010 Créteil, France
| | - Blanche Bapst
- Department of Neuroradiology, AP-HP, Henri Mondor University Hospital, 94010 Créteil, France
- Faculty of Medicine, Université Paris Est Créteil, F-94010 Créteil, France
| | - Graça Morgado
- Inserm, Centre d’Investigation Clinique 1430, APHP, Hôpital Henri Mondor, 94010 Créteil, France
| | - Philippe Remy
- Département d'Etudes Cognitives, École normale supérieure, PSL University, 75005 Paris, France
- University Paris Est Creteil, INSERM U955, Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale, Equipe NeuroPsychologie Interventionnelle, F-94010 Creteil, France
- AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Centre de référence Maladie de Huntington, Service de Neurologie, F-94010 Créteil, France
- NeurATRIS, Hôpital Henri Mondor, 94010 Créteil, France
| | - Robin Schubert
- George Huntington Institute, Technology-Park, 48149 Muenster, Germany
- Department of Neurodegeneration and Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Ralf Reilmann
- George Huntington Institute, Technology-Park, 48149 Muenster, Germany
- Department of Neurodegeneration and Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Clinical Radiology, University of Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Monica Busse
- Centre for Trials Research, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4EP, UK
- Wales Brain Research And Intracranial Neurotherapeutics (BRAIN) Biomedical Research Unit, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4EP, UK
| | - David Craufurd
- Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary’s Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Renaud Massart
- Département d'Etudes Cognitives, École normale supérieure, PSL University, 75005 Paris, France
- University Paris Est Creteil, INSERM U955, Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale, Equipe NeuroPsychologie Interventionnelle, F-94010 Creteil, France
- AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Centre de référence Maladie de Huntington, Service de Neurologie, F-94010 Créteil, France
- NeurATRIS, Hôpital Henri Mondor, 94010 Créteil, France
| | - Anne Rosser
- Wales Brain Research And Intracranial Neurotherapeutics (BRAIN) Biomedical Research Unit, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4EP, UK
- Cardiff School of Medicine, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University Brain Repair Group, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Anne-Catherine Bachoud-Lévi
- Département d'Etudes Cognitives, École normale supérieure, PSL University, 75005 Paris, France
- University Paris Est Creteil, INSERM U955, Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale, Equipe NeuroPsychologie Interventionnelle, F-94010 Creteil, France
- AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Centre de référence Maladie de Huntington, Service de Neurologie, F-94010 Créteil, France
- NeurATRIS, Hôpital Henri Mondor, 94010 Créteil, France
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7
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Owen NE, Barker RA, Voysey ZJ. Sleep Dysfunction in Huntington's Disease: Impacts of Current Medications and Prospects for Treatment. J Huntingtons Dis 2023; 12:149-161. [PMID: 37248911 PMCID: PMC10473096 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-230567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Sleep dysfunction is highly prevalent in Huntington's disease (HD). Increasing evidence suggests that such dysfunction not only impairs quality of life and exacerbates symptoms but may even accelerate the underlying disease process. Despite this, current HD treatment approaches neither consider the impact of commonly used medications on sleep, nor directly tackle sleep dysfunction. In this review, we discuss approaches to these two areas, evaluating not only literature from clinical studies in HD, but also that from parallel neurodegenerative conditions and preclinical models of HD. We conclude by summarizing a hierarchical framework of current medications with regard to their impact on sleep, and by outlining key emerging sleep therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia E. Owen
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Roger A. Barker
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome Trust-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Zanna J. Voysey
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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8
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Morris L, O'Callaghan C, Le Heron C. Disordered Decision Making: A Cognitive Framework for Apathy and Impulsivity in Huntington's Disease. Mov Disord 2022; 37:1149-1163. [PMID: 35491758 PMCID: PMC9322688 DOI: 10.1002/mds.29013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
A caregiver's all‐too‐familiar narrative ‐ “He doesn't think through what he does, but mostly he does nothing.” Apathy and impulsivity, debilitating and poorly understood, commonly co‐occur in Huntington's disease (HD). HD is a neurodegenerative disease with manifestations bridging clinical neurology and psychiatry. In addition to movement and cognitive symptoms, neurobehavioral disturbances, particularly apathy and impulsivity, are prevalent features of HD, occurring early in the disease course, often worsening with disease progression, and substantially reducing quality of life. Treatments remain limited, in part because of limited mechanistic understanding of these behavioral disturbances. However, emerging work within the field of decision‐making neuroscience and beyond points to common neurobiological mechanisms underpinning these seemingly disparate problems. These insights bridge the gap between underlying disease pathology and clinical phenotype, offering new treatment strategies, novel behavioral and physiological biomarkers of HD, and deeper understanding of human behavior. In this review, we apply the neurobiological framework of cost‐benefit decision making to the problems of apathy and impulsivity in HD. Through this decision‐making lens, we develop a mechanistic model that elucidates the occurrence of these behavioral disturbances and points to potential treatment strategies and crucial research priorities. © 2022 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee‐Anne Morris
- Department of Medicine University of Otago Christchurch New Zealand
- New Zealand Brain Research Institute Christchurch New Zealand
| | - Claire O'Callaghan
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Campbell Le Heron
- Department of Medicine University of Otago Christchurch New Zealand
- New Zealand Brain Research Institute Christchurch New Zealand
- Department of Neurology Canterbury District Health Board Christchurch New Zealand
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9
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Hewitt SRC, White AJ, Mason SL, Barker RA. Metacognitive insight into cognitive performance in Huntington's disease gene carriers. BMJ Neurol Open 2022; 4:e000268. [PMID: 35463389 PMCID: PMC8987702 DOI: 10.1136/bmjno-2022-000268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Insight is an important predictor of quality of life in Huntington's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. However, estimating insight with traditional methods such as questionnaires is challenging and subjected to limitations. This cross-sectional study experimentally quantified metacognitive insight into cognitive performance in Huntington's disease gene carriers. Methods We dissociated perceptual decision-making performance and metacognitive insight into performance in healthy controls (n=29), premanifest (n=19) and early-manifest (n=10) Huntington's disease gene carriers. Insight was operationalised as the degree to which a participant's confidence in their performance was informative of their actual performance (metacognitive efficiency) and estimated using a computational model (HMeta-d'). Results We found that premanifest and early-manifest Huntington's disease gene carriers were impaired in making perceptual decisions compared with controls. Gene carriers required more evidence in favour of the correct choice to achieve similar performance and perceptual impairments were increased in those with manifest disease. Surprisingly, despite marked perceptual impairments, Huntington's disease gene carriers retained metacognitive insight into their perceptual performance. This was the case after controlling for confounding variables and regardless of disease stage. Conclusion We report for the first time a dissociation between impaired cognition and intact metacognition (trial-by-trial insight) in the early stages of a neurodegenerative disease. This unexpected finding contrasts with the prevailing assumption that cognitive deficits are associated with impaired insight. Future studies should investigate how intact metacognitive insight could be used by some early Huntington's disease gene carriers to positively impact their quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel RC Hewitt
- John Van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, University College London, London, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK
| | - Alice J White
- John Van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Sarah L Mason
- John Van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Roger A Barker
- John Van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK
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10
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Yadav D, Kumar P. Restoration and targeting of aberrant neurotransmitters in Parkinson's disease therapeutics. Neurochem Int 2022; 156:105327. [PMID: 35331828 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2022.105327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Neurotransmitters are considered as a fundamental regulator in the process of neuronal growth, differentiation and survival. Parkinson's Disease (PD) occurs due to extensive damage of dopamine-producing neurons; this causes dopamine deficits in the midbrain, followed by the alternation of various other neurotransmitters (glutamate, GABA, serotonin, etc.). It has been observed that fluctuation of neurotransmission in the basal ganglia exhibits a great impact on the pathophysiology of PD. Dopamine replacement therapy, such as the use of L-DOPA, can increase the dopamine level, but it majorly ameliorates the motor symptoms and is also associated with long-term complications (for e.g., LID). While the non-dopaminergic system can efficiently target non-motor symptoms, for instance, the noradrenergic system regulates the synthesis of BDNF via the MAPK pathway, which is important in learning and memory. Herein, we briefly discuss the role of different neurotransmitters, implementation of neurotransmitter receptors in PD. We also illustrate the recent advances of neurotransmitter-based drugs, which are currently under in vivo and clinical studies. Reinstating normal neurotransmitter levels has been believed to be advantageous in the treatment of PD. Thus, there is an increasing demand for drugs that can specifically target the neurotransmission system and reinstate the normal levels of neurotransmitters, which might prevent or delay neurodegeneration in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Yadav
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Delhi, India; Delhi Technological University (Formerly Delhi College of Engineering), Delhi, 110042, India
| | - Pravir Kumar
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Delhi, India; Delhi Technological University (Formerly Delhi College of Engineering), Delhi, 110042, India.
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11
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Hastings N, Kuan WL, Osborne A, Kotter MRN. Therapeutic Potential of Astrocyte Transplantation. Cell Transplant 2022; 31:9636897221105499. [PMID: 35770772 PMCID: PMC9251977 DOI: 10.1177/09636897221105499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell transplantation is an attractive treatment strategy for a variety of brain disorders, as it promises to replenish lost functions and rejuvenate the brain. In particular, transplantation of astrocytes has come into light recently as a therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); moreover, grafting of astrocytes also showed positive results in models of other conditions ranging from neurodegenerative diseases of older age to traumatic injury and stroke. Despite clear differences in etiology, disorders such as ALS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's diseases, as well as traumatic injury and stroke, converge on a number of underlying astrocytic abnormalities, which include inflammatory changes, mitochondrial damage, calcium signaling disturbance, hemichannel opening, and loss of glutamate transporters. In this review, we examine these convergent pathways leading to astrocyte dysfunction, and explore the existing evidence for a therapeutic potential of transplantation of healthy astrocytes in various models. Existing literature presents a wide variety of methods to generate astrocytes, or relevant precursor cells, for subsequent transplantation, while described outcomes of this type of treatment also differ between studies. We take technical differences between methodologies into account to understand the variability of therapeutic benefits, or lack thereof, at a deeper level. We conclude by discussing some key requirements of an astrocyte graft that would be most suitable for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataly Hastings
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Wei-Li Kuan
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Andrew Osborne
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Mark R N Kotter
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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12
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Ferreira JJ, Rodrigues FB, Duarte GS, Mestre TA, Bachoud-Levi AC, Bentivoglio AR, Burgunder JM, Cardoso F, Claassen DO, Landwehrmeyer GB, Kulisevsky J, Nirenberg MJ, Rosser A, Roth J, Seppi K, Slawek J, Furr-Stimming E, Tabrizi SJ, Walker FO, Vandenberghe W, Costa J, Sampaio C. A MDS Evidence-Based Review on Treatments for Huntington's Disease. Mov Disord 2021; 37:25-35. [PMID: 34842303 DOI: 10.1002/mds.28855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder with protean clinical manifestations. Its management is challenging, consisting mainly of off-label treatments. OBJECTIVES The International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society commissioned a task force to review and evaluate the evidence of available therapies for HD gene expansion carriers. METHODS We followed the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Eligible randomized controlled trials were identified via an electronic search of the CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and EMBASE databases. All eligible trials that evaluated one or more of 33 predetermined clinical questions were included. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. A framework was adapted to allow for efficacy and safety conclusions to be drawn from the balance between the GRADE level of evidence and the importance of the benefit/harm of the intervention. RESULTS Twenty-two eligible studies involving 17 interventions were included, providing data to address 8 clinical questions. These data supported a likely effect of deutetrabenazine on motor impairment, chorea, and dystonia and of tetrabenazine on chorea. The data did not support a disease-modifying effect for premanifest and manifest HD. There was no eligible evidence to support the use of specific treatments for depression, psychosis, irritability, apathy, or suicidality. Similarly, no evidence was eligible to support the use of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, exercise, dietary, or surgical treatments. CONCLUSIONS Data for therapeutic interventions in HD are limited and support only the use of VMAT2 inhibitors for specific motor symptoms. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joaquim J Ferreira
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Lisbon, Portugal.,CNS - Campus Neurológico, Torres Vedras, Portugal
| | - Filipe B Rodrigues
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Lisbon, Portugal.,CNS - Campus Neurológico, Torres Vedras, Portugal.,UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gonçalo S Duarte
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Lisbon, Portugal.,Centro de Estudos de Medicina Baseada na Evidência, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Tiago A Mestre
- Parkinson disease and Movement Disorders Centre, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, The University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anne-Catherine Bachoud-Levi
- National Centre of Reference for Huntington's Disease, Neurology Department, Henri Mondor Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France.,Neuropsychologie Interventionelle Lab, INSERM U955 E01B, PSL University, Paris, France.,Université Paris Est Créteil, Créteil, France
| | - Anna Rita Bentivoglio
- Istituto di Neurologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Movement Disorder Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Jean-Marc Burgunder
- Swiss Huntington Center, Neurozentrum Siloah AG, Muri bei Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Neurology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Francisco Cardoso
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Service, Internal Medicine Department of the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Daniel O Claassen
- Department of Neurology, Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | | | - Jaime Kulisevsky
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d´Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación en Red Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Melissa J Nirenberg
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Anne Rosser
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (Brain Research And Intracranial Neurotherapeutics Unit), Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Jan Roth
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Klaus Seppi
- Department of Neurology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Jaroslaw Slawek
- Division of Psychiatric-Neurological Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.,Neurology and Stroke Department, St. Adalbert Hospital, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Erin Furr-Stimming
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Francis O Walker
- Division of Neuromuscular Disorders, Department of Neurology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Wim Vandenberghe
- Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - João Costa
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Lisbon, Portugal.,Centro de Estudos de Medicina Baseada na Evidência, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Cristina Sampaio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Lisbon, Portugal.,CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
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13
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Cao JK, Viray K, Shin M, Hsu KL, Mackie K, Westenbroek R, Stella N. ABHD6 Inhibition Rescues a Sex-Dependent Deficit in Motor Coordination in The HdhQ200/200 Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease. JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY AND NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS 2021; 7:106. [PMID: 37720694 PMCID: PMC10503675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's Disease is associated with motor behavior deficits that are lessened by few therapeutic options. This preliminary study tested if pharmacological inhibition of α/β-hydrolase domain containing 6 (ABHD6), a multifunctional enzyme expressed in the striatum, rescues behavioral deficits in HdhQ200/200 mice. Previous work has shown that this model exhibits a reduction in spontaneous locomotion and motor coordination at 8 and 10 months of age, with a more severe phenotype in female mice. Semi-quantitative immunohistochemistry analysis indicated no change in striatal ABHD6 expression at 8 months of age, but a 40% reduction by 10 months in female HdhQ200/200 mice compared to female wild-type (WT) littermates. At 8 months of age, acute ABHD6 inhibition rescued motor coordination deficits in female HdhQ200/200 mice without affecting WT performance. ABHD6 inhibition did not impact spontaneous locomotion, grip strength, or overall weight in either group, showing that effects were specific to motor coordination. At 10 months of age, semi-chronic ABHD6 inhibition by osmotic pump delivery also rescued motor coordination deficits in female HdhQ200/200 mice without affecting female WT littermates. Our preliminary study suggests that ABHD6 inhibition improves motor performance in female HdhQ200/200 mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- JK Cao
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - K Viray
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - M Shin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - K-L Hsu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - K Mackie
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Linda and Jack Gill Center for Biomolecular Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - R Westenbroek
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - N Stella
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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14
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Gibson JS, Claassen DO. State-of-the-art pharmacological approaches to reduce chorea in Huntington's disease. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2021; 22:1015-1024. [PMID: 33550875 PMCID: PMC8222076 DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2021.1876666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Chorea is a common motor manifestation of Huntington's disease (HD). Two vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 (VMAT-2) inhibitors have been approved by the FDA for treatment of HD chorea, and a third is currently being assessed in a phase 3 trial. Antipsychotic therapies are used off-label for treatment of chorea and can treat comorbid psychiatric symptoms. There is considerable clinical equipoise regarding the safe and effective treatment of chorea and comorbid symptoms in HD.Areas covered: The authors review existing medications used to treat HD chorea in the United States of America (USA). Implications for common comorbid symptoms (e.g. psychiatric, metabolic) are also discussed. Available therapies vary widely in cost, dosing frequency, and off -target effects, both beneficial or negative.Expert opinion: Treatment considerations for chorea should account for patient comorbidities. The authors recommend prospective, observational clinical effectiveness studies which can evaluate the long-term comparative effectiveness and safety of VMAT-2 inhibitors and antipsychotics in HD. Data regarding safety of dual therapy is another critical need. This is especially timely given the changing landscape of HD therapies which may increase cost burden and possibly extend both asymptomatic and symptomatic years for HD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel O. Claassen
- Department of Neurology, Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
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15
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Godani M, Lanza G, Trevisan L, Ferri R, Bella R. An unusual gait disorder at the Emergency Department: role of the quantitative assessment of parenchymal transcranial Doppler sonography. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2021. [PMID: 33936999 DOI: 10.21037/qims-20-982.] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Giuseppe Lanza
- Department of Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, University of Catania, Italy.,Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy
| | - Lucia Trevisan
- Medical Genetic Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Rita Bella
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies, University of Catania, Italy
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16
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Godani M, Lanza G, Trevisan L, Ferri R, Bella R. An unusual gait disorder at the Emergency Department: role of the quantitative assessment of parenchymal transcranial Doppler sonography. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2021; 11:2195-2200. [PMID: 33936999 PMCID: PMC8047368 DOI: 10.21037/qims-20-982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Giuseppe Lanza
- Department of Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, University of Catania, Italy
- Oasi Research Institute–IRCCS, Troina, Italy
| | - Lucia Trevisan
- Medical Genetic Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Rita Bella
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies, University of Catania, Italy
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