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Stikvoort García DJL, Sleutjes BTHM, van Schelven LJ, Goedee HS, van den Berg LH. Diagnostic accuracy of nerve excitability and compound muscle action potential scan derived biomarkers in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Eur J Neurol 2023; 30:3068-3078. [PMID: 37354059 DOI: 10.1111/ene.15954] [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: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The lack of reliable early biomarkers still causes substantial diagnostic delays in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The aim was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of a novel electrophysiological protocol in patients with suspected motor neuron disease (MND). METHODS Consecutive patients with suspected MND were prospectively recruited at our tertiary referral centre for MND in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Procedures were performed in accordance with the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy. In addition to the standard diagnostic workup, an electrophysiological protocol of compound muscle action potential (CMAP) scans and nerve excitability tests was performed on patients' thenar muscles. The combined diagnostic yield of nerve excitability and CMAP scan based motor unit number estimation was compared to the Awaji and Gold Coast criteria and their added value was determined. RESULTS In all, 153 ALS or progressive muscular atrophy patients, 63 disease controls and 43 healthy controls were included. Our electrophysiological protocol had high diagnostic accuracy (area under the curve [AUC] 0.85, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.80-0.90), even in muscles with undetectable axon loss (AUC 0.78, 95% CI 0.70-0.85) and in bulbar-onset patients (AUC 0.85, 95% CI 0.73-0.95). Twenty-four of 33 (73%) ALS patients who could not be diagnosed during the same visit were correctly identified, as well as 8/13 (62%) ALS patients not meeting the Gold Coast criteria and 49/59 (83%) ALS patients not meeting the Awaji criteria during this first visit. CONCLUSIONS Our practical and non-invasive electrophysiological protocol may improve early diagnosis in clinically challenging patients with suspected ALS. Routine incorporation may boost early diagnosis, enhance patient selection and generate baseline measures for clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- D J L Stikvoort García
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Utrecht, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - B T H M Sleutjes
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Utrecht, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - L J van Schelven
- Department of Medical Technology and Clinical Physics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - H S Goedee
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Utrecht, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - L H van den Berg
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Utrecht, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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2
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Sako W, Haji S, Abe T, Osaki Y, Matsumoto Y, Harada M, Izumi Y. M1/precuneus ratio as a surrogate marker of upper motor neuron sign in ALS. J Neurol Sci 2023; 445:120548. [PMID: 36640663 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2023.120548] [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: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate whether primary motor cortex (M1) volume measured with an automated approach in MRI reflects upper motor neuron dysfunction and whether it can serve as a potential diagnostic and/or disease-tracking biomarker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). METHODS In this retrospective study, we enrolled 95 subjects, including 33 possible or laboratory supported probable ALS, 26 probable or definite ALS (Prob/Def), 2 primary lateral sclerosis patients, 8 progressive muscular atrophy patients, 19 normal controls (NC) and 7 ALS patients having a second structural MRI scan. Some subjects also underwent functional MRI. We calculated M1, primary sensory cortex, precuneus volumes, and total gray matter volume (TGMV) with FreeSurfer. The sensorimotor network (SMN) was identified using independent component analysis. RESULTS The M1/precuneus ratio showed a significant difference between the NC and Prob/Def groups (p < 0.05). The diagnostic accuracy of the M1/precuneus ratio was moderate for distinguishing Prob/Def from NC (cutoff = 1.00, sensitivity = 0.42, specificity = 0.90). Two of eight cases without upper motor neuron dysfunction could be diagnosed with ALS using M1/precuneus ratio as a surrogate marker. A negative correlation between M1/precuneus ratio and functional activity was found in Brodmann area 6 in the SMN in all subjects. TGMV tended to decrease with disease progression (p = 0.04). INTERPRETATION The M1/precuneus volume ratio, associated with the SMN, may have potential as a surrogate biomarker of upper motor neuron dysfunction in ALS. Furthermore, TGMV may serve as an ALS disease-tracking biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wataru Sako
- Department of Neurology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan.
| | - Shotaro Haji
- Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Takashi Abe
- Department of Radiology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Yusuke Osaki
- Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Yuki Matsumoto
- Department of Radiology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Masafumi Harada
- Department of Radiology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Yuishin Izumi
- Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
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3
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Phan K, He Y, Bhatia S, Pickford R, McDonald G, Mazumder S, Timmins HC, Hodges JR, Piguet O, Dzamko N, Halliday GM, Kiernan MC, Kim WS. Multiple pathways of lipid dysregulation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain Commun 2022; 5:fcac340. [PMID: 36632187 PMCID: PMC9825811 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disease characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons and loss of various muscular functions. Dyslipidaemia is prevalent in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with aberrant changes mainly in cholesterol ester and triglyceride. Despite this, little is known about global lipid changes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or in relation to disease progression. The present study incorporated a longitudinal lipidomic analysis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis serum with a comparison with healthy controls using advanced liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results established that diglyceride, the precursor of triglyceride, was enriched the most, while ceramide was depleted the most in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis compared with controls, with the diglyceride species (18:1/18:1) correlating significantly to neurofilament light levels. The prenol lipid CoQ8 was also decreased in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and correlated to neurofilament light levels. Most interestingly, the phospholipid phosphatidylethanolamine and its three derivatives decreased with disease progression, in contrast to changes with normal ageing. Unsaturated lipids that are prone to lipid peroxidation were elevated with disease progression with increases in the formation of toxic lipid products. Furthermore, in vitro studies revealed that phosphatidylethanolamine synthesis modulated TARDBP expression in SH-SY5Y neuronal cells. Finally, diglyceride, cholesterol ester and ceramide were identified as potential lipid biomarkers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis diagnosis and monitoring disease progression. In summary, this study represents a longitudinal lipidomics analysis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis serum and has provided new insights into multiple pathways of lipid dysregulation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Russell Pickford
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Facility, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Gordon McDonald
- The University of Sydney, Sydney Informatics Hub, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Srestha Mazumder
- The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Hannah C Timmins
- The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - John R Hodges
- The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Olivier Piguet
- The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia,The University of Sydney, School of Psychology, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Nicolas Dzamko
- The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia,The University of Sydney, School of Medical Sciences, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Glenda M Halliday
- The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia,The University of Sydney, School of Medical Sciences, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Woojin Scott Kim
- Correspondence to: W. S. Kim, Associate Professor Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney Camperdown NSW 2050, Australia E-mail:
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Synucleinopathy in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Potential Avenue for Antisense Therapeutics? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169364. [PMID: 36012622 PMCID: PMC9409035 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common adult-onset motor neuron disease classified as both a neurodegenerative and neuromuscular disorder. With a complex aetiology and no current cure for ALS, broadening the understanding of disease pathology and therapeutic avenues is required to progress with patient care. Alpha-synuclein (αSyn) is a hallmark for disease in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia, and multiple system atrophy. A growing body of evidence now suggests that αSyn may also play a pathological role in ALS, with αSyn-positive Lewy bodies co-aggregating alongside known ALS pathogenic proteins, such as SOD1 and TDP-43. This review endeavours to capture the scope of literature regarding the aetiology and development of ALS and its commonalities with "synucleinopathy disorders". We will discuss the involvement of αSyn in ALS and motor neuron disease pathology, and the current theories and strategies for therapeutics in ALS treatment, as well as those targeting αSyn for synucleinopathies, with a core focus on small molecule RNA technologies.
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Sferruzza G, Bosco L, Falzone YM, Russo T, Domi T, Quattrini A, Filippi M, Riva N. Neurofilament light chain as a biological marker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a meta-analysis study. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2021; 23:446-457. [PMID: 34874217 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2021.2007952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Aim: The aim of the present metanalysis is to evaluate blood and CSF Neurofilament light chain (NfL) concentrations in ALS patients, compared to healthy controls, ALS mimic disorders (ALSmd) and other neurological diseases (OND), and to evaluate their diagnostic yield against ALSmd. Methods: Search engines were systematically investigated for relevant studies. A random effect model was applied to estimate the pooled standard mean difference in NfL levels between ALS and controls and a bivariate mixed-effects model was applied to estimate their diagnostic accuracy on blood and CSF. Results and conclusions: NfL CSF levels were higher in ALS compared with all other control groups. On blood, NfL levels were significantly higher in ALS patients compared with healthy controls and ALSmd. In a subgroup analysis, the use of SIMOA yielded to a better differentiation between ALS and controls on blood, compared with ELISA. Studies performed on CSF (AUC = 0.90) yielded to better diagnostic performances compared with those conducted on blood (AUC = 0.78). Further prospective investigations are needed to determine a diagnostic cutoff, exploitable in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Sferruzza
- Neurology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Bosco
- Neurology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Neurorehabilitation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Neurophysiology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Yuri Matteo Falzone
- Neurology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Neurorehabilitation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Neurophysiology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy and.,Neuropathology Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSP E), San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Tommaso Russo
- Neurology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Neurorehabilitation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Neurophysiology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy and.,Neuropathology Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSP E), San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Teuta Domi
- Neuropathology Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSP E), San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Angelo Quattrini
- Neuropathology Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSP E), San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Filippi
- Neurology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Neurorehabilitation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Neurophysiology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy and
| | - Nilo Riva
- Neurology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Neurorehabilitation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Neuropathology Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSP E), San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
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Kiernan MC. Metabolomic insights into neurodegene-rative disease. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2020; 91:1250. [PMID: 32928936 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2020-324856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C Kiernan
- Bushell Chair of Neurology, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia .,Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
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