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Zhu Y, Williams J, Beyene K, Trani JF, Babulal GM. Traumatic Brain Injury, Seizures, and Cognitive Impairment Among Older Adults. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e2426590. [PMID: 39115844 PMCID: PMC11310819 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.26590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Traumatic brain injury (TBI), seizures, and dementia increase with age. There is a gap in understanding the associations of TBI, seizures, and medications such as antiseizure and antipsychotics with the progression of cognitive impairment across racial and ethnic groups. Objective To investigate the association of TBI and seizures with the risk of cognitive impairment among cognitively normal older adults and the role of medications in moderating the association. Design, Setting, and Participants This multicenter cohort study was a secondary analysis of the Uniform Data Set collected between June 1, 2005, and June 30, 2020, from the National Alzheimer's Coordination Center. Statistical analysis was performed from February 1 to April 3, 2024. Data were collected from participants from 36 Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers in the US who were 65 years or older at baseline, cognitively normal at baseline (Clinical Dementia Rating of 0 and no impairment based on a presumptive etiologic diagnosis of AD), and had complete information on race and ethnicity, age, sex, educational level, and apolipoprotein E genotype. Exposure Health history of TBI, seizures, or both conditions. Main Outcomes and Measures Progression to cognitive impairment measured by a Clinical Dementia Rating greater than 0. Results Among the cohort of 7180 older adults (median age, 74 years [range, 65-102 years]; 4729 women [65.9%]), 1036 were African American or Black (14.4%), 21 were American Indian or Alaska Native (0.3%), 143 were Asian (2.0%), 332 were Hispanic (4.6%), and 5648 were non-Hispanic White (78.7%); the median educational level was 16.0 years (range, 1.0-29.0 years). After adjustment for selection basis using propensity score weighting, seizure was associated with a 40% higher risk of cognitive impairment (hazard ratio [HR], 1.40; 95% CI, 1.19-1.65), TBI with a 25% higher risk of cognitive impairment (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.17-1.34), and both seizure and TBI were associated with a 57% higher risk (HR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.23-2.01). The interaction models indicated that Hispanic participants with TBI and seizures had a higher risk of cognitive impairment compared with other racial and ethnic groups. The use of antiseizure medications (HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 0.99-1.53), antidepressants (HR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.17-1.50), and antipsychotics (HR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.18-3.89) was associated with a higher risk of cognitive impairment, while anxiolytic, sedative, or hypnotic use (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.83-0.94) was associated with a lower risk. Conclusions and Relevance This study highlights the importance of addressing TBI and seizures as risk factors for cognitive impairment among older adults. Addressing the broader social determinants of health and bridging the health divide across various racial and ethnic groups are essential for the comprehensive management and prevention of dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqi Zhu
- School of Social Work, Adelphi University, Garden City, New York
| | - Jonathan Williams
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Kebede Beyene
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Jean-Francois Trani
- National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts, Paris, France
- Institute of Public Health, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Ganesh M. Babulal
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
- Institute of Public Health, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Clinical Research and Leadership, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC
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Punia V, Bhansali S, Tsai C. Late-onset epilepsy clinic: From clinical diagnostics to biomarkers. Seizure 2024:S1059-1311(24)00192-4. [PMID: 38944548 DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2024.06.026] [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: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The unique patho-clinical entity of late-onset epilepsy (LOE), distinguished by its distinct natural history, from its onset to the prognosis it portends, necessitates specialized care. We lack a universally accepted definition, but LOE is typically identified as epilepsy onset after the age of 60 or 65. Unlike epilepsy in younger individuals, LOE is almost by default focal in origin, secondary to acquired etiologies, and presents unique diagnostic and management challenges due to its atypical semiology, higher comorbidity burden, frailty, and increased risks of subsequent stroke and dementia. LOE clinics have been established to address these challenges, providing a multidisciplinary approach to optimize outcomes in patients with new-onset seizures beyond the fifth decade of life. LOE clinics are essential for comprehensive care, offering not only seizure management but also monitoring and addressing associated comorbidities. The care model involves collaboration among neurologists, primary care providers, cardiologists, mental health professionals, and social workers to manage LOE patients' complex needs effectively. The prevalence of cognitive dysfunction in LOE patients underscores the need for regular cognitive assessments and interventions. Biomarker research, particularly involving amyloid beta, offers promising avenues for early diagnosis and a better understanding of the interplay between LOE and Alzheimer's disease. Establishing LOE clinics in major referral centers can enhance provider expertise, improve patient outcomes, and facilitate research to advance diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. In conclusion, LOE clinics play a critical role in addressing the multifaceted needs of older adults with epilepsy, tailored to local resources and challenges, thus enhancing epilepsy care in an aging global population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vineet Punia
- Epilepsy Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44113, USA.
| | - Sakhi Bhansali
- Epilepsy Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44113, USA
| | - Carolyn Tsai
- Epilepsy Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44113, USA
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3
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Grigg-Damberger M, Foldvary-Schaefer N. Hypoxia not AHI in adults with sleep apnea midlife markedly increases risk of late-onset epilepsy-Carosella CM et al Sleep apnea, hypoxia, and late-onset epilepsy: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study SLEEP-2023-0175.R1. Sleep 2024; 47:zsad252. [PMID: 37777197 DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsad252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer
- Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Sleep Disorders and Epilepsy Centers, Cleveland, OH, USA
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Barbour AJ, Gourmaud S, Lancaster E, Li X, Stewart DA, Hoag KF, Irwin DJ, Talos DM, Jensen FE. Seizures exacerbate excitatory: inhibitory imbalance in Alzheimer's disease and 5XFAD mice. Brain 2024; 147:2169-2184. [PMID: 38662500 PMCID: PMC11146435 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae126] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Approximately 22% of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients suffer from seizures, and the co-occurrence of seizures and epileptiform activity exacerbates AD pathology and related cognitive deficits, suggesting that seizures may be a targetable component of AD progression. Given that alterations in neuronal excitatory:inhibitory (E:I) balance occur in epilepsy, we hypothesized that decreased markers of inhibition relative to those of excitation would be present in AD patients. We similarly hypothesized that in 5XFAD mice, the E:I imbalance would progress from an early stage (prodromal) to later symptomatic stages and be further exacerbated by pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) kindling. Post-mortem AD temporal cortical tissues from patients with or without seizure history were examined for changes in several markers of E:I balance, including levels of the inhibitory GABAA receptor, the sodium potassium chloride cotransporter 1 (NKCC1) and potassium chloride cotransporter 2 (KCC2) and the excitatory NMDA and AMPA type glutamate receptors. We performed patch-clamp electrophysiological recordings from CA1 neurons in hippocampal slices and examined the same markers of E:I balance in prodromal 5XFAD mice. We next examined 5XFAD mice at chronic stages, after PTZ or control protocols, and in response to chronic mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin, administered following kindled seizures, for markers of E:I balance. We found that AD patients with comorbid seizures had worsened cognitive and functional scores and decreased GABAA receptor subunit expression, as well as increased NKCC1/KCC2 ratios, indicative of depolarizing GABA responses. Patch clamp recordings of prodromal 5XFAD CA1 neurons showed increased intrinsic excitability, along with decreased GABAergic inhibitory transmission and altered glutamatergic neurotransmission, indicating that E:I imbalance may occur in early disease stages. Furthermore, seizure induction in prodromal 5XFAD mice led to later dysregulation of NKCC1/KCC2 and a reduction in GluA2 AMPA glutamate receptor subunit expression, indicative of depolarizing GABA receptors and calcium permeable AMPA receptors. Finally, we found that chronic treatment with the mTORC1 inhibitor, rapamycin, at doses we have previously shown to attenuate seizure-induced amyloid-β pathology and cognitive deficits, could also reverse elevations of the NKCC1/KCC2 ratio in these mice. Our data demonstrate novel mechanisms of interaction between AD and epilepsy and indicate that targeting E:I balance, potentially with US Food and Drug Administration-approved mTOR inhibitors, hold therapeutic promise for AD patients with a seizure history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron J Barbour
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sarah Gourmaud
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Eunjoo Lancaster
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Xiaofan Li
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - David A Stewart
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Keegan F Hoag
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - David J Irwin
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Penn Frontotemporal Degeneration Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Delia M Talos
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Frances E Jensen
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Helmstaedter C, Tailby C, Witt JA. Neuropsychology of late-onset epilepsies. Seizure 2024:S1059-1311(24)00078-5. [PMID: 38555201 DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2024.03.010] [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: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
In an increasingly ageing society, patients ageing with epilepsy and those with late-onset epilepsies (LOE) represent a challenge for epilepsy care and treatment. Senescence itself bears risks of pathologies which in the form of acute focal damage (e.g. stroke) or slowly progressive degenerative damage can cause seizures and substantial cognitive impairment. There is converging evidence from studies in LOE that cognitive impairments are present from epilepsy onset before treatment is initiated and may even precede the emergence of seizures. This suggests that these impairments (like the seizures) are expressions of the underlying disease. Indeed, both seizures and cognitive impairments can be early indicators of disease conditions which lead to mental decline. Cognitive decline over time poses the challenge of disentangling the interrelation between seizures, treatment effects and underlying disease. This issue must be considered as some of the etiologies for causing neuropsychological decline can be addressed. Medication and active epilepsy can contribute to impairments and their impact may be reversible. Dementia is rare if seizures are what has brought the person to attention, and if this is not accompanied by other slowly developing features (such as cognitive of psychiatric changes). From a neuropsychological point of view choosing the right screening tools or assessments, obtaining the history and timeline of impairments in relation to epilepsy, and most importantly longitudinally following the patients regardless of whether epilepsy is ultimately controlled or not appear essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Helmstaedter
- Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn (UKB), 53127 Bonn, Germany.
| | - C Tailby
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, 3084, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, 3084, Australia
| | - J-A Witt
- Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn (UKB), 53127 Bonn, Germany
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Liu AA, Barr WB. Overlapping and distinct phenotypic profiles in Alzheimer's disease and late onset epilepsy: a biologically-based approach. Front Neurol 2024; 14:1260523. [PMID: 38545454 PMCID: PMC10965692 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1260523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Due to shared hippocampal dysfunction, patients with Alzheimer's dementia and late-onset epilepsy (LOE) report memory decline. Multiple studies have described the epidemiological, pathological, neurophysiological, and behavioral overlap between Alzheimer's Disease and LOE, implying a bi-directional relationship. We describe the neurobiological decline occurring at different spatial in AD and LOE patients, which may explain why their phenotypes overlap and differ. We provide suggestions for clinical recognition of dual presentation and novel approaches for behavioral testing that reflect an "inside-out," or biologically-based approach to testing memory. New memory and language assessments could detect-and treat-memory impairment in AD and LOE at an earlier, actionable stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anli A. Liu
- Langone Medical Center, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- Neuroscience Institute, Langone Medical Center, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - William B. Barr
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, United States
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Chen L, Yang W, Yang F, Yu Y, Xu T, Wang D, Zhao Q, Wu Q, Han Y. The crosstalk between epilepsy and dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Epilepsy Behav 2024; 152:109640. [PMID: 38301455 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.109640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epilepsy and dementia are bidirectional. The purpose of this review was to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of and to identify the risk factors for epilepsy in patients with dementia and dementia in patients with epilepsy. METHODS We retrieved the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane and Web of Science databases through January 2023. Two individuals screened the articles, extracted the data, and used a random effects model to pool the estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS From 3475 citations, 25 articles were included. The prevalence of seizures/epilepsy was 4% among dementia patients and 3% among Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. For vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia, the pooled period prevalence of seizures/epilepsy was 6%, 3%, and 2%, respectively. Baseline early-onset AD was associated with the highest risk of 5-year epilepsy (pooled hazard ratios: 4.06; 95% CI: 3.25-5.08). Dementia patients had a 2.29-fold greater risk of seizures/epilepsy than non-dementia patients (95% CI: 1.37-3.83). Moreover, for baseline epilepsy, the pooled prevalence of dementia was 17% (95% CI: 10-25%), and that of AD was 15% (95% CI: 9-21%). The pooled results suggested that epilepsy is associated with a greater risk of dementia (risk ratio: 2.83, 95% CI: 1.64-4.88). CONCLUSIONS There are still gaps in epidemiology regarding the correlation between dementia types and epilepsy, vascular risk factors, and the impact of antiseizure medication or cognitive improvement drugs on epilepsy and AD comorbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Chen
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
| | - Wenqian Yang
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
| | - Fei Yang
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
| | - Yanying Yu
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
| | - Tingwan Xu
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
| | - Dan Wang
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
| | - Qingqing Zhao
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
| | - Qian Wu
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
| | - Yanbing Han
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China.
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Kamondi A, Grigg-Damberger M, Löscher W, Tanila H, Horvath AA. Epilepsy and epileptiform activity in late-onset Alzheimer disease: clinical and pathophysiological advances, gaps and conundrums. Nat Rev Neurol 2024; 20:162-182. [PMID: 38356056 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-024-00932-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
A growing body of evidence has demonstrated a link between Alzheimer disease (AD) and epilepsy. Late-onset epilepsy and epileptiform activity can precede cognitive deterioration in AD by years, and its presence has been shown to predict a faster disease course. In animal models of AD, amyloid and tau pathology are linked to cortical network hyperexcitability that precedes the first signs of memory decline. Thus, detection of epileptiform activity in AD has substantial clinical importance as a potential novel modifiable risk factor for dementia. In this Review, we summarize the epidemiological evidence for the complex bidirectional relationship between AD and epilepsy, examine the effect of epileptiform activity and seizures on cognition in people with AD, and discuss the precision medicine treatment strategies based on the latest research in human and animal models. Finally, we outline some of the unresolved questions of the field that should be addressed by rigorous research, including whether particular clinicopathological subtypes of AD have a stronger association with epilepsy, and the sequence of events between epileptiform activity and amyloid and tau pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Kamondi
- National Institute of Mental Health, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Budapest, Hungary.
- Department of Neurology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
| | | | - Wolfgang Löscher
- Department of Experimental Otology of the ENT Clinics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Heikki Tanila
- A. I. Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Andras Attila Horvath
- National Institute of Mental Health, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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Schneider ALC, Law CA, Gottesman RF, Krauss G, Huang J, Kucharska-Newton A, Jensen FE, Gugger JJ, Diaz-Arrastia R, Johnson EL. Posttraumatic Epilepsy and Dementia Risk. JAMA Neurol 2024; 81:2815567. [PMID: 38407883 PMCID: PMC10897826 DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2024.0010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Importance Although both head injury and epilepsy are associated with long-term dementia risk, posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE) has only been evaluated in association with short-term cognitive outcomes. Objective To investigate associations of PTE with dementia risk. Design, Setting, and Participants The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study initially enrolled participants from 1987 to 1989 and this prospective cohort study uses data through December 31, 2019, with a median follow-up of 25 years. Data were analyzed between March 14, 2023, and January 2, 2024. The study took place in 4 US communities in Minnesota, Maryland, North Carolina, and Mississippi. Of 15 792 ARIC study participants initially enrolled, 2061 were ineligible and 1173 were excluded for missing data, resulting in 12 558 included participants. Exposures Head injury was defined by self-report and International Classification of Diseases (ICD) diagnostic codes. Seizure/epilepsy was defined using ICD codes. PTE was defined as a diagnosis of seizure/epilepsy occurring more than 7 days after head injury. Head injury, seizure/epilepsy, and PTE were analyzed as time-varying exposures. Main Outcomes and Measures Dementia was defined using cognitive assessments, informant interviews, and ICD and death certificate codes. Adjusted Cox and Fine and Gray proportional hazards models were used to estimate dementia risk. Results Participants had a mean (SD) age of 54.3 (5.8) years at baseline, 57.7% were female, 28.2% were of self-reported Black race, 14.4% were ultimately categorized as having head injury, 5.1% as having seizure/epilepsy, and 1.2% as having PTE. Over a median follow-up of 25 (25th to 75th percentile, 17-30) years, 19.9% developed dementia. In fully adjusted models, compared with no head injury and no seizure/epilepsy, PTE was associated with 4.56 (95% CI, 4.49-5.95) times the risk of dementia, while seizure/epilepsy was associated with 2.61 (95% CI, 2.21-3.07) times the risk and head injury with 1.63 (95% CI, 1.47-1.80) times the risk. The risk of dementia associated with PTE was significantly higher than the risk associated with head injury alone and with nontraumatic seizure/epilepsy alone. Results were slightly attenuated in models accounting for the competing risks of mortality and stroke, but patterns of association remained similar. In secondary analyses, the increased dementia risk associated with PTE occurring after first vs second head injury and after mild vs moderate/severe injury was similar. Conclusions and Relevance In this community-based cohort, there was an increased risk of dementia associated with PTE that was significantly higher than the risk associated with head injury or seizure/epilepsy alone. These findings provide evidence that PTE is associated with long-term outcomes and supports both the prevention of head injuries via public health measures and further research into the underlying mechanisms and the risk factors for the development of PTE, so that efforts can also be focused on the prevention of PTE after a head injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea L. C. Schneider
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
| | - Connor A. Law
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
| | - Rebecca F. Gottesman
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Gregory Krauss
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Juebin Huang
- Department of Neurology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson
| | - Anna Kucharska-Newton
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Gilling School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill
| | - Frances E. Jensen
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
| | - James J. Gugger
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
| | - Ramon Diaz-Arrastia
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
| | - Emily L. Johnson
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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Vicente M, Addo-Osafo K, Vossel K. Latest advances in mechanisms of epileptic activity in Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy Bodies. Front Neurol 2024; 15:1277613. [PMID: 38390593 PMCID: PMC10882721 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1277613] [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: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) stand as the prevailing sources of neurodegenerative dementia, impacting over 55 million individuals across the globe. Patients with AD and DLB exhibit a higher prevalence of epileptic activity compared to those with other forms of dementia. Seizures can accompany AD and DLB in early stages, and the associated epileptic activity can contribute to cognitive symptoms and exacerbate cognitive decline. Aberrant neuronal activity in AD and DLB may be caused by several mechanisms that are not yet understood. Hyperexcitability could be a biomarker for early detection of AD or DLB before the onset of dementia. In this review, we compare and contrast mechanisms of network hyperexcitability in AD and DLB. We examine the contributions of genetic risk factors, Ca2+ dysregulation, glutamate, AMPA and NMDA receptors, mTOR, pathological amyloid beta, tau and α-synuclein, altered microglial and astrocytic activity, and impaired inhibitory interneuron function. By gaining a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms that cause neuronal hyperexcitability, we might uncover therapeutic approaches to effectively ease symptoms and slow down the advancement of AD and DLB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariane Vicente
- Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer's Research and Care, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Kwaku Addo-Osafo
- Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer's Research and Care, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Keith Vossel
- Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer's Research and Care, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Leitner D, Pires G, Kavanagh T, Kanshin E, Askenazi M, Ueberheide B, Devinsky O, Wisniewski T, Drummond E. Similar brain proteomic signatures in Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. Acta Neuropathol 2024; 147:27. [PMID: 38289539 PMCID: PMC10827928 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-024-02683-4] [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: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
The prevalence of epilepsy is increased among Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients and cognitive impairment is common among people with epilepsy. Epilepsy and AD are linked but the shared pathophysiological changes remain poorly defined. We aim to identify protein differences associated with epilepsy and AD using published proteomics datasets. We observed a highly significant overlap in protein differences in epilepsy and AD: 89% (689/777) of proteins altered in the hippocampus of epilepsy patients were significantly altered in advanced AD. Of the proteins altered in both epilepsy and AD, 340 were altered in the same direction, while 216 proteins were altered in the opposite direction. Synapse and mitochondrial proteins were markedly decreased in epilepsy and AD, suggesting common disease mechanisms. In contrast, ribosome proteins were increased in epilepsy but decreased in AD. Notably, many of the proteins altered in epilepsy interact with tau or are regulated by tau expression. This suggests that tau likely mediates common protein changes in epilepsy and AD. Immunohistochemistry for Aβ and multiple phosphorylated tau species (pTau396/404, pTau217, pTau231) showed a trend for increased intraneuronal pTau217 and pTau231 but no phosphorylated tau aggregates or amyloid plaques in epilepsy hippocampal sections. Our results provide insights into common mechanisms in epilepsy and AD and highlights the potential role of tau in mediating common pathological protein changes in epilepsy and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique Leitner
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurology, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Geoffrey Pires
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurology, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Tomas Kavanagh
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Evgeny Kanshin
- Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Advanced Research Technologies and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, 10016, USA
| | | | - Beatrix Ueberheide
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurology, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Advanced Research Technologies and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Orrin Devinsky
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurology, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
| | - Eleanor Drummond
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurology, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia.
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Sierra-Marcos A, Ribosa-Nogué R, Vidal-Robau N, Aldecoa I, Turón E, Rodríguez-Santiago B, Turón M, Boronat S, Molina-Porcel L. Inherited SCN1A missense mutation in a Dravet Syndrome family: Neuropathological correlation, family screening and implications for adult carriers. Epilepsy Res 2024; 199:107266. [PMID: 38061235 DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2023.107266] [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: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neuropathological findings in Dravet Syndrome (DS) are scarce, especially in adult patients, and often do not have a genetic confirmation. Additionally, the missense SCN1A pathogenic variant found has only been described as de novo mutation in previous literature. METHODS We describe the clinical and genetic findings of a family (including three sisters and his father), using Sanger sequencing in the three sisters and in postmortem brain tissue in the father. The present study also shows the neuropathological findings of the father. RESULTS Despite the presence of long term drug resistant epilepsy, starting with febrile seizures between 6 and 12 months of age, and intellectual disability (ID), the three sisters were diagnosed with DS in adulthood, identifying a missense SCN1A pathogenic variant in exon 20, previously described as de novo -p.Gly1332Glu (c .3995 G>A). The oldest sister had the most severe phenotype, with severe ID and wheel chair dependency, passing away at 52. The other two sisters had a moderate phenotype, being at the present seizure free, but with significant comorbidities, such as crouch gait and parkinsonism. Several relatives from the paternal path (including the father) presented epilepsy, but without ID. The father was diagnosed with Alzheimer´s Disease (AD) at 60, and because he donated his brain, the same variant was confirmed in postmortem study. Neither the MRI nor the histopathology showed specific morphological changes for DS, consistent with previous studies. CONCLUSIONS This work supports the need to review the clinical and genetic spectra of DS in adults with epilepsy and unknown ID. The clinical consequences of this syndrome seem to have a functional rather than a structural basis, supported by the absence of specific neuropathological findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Sierra-Marcos
- Epilepsy Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - R Ribosa-Nogué
- Epilepsy Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - N Vidal-Robau
- Pathology Department, Biomedical Diagnostic Centre (CDB), Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - I Aldecoa
- Pathology Department, Biomedical Diagnostic Centre (CDB), Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain; Neurological Tissue Bank, Biobanc-Hospital Clínic-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Turón
- Child Neurology Department, Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - B Rodríguez-Santiago
- Genetics Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, España; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
| | - M Turón
- Neuropsychology Department, Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - S Boronat
- Pathology Department, Biomedical Diagnostic Centre (CDB), Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - L Molina-Porcel
- Neurological Tissue Bank, Biobanc-Hospital Clínic-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain; Alzheimer's Disease and Other Cognitive Disorders Unit, Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Huang J, Yu Y, Li H, Wei Y, Sun M. Effect of dietary protein intake on cognitive function in the elderly with chronic kidney disease: analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2014. Ren Fail 2023; 45:2294147. [PMID: 38097960 PMCID: PMC10732213 DOI: 10.1080/0886022x.2023.2294147] [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: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive dysfunction is prevalent among the elderly diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Low protein diets are used for retarding the progression of CKD in clinical practice. Nonetheless, the impact of dietary protein consumption on cognitive function in this population remains uncertain. METHODS We recruited 2306 participants (≥60 years) from 2011 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). 24-h dietary recall questionnaire was utilized to evaluate protein intake. Cognitive function was measured using the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD), Animal Fluency Test (AFT), and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). Participants' characteristics were analyzed, and the interaction between protein consumption and CKD on cognitive impairment were analyzed using a logistic regression model. RESULTS We divided participants into three groups based on CKD stages: no CKD, CKD stage G1 to G2 (19%), and CKD stage G3 to G5 (18%). The average protein intake was 0.97 g/(kg·d). In the higher protein intake group, CKD stages G1 to G2 elevated the risk of immediate memory impairment (OR: 2.441, 95% Cl: 1.161-5.132 for protein consumption in 1.0-1.2g/(kg·d); OR: 2.225, 95% Cl: 1.015-4.876 for protein consumption in >1.2 g/(kg·d)). However, no similar resuts were observed in the lower protein intake group. In addition, the interaction between CKD status and protein intake on immediate memory was statistically significant (p = .041). CONCLUSION A higher probability of cognitive impairment in the elderly with early-stage CKD may be linked to higher protein intake. Low protein diets may be a potential strategy to release cognitive impairment in the elderly with early-stage CKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingda Huang
- Department of Nephrology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yang Yu
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Huimin Li
- Department of Nephrology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yihui Wei
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mindan Sun
- Department of Nephrology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Xu L, Wang Q. The bidirectional relationship between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and epilepsy: A Mendelian randomization study. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e3221. [PMID: 37666799 PMCID: PMC10636418 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a complex, bidirectional relationship between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and epilepsy. However, the causality of this association is unclear, as confounders play a role in this association. METHODS We conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR) study to clarify the causal relationship and direction of epilepsy on AD risk. We used publicly available summary statistics to obtain all genetic datasets for the MR analyses. AD and AD-by-proxy and late-onset AD (LOAD) cohorts were included in our study. The epilepsy cohort comprised all epilepsy, generalized epilepsy, focal epilepsy, and its subtypes, as well as some epilepsy syndromes. Next, we conducted validation using another AD cohort. RESULTS Two correlations between AD and epilepsy using the inverse variance-weighted (IVW) method are as follows: LOAD and focal epilepsy (ORIVW = 1.079, pIVW = .013), focal epilepsy-documented hippocampal sclerosis (HS) and AD (ORIVW = 1.152, pIVW = .017). The causal relationship between epilepsy-documented HS and AD has been validated (ORIVW = 3.994, pIVW = .027). CONCLUSIONS Our MR study provides evidence for a causal relationship between focal epilepsy-documented HS and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianping Xu
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological DiseasesBeijingChina
| | - Qun Wang
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological DiseasesBeijingChina
- Beijing Institute of Brain DisordersCollaborative Innovation Center for Brain DisordersCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
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Helmstaedter C, Lutz T, Wolf V, Witt JA. Prevalence of dementia in a level 4 university epilepsy center: how big is the problem? Front Neurol 2023; 14:1217594. [PMID: 37928163 PMCID: PMC10623304 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1217594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The relationship between epilepsy and dementia is currently a topic of great interest. Our study aimed to determine the prevalence of dementia diagnoses among patients of a large level 4 university epilepsy center. Methods In this retrospective monocentric study conducted at the Department of Epileptology of the University Hospital Bonn, we searched for dementia-related terms in a total of 145,501 medical letters from 40,360 adult patients who were seen between 2003 and 2021. Files with at least one hit were selected and analyzed with regard to diagnoses, age, age at epilepsy onset, and the question as to whether epilepsy preceded or followed the dementia diagnosis. Results Among the medical letters of 513 patients, dementia-related terms were found. The letters of 12.7% of these patients stated a dementia diagnosis, 6.6% were suspected of having dementia, 4.9% had mild cognitive impairment, and 6.6% had other neurodegenerative diseases without dementia. Taking all 40,360 patients into account, the prevalence of diagnosed or suspected dementia was 0.25%. An older age (≥60 years) and late-onset epilepsy (≥60 years), but not a longer epilepsy duration, increased the odds of dementia by 6.1 (CI 3.5-10.7) and 2.9 (CI 1.7-4.7), respectively. Additionally, vascular, metabolic, inflammatory, and behavioral mood-related comorbidities were commonly observed. Epilepsy tended to precede (23.2%) rather than follow (8.1%) the dementia diagnosis. Conclusion Despite the clear limitations of a selection bias and the potential underdiagnosis of dementia and underestimation of its prevalence when relying on the medical letters from a specialized center which rather focuses on epilepsy-related issues, the findings of this study offer valuable insights from the perspective of an epilepsy center. In this setting, the prevalence of dementia in epilepsy is rather low. However, physicians should be aware that the risk of dementia is higher in the elderly, in late-onset epilepsies, and when comorbid risk factors exist. Seizures can also be an early sign of a neurodegenerative disease. Future research should explicitly screen for dementia in patients with epilepsy and stratify them according to their underlying pathologies and comorbidities.
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von Wrede R, Witt JA, Helmstaedter C. Big Data - Big Trouble: The two faces of publishing results from big data studies based on cohorts with poor clinical definition. Seizure 2023; 111:21-22. [PMID: 37490829 DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2023.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Randi von Wrede
- Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, Member of the European Reference Network EpiCARE, Venusberg campus 1, Bonn 53127, Germany.
| | - Juri-Alexander Witt
- Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, Member of the European Reference Network EpiCARE, Venusberg campus 1, Bonn 53127, Germany
| | - Christoph Helmstaedter
- Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, Member of the European Reference Network EpiCARE, Venusberg campus 1, Bonn 53127, Germany
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Hickman LB, Stern JM, Silverman DHS, Salamon N, Vossel K. Clinical, imaging, and biomarker evidence of amyloid- and tau-related neurodegeneration in late-onset epilepsy of unknown etiology. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1241638. [PMID: 37830092 PMCID: PMC10565489 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1241638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests amyloid and tau-related neurodegeneration may play a role in development of late-onset epilepsy of unknown etiology (LOEU). In this article, we review recent evidence that epilepsy may be an initial manifestation of an amyloidopathy or tauopathy that precedes development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Patients with LOEU demonstrate an increased risk of cognitive decline, and patients with AD have increased prevalence of preceding epilepsy. Moreover, investigations of LOEU that use CSF biomarkers and imaging techniques have identified preclinical neurodegeneration with evidence of amyloid and tau deposition. Overall, findings to date suggest a relationship between acquired, non-lesional late-onset epilepsy and amyloid and tau-related neurodegeneration, which supports that preclinical or prodromal AD is a distinct etiology of late-onset epilepsy. We propose criteria for assessing elevated risk of developing dementia in patients with late-onset epilepsy utilizing clinical features, available imaging techniques, and biomarker measurements. Further research is needed to validate these criteria and assess optimal treatment strategies for patients with probable epileptic preclinical AD and epileptic prodromal AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Brian Hickman
- Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Research and Care, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Neurology, UCLA Seizure Disorder Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - John M. Stern
- Department of Neurology, UCLA Seizure Disorder Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Daniel H. S. Silverman
- Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Research and Care, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Noriko Salamon
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Keith Vossel
- Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Research and Care, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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18
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Johnson EL, Sullivan KJ, Schneider ALC, Simino J, Mosley TH, Kucharska-Newton A, Knopman DS, Gottesman RF. Association of Plasma Aβ 42/Aβ 40 Ratio and Late-Onset Epilepsy: Results From the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Neurology 2023; 101:e1319-e1327. [PMID: 37541842 PMCID: PMC10558158 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000207635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between plasma β-amyloid (Aβ), specifically the ratio of 2 Aβ peptides (the Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio, which correlates with increased accumulation of Aβ in the CNS), and late-onset epilepsy (LOE). METHODS We used Medicare fee-for-service claims codes from 1991 to 2018 to identify cases of LOE among 1,424 Black and White men and women enrolled in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study cohort. The Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio was calculated from plasma samples collected from ARIC participants in 1993-1995 (age 50-71 years) and 2011-2013 (age 67-90 years). We used survival analysis accounting for the competing risk of death to determine the relationship between late-life plasma Aβ42/Aβ40, and its change from midlife to late life, and the subsequent development of epilepsy. We adjusted for demographics, the apolipoprotein e4 genotype, and comorbidities, including stroke, dementia, and head injury. A low plasma ratio of 2 Aβ peptides, the Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio, correlates with low CSF Aβ42/Aβ40 and with increased accumulation of Aβ in the CNS. RESULTS Decrease in plasma Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio from midlife to late life, but not an isolated measurement of Aβ42/Aβ40, was associated with development of epilepsy in later life. For every 50% reduction in Aβ42/Aβ40, there was a 2-fold increase in risk of epilepsy (adjusted subhazard ratio 2.30, 95% CI 1.27-4.17). DISCUSSION A reduction in plasma Aβ42/Aβ40 is associated with an increased risk of subsequent epilepsy. Our observations provide a further validation of the link between Aβ, hyperexcitable states, and LOE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L Johnson
- From the Department of Neurology (E.L.J.), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; Department of Medicine (K.J.S., T.H.M.), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson; Departments of Neurology (A.L.C.S.) and Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics (A.L.C.S.), University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia; Department of Data Science and Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia (MIND) Center (J.S.), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MD; Department of Epidemiology (A.K.-N.), University of North Carolina Chapel Hill; Department of Epidemiology (A.K.-N.), University of Kentucky Lexington; Department of Neurology (D.S.K.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and National Institute for Neurologic Disorders and Stroke Intramural Research Program (R.F.G.), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
| | - Kevin J Sullivan
- From the Department of Neurology (E.L.J.), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; Department of Medicine (K.J.S., T.H.M.), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson; Departments of Neurology (A.L.C.S.) and Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics (A.L.C.S.), University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia; Department of Data Science and Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia (MIND) Center (J.S.), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MD; Department of Epidemiology (A.K.-N.), University of North Carolina Chapel Hill; Department of Epidemiology (A.K.-N.), University of Kentucky Lexington; Department of Neurology (D.S.K.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and National Institute for Neurologic Disorders and Stroke Intramural Research Program (R.F.G.), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Andrea Lauren Christman Schneider
- From the Department of Neurology (E.L.J.), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; Department of Medicine (K.J.S., T.H.M.), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson; Departments of Neurology (A.L.C.S.) and Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics (A.L.C.S.), University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia; Department of Data Science and Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia (MIND) Center (J.S.), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MD; Department of Epidemiology (A.K.-N.), University of North Carolina Chapel Hill; Department of Epidemiology (A.K.-N.), University of Kentucky Lexington; Department of Neurology (D.S.K.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and National Institute for Neurologic Disorders and Stroke Intramural Research Program (R.F.G.), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Jeannette Simino
- From the Department of Neurology (E.L.J.), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; Department of Medicine (K.J.S., T.H.M.), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson; Departments of Neurology (A.L.C.S.) and Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics (A.L.C.S.), University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia; Department of Data Science and Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia (MIND) Center (J.S.), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MD; Department of Epidemiology (A.K.-N.), University of North Carolina Chapel Hill; Department of Epidemiology (A.K.-N.), University of Kentucky Lexington; Department of Neurology (D.S.K.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and National Institute for Neurologic Disorders and Stroke Intramural Research Program (R.F.G.), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Tom H Mosley
- From the Department of Neurology (E.L.J.), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; Department of Medicine (K.J.S., T.H.M.), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson; Departments of Neurology (A.L.C.S.) and Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics (A.L.C.S.), University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia; Department of Data Science and Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia (MIND) Center (J.S.), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MD; Department of Epidemiology (A.K.-N.), University of North Carolina Chapel Hill; Department of Epidemiology (A.K.-N.), University of Kentucky Lexington; Department of Neurology (D.S.K.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and National Institute for Neurologic Disorders and Stroke Intramural Research Program (R.F.G.), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Anna Kucharska-Newton
- From the Department of Neurology (E.L.J.), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; Department of Medicine (K.J.S., T.H.M.), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson; Departments of Neurology (A.L.C.S.) and Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics (A.L.C.S.), University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia; Department of Data Science and Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia (MIND) Center (J.S.), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MD; Department of Epidemiology (A.K.-N.), University of North Carolina Chapel Hill; Department of Epidemiology (A.K.-N.), University of Kentucky Lexington; Department of Neurology (D.S.K.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and National Institute for Neurologic Disorders and Stroke Intramural Research Program (R.F.G.), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - David S Knopman
- From the Department of Neurology (E.L.J.), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; Department of Medicine (K.J.S., T.H.M.), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson; Departments of Neurology (A.L.C.S.) and Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics (A.L.C.S.), University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia; Department of Data Science and Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia (MIND) Center (J.S.), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MD; Department of Epidemiology (A.K.-N.), University of North Carolina Chapel Hill; Department of Epidemiology (A.K.-N.), University of Kentucky Lexington; Department of Neurology (D.S.K.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and National Institute for Neurologic Disorders and Stroke Intramural Research Program (R.F.G.), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Rebecca F Gottesman
- From the Department of Neurology (E.L.J.), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; Department of Medicine (K.J.S., T.H.M.), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson; Departments of Neurology (A.L.C.S.) and Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics (A.L.C.S.), University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia; Department of Data Science and Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia (MIND) Center (J.S.), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MD; Department of Epidemiology (A.K.-N.), University of North Carolina Chapel Hill; Department of Epidemiology (A.K.-N.), University of Kentucky Lexington; Department of Neurology (D.S.K.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and National Institute for Neurologic Disorders and Stroke Intramural Research Program (R.F.G.), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
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Lam AD. Linking Late-Onset Epilepsy With Alzheimer Disease: Insights From Plasma Amyloid Measurements. Neurology 2023; 101:551-552. [PMID: 37541840 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000207683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alice D Lam
- From the Department of Neurology (A.D.L.), Massachusetts General Hospital; and Harvard Medical School (A.D.L.), Boston, MA.
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20
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Zhang X, Ahmed R, Thayer Z, Breen N, McMillan J, Fulham M, Nikpour A. Late-onset epilepsy with cognitive symptoms: Comparison of cognitive and imaging profiles with probable Alzheimer's disease. Epilepsy Behav 2023; 146:109371. [PMID: 37556966 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We aimed to (i) compare the clinical, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging characteristics of unprovoked late-onset epilepsy (LOE) patients with cognitive symptoms against probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients; (ii) clarify how neurodegeneration and other processes could be implicated in the cognitive symptoms of unprovoked LOE patients; and (iii) characterize the longitudinal trajectory of unprovoked LOE patients with cognitive symptoms. METHODS Twenty-six unprovoked LOE patients with cognitive symptoms and 26 probable AD were retrospectively recruited from epilepsy and memory clinics at a single tertiary referral center. The patients underwent comprehensive clinical, neuropsychological, and 18Fluorodeoxyglucose PET-CT assessments. All LOE patients had clinical follow-up and a subset of 17 patients had repeat neuropsychological assessments. RESULTS At baseline, 18% of LOE patients with cognitive symptoms had dementia-range cognitive impairment and one received a diagnosis of probable AD. Compared with the probable AD group, the LOE group did not perform significantly better in global measures of cognition (total ACE-III), neuropsychological tests for fluency, working memory, language, attention, or executive function, but performed better in naming, memory, and visuospatial ability. The commonest patterns of cognitive impairment in the LOE group were frontal and left temporal, whereas all AD patients exhibited parietotemporal patterns. The AD group had more 18Fluorodeoxyglucose PET-CT hypometabolism in the parietal and occipital, but not the temporal and frontal lobes. During the 3.0 ± 3.2 years follow-up, improved seizure frequency in the LOE group covaried with improved total ACE-III score, there was no further conversion to probable AD and no group-level cognitive decline. CONCLUSION Unprovoked LOE patients with cognitive symptoms had varying severities of cognitive impairment, and different patterns of cognitive and imaging abnormalities compared with AD patients. They were rarely diagnosed with probable AD at presentation or follow-up. Cognitive outcome in LOE may be related to seizure control. Cerebral small vessel disease may play a role in LOE-associated cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Road, Camperdown 2050, Australia; The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Camperdown 2050, Australia.
| | - Rebekah Ahmed
- Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Road, Camperdown 2050, Australia; The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown 2050, Australia
| | - Zoe Thayer
- Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Road, Camperdown 2050, Australia
| | - Nora Breen
- Macquarie University Hospital, 3 Technology Pl, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Jillian McMillan
- Macquarie University Hospital, 3 Technology Pl, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Michael Fulham
- Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Road, Camperdown 2050, Australia; Department of Molecular Imaging, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Road, Camperdown 2050, NSW, Australia
| | - Armin Nikpour
- Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Road, Camperdown 2050, Australia; Department of Molecular Imaging, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Road, Camperdown 2050, NSW, Australia; The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Camperdown 2050, Australia
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21
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Zawar I. Epilepsy, Cardiovascular Risks, and Dementia: A Ménage à Trois. Epilepsy Curr 2023; 23:283-285. [PMID: 37901785 PMCID: PMC10601029 DOI: 10.1177/15357597231189588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Association of Dementia Risk With Focal Epilepsy and Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk Factors Tai XY, Torzillo E, Lyall DM, Manohar S, Husain M, Sen A. JAMA Neurol . 2023;80(5): 445-454. doi:10.1001/JAMANEUROL.2023.0339 . PMID: 36972059, PMCID: PMC10043806. Importance: Epilepsy has been associated with cognitive impairment and potentially dementia in older individuals. However, the extent to which epilepsy may increase dementia risk, how this compares with other neurological conditions, and how modifiable cardiovascular risk factors may affect this risk remain unclear. Objective: To compare the differential risks of subsequent dementia for focal epilepsy compared with stroke and migraine as well as healthy controls, stratified by cardiovascular risk. Design, setting, and participants: This cross-sectional study is based on data from the UK Biobank, a population-based cohort of more than 500 000 participants aged 38 to 72 years who underwent physiological measurements and cognitive testing and provided biological samples at 1 of 22 centers across the United Kingdom. Participants were eligible for this study if they were without dementia at baseline and had clinical data pertaining to a history of focal epilepsy, stroke, or migraine. The baseline assessment was performed from 2006 to 2010, and participants were followed up until 2021. Exposures: Mutually exclusive groups of participants with epilepsy, stroke, and migraine at baseline assessment and controls (who had none of these conditions). Individuals were divided into low, moderate, or high cardiovascular risk groups based on factors that included waist to hip ratio, history of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and smoking pack-years. Main outcomes and measures: Incident all-cause dementia; measures of executive function; and brain total hippocampal, gray matter, and white matter hyperintensity volumes. Results: Of 495 149 participants (225 481 [45.5%] men; mean [SD] age, 57.5 [8.1] years), 3864 had a diagnosis of focal epilepsy only, 6397 had a history of stroke only, and 14 518 had migraine only. Executive function was comparable between participants with epilepsy and stroke and worse than the control and migraine group. Focal epilepsy was associated with a higher risk of developing dementia (hazard ratio [HR], 4.02; 95%CI, 3.45 to 4.68; P < .001), compared with stroke (HR, 2.56; 95%CI, 2.28 to 2.87; P < .001), or migraine (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.85 to 1.21; P = .94). Participants with focal epilepsy and high cardiovascular risk were more than 13 times more likely to develop dementia (HR, 13.66; 95%CI, 10.61 to 17.60; P < .001) compared with controls with low cardiovascular risk. The imaging subsample included 42 353 participants. Focal epilepsy was associated with lower hippocampal volume (mean difference, −0.17; 95%CI, −0.02 to −0.32; t = −2.18; P = .03) and lower total gray matter volume (mean difference, −0.33; 95%CI, −0.18 to −0.48; t = −4.29; P < .001) compared with controls. There was no significant difference in white matter hyperintensity volume (mean difference, 0.10; 95%CI, −0.07 to 0.26; t = 1.14; P = .26). Conclusions and relevance: In this study, focal epilepsy was associated with a significant risk of developing dementia, to a greater extent than stroke, which was magnified substantially in individuals with high cardiovascular risk. Further findings suggest that targeting modifiable cardiovascular risk factors may be an effective intervention to reduce dementia risk in individuals with epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ifrah Zawar
- Epilepsy Division, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia
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Reyes A, Schneider ALC, Kucharska-Newton AM, Gottesman RF, Johnson EL, McDonald CR. Cognitive phenotypes in late-onset epilepsy: results from the atherosclerosis risk in communities study. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1230368. [PMID: 37745655 PMCID: PMC10513940 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1230368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cognitive phenotyping is a widely used approach to characterize the heterogeneity of deficits in patients with a range of neurological disorders but has only recently been applied to patients with epilepsy. In this study, we identify cognitive phenotypes in older adults with late-onset epilepsy (LOE) and examine their demographic, clinical, and vascular profiles. Further, we examine whether specific phenotypes pose an increased risk for progressive cognitive decline. Methods Participants were part of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC), a prospective longitudinal community-based cohort study of 15,792 individuals initially enrolled in 1987-1989. LOE was identified from linked Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services claims data. Ninety-one participants with LOE completed comprehensive testing either prior to or after seizure onset as part of a larger cohort in the ARIC Neurocognitive Study in either 2011-2013 or 2016-2017 (follow-up mean = 4.9 years). Cognitive phenotypes in individuals with LOE were derived by calculating test-level impairments for each participant (i.e., ≤1 SD below cognitively normal participants on measures of language, memory, and executive function/processing speed); and then assigning participants to phenotypes if they were impaired on at least two tests within a domain. The total number of impaired domains was used to determine the cognitive phenotypes (i.e., Minimal/No Impairment, Single Domain, or Multidomain). Results At our baseline (Visit 5), 36.3% met criteria for Minimal/No Impairment, 35% for Single Domain Impairment (with executive functioning/ processing speed impaired in 53.6%), and 28.7% for Multidomain Impairment. The Minimal/No Impairment group had higher education and occupational complexity. There were no differences in clinical or vascular risk factors across phenotypes. Of those participants with longitudinal data (Visit 6; n = 24), 62.5% declined (i.e., progressed to a more impaired phenotype) and 37.5% remained stable. Those who remained stable were more highly educated compared to those that declined. Discussion Our results demonstrate the presence of identifiable cognitive phenotypes in older adults with LOE. These results also highlight the high prevalence of cognitive impairments across domains, with deficits in executive function/processing speed the most common isolated impairment. We also demonstrate that higher education was associated with a Minimal/No Impairment phenotype and lower risk for cognitive decline over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anny Reyes
- Department of Radiation Medicine & Applied Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Andrea L. C. Schneider
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Anna M. Kucharska-Newton
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Rebecca F. Gottesman
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Emily L. Johnson
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Carrie R. McDonald
- Department of Radiation Medicine & Applied Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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Leitner DF, Kanshin E, Faustin A, Thierry M, Friedman D, Devore S, Ueberheide B, Devinsky O, Wisniewski T. Localized proteomic differences in the choroid plexus of Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy patients. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1221775. [PMID: 37521285 PMCID: PMC10379643 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1221775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Alzheimer's disease (AD) and epilepsy are reciprocally related. Among sporadic AD patients, clinical seizures occur in 10-22% and subclinical epileptiform abnormalities occur in 22-54%. Cognitive deficits, especially short-term memory impairments, occur in most epilepsy patients. Common neurophysiological and molecular mechanisms occur in AD and epilepsy. The choroid plexus undergoes pathological changes in aging, AD, and epilepsy, including decreased CSF turnover, amyloid beta (Aβ), and tau accumulation due to impaired clearance and disrupted CSF amino acid homeostasis. This pathology may contribute to synaptic dysfunction in AD and epilepsy. Methods We evaluated control (n = 8), severe AD (n = 8; A3, B3, C3 neuropathology), and epilepsy autopsy cases (n = 12) using laser capture microdissection (LCM) followed by label-free quantitative mass spectrometry on the choroid plexus adjacent to the hippocampus at the lateral geniculate nucleus level. Results Proteomics identified 2,459 proteins in the choroid plexus. At a 5% false discovery rate (FDR), 616 proteins were differentially expressed in AD vs. control, 1 protein in epilepsy vs. control, and 438 proteins in AD vs. epilepsy. There was more variability in the epilepsy group across syndromes. The top 20 signaling pathways associated with differentially expressed proteins in AD vs. control included cell metabolism pathways; activated fatty acid beta-oxidation (p = 2.00 x 10-7, z = 3.00), and inhibited glycolysis (p = 1.00 x 10-12, z = -3.46). For AD vs. epilepsy, the altered pathways included cell metabolism pathways, activated complement system (p = 5.62 x 10-5, z = 2.00), and pathogen-induced cytokine storm (p = 2.19 x 10-2, z = 3.61). Of the 617 altered proteins in AD and epilepsy vs. controls, 497 (81%) were positively correlated (p < 0.0001, R2 = 0.27). Discussion We found altered signaling pathways in the choroid plexus of severe AD cases and many correlated changes in the protein expression of cell metabolism pathways in AD and epilepsy cases. The shared molecular mechanisms should be investigated further to distinguish primary pathogenic changes from the secondary ones. These mechanisms could inform novel therapeutic strategies to prevent disease progression or restore normal function. A focus on dual-diagnosed AD/epilepsy cases, specific epilepsy syndromes, such as temporal lobe epilepsy, and changes across different severity levels in AD and epilepsy would add to our understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique F. Leitner
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Evgeny Kanshin
- Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Advanced Research Technologies, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Arline Faustin
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Pathology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Manon Thierry
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Daniel Friedman
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Sasha Devore
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Beatrix Ueberheide
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Advanced Research Technologies, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Orrin Devinsky
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Pathology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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Tombini M, Boscarino M, Di Lazzaro V. Tackling seizures in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Expert Rev Neurother 2023; 23:1131-1145. [PMID: 37946507 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2023.2278487] [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: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In past years, a possible bidirectional link between epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been proposed: if AD patients are more likely to develop epilepsy, people with late-onset epilepsy evidence an increased risk of dementia. Furthermore, current research suggested that subclinical epileptiform discharges may be more frequent in patients with AD and network hyperexcitability may hasten cognitive impairment. AREAS COVERED In this narrative review, the authors discuss the recent evidence linking AD and epilepsy as well as seizures semeiology and epileptiform activity observed in patients with AD. Finally, anti-seizure medications (ASMs) and therapeutic trials to tackle seizures and network hyperexcitability in this clinical scenario have been summarized. EXPERT OPINION There is growing experimental evidence demonstrating a strong connection between seizures, neuronal hyperexcitability, and AD. Epilepsy in AD has shown a good response to ASMs both at the late and prodromal stages. The new generation ASMs with fewer cognitive adverse effects seem to be a preferable option. Data on the possible effects of network hyperexcitability and ASMs on AD progression are still inconclusive. Further clinical trials are mandatory to identify clear guidelines about treatment of subclinical epileptiform discharges in patients with AD without seizures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Tombini
- Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, Department of Medicine, University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
| | - Marilisa Boscarino
- Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, Department of Medicine, University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Neurorehabilitation Department, Milan, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Di Lazzaro
- Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, Department of Medicine, University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
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Romoli M, Costa C. Cardiovascular risk factors for epilepsy and dementia. Nat Rev Neurol 2023; 19:391-392. [PMID: 37253853 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-023-00826-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Michele Romoli
- Department of Neuroscience, Bufalini Hospital - AUSL Romagna, Cesena, Italy
| | - Cinzia Costa
- Section of Neurology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy.
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Zawar I, Kapur J. Does Alzheimer's disease with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy represent a distinct disease subtype? Alzheimers Dement 2023; 19:2697-2706. [PMID: 36648207 PMCID: PMC10272023 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients have a high risk of developing mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) and subclinical epileptiform activity. MTLE in AD worsens outcomes. Therefore, we need to understand the overlap between these disease processes. We hypothesize that AD with MTLE represents a distinct subtype of AD, with the interplay between tau and epileptiform activity at its core. We discuss shared pathological features including histopathology, an initial mesial temporal lobe (MTL) hyperexcitability followed by MTL dysfunction and involvement of same networks in memory (AD) and seizures (MTLE). We provide evidence that tau accumulation linearly increases neuronal hyperexcitability, neuronal hyper-excitability increases tau secretion, tau can provoke seizures, and tau reduction protects against seizures. We speculate that AD genetic mutations increase tau, which causes proportionate neuronal loss and/or hyperexcitability, leading to seizures. We discuss that tau burden in MTLE predicts cognitive deficits among (1) AD and (2) MTLE without AD. Finally, we explore the possibility that anti-seizure medications improve cognition by reducing neuronal hyper-excitability, which reduces seizures and tau accumulation and spread. HIGHLIGHTS: We hypothesize that patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) represents a distinct subtype of AD. AD and MTLE share histopathological features and involve overlapping neuronal and cortical networks. Hyper-phosphorylated tau (pTau) increases neuronal excitability and provoke seizures, neuronal excitability increases pTau, and pTau reduction reduces neuronal excitability and protects against seizures. The pTau burden in MTL predicts cognitive deficits among (1) AD and (2) MTLE without AD. We speculate that anti-seizure medications improve cognition by reducing neuronal excitability, which reduces seizures and pTau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ifrah Zawar
- Department of Neurology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Jaideep Kapur
- Department of Neurology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of UVA brain institute, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
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Tai XY, Torzillo E, Lyall DM, Manohar S, Husain M, Sen A. Association of Dementia Risk With Focal Epilepsy and Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk Factors. JAMA Neurol 2023; 80:445-454. [PMID: 36972059 PMCID: PMC10043806 DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2023.0339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Importance Epilepsy has been associated with cognitive impairment and potentially dementia in older individuals. However, the extent to which epilepsy may increase dementia risk, how this compares with other neurological conditions, and how modifiable cardiovascular risk factors may affect this risk remain unclear. Objective To compare the differential risks of subsequent dementia for focal epilepsy compared with stroke and migraine as well as healthy controls, stratified by cardiovascular risk. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study is based on data from the UK Biobank, a population-based cohort of more than 500 000 participants aged 38 to 72 years who underwent physiological measurements and cognitive testing and provided biological samples at 1 of 22 centers across the United Kingdom. Participants were eligible for this study if they were without dementia at baseline and had clinical data pertaining to a history of focal epilepsy, stroke, or migraine. The baseline assessment was performed from 2006 to 2010, and participants were followed up until 2021. Exposures Mutually exclusive groups of participants with epilepsy, stroke, and migraine at baseline assessment and controls (who had none of these conditions). Individuals were divided into low, moderate, or high cardiovascular risk groups based on factors that included waist to hip ratio, history of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and smoking pack-years. Main Outcomes and Measures Incident all-cause dementia; measures of executive function; and brain total hippocampal, gray matter, and white matter hyperintensity volumes. Results Of 495 149 participants (225 481 [45.5%] men; mean [SD] age, 57.5 [8.1] years), 3864 had a diagnosis of focal epilepsy only, 6397 had a history of stroke only, and 14 518 had migraine only. Executive function was comparable between participants with epilepsy and stroke and worse than the control and migraine group. Focal epilepsy was associated with a higher risk of developing dementia (hazard ratio [HR], 4.02; 95% CI, 3.45 to 4.68; P < .001), compared with stroke (HR, 2.56; 95% CI, 2.28 to 2.87; P < .001), or migraine (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.85 to 1.21; P = .94). Participants with focal epilepsy and high cardiovascular risk were more than 13 times more likely to develop dementia (HR, 13.66; 95% CI, 10.61 to 17.60; P < .001) compared with controls with low cardiovascular risk. The imaging subsample included 42 353 participants. Focal epilepsy was associated with lower hippocampal volume (mean difference, -0.17; 95% CI, -0.02 to -0.32; t = -2.18; P = .03) and lower total gray matter volume (mean difference, -0.33; 95% CI, -0.18 to -0.48; t = -4.29; P < .001) compared with controls. There was no significant difference in white matter hyperintensity volume (mean difference, 0.10; 95% CI, -0.07 to 0.26; t = 1.14; P = .26). Conclusions and Relevance In this study, focal epilepsy was associated with a significant risk of developing dementia, to a greater extent than stroke, which was magnified substantially in individuals with high cardiovascular risk. Further findings suggest that targeting modifiable cardiovascular risk factors may be an effective intervention to reduce dementia risk in individuals with epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin You Tai
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Division of Clinical Neurology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals Trust, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Emma Torzillo
- Epilepsy Department, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Donald M. Lyall
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Sanjay Manohar
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Division of Clinical Neurology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals Trust, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Masud Husain
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Division of Clinical Neurology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals Trust, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Arjune Sen
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Division of Clinical Neurology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals Trust, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Oxford Epilepsy Research Group, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Meta-analysis of the risk of dementia in elderly patients with late-onset epilepsy. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2022; 223:107499. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2022.107499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Purushotham M, Tashrifwala F, Jena R, Vudugula SA, Patil RS, Agrawal A. The Association Between Alzheimer's Disease and Epilepsy: A Narrative Review. Cureus 2022; 14:e30195. [DOI: 10.7759/cureus.30195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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Mayo J, Panahi S, Roghani A, Van Cott AC, Pugh MJ. Treatment of Epilepsy in the Setting of Cognitive Decline in Older Adults. Curr Treat Options Neurol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11940-022-00740-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Zhao N, Chen H, Zhang W, Yao J, Tu Q, Yu X, Sun X. Bidirectional influences between seizures and dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2022; 37. [PMID: 35726376 DOI: 10.1002/gps.5723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Dementia and seizures often co-exist, but the association between these two disorders is not well established. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to clarify the relationship between seizures and dementia. METHODS The PubMed, EMBASE, CBM, and CNKI databases were used to search for relevant publications from inception to August 25, 2021. Data extraction was performed by two authors independently. The random-effects model was adopted to evaluate the pooled estimates. RESULTS Two nested case-control studies and 18 cohort studies were included in the meta-analysis. Seizures were associated with the development of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the pooled relative risk (RR) was 2.51 [95% confidence intervals (CI) = 1.87-3.36, p < 0.001] and 1.61 (95% CI = 1.42-1.82, p < 0.001), respectively. Pooled RR estimating the effect of dementia on seizures risk was 3.68 (95% CI = 3.05-4.44, p < 0.001). In addition, the pooled effect size of dementia on epilepsy risk was 3.02 (95% CI = 2.16-4.23, p < 0.001). The subgroup analyses suggested that vascular risk factors could confound the associations between these two disorders. Seizures might independently and significantly increase the risk of dementia, and in turn, dementia might predispose an individual to a higher risk of seizures. CONCLUSIONS These results suggested that dementia and seizures share common pathogenesis and might be treated with similar preventive treatment measures. Vascular changes in patients with dementia or seizures should also be examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Zhao
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Haitao Chen
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenjun Zhang
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jundi Yao
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qianqian Tu
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaowen Yu
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaomao Sun
- Shanghai Garrison Hongkou Third Retired Cadres Rest House, Shanghai, China
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Huang L, Fu C, Li J, Peng S. Late-onset epilepsy and the risk of dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Aging Clin Exp Res 2022; 34:1771-1779. [PMID: 35428922 DOI: 10.1007/s40520-022-02118-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with dementia have higher risk of epilepsy. However, it remains not comprehensively evaluated if late-onset epilepsy (LOE) is associated with higher risk of dementia. We, therefore, performed a meta-analysis to systematically evaluate the association. METHODS Relevant cohort studies were identified by search of electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. A randomized-effect model incorporating the possible between-study heterogeneity was used to pool the results. RESULTS Overall, seven cohort studies including 873,438 adults were included, and 16,036 (1.8%) of them had LOE. With a mean follow-up duration of 8.7 years, 33,727 of them were diagnosed as dementia. Pooled results showed that LOE was associated with a higher risk of dementia (risk ratio [RR] 2.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.04-2.81, p < 0.001, I2 = 67%). Results of subgroup analysis showed that the association between LOE and the risk of dementia was stronger in hospital-derived participants (RR 4.23, 95% CI 2.67-6.70, p < 0.001) than that in community-derived population (RR 2.25, 95% CI 1.93-2.63, p < 0.001; p for subgroup difference = 0.01). Pooled results of three studies showed that LOE was associated with a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease (RR 2.35, 95% CI 1.08-5.08, p = 0.03, I2 = 85%). One study suggested a significant association between LOE and risk of vascular dementia (RR 2.0, 95% CI 1.77-2.26, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Evidence from cohort studies suggests that LOE may be a risk factor of dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Huang
- Department of Neurology, The First People's Hospital of Yibin, No. 65 Wenxing Street, Cuiping District, Yibin City, 644000, Sichuan, China.
| | - Chi Fu
- Department of Neurology, The First People's Hospital of Yibin, No. 65 Wenxing Street, Cuiping District, Yibin City, 644000, Sichuan, China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Neurology, The First People's Hospital of Yibin, No. 65 Wenxing Street, Cuiping District, Yibin City, 644000, Sichuan, China
| | - Shijun Peng
- Department of Neurology, The First People's Hospital of Yibin, No. 65 Wenxing Street, Cuiping District, Yibin City, 644000, Sichuan, China
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Mechanisms Involved in Epileptogenesis in Alzheimer's Disease and Their Therapeutic Implications. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23084307. [PMID: 35457126 PMCID: PMC9030029 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23084307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease (AD) incidence increases with age. There are reciprocal relationships between epilepsy and AD. Epilepsy is a risk factor for AD and, in turn, AD is an independent risk factor for developing epilepsy in old age, and abnormal AD biomarkers in PET and/or CSF are frequently found in late-onset epilepsies of unknown etiology. Accordingly, epilepsy and AD share pathophysiological processes, including neuronal hyperexcitability and an early excitatory-inhibitory dysregulation, leading to dysfunction in the inhibitory GABAergic and excitatory glutamatergic systems. Moreover, both β-amyloid and tau protein aggregates, the anatomopathological hallmarks of AD, have proepileptic effects. Finally, these aggregates have been found in the resection material of refractory temporal lobe epilepsies, suggesting that epilepsy leads to amyloid and tau aggregates. Some epileptic syndromes, such as medial temporal lobe epilepsy, share structural and functional neuroimaging findings with AD, leading to overlapping symptomatology, such as episodic memory deficits and toxic synergistic effects. In this respect, the existence of epileptiform activity and electroclinical seizures in AD appears to accelerate the progression of cognitive decline, and the presence of cognitive decline is much more prevalent in epileptic patients than in elderly patients without epilepsy. Notwithstanding their clinical significance, the diagnosis of clinical seizures in AD is a challenge. Most are focal and manifest with an altered level of consciousness without motor symptoms, and are often interpreted as cognitive fluctuations. Finally, despite the frequent association of epilepsy and AD dementia, there is a lack of clinical trials to guide the use of antiseizure medications (ASMs). There is also a potential role for ASMs to be used as disease-modifying drugs in AD.
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B. Szabo A, Cretin B, Gérard F, Curot J, J. Barbeau E, Pariente J, Dahan L, Valton L. Sleep: The Tip of the Iceberg in the Bidirectional Link Between Alzheimer's Disease and Epilepsy. Front Neurol 2022; 13:836292. [PMID: 35481265 PMCID: PMC9035794 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.836292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The observation that a pathophysiological link might exist between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and epilepsy dates back to the identification of the first cases of the pathology itself and is now strongly supported by an ever-increasing mountain of literature. An overwhelming majority of data suggests not only a higher prevalence of epilepsy in Alzheimer's disease compared to healthy aging, but also that AD patients with a comorbid epileptic syndrome, even subclinical, have a steeper cognitive decline. Moreover, clinical and preclinical investigations have revealed a marked sleep-related increase in the frequency of epileptic activities. This characteristic might provide clues to the pathophysiological pathways underlying this comorbidity. Furthermore, the preferential sleep-related occurrence of epileptic events opens up the possibility that they might hasten cognitive decline by interfering with the delicately orchestrated synchrony of oscillatory activities implicated in sleep-related memory consolidation. Therefore, we scrutinized the literature for mechanisms that might promote sleep-related epileptic activity in AD and, possibly dementia onset in epilepsy, and we also aimed to determine to what degree and through which processes such events might alter the progression of AD. Finally, we discuss the implications for patient care and try to identify a common basis for methodological considerations for future research and clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna B. Szabo
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
- Centre de Recherche Cerveau & Cognition (CerCo), UMR 5549, CNRS-UPS, Toulouse, France
- *Correspondence: Anna B. Szabo
| | - Benjamin Cretin
- Clinical Neuropsychology Unit, Neurology Department, CM2R (Memory Resource and Research Centre), University Hospital of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- CNRS, ICube Laboratory, UMR 7357 and FMTS (Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg), Team IMIS, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- CMRR d'Alsace, Service de Neurologie des Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Pôle Tête et Cou, Strasbourg, France
| | - Fleur Gérard
- Centre de Recherche Cerveau & Cognition (CerCo), UMR 5549, CNRS-UPS, Toulouse, France
- Neurology Department, Hôpital Purpan Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Jonathan Curot
- Centre de Recherche Cerveau & Cognition (CerCo), UMR 5549, CNRS-UPS, Toulouse, France
- Neurology Department, Hôpital Purpan Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Emmanuel J. Barbeau
- Centre de Recherche Cerveau & Cognition (CerCo), UMR 5549, CNRS-UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Jérémie Pariente
- Neurology Department, Hôpital Purpan Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center (ToNIC), INSERM-University of Toulouse Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Lionel Dahan
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Luc Valton
- Centre de Recherche Cerveau & Cognition (CerCo), UMR 5549, CNRS-UPS, Toulouse, France
- Neurology Department, Hôpital Purpan Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
- Luc Valton
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Gourmaud S, Stewart DA, Irwin DJ, Roberts N, Barbour AJ, Eberwine G, O’Brien WT, Vassar R, Talos DM, Jensen FE. The role of mTORC1 activation in seizure-induced exacerbation of Alzheimer's disease. Brain 2022; 145:324-339. [PMID: 34264340 PMCID: PMC9126019 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The risk of seizures is 10-fold higher in patients with Alzheimer's disease than the general population, yet the mechanisms underlying this susceptibility and the effects of these seizures are poorly understood. To elucidate the proposed bidirectional relationship between Alzheimer's disease and seizures, we studied human brain samples (n = 34) from patients with Alzheimer's disease and found that those with a history of seizures (n = 14) had increased amyloid-β and tau pathology, with upregulation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, compared with patients without a known history of seizures (n = 20). To establish whether seizures accelerate the progression of Alzheimer's disease, we induced chronic hyperexcitability in the five times familial Alzheimer's disease mouse model by kindling with the chemoconvulsant pentylenetetrazol and observed that the mouse model exhibited more severe seizures than the wild-type. Furthermore, kindled seizures exacerbated later cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease neuropathology and mTOR complex 1 activation. Finally, we demonstrated that the administration of the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin following kindled seizures rescued enhanced remote and long-term memory deficits associated with earlier kindling and prevented seizure-induced increases in Alzheimer's disease neuropathology. These data demonstrated an important link between chronic hyperexcitability and progressive Alzheimer's disease pathology and suggest a mechanism whereby rapamycin may serve as an adjunct therapy to attenuate progression of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Gourmaud
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - David A Stewart
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - David J Irwin
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Penn Frontotemporal Degeneration Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nicholas Roberts
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Aaron J Barbour
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Grace Eberwine
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - William T O’Brien
- Neurobehavior Testing Core, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Robert Vassar
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Delia M Talos
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Frances E Jensen
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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36
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Dun C, Zhang Y, Yin J, Su B, Peng X, Liu L. Bi-directional associations of epilepsy with dementia and Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Age Ageing 2022; 51:6548793. [PMID: 35290432 DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afac010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the bi-directional associations of epilepsy with dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS We searched PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library for longitudinal studies assessing the associations of epilepsy with dementia and AD up to 4 August 2021. Two authors independently extracted study characteristics, exposures, outcomes and covariates. Summary hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using a random effects model. RESULTS From 8,545 articles identified in the initial research, 27 publications describing 20 longitudinal studies were included in the final analyses. There were 10 studies on epilepsy predicting risk of dementia, 5 studies on epilepsy predicting risk of AD, 11 studies on dementia predicting risk of epilepsy, and 6 studies on AD predicting risk of epilepsy. Baseline epilepsy was associated with higher risk of dementia (pooled HR 2.00; 95% CI 1.73-2.33) and AD (pooled HR 1.81; 95% CI 1.19-2.75). The pooled HRs for epilepsy associated with baseline dementia and AD were 2.91 (95% CI) 2.11-4.01) and 3.11 (95% CI 2.47-3.90), respectively. These positive associations persisted in sensitivity and subgroup analyses. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggested positive and bi-directional associations of epilepsy with dementia and AD. However, these associations should be carefully interpreted due to the presence of substantial heterogeneity, and they need to be verified in additional high-quality studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changchang Dun
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yaqi Zhang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Jiawei Yin
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Binbin Su
- PKU-APEC Health Science Academy, Institute of Population Research, Peking University, Beijing 100000, China
| | - Xiaobo Peng
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Liegang Liu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
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Vossel K, Ranasinghe KG, Beagle AJ, La A, Ah Pook K, Castro M, Mizuiri D, Honma SM, Venkateswaran N, Koestler M, Zhang W, Mucke L, Howell MJ, Possin KL, Kramer JH, Boxer AL, Miller BL, Nagarajan SS, Kirsch HE. Effect of Levetiracetam on Cognition in Patients With Alzheimer Disease With and Without Epileptiform Activity: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Neurol 2021; 78:1345-1354. [PMID: 34570177 DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2021.3310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Importance Network hyperexcitability may contribute to cognitive dysfunction in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). Objective To determine the ability of the antiseizure drug levetiracetam to improve cognition in persons with AD. Design, Setting, and Participants The Levetiracetam for Alzheimer's Disease-Associated Network Hyperexcitability (LEV-AD) study was a phase 2a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial of 34 adults with AD that was conducted at the University of California, San Francisco, and the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, between October 16, 2014, and July 21, 2020. Participants were adults 80 years and younger who had a Mini-Mental State Examination score of 18 points or higher and/or a Clinical Dementia Rating score of less than 2 points. Screening included overnight video electroencephalography and a 1-hour resting magnetoencephalography examination. Interventions Group A received placebo twice daily for 4 weeks followed by a 4-week washout period, then oral levetiracetam, 125 mg, twice daily for 4 weeks. Group B received treatment using the reverse sequence. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was the ability of levetiracetam treatment to improve executive function (measured by the National Institutes of Health Executive Abilities: Measures and Instruments for Neurobehavioral Evaluation and Research [NIH-EXAMINER] composite score). Secondary outcomes were cognition (measured by the Stroop Color and Word Test [Stroop] interference naming subscale and the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale) and disability. Exploratory outcomes included performance on a virtual route learning test and scores on cognitive and functional tests among participants with epileptiform activity. Results Of 54 adults assessed for eligibility, 11 did not meet study criteria, and 9 declined to participate. A total of 34 adults (21 women [61.8%]; mean [SD] age, 62.3 [7.7] years) with AD were enrolled and randomized (17 participants to group A and 17 participants to group B). Thirteen participants (38.2%) were categorized as having epileptiform activity. In total, 28 participants (82.4%) completed the study, 10 of whom (35.7%) had epileptiform activity. Overall, treatment with levetiracetam did not change NIH-EXAMINER composite scores (mean difference vs placebo, 0.07 points; 95% CI, -0.18 to 0.32 points; P = .55) or secondary measures. However, among participants with epileptiform activity, levetiracetam treatment improved performance on the Stroop interference naming subscale (net improvement vs placebo, 7.4 points; 95% CI, 0.2-14.7 points; P = .046) and the virtual route learning test (t = 2.36; Cohen f2 = 0.11; P = .02). There were no treatment discontinuations because of adverse events. Conclusions and Relevance In this randomized clinical trial, levetiracetam was well tolerated and, although it did not improve the primary outcome, in prespecified analysis, levetiracetam improved performance on spatial memory and executive function tasks in patients with AD and epileptiform activity. These exploratory findings warrant further assessment of antiseizure approaches in AD. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02002819.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith Vossel
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco.,N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.,Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.,Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), Los Angeles.,Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, California
| | - Kamalini G Ranasinghe
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Alexander J Beagle
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Alice La
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Kasey Ah Pook
- N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
| | - Madelyn Castro
- N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
| | - Danielle Mizuiri
- Biomagnetic Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Susanne M Honma
- Biomagnetic Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Nisha Venkateswaran
- N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.,Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), Los Angeles
| | - Mary Koestler
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Wenbo Zhang
- Minnesota Epilepsy Group, St Paul, Minnesota.,Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
| | - Lennart Mucke
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco.,Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, California
| | | | - Katherine L Possin
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Joel H Kramer
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Adam L Boxer
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Bruce L Miller
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Srikantan S Nagarajan
- Biomagnetic Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Heidi E Kirsch
- Biomagnetic Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco.,Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco
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Punia V. Late-Onset Epilepsy: A Distinct Entity that Begins and Ends With the Associated Comorbidities. Epilepsy Curr 2021; 22:43-45. [PMID: 35233198 PMCID: PMC8832339 DOI: 10.1177/15357597211053681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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39
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Romoli M, Sen A, Parnetti L, Calabresi P, Costa C. Amyloid-β: a potential link between epilepsy and cognitive decline. Nat Rev Neurol 2021; 17:469-485. [PMID: 34117482 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-021-00505-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
People with epilepsy - in particular, late-onset epilepsy of unknown aetiology - have an elevated risk of dementia, and seizures have been detected in the early stages of Alzheimer disease (AD), supporting the concept of an epileptic AD prodrome. However, the relationship between epilepsy and cognitive decline remains controversial, with substantial uncertainties about whether epilepsy drives cognitive decline or vice versa, and whether shared pathways underlie both conditions. Here, we review evidence that amyloid-β (Aβ) forms part of a shared pathway between epilepsy and cognitive decline, particularly in the context of AD. People with epilepsy show an increased burden of Aβ pathology in the brain, and Aβ-mediated epileptogenic alterations have been demonstrated in experimental studies, with evidence suggesting that Aβ pathology might already be pro-epileptogenic at the soluble stage, long before plaque deposition. We discuss the hypothesis that Aβ mediates - or is at least a major determinant of - a continuum spanning epilepsy and cognitive decline. Serial cognitive testing and assessment of Aβ levels might be worthwhile to stratify the risk of developing dementia in people with late-onset epilepsy. If seizures are a clinical harbinger of dementia, people with late-onset epilepsy could be an ideal group in which to implement preventive or therapeutic strategies to slow cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Romoli
- Neurology Clinic, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia - S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy.,Oxford Epilepsy Research Group, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.,Neurology and Stroke Unit, "Maurizio Bufalini" Hospital, Cesena, Italy.,IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Neurologia e Rete Stroke Metropolitana, Ospedale Maggiore, Bologna, Italy
| | - Arjune Sen
- Oxford Epilepsy Research Group, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Lucilla Parnetti
- Neurology Clinic, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia - S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy
| | - Paolo Calabresi
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, UOC Neurologia, Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Invecchiamento, Neurologiche, Ortopediche e della Testa-Collo, Rome, Italy
| | - Cinzia Costa
- Neurology Clinic, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia - S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy.
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Johnson EL, Krauss GL, Kucharska-Newton A, Lam AD, Sarkis R, Gottesman RF. Mortality in Patients With Late-Onset Epilepsy: Results From the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Neurology 2021; 97:e1132-e1140. [PMID: 34282048 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000012483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the risk of mortality and causes of death in persons with late-onset epilepsy (LOE) compared to those without epilepsy in a community-based sample, adjusting for demographics and comorbid conditions. METHODS This is an analysis of the prospective Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, initiated in 1987-1989 among 15,792 mostly black and white men and women in 4 U.S. communities. We used Centers for Medicare Services fee-for-service claims codes to identify cases of incident epilepsy starting at or after age 67. We used Cox proportional hazards analysis to identify the hazard of mortality associated with LOE and to adjust for demographics and vascular risk factors. We used death certificate data to identify dates and causes of death. RESULTS Analyses included 9090 participants, of whom 678 developed LOE during median 11.5 years of follow-up after age 67. Participants who developed LOE were at an increased hazard of mortality compared to those who did not, with adjusted hazard ratio 2.39 (95% CI 2.12-2.71). We observed excess mortality due to stroke, dementia, neurologic conditions, and end-stage renal disease in participants with compared to without LOE. Only 4 deaths (1.1%) were directly attributed to seizure-related causes. CONCLUSIONS Persons who develop LOE are at increased risk of death compared to those without epilepsy, even after adjusting for comorbidities. The majority of this excess mortality is due to stroke and dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L Johnson
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Gregory L Krauss
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Anna Kucharska-Newton
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.,Department of Epidemiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
| | - Alice D Lam
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Rani Sarkis
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Rebecca F Gottesman
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.,Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
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Subota A, Jetté N, Josephson CB, McMillan J, Keezer MR, Gonzalez-Izquierdo A, Holroyd-Leduc J. Risk factors for dementia development, frailty, and mortality in older adults with epilepsy - A population-based analysis. Epilepsy Behav 2021; 120:108006. [PMID: 33964541 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.108006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although the prevalence of comorbid epilepsy and dementia is expected to increase, the impact is not well understood. Our objectives were to examine risk factors associated with incident dementia and the impact of frailty and dementia on mortality in older adults with epilepsy. METHODS The CALIBER scientific platform was used. People with incident epilepsy at or after age 65 were identified using Read codes and matched by age, sex, and general practitioner to a cohort without epilepsy (10:1). Baseline cohort characteristics were compared using conditional logistic regression models. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to examine the impact of frailty and dementia on mortality, and to assess risk factors for dementia development. RESULTS One thousand forty eight older adults with incident epilepsy were identified. The odds of having dementia at baseline were 7.39 [95% CI 5.21-10.50] times higher in older adults with epilepsy (n = 62, 5.92%) compared to older adults without epilepsy (n = 88, 0.86%). In the final multivariate Cox model (n = 326), age [HR: 1.20, 95% CI 1.09-1.32], Charlson comorbidity index score [HR: 1.26, 95% CI 1.10-1.44], and sleep disturbances [HR: 2.41, 95% CI 1.07-5.43] at baseline epilepsy diagnosis were significantly associated with an increased hazard of dementia development over the follow-up period. In a multivariate Cox model (n = 1047), age [HR: 1.07, 95% CI 1.03-1.11], baseline dementia [HR: 2.66, 95% CI 1.65-4.27] and baseline e-frailty index score [HR: 11.55, 95% CI 2.09-63.84] were significantly associated with a higher hazard of death among those with epilepsy. Female sex [HR: 0.77, 95% CI 0.59-0.99] was associated with a lower hazard of death. SIGNIFICANCE The odds of having dementia were higher in older adults with incident epilepsy. A higher comorbidity burden acts as a risk factor for dementia, while prevalent dementia and increasing frailty were associated with mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Subota
- Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, North Tower, 1403-29 St NW, Calgary, AB T2N 2T9, Canada; Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, 3D10 - 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Nathalie Jetté
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, 3D10 - 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 1A10 - 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada; Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1137, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Colin B Josephson
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, 3D10 - 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, 1195 1403-29 Street NW, Calgary, AB T2N 2T9, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 1A10 - 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada; Alberta Health Services, Foothills Medical Centre, 1403-29 St. NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 2T9, Canada
| | - Jaqueline McMillan
- Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, North Tower, 1403-29 St NW, Calgary, AB T2N 2T9, Canada; Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, 3D10 - 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada; Alberta Health Services, Foothills Medical Centre, 1403-29 St. NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 2T9, Canada; O'Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, 3rd Floor TRW Building, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Mark R Keezer
- Research Center of the Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, 1051 Rue Sanguinet, Montréal, QC H2X 3E4, Canada
| | - Arturo Gonzalez-Izquierdo
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, 222 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DA, United Kingdom
| | - Jayna Holroyd-Leduc
- Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, North Tower, 1403-29 St NW, Calgary, AB T2N 2T9, Canada; Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, 3D10 - 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 1A10 - 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada; Alberta Health Services, Foothills Medical Centre, 1403-29 St. NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 2T9, Canada; O'Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, 3rd Floor TRW Building, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada.
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Altuna M, Giménez S, Fortea J. Epilepsy in Down Syndrome: A Highly Prevalent Comorbidity. J Clin Med 2021; 10:2776. [PMID: 34202784 PMCID: PMC8268854 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10132776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have an increased risk for epilepsy during the whole lifespan, but especially after age 40 years. The increase in the number of individuals with DS living into late middle age due to improved health care is resulting in an increase in epilepsy prevalence in this population. However, these epileptic seizures are probably underdiagnosed and inadequately treated. This late onset epilepsy is linked to the development of symptomatic Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is the main comorbidity in adults with DS with a cumulative incidence of more than 90% of adults by the seventh decade. More than 50% of patients with DS and AD dementia will most likely develop epilepsy, which in this context has a specific clinical presentation in the form of generalized myoclonic epilepsy. This epilepsy, named late onset myoclonic epilepsy (LOMEDS) affects the quality of life, might be associated with worse cognitive and functional outcomes in patients with AD dementia and has an impact on mortality. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge about the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of epileptic seizures in the DS population, with a special emphasis on LOMEDS. Raised awareness and a better understanding of epilepsy in DS from families, caregivers and clinicians could enable earlier diagnoses and better treatments for individuals with DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miren Altuna
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08041 Barcelona, Spain;
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sandra Giménez
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08041 Barcelona, Spain;
- Multidisciplinary Sleep Unit, Respiratory Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Fortea
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08041 Barcelona, Spain;
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain
- Barcelona Down Medical Center, Fundació Catalana de Síndrome de Down, 08029 Barcelona, Spain
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Reddy DS, Thompson W, Calderara G. Molecular mechanisms of sex differences in epilepsy and seizure susceptibility in chemical, genetic and acquired epileptogenesis. Neurosci Lett 2021; 750:135753. [PMID: 33610673 PMCID: PMC7994197 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.135753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
This article provides a succinct overview of sex differences in epilepsy and putative molecular mechanisms underlying sex differences in seizure susceptibility in chemical, genetic, and acquired epileptogenesis. The susceptibility to excitability episodes and occurrence of epileptic seizures are generally higher in men than women. The precise molecular mechanisms remain unclear, but differences in regional morphology and neural circuits in men and women may explain differential vulnerability to seizures and epileptogenic cascades. Changes in seizure sensitivity can be attributed to steroid hormones, including fluctuations in neurosteroids as well as neuroplasticity in their receptor signaling systems. Other potential neurobiological bases for sex differences in epilepsies include differences in brain development, neurogenesis, neuronal chloride homeostasis, and neurotrophic and glial responses. In catamenial epilepsy, a gender-specific neuroendocrine condition, epileptic seizures are most often clustered around a specific menstrual period in adult women. A deeper understanding of the molecular and neural network basis of sex differences in seizures and response to antiepileptic drugs is highly warranted for designing effective, sex-specific therapies for epilepsy, epileptogenesis, and seizure disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doodipala Samba Reddy
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Bryan, TX, United States.
| | - Wesley Thompson
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Gianmarco Calderara
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Bryan, TX, United States
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Abstract
[Box: see text]
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Affiliation(s)
- W Allen Hauser
- From the Department of Neurology and Sergievsky Center (W.A.H.), Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY; Sant Pau Memory Unit (A.L.), Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; and Behavioral Neurology (H.S.), Mercy One Des Moines Ruan Neurology Care, IA.
| | - Alberto Lleo
- From the Department of Neurology and Sergievsky Center (W.A.H.), Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY; Sant Pau Memory Unit (A.L.), Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; and Behavioral Neurology (H.S.), Mercy One Des Moines Ruan Neurology Care, IA
| | - Heike Schmolck
- From the Department of Neurology and Sergievsky Center (W.A.H.), Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY; Sant Pau Memory Unit (A.L.), Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; and Behavioral Neurology (H.S.), Mercy One Des Moines Ruan Neurology Care, IA
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