Pseudobulbar Affect in Parkinsonian Disorders: A Review

Stepwise Functional Brain Architecture Correlates with Atrophy in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

BACKGROUND

Stepwise functional connectivity (SFC) detects whole-brain functional couplings of a selected region of interest at increasing link-step topological distances.

OBJECTIVE

This study applied SFC to test the hypothesis that stepwise architecture propagating from the disease epicenter would shape patterns of brain atrophy in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy-Richardson's syndrome (PSP-RS).

METHODS

Thirty-six patients with PSP-RS and 44 age-matched healthy control subjects underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging on a 3-T scanner. The disease epicenter was defined as the peak of atrophy observed in an independent cohort of 13 cases with postmortem confirmation of PSP pathology and used as seed region for SFC analysis. First, we explored SFC rearrangements in patients with PSP-RS, as compared with age-matched control subjects. Subsequently, we tested SFC architecture propagating from the disease epicenter as a determinant of brain atrophy distribution.

RESULTS

The disease epicenter was identified in the left midbrain tegmental region. Compared with age-matched control subjects, patients with PSP-RS showed progressively widespread decreased SFC of the midbrain with striatal and cerebellar regions through direct connections and sensorimotor cortical regions through indirect connections. A correlation was found between average link-step distance from the left midbrain in healthy subjects and brain volumes in patients with PSP-RS (r = 0.38, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides comprehensive insights into the topology of functional network rearrangements in PSP-RS and demonstrates that the brain architectural topology, as described by SFC propagating from the disease epicenter, shapes the pattern of atrophic changes in PSP-RS. Our findings support the view of a network-based pathology propagation in this primary tauopathy. © 2024 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Predicting Disability in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Using Bedside Frontal-Lobe Signs

BACKGROUND

Frontal lobe signs in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) are prevalent and occur early in the disease. Although they are recognized in clinical practice, studies are needed to systematically investigate them for an in-depth understanding of the neurological substrate and their potential prognostic implications in the disease.

OBJECTIVES

To study the predictive role of frontal lobe signs in PSP, as well as to describe their neuropsychological and anatomical correlations.

METHODS

Nine recognized signs of frontal lobe dysfunction were assessed in 61 patients with PSP. Those signs able to predict PSP Rating Scale (PSPRS) score at baseline were selected, a survival analysis was performed and associations with neuropsychological tests and cortical thickness parameters in brain MRI were studied.

RESULTS

Grasping, anosognosia and orobuccal apraxia predicted the PSPRS score independently of age, gender, clinical subtype and disease duration. The occurrence of groping in the first 4 years could be a predictor of survival. Grasping and anosognosia were associated with frontal cognitive dysfunction, whereas orobuccal apraxia and groping were related to a more widespread cognitive impairment, involving temporal-parietal areas. Presence of groping showed an extensive cortical atrophy, with predominant prefrontal, temporal and superior parietal cortical thinning.

CONCLUSIONS

Grasping, groping, anosognosia and orobuccal apraxia are easily evaluable bedside clinical signs that reflect distinct stages of disease progression. Grasping, anosognosia and orobuccal apraxia predict disease disability in patients with PSP, and early onset groping could be a survival predictor.

Identification of Potentially Repurposable Drugs for Lewy Body Dementia Using a Network-Based Approach

The conventional method of one drug being used for one target has not yielded therapeutic solutions for Lewy body dementia (LBD), which is a leading progressive neurological disorder characterized by significant loss of neurons. The age-related disease is marked by memory loss, hallucinations, sleep disorder, mental health deterioration, palsy, and cognitive impairment, all of which have no known effective cure. The present study deploys a network medicine pipeline to repurpose drugs having considerable effect on the genes and proteins related to the diseases of interest. We utilized the novel SAveRUNNER algorithm to quantify the proximity of all drugs obtained from DrugBank with the disease associated gene dataset obtained from Phenopedia and targets in the human interactome. We found that most of the 154 FDA-approved drugs predicted by SAveRUNNER were used to treat nervous system disorders, but some off-label drugs like quinapril and selegiline were interestingly used to treat hypertension and Parkinson's disease (PD), respectively. Additionally, we performed gene set enrichment analysis using Connectivity Map (CMap) and pathway enrichment analysis using EnrichR to validate the efficacy of the drug candidates obtained from the pipeline approach. The investigation enabled us to identify the significant role of the synaptic vesicle pathway in our disease and accordingly finalize 8 suitable antidepressant drugs from the 154 drugs initially predicted by SAveRUNNER. These potential anti-LBD drugs are either selective or non-selective inhibitors of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine transporters. The validated selective serotonin and norepinephrine inhibitors like milnacipran, protriptyline, and venlafaxine are predicted to manage LBD along with the affecting symptomatic issues.

New Approaches to the Treatment of Frontotemporal Dementia

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) comprises a diverse group of clinical neurodegenerative syndromes characterized by progressive changes in behavior, personality, executive function, language, and motor function. Approximately 20% of FTD cases have a known genetic cause. The three most common genetic mutations causing FTD are discussed. Frontotemporal lobar degeneration refers to the heterogeneous group of neuropathology underlying FTD clinical syndromes. While there are no current disease-modifying treatments for FTD, management includes off-label pharmacotherapy and non-pharmacological approaches to target symptoms. The utility of several different drug classes is discussed. Medications used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease have no benefit in FTD and can worsen neuropsychiatric symptoms. Non-pharmacological approaches to management include lifestyle modifications, speech-, occupational-, and physical therapy, peer and caregiver support, and safety considerations. Recent developments in the understanding of the genetics, pathophysiology, neuropathology, and neuroimmunology underlying FTD clinical syndromes have expanded possibilities for disease-modifying and symptom-targeted treatments. Different pathogenetic mechanisms are targeted in several active clinical trials, opening up exciting possibilities for breakthrough advances in treatment and management of FTD spectrum disorders.

The relationship between stress, anxiety, and depression levels and pseudobulbar affect in patients with Multiple Sclerosis

BACKGROUND

Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) has recently been added to the list of mental disorders commonly observed in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The emotional changes experienced by MS patients may be associated with other mental problems and adversely affect disease prognosis. However, there are limited studies in the international and national literature on this subject.

AIM

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between PBA and stress, anxiety, and depression levels in patients with MS.

DESIGN

This is a descriptive, relational, and cross-sectional study.

METHODS

A total of 442 MS patients followed in the neurology outpatient clinic of a hospital and registered with the MS Society in Turkey participated in this study. Data were collected using a personal information form, the Turkish version of the Center for Neurologic Study-Lability Scale (CNS-LS), and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS).

RESULTS

In this study, 63.3% of the patients had PBA, 21% had extremely severe depression, 41.6% had extremely severe anxiety, and 24.9% had severe stress. Correlation analysis revealed weak positive correlations between CNS-LS total score and DASS subscale and total scores. Depression, anxiety, and stress levels accounted for 22.5% of the variation in CNS-LS total score.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study indicate that a majority of MS patients in Turkey experience PBA, depression, anxiety, and stress, and that PBA is positively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress.

IMPACT STATEMENT

This study, indicates that should be increased consultation-liaison psychiatry services in Turkey, and MS patients should benefit from comprehensive psychiatric services.

Prevalence of Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA) in Parkinson's Disease: An Underrecognized Patient Burden

Objective

Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is a neurological condition characterized by emotional lability and a discrepancy between the patient’s emotional expression and emotional experience. These uncontrollable episodes cause distress in social situations resulting in embarrassment and social withdrawal. The most comprehensive study to date estimated that 26% of Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients screened positive for PBA symptoms via the validated Center for Neurologic Study-Lability Scale (CNS-LS) screening tool. We hypothesize that the prevalence of this disabling syndrome is higher than reported, often being labeled as depression.

Methods

One hundred patients were enrolled in the study and screened with a CNS-LS tool, all of whom were diagnosed with PD by a fellowship-trained movement disorder specialist. Patients were also asked about previous diagnosis of depression, current antidepressant medication use, and history of PBA diagnosis and treatment.

Results

The percentage of PD patients (n = 100) with PBA symptoms as defined by a CNS-LS score ≥13 was 41% (n = 41) and by a CNS-LS score ≥17 was 21.0% (n = 21). In our sample, 38.0% of patients (n = 38) had a previous clinical diagnosis of depression and 25.0% (n = 25) were currently undergoing treatment for their depression. There was a significant association between previous depression diagnosis, current antidepressant use, and higher CNS-LS scores (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Using either of the CNS-LS score cutoffs, a significant proportion of the PD population in our sample displayed symptoms of PBA. We also found an association between previous diagnosis of depression and higher CNS-LS scores as well as between antidepressant use and higher CNS-LS scores. This suggests both a higher prevalence than prior studies showed as well as frequent misdiagnosis or co-diagnosis with depression.

Mood Disorders and Anxiety in Parkinson's Disease: Current Concepts

Mood disorders and anxiety significantly impact the prognosis and disease course of Parkinson's disease. Non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease such as apathy, anhedonia, and fatigue overlap with diagnostic criteria for anxiety and depression, thus making accurate diagnosis of mood disorders in Parkinson's disease patients difficult. Furthermore, treatment options for mood disorders can produce motor complications leading to poor adherence and impaired quality of life in Parkinson's disease patients. This review aims to clarify the current state of diagnostic and treatment options pertaining to anxiety and mood disorders in Parkinson's disease. It explores both the pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment modalities for various mood disorders in comorbid Parkinson's disease with a brief discussion of the future outlook of the field given the current state of the literature.

Pathological laughter and crying in multiple system atrophy with different subtypes: Frequency and related factors

OBJECTIVE

The current study was aimed at examining the frequency of and potential factors related to pathological laughter and crying (PLC) in multiple system atrophy (MSA) as well as evaluating the impact of PLC on the survival of patients with early stage MSA.

METHODS

A total of 465 MSA patients were enrolled in the study. The binary logistic regression model was used to explore the potential factors related to PLC. Altogether, 142 patients in their early stage (disease duration ≤3 years), who were followed up for at least two years, were included in the propensity score matching (PSM) analysis. A Cox regression model was used to analyze the impact of PLC on the survival of patients with early stage MSA.

RESULTS

The frequency of PLC was 12.7%, 12.0%, and 13.2% in MSA, MSA-parkinsonian subtype (MSA-P), and MSA-cerebellar type (MSA-C), respectively. The binary logistic regression model indicated that younger age and higher total UMSARS scores were associated with PLC in MSA, MSA-P, and MSA-C patients. Additionally, for patients in the early stage, it was found that PLC was not a predictor for mortality in MSA, as indicated by the multivariate Cox regression model.

CONCLUSION

PLC was not uncommon in patients with MSA, MSA-P, and MSA-C. Younger age and greater disease severity were associated with PLC in MSA, MSA-P, and MSA-C patients. PLC was not a predictor of mortality in patients with MSA.

Emerging Perspectives in the Diagnosis and Management of Depression and Psychosis in Parkinson's Disease

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Treatment of pseudobulbar affect (PBA) in a patient with a history of traumatic brain injury, partial brain resection, and brainstem stroke: a case report

BACKGROUND

Pseudobulbar affect is a very distressing and underdiagnosed neuropsychiatric disorder that causes contextually inappropriate episodes of laughing and crying and general emotional incontinence. Although many proposed etiologies exist, the most widely accepted theory espouses the disruption of a corticopontine-cerebellar circuit that governs the modulation of emotional response. Pseudobulbar affect is commonly diagnosed secondary to primary neurological disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and traumatic brain injury. Traditional pharmacological treatment of pseudobulbar affect is largely comprised of antidepressant therapy, including tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as fluvoxamine. However, neither of these medication classes has been studied for the treatment of pseudobulbar affect in controlled trials, and their utility remains questionable.

CASE PRESENTATION

We describe a case of a 62-year-old Caucasian man with history of traumatic brain injury, ischemic brainstem stroke, and depression who developed intractable pseudobulbar affect. This patient's intensely distressing symptoms were not alleviated by amitriptyline. However, after being placed on fixed-dose 20 mg/10 mg dextromethorphan/quinidine (Nuedexta), our patient experienced complete resolution of his symptoms. He has experienced no deleterious side effects.

CONCLUSIONS

This case provides anecdotal evidence for the efficacy of dextromethorphan/quinidine in the treatment of pseudobulbar affect with remarkably swift and complete cessation of symptoms. As a secondary point, it is worth noting that our patient had experienced two devastating neurological traumas, both in anatomical areas that have been implicated in the corticopontine-cerebellar circuit thought to be responsible for pseudobulbar affect. However, only the second trauma, an acute left pontine infarction, produced symptoms of emotional disinhibition. The authors hope that reporting this case will provide both context for physicians managing this condition and hope for patients with this socially and psychiatrically damaging disease.

Pseudobulbar Affect Presenting as Hypomania

Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is a behavioral syndrome associated with various neurological conditions that typically manifests as uncontrollable laughing or crying. PBA can significantly impact the quality of life of patients affected as these spells can be inappropriate to the social setting or incompatible with the patient's emotional state. The underlying mechanism of PBA appears to be associated with disinhibition in neuronal pathways involving dopamine, serotonin, and glutamate, but the exact mechanism remains unclear. One hypothesis for the pathology of PBA is that it is the result of disruption of the corticopontine-cerebellar circuits, impairing cerebellar modulation of affect, and leading to uncontrolled emotional lability. Stroke, and other neurological disorders, interrupt these neuronal circuits causing disinhibition of the voluntary control of emotional expression. It is extremely important to recognize and appropriately diagnose the condition. We present a case report of an 85-year-old female patient who presented with a thalamic stroke, and she subsequently developed hypomania with symptoms of decreased need for sleep, mood lability, pressured speech, and religious preoccupation. This case discusses a unique presentation of PBA with hypomania.