Age-matched Controls Research Articles

Evaluation of Visual Cortex Activity using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) in Primary Open Angle and Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma: A pilot study.

Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy was used to assess visual cortical activity in patients with primary open angle and primary angle closure glaucoma. There was decreased activity in the visual cortex of glaucoma patients correlating with the severity of glaucoma. To evaluate visual cortex activity using fNIRS (Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy) in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) compared to healthy controls. A total of 30 POAG, 31 PACG, and 30 healthy aged-matched controls from a single centre were recruited in this cross-sectional observational pilot study with purposive sampling. The POAG and PACG groups were age-matched but were not matched for disease severity at recruitment. All participants underwent fNIRS testing using a multi-channel continuous-wave near infra-red system NIRSport 8×7 device (NIRx Medizintechnik GmbH, Berlin, Germany). The visual cortex activity was evaluated in terms of maximum amplitude of change in oxyhemoglobin (OxyHb) concentration over 10 seconds and a comparison was done between three groups. Both POAG and PACG groups were combined (termed as glaucoma group) to assess relationship of visual cortical activity with disease severity {by visual field defect (mean deviation) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness}. All participants showed the characteristic response of increased OxyHb and decreased DeoxyHb during stimulus presentation. The maximum amplitude of change in OxyHb concentration over 10 seconds was significantly lower in both POAG and PACG groups compared to control in the right and left middle occipital gyri (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between PACG and POAG. Importantly, there was a negative correlation of the visual cortex activity with the visual field defects (mean deviation) (P<0.05) and a positive correlation with RNFL thickness in the glaucoma group (P<0.05). In glaucoma patients, reduction in visual cortical activity was observed which may be indicative of neuronal degeneration occurring in the occipital cortex. Disease severity in glaucoma appears to be closely correlated with visual cortex activity. fNIRS can serve as a useful neuroimaging modality for assessing the hemodynamic and neurodegenerative changes in glaucoma.

Assessment of pulmonary physiological changes caused by aging, cigarette smoking, and COPD with hyperpolarized 129Xe magnetic resonance.

To comprehensively assess the impact of aging, cigarette smoking, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on pulmonary physiology using 129Xe MR. A total of 90 subjects were categorized into four groups, including healthy young (HY, n = 20), age-matched control (AMC, n = 20), asymptomatic smokers (AS, n = 28), and COPD patients (n = 22). 129Xe MR was utilized to obtain pulmonary physiological parameters, including ventilation defect percent (VDP), alveolar sleeve depth (h), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), total septal wall thickness (d), and ratio of xenon signal from red blood cells and interstitial tissue/plasma (RBC/TP). Significant differences were found in the measured VDP (p = 0.035), h (p = 0.003), and RBC/TP (p = 0.003) between the HY and AMC groups. Compared with the AMC group, higher VDP (p = 0.020) and d (p = 0.048) were found in the AS group; higher VDP (p < 0.001), d (p < 0.001) and ADC (p < 0.001), and lower h (p < 0.001) and RBC/TP (p < 0.001) were found in the COPD group. Moreover, significant differences were also found in the measured VDP (p < 0.001), h (p < 0.001), ADC (p < 0.001), d (p = 0.008), and RBC/TP (p = 0.032) between the AS and COPD groups. Our findings indicate that pulmonary structure and functional changes caused by aging, cigarette smoking, and COPD are various, and show a progressive deterioration with the accumulation of these risk factors, including cigarette smoking and COPD. Pathophysiological changes can be difficult to comprehensively understand due to limitations in common techniques and multifactorial etiologies. 129Xe MRI can demonstrate structural and functional changes caused by several common factors and can be used to better understand patients' underlying pathology. Standard techniques for assessing pathophysiological lung function changes, spirometry, and chest CT come with limitations. 129Xe MR demonstrated progressive deterioration with accumulation of the investigated risk factors, without these limitations. 129Xe MR can assess lung changes related to these risk factors to stage and evaluate the etiology of the disease.

Prognostic relevance of ventricular arrhythmias in surgical patients with gastrointestinal tumors

BACKGROUND Individuals diagnosed with gastrointestinal tumors are at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Among which, ventricular arrhythmia is a prevalent clinical concern. This suggests that ventricular arrhythmias may have predictive value in the prognosis of patients with gastrointestinal tumors. AIM To explore the prognostic value of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with gastrointestinal tumors receiving surgery. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed data from 130 patients undergoing gastrointestinal tumor resection. These patients were evaluated by a 24-h ambulatory electrocardiogram (ECG) at the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2018 to June 2020. Additionally, 41 general healthy age-matched and sex-matched controls were included. Patients were categorized into survival and non-survival groups. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality, and secondary endpoints included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). RESULTS Colorectal tumors comprised 90% of cases. Preoperative ambulatory ECG monitoring revealed that among the 130 patients with gastrointestinal tumors, 100 (76.92%) exhibited varying degrees of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs). Ten patients (7.69%) manifested non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT). The patients with gastrointestinal tumors exhibited higher PVCs compared to the healthy controls on both conventional ECG [27 (21.3) vs 1 (2.5), P = 0.012] and 24-h ambulatory ECG [14 (1.0, 405) vs 1 (0, 6.5), P &lt; 0.001]. Non-survivors had a higher PVC count than survivors [150.50 (7.25, 1690.50) vs 9 (0, 229.25), P = 0.020]. During the follow-up period, 24 patients died and 11 patients experienced MACEs. Univariate analysis linked PVC &gt; 35/24 h to all-cause mortality, and NSVT was associated with MACE. However, neither PVC burden nor NSVT independently predicted outcomes according to multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION Patients with gastrointestinal tumors exhibited elevated PVCs. PVCs &gt; 35/24 h and NSVT detected by 24-h ambulatory ECG were prognostically significant but were not found to be independent predictors.

Factors associated with keratoconus in Israel-A cross-sectional population-based study.

To identify potential factors associated with keratoconus. This cross-sectional study included data from Israel's largest healthcare provider for the years 2005-2020. Keratoconus patients and age-matched controls were identified. Demographic factors and comorbid conditions, including smoking, diabetes mellitus, asthma, myalgia, mental retardation, Down syndrome, atopic dermatitis and allergy/allergic rhinitis, were compared between the two cohorts. The independent risk factors associated with keratoconus were determined using a multivariable conditional logistic regression model. Overall, 145 508 subjects were reviewed of which 13 228 were keratoconus patients. A ten-fold group (n = 132 280) of age-matched control subjects served as controls for comparisons. In multivariable analysis, several factors were found to be significantly associated with keratoconus. Male gender (OR = 1.27, p < 0.001), Arab ethnicity (OR = 1.50, p < 0.001), diabetes (OR = 1.19, p < 0.001), asthma (OR = 1.50, p < 0.001), myalgia (OR = 1.09, p = 0.02), mental retardation (OR = 2.63, p < 0.001), atopic dermatitis (OR = 1.35, p < 0.001) and allergic rhinitis (OR = 1.21, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with keratoconus. Smoking was significantly protective of keratoconus (OR = 0.66, p < 0.001). This population-based study reports male gender, Arab ethnicity, diabetes, asthma, myalgia, mental retardation/Down syndrome, atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis as factors associated with keratoconus while smoking demonstrates a protective effect. The results of this study could guide enhanced screening strategies and early interventions, particularly for high-risk groups.

Glutamate Signaling in Patients With Parkinson Disease With REM Sleep Behavior Disorder.

Clinical heterogeneity of patients with Parkinson disease (PD) is well recognized. PD with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a more malignant phenotype with faster motor progression and higher nonmotor symptom burden. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this clinical divergence concerning imbalances in neurotransmitter systems remain elusive. Combining magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy and [11C]ABP688 PET on a PET/MR hybrid system, we simultaneously investigated two different mechanisms of glutamate signaling in patients with PD. Patients were grouped according to their RBD status in overnight video-polysomnography and compared with age-matched and sex-matched healthy control (HC) participants. Total volumes of distribution (VT) of [11C]ABP688 were estimated with metabolite-corrected plasma concentrations during steady-state conditions between 45 and 60 minutes of the scan following a bolus-infusion protocol. Glutamate, glutamine, and glutathione levels were investigated with single-voxel stimulated echo acquisition mode MR spectroscopy of the left basal ganglia. We measured globally elevated VT of [11C]ABP688 in 16 patients with PD and RBD compared with 17 patients without RBD and 15 HC participants (F(2,45) = 5.579, p = 0.007). Conversely, glutamatergic metabolites did not differ between groups and did not correlate with the regional VT of [11C]ABP688. VT of [11C]ABP688 correlated with the amount of REM sleep without atonia (F(1,42) = 5.600, p = 0.023) and with dopaminergic treatment response in patients with PD (F(1,30) = 5.823, p = 0.022). Our results suggest that patients with PD and RBD exhibit altered glutamatergic signaling indicated by higher VT of [11C]ABP688 despite unaffected glutamate levels. The imbalance of glutamate receptors and MR spectroscopy glutamate metabolite levels indicates a novel mechanism contributing to the heterogeneity of PD and warrants further investigation of drugs targeting mGluR5.

A multicenter matched-cohort analysis of gastroschisis outcomes in infants born before 32 weeks gestation.

To examine neonatal outcomes of infants with gastroschisis born <32 weeks' gestation compared to matched infants without gastroschisis. Retrospective matched-cohort analysis of infants with gastroschisis born <32 weeks' gestation at Children's Hospitals Neonatal Consortium (CHNC) NICUs from 2010 to 2022 compared to gestational age-matched controls. The study included 119 infants with gastroschisis and 357 matched infants; 60% of infants born 29-32 weeks, 23% born 26-28 weeks, and 16% born < 25 weeks. Mortality was not significantly different between groups (11% vs. 9%, p = 0.59). Preterm co-morbidities such as IVH, BPD, ROP, and PVL were similar, as were rates of surgical NEC. Infants with gastroschisis had longer hospital stays (92 vs. 67 days), higher CLABSI and UTIs, and were more likely to need feeding support at discharge. Compared to infants without gastroschisis, infants <32 weeks' gestation with gastroschisis had similar risks for inpatient mortality, NEC, and other preterm co-morbidities.

Oral microbiota of patients with phenylketonuria: A nation-based cross-sectional study.

The oral microenvironment contributes to microbial composition and immune equilibrium. It is considered to be influenced by dietary habits. Phenylketonuria (PKU) patients, who follow a lifelong low-protein diet, exhibit higher prevalence of oral diseases such as periodontitis, offering a suitable model to explore the interplay between diet, oral microbiota and oral health. We conducted 16S rDNA sequencing on saliva and subgingival plaque from 109 PKU patients (ages 6-68 years) and 114 age-matched controls and correlated oral microbial composition and dental health. PKU patients exhibited worse dental health, reduced oral microbial diversity and a difference in the abundance of specific taxa, especially Actinobacteriota species, compared to controls. PKU patients with poor periodontal health exhibited higher alpha diversity than the orally healthy ones, marked by high abundance of the genus Tannerella. Notably, the observed taxonomic differences in PKU patients with normal indices of decayed/missing/filled teeth, plaque control record, gingival bleeding index and periodontal screening and recording index generally differed from microbial signatures of periodontitis. PKU patients' reduced microbial diversity may be due to their diet's metabolic challenges disrupting microbial and immune balance, thus increasing oral inflammation. Higher alpha diversity in PKU patients with oral inflammation is likely related to expanded microbial niches.

Cardiac screening in pediatric patients with neurofibromatosis type 1: similarities with Noonan syndrome?

The aims of this study were to assess: (1) similarities in the prevalence and types of ECG and conventional echocardiographic findings described in NS in asymptomatic patients with NF1, and (2) the presence of discrete myocardial dysfunction in NF1 patients using myocardial strain imaging. Fifty-eight patients with NF1 (ages 0-18 years), and thirty-one age-matched healthy controls underwent cardiac assessment including blood pressure measurements, a 12-lead ECG, and detailed echocardiography. Quantification of cardiac chamber size, mass and function were measured using conventional echocardiography. Myocardial strain parameters were assessed using 2-Dimensional (2D) Speckle tracking echocardiography. Asymptomatic patients with NF1 had normal electrocardiograms, none with the typical ECG patterns described in NS. However, patients with NF1 showed significantly decreased calculated Z scores of the left ventricular internal diameter in diastole and systole, reduced left ventricular mass index and a higher incidence of cardiac abnormal findings, mainly of the mitral valve, in contrast to the frequently described types of cardiac abnormalities in NS. Peak and end systolic global circumferential strain were the only significantly reduced speckle tracking derived myocardial strain parameter. Children with NF1 demonstrated more dissimilarities than similarities in the prevalence and types of ECG and conventional echocardiographic findings described in NS. The role of the abnormal myocardial strain parameter needs to be explored.

The cortical neurophysiological signature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Abstract The progressive loss of motor function characteristic of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is associated with widespread cortical pathology extending beyond primary motor regions. Increasing muscle weakness reflects a dynamic, variably compensated brain network disorder. In the quest for biomarkers to accelerate therapeutic assessment, the high temporal resolution of magnetoencephalography is uniquely able to non-invasively capture micro-magnetic fields generated by neuronal activity across the entire cortex simultaneously. This study examined task-free magnetoencephalography to characterise the cortical oscillatory signature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis for potential as a pharmacodynamic biomarker. Eight-ten minutes of magnetoencephalography in the task-free, eyes-open state was recorded in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (n=36) and healthy age-matched controls (n=51), followed by a structural MRI scan for co-registration. Extracted magnetoencephalography metrics from the delta, theta, alpha, beta, low-gamma, high-gamma frequency bands included oscillatory power (regional activity), 1/f exponent (complexity) and amplitude envelope correlation (connectivity). Groups were compared using a permutations-based general linear model with correction for multiple comparisons and confounders. To test whether the extracted metrics could predict disease severity, a Random Forest Regression model was trained and evaluated using nested Leave-One-Out Cross-Validation. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was characterised by reduced sensorimotor beta band and increased high-gamma band power. Within the premotor cortex, increased disability was associated with a reduced 1/f exponent. Increased disability was more widely associated with increased global connectivity in the delta, theta, and high-gamma bands. Intra-hemispherically, increased disability scores were particularly associated with increases in temporal connectivity and inter-hemispherically with increases in frontal and occipital connectivity. The Random Forest model achieved a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.24. The combined reduction in cortical sensorimotor beta and rise in gamma power is compatible with the established hypothesis of loss of inhibitory, GABAergic interneuronal circuits in pathogenesis. A lower 1/f exponent potentially reflects a more excitable cortex and a pathology unique to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis when considered with the findings published in other neurodegenerative disorders. Power and complexity changes corroborate with the results from paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation. Increased magnetoencephalography connectivity in worsening disability is thought to represent compensatory responses to a failing motor system. Restoration of cortical beta and gamma band power has significant potential to be tested in an experimental medicine setting. Magnetoencephalography-based measures have potential as sensitive outcome measures of therapeutic benefit in drug trials and may have wider diagnostic value with further study, including as predictive markers in asymptomatic carriers of disease-causing genetic variants.

The role of cochlear and vestibular afferents in long-latency cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials

Objective To examine the origin of cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) late waves (n34-p44) elicited with air-conducted click stimuli. Design Using a retrospective design, cVEMPs from normal volunteers were compared to those obtained from patients with vestibular and auditory pathologies. Study sample (1) Normal volunteers (n = 56); (2) severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) with normal vestibular function (n = 21); (3) peripheral vestibular impairment with preserved hearing (n = 16); (4) total vestibulocochlear deficit (n = 23). Results All normal volunteers had ipsilateral-dominant early p13-n23 peaks. Late peaks were present bilaterally in 78%. The p13-n23 response was present in all patients with SNHL but normal vestibular function, and 43% had late waves. Statistical comparison of these patients to a subset of age-matched controls showed no significant difference in the frequencies, amplitudes or latencies of their ipsilateral early and late peaks. cVEMPs were absent in all patients with vestibular impairment. Conclusion The presence of long-latency cVEMP waves was not dependent on the integrity of sensorineural hearing pathways, but instead correlated with intact vestibular function. This finding conflicts with the view that these late waves are cochlear in origin, and suggests that vestibular afferents may assume a more prominent role in their generation.

Characterization and functional prediction of the dental plaque microbiome in patients with alveolar clefts

IntroductionAlveolar cleft (AC) is a common congenital defect in people with cleft lip and palate (CLP). Alveolar bone grafting (ABG) is typically performed during adolescence, resulting in the fissure remaining in the mouth for a longer length of time. Patients with AC have a greater rate of oral diseases such as dental caries than the normal population, and the precise characteristics of the bacterial alterations caused by AC are unknown.MethodsWe recruited a total of 87 subjects and collected dental plaque samples from AC adolescents (AAP), post-operative ABG adolescents (PAP), healthy control adolescents (CAP), AC young adults (AYP), post-operative ABG young adults (PYP), and healthy control young adults (CYP). The sequencing of 16S rRNA genes was performed.ResultsThe microbial composition of plaque from alveolar cleft patients differed significantly from age-matched healthy controls. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis revealed that AAP was enriched for Neisseria, Haemophilus, Fusobacterium, Rhodococcus, Aggregatibacter, Gemella, and Porphyromonas, whereas AYP was enriched for Capnocytophaga, Rhodococcus, and Actinomyces-f0332. There were phenotypic differences in facultatively anaerobic, Gram-negative, Gram-positive, and oxidative stress tolerance between the AYP group with longer alveolar cleft and the healthy control group according to Bugbase phenotypic predictions. Alveolar bone grafting did not alter the functional phenotype of alveolar cleft patients but reduced the number of differential genera between alveolar cleft patients and healthy controls at both ages.ConclusionsOur study systematically characterized the supragingival plaque microbiota of alveolar cleft patients, post-alveolar bone grafting patients, and matched healthy controls in two ages to gain a better understanding of plaque ecology and microbiology associated with alveolar clefts.

Variation in thoracic inlet measurements and its correlation with pulmonary dysfunction in kyphoscoliotic deformities: a prospective case-control study.

Pulmonary dysfunction in thoracic kyphoscoliosis has been correlated with chest wall distortion, uneven trunk growth and restrictive pattern. The study aims to analyse the variation in thoracic inlet measurements on pulmonary dysfunction with varying curve magnitude and thoracic cage parameters. In a non-randomised, prospective case-control study, 80 consecutive patients with thoracic kyphoscoliosis were divided into 3 groups based on Cobb angle: Group 1 (31-50), Group 2 (51-80) and Group 3 (> 80). Thoracic inlet measurement was calculated by thoracic inlet index (TI) on MRI at the sternal level. Pulmonary function and thoracic cage parameters [hemi thorax height, rib-apex distance, AP chest diameter at sternal level and transverse thoracic diameter] were documented. TI values were compared with 20 age-matched asymptomatic controls. Multivariate correlation and regression analysis were performed to investigate the correlations. The mean age of the study cohort was 14.1 ± 4.4years, including Group 1 (6 patients), Group 2 (55 patients) and Group 3 (19 patients) versus 12.9 ± 2.2years in controls. The mean TI was 2.8 ± 0.56 in Group 1, 3.7 ± 0.9 in Group 2 and 4.0 ± 1.12 in Group 3 versus 2.6 ± 0.43 in controls. Pulmonary dysfunction was severe with TI > 7.1 (p < 0.001) in Group 3 patients with thoracic hypokyphosis. Multivariate regression for thoracic parameters and TI > 5.6 showed significant correlation of pulmonary dysfunction in Group 2 and 3 curves with apex between T1 and T4, whereas transverse thoracic diameter, rib-apex distance and hemi thorax height were weakly associated. Thoracic inlet index (TI), a neglected pre-operative variable associated with pulmonary dysfunction in thoracic kyphoscoliosis, can be evaluated on MRI without an additional cost and radiation.

Impact of Transfer Learning Using Local Data on Performance of a Deep Learning Model for Screening Mammography.

"Just Accepted" papers have undergone full peer review and have been accepted for publication in Radiology: Artificial Intelligence. This article will undergo copyediting, layout, and proof review before it is published in its final version. Please note that during production of the final copyedited article, errors may be discovered which could affect the content. Purpose To investigate the issues of generalizability and replication of deep learning (DL) models by assessing performance of a screening mammography DL system developed at New York University (NYU) on a local Australian dataset. Materials and Methods In this retrospective study, all individuals with biopsy and surgical pathology-proven lesions and age-matched controls were identified from a South Australian public mammography screening program (January 2010 to December 2016). The primary outcome was DL system performance, measured with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), in classifying invasive breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ (n = 425) from no malignancy (n = 490) or benign lesions (n = 44) in age-matched controls. The NYU system, including models without (NYU1) and with (NYU2) heatmaps, was tested in its original form, after training from scratch (without transfer learning; TL), after retraining with TL. Results The local test set comprised 959 individuals (mean age, 62.5 years [SD, 8.5]; all female). The original AUCs for the NYU1 and NYU2 models were 0.83 (95%CI = 0.82-0.84) and 0.89 (95%CI = 0.88-0.89), respectively. When applied in their original form to the local test set, the AUCs were 0.76 (95%CI = 0.73-0.79) and 0.84 (95%CI = 0.82-0.87), respectively. After local training without TL, the AUCs were 0.66 (95%CI = 0.62-0.69) and 0.86 (95%CI = 0.84-0.88). After retraining with TL, the AUCs were 0.82 (95%CI = 0.80-0.85) and 0.86 (95%CI = 0.84-0.88). Conclusion A deep learning system developed using a U.S. dataset showed reduced performance when applied 'out of the box' to an Australian dataset. Local retraining with transfer learning using available model weights improved model performance. ©RSNA, 2024.

Mitochondrial dysfunction in brain tissues and Extracellular Vesicles Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome.

Mitochondrial impairments have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) based on analysis of mitochondria in peripheral tissues and cultured cells. We sought to assess whether mitochondrial abnormalities present in postmortem brain tissues of patients with FXTAS are also present in plasma neuron-derived extracellular vesicles (NDEVs) from living carriers of fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein1 (FMR1) gene premutations at an early asymptomatic stage of the disease continuum. We utilized postmortem frozen cerebellar and frontal cortex samples from a cohort of eight patients with FXTAS and nine controls and measured the quantity and activity of the mitochondrial proteins complex IV and complex V. In addition, we evaluated the same measures in isolated plasma NDEVs by selective immunoaffinity capture targeting L1CAM from a separate cohort of eight FMR1 premutation carriers and four age-matched controls. Lower complex IV and V quantity and activity were observed in the cerebellum of FXTAS patients compared to controls, without any differences in total mitochondrial content. No patient-control differences were observed in the frontal cortex. In NDEVs, FMR1 premutation carriers compared to controls had lower activity of Complex IV and Complex V, but higher Complex V quantity. Quantitative and functional abnormalities in mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes IV and V seen in the cerebellum of patients with FXTAS are also manifest in plasma NDEVs of FMR1 premutation carriers. Plasma NDEVs may provide further insights into mitochondrial pathologies in this syndrome and could potentially lead to the development of biomarkers for predicting symptomatic FXTAS among premutation carriers and disease monitoring.

Gaze Orienting in the Social World: An Exploration of the Role Played by Caregiving Vocal and Tactile Behaviors in Infants with Visual Impairment and in Sighted Controls

Infant attention is a cognitive function that underlines sensory–motor integration processes at the interface between the baby and the surrounding physical and socio-relational environment, mainly with the caregivers. The investigation of the role of non-visual inputs (i.e., vocal and tactile) provided by the caregivers in shaping infants’ attention in the context of visual impairment is relevant from both a theoretical and clinical point of view. This study investigated the social attention (i.e., gaze orientation) skills in a group of visually impaired (VI) and age-matched sighted controls (SCs) between 9 and 12 months of age. Moreover, the role of VI severity and maternal vocalizations and touch in shaping the social attention were investigated. Overall, 45 infants and their mothers participated in a video-recorded 4 min interaction procedure, including a play and a still-face episode. The infants’ gaze orientation (i.e., mother-directed, object-directed, or unfocused) and the types of maternal vocalizations and touch (i.e., socio-cognitive, affective) were micro-analytically coded. Maternal vocalizations and touch were found to influence gaze orientation differently in VI infants compared SCs. Moreover, the group comparisons during the play episode showed that controls were predominantly oriented to the mothers, while VI infants were less socially oriented. Visual impairment severity did not emerge as linked with social attention. These findings contribute to our understanding of socio-cognitive developmental trajectories in VI infants and highlight the need for tailored interventions to promote optimal outcomes for VI populations.

Testosterone therapy does not affect coagulation in male hypogonadism: a longitudinal study based on thrombin generation.

Testosterone therapy has been variably associated with increased thrombotic risk but investigations of global coagulation in this setting are lacking. To compare global coagulation of hypogonadal men before (T0) and 6 months after (T1) starting testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), and healthy controls. Observational prospective cohort study. Two tertiary endocrinological ambulatory care centers. Thirty-eight men with hypogonadism (mean age 55, SD 13) and 38 age-matched healthy controls. Thrombin generation assay (TGA) was performed at T0 and T1 in hypogonadal men and in controls. TGA is an in vitro procedure based on the continuous registration of thrombin generation and decay under conditions mimicking the process that occurs in vivo. The following TGA parameters were recorded: lag-time; thrombin-peak concentration; time-to-reach the peak, velocity index and endogenous thrombin potential (ETP), the latter representing the total amount of thrombin generated under the driving forces of procoagulants opposed by the anticoagulants. PC, antithrombin, factor (F)VIII, and fibrinogen were assessed. No changes of TGA parameters were observed between T0 and T1. Hypogonadal men displayed significantly higher ETP, fibrinogen, and significantly lower antithrombin levels both at T0 and T1 compared to controls. Thrombin-peak of hypogonadal men was significantly higher than controls at T0 but not at T1. ETP and antithrombin were correlated with testosterone levels. Hypogonadal men display a procoagulant imbalance detected by increased thrombin generation. Short-term TRT does not worsen global coagulation, suggesting that the treatment can be safely prescribed to men diagnosed with hypogonadism.

The hippocampus supports precise memory for public events regardless of their remoteness

The necessity of the human hippocampus and surrounding medial temporal lobe structures to semantic memory remains contentious. Impaired semantic memory following hippocampal lesions could arise either due to partially intertwined episodic memories and/or retrograde/anterograde effects. In this study, we tested amnesic individuals with lesions in hippocampus and surrounding medial temporal lobe (n = 7) and age-matched controls (n = 14) on their ability to precisely recall the dates of famous public events that occurred either before (i.e., pre-lifetime) or after participants’ birth date (lifetime). We show that deficits in dating precision are greatest for recent lifetime events, consistent with the notion that recent event memory may be particularly intertwined with episodic memory. At the same time, individuals with medial temporal lobe lesions showed more subtle impairments in their ability to date pre-birth and remote lifetime events precisely. Together, these findings suggest that the hippocampus and surrounding medial temporal lobe structures are important for representational precision of semantic memories regardless of their remoteness.

Impact of androgenic anabolic steroid use on cardiovascular and mental health in Danish recreational athletes: protocol for a nationwide cross-sectional cohort study as a part of the Fitness Doping in Denmark (FIDO-DK) study

IntroductionThe use of androgenic anabolic steroids (AASs) among recreational athletes is steadily increasing. However, knowledge regarding the potentially harmful effects of AAS primarily originates from case reports and small observational...

Visuospatial working memory in behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia: a comparative analysis with Alzheimer's disease using the box task.

This study investigated the visuospatial working memory profiles of behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) using a novel computerised test of visuospatial working memory: the Box Task. Twenty-eight bvFTD and 28 AD patients, as well as 32 age-matched control participants were recruited. All participants completed the Box Task and conventional neuropsychological tests of working memory, episodic memory, and visuospatial function. Both the bvFTD and AD groups exhibited significantly more Box Task between-search errors than the control group across all set sizes. Notably, the AD group demonstrated a significantly higher error rate compared to the bvFTD group. Regression analysis revealed that whilst episodic memory impairment significantly predicted Box Task error performance in AD, this was not the case for bvFTD. Additionally, a noticeable trend was observed for attention in predicting Box Task errors in both bvFTD and AD groups. The Box Task demonstrated high utility in differentiating between bvFTD and AD, with a decision tree correctly classifying 82.1% of bvFTD patients and 75% of AD patients. Our findings reveal significant visuospatial working memory impairments in bvFTD, albeit of lesser severity compared to disease-matched AD patients. The Box Task, a novel measure of visuospatial working memory, proved effective in differentiating between bvFTD and AD, outperforming many traditional neuropsychological measures. Overall, our findings highlight the utility of assessing visuospatial memory when differentiating between bvFTD and AD in the clinical setting.

Medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder associated with increased risk of developing glaucoma.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) therapies including atomoxetine, methylphenidate, and amphetamines are some of the most prescribed medications in North America. Due to their sympathomimetic action, these drugs are contraindicated in patients with a history of angle closure glaucoma (ACG). This study aims to determine the risk of ACG and open angle glaucoma (OAG) among users of these treatments. This is a retrospective cohort study with a case control analysis using the PharMetrics Plus Database (IQVIA, USA). We created a cohort of new users of atomoxetine, methylphenidate, and amphetamines and they were followed to the first diagnosis of (1) ACG or OAG; or (2) end of follow up. For each case, four age-matched controls were selected. A conditional logistic regression model was used to adjust for confounders and to calculate adjusted incidence-rate-ratios (aIRRs). A total of 240,257 new users of the ADHD medications were identified. The mean age was 45.0 ± 19.4 years and 55% of the cohort was female. Regular users of atomoxetine and amphetamines had a higher aIRR for developing ACG compared with non-users (aIRR = 2.55 95% CI [1.20-5.43] and 2.27 95% CI [1.42-3.63], respectively); while users of methylphenidate had a higher aIRR for developing OAG (aIRR = 1.23 95% CI [1.05-1.59]). Use of amphetamines and atomoxetine had a higher risk for ACG, while use of methylphenidate was associated with a higher risk for OAG. Given the prevalence of ADHD medication use (medically and recreationally), our current data on their associated risk of glaucoma have profound public health implications.