Vascular Dementia Research Articles

Association between COVID-19 and the Risk of Vascular Dementia: A Mendelian Randomisation Study of the Potential Cognitive Sequela of COVID-19.

A growing body of observational studies and Mendelian Randomisation analyses suggest an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia following COVID-19 infection. However, evidence on the potential association between COVID-19 and vascular dementia, which is plausible given the vascular complications of COVID-19 infection, is still limited. In this study, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian Randomisation analysis to examine the potential causal relationship between COVID-19 phenotypes and the risk of vascular dementia, using summary data from large-scale GWASs. The two-sample Mendelian Randomisation analysis did not detect any significant associations of COVID-19 infection, COVID-19 hospitalisation, or critical COVID-19 with the risk of vascular dementia, with weighted average β values of -0.29 (95% CI: -0.84, 0.26; p = 0.301), -0.12 (95% CI: -0.36, 0.13; p = 0.345), and -0.07 (95% CI: -0.23, 0.09; p = 0.374), respectively. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that vascular dementia is one of the long-term sequelae of COVID-19.

Atrial Fibrillation and Cognitive Disorders.

The prevalence of atrial fibrillation among older adults is increasing. Research has indicated that atrial fibrillation is linked to cognitive impairment disorders such as Alzheimer and vascular dementia, as well as Parkinson disease. Various mechanisms are believed to be shared between atrial fibrillation and cognitive impairment disorders. The specific pathologies and mechanisms of different cognitive disorders are still being studied. Potential mechanisms include cerebral hypoperfusion, ischemic or hemorrhagic infarction, and cerebrovascular reactivity to carbon dioxide. Additionally, circulatory biomarkers and certain infectious organisms appear to be involved. This review offers an examination of the overlapping epidemiology between atrial fibrillation and cognitive disorders, explores different cognitive disorders and their connections with this arrhythmia, and discusses trials and guidelines for preventing and treating atrial fibrillation in patients with cognitive disorders. It synthesizes existing knowledge on the management of atrial fibrillation and identifies areas that require further investigation to bridge the gap in understanding the complex relationship between dementia and atrial fibrillation.

A potential association between COVID-19 vaccination and development of alzheimer's disease.

The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic extend to concerns about vaccine side effects, particularly potential links to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study investigates the association between COVID-19 vaccination and the onset of AD and its prodromal state, mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A nationwide, retrospective cohort study leveraging data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service was conducted. The study, conducted in Seoul, South Korea, analyzed data from a random 50% sample of city residents aged 65 and above, totaling 558,017 individuals. Participants were divided into vaccinated and unvaccinated groups, with vaccinations including mRNA and cDNA vaccines. The study focused on AD and MCI incidences post-vaccination, identified via ICD-10 codes, using multivariable logistic and Cox regression analyses. Patients with vascular dementia or Parkinson's disease served as controls. Findings showed an increased incidence of MCI and AD in vaccinated individuals, particularly those receiving mRNA vaccines, within three months post-vaccination. The mRNA vaccine group exhibited a significantly higher incidence of AD (Odds Ratio [OR]: 1.225; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.025-1.464; p = 0.026) and MCI (OR: 2.377; CI: 1.845-3.064; p < 0.001) compared to the unvaccinated group. No significant relationship was found with vascular dementia or Parkinson's disease. Preliminary evidence suggests a potential link between COVID-19 vaccination, particularly mRNA vaccines, and increased incidences of AD and MCI. This underscores the need for further research to elucidate the relationship between vaccine-induced immune responses and neurodegenerative processes, advocating for continuous monitoring and investigation into the vaccines' long-term neurological impacts.

Prediction of Amyloid Positivity in Patients with Subcortical Vascular Cognitive Impairment.

Amyloid-β (Aβ) commonly coexists and impacts prognosis in subcortical vascular cognitive impairment (SVCI). This study aimed to examine the differences in clinical and neuroimaging variables between Aβ-positive and Aβ-negative SVCI and to propose a prediction model for Aβ positivity in clinically diagnosed SVCI patients. A total of 130 patients with SVCI were included in model development, and a separate cohort of 70 SVCI patients was used in external validation. The variables for the prediction model were selected by comparing the characteristics of the Aβ-negative and Aβ-positive SVCI groups. The final model was determined using a stepwise method. The model performance was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and a calibration curve. A nomogram was used for visualization. Among 130 SVCI patients, 70 (53.8%) were Aβ-positive. The Aβ-positive SVCI group was characterized by older age, tendency to be in the dementia stage, a higher prevalence of APOEɛ4, a lower prevalence of lacune, and more severe medial temporal atrophy (MTA). The final prediction model, which excluded MTA grade following the stepwise method for variable selection, demonstrated good accuracy in distinguishing between Aβ-positive and Aβ-negative SVCI, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.80. The external validation demonstrated an AUC of 0.71. The findings suggest that older age, dementia stage, APOEɛ4 carrier, and absence of lacunes may be predictive of Aβ positivity in clinically diagnosed SVCI patients.

Efficacy and safety of Ferrous iron on the prevention of Vascular cOgnitive impaiRment among patients with cerebral Infarction/TIA (FAVORITE): rationale and design of a multicentre randomised trial

BackgroundThe incidence of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is high in patients suffering from ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or with vascular risk factors. Effective prevention strategies for VCI...

Cardiovascular Disease and Dementia: Exploring Intersections, Risks, and Therapeutic Challenges.

This review examines the complex bidirectional relationship between cardiovascular disease and various dementia subtypes, including Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, arrhythmia, and diabetes mellitus are strongly linked to the development of dementia. Emerging evidence indicates that cognitive decline can exacerbate cardiovascular risks through heightened inflammatory responses and compromised autonomic regulation. Additionally, this review explores trials that investigate the impact of cardiovascular medications, such as antihypertensive and statin therapies, on cognitive outcomes, as well as studies examining how dementia treatments like anticholinesterases affect cardiovascular health. This review emphasizes the importance of early identification of at-risk individuals, integrated care approaches, and lifestyle interventions aimed at reducing both cardiovascular disease and dementia risk, ultimately aiming to enhance patient outcomes and quality of life.

Brain health index as a predictor of possible vascular dementia in the Mexican health and aging study 2012-2015.

To determine the burden of disease among subjects at risk of developing stroke or dementia, brain health indexes (BHI) tend to rely on anatomical features. Recent definitions emphasize the need of a broader perspective that encompasses cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFS) and lifestyle components which can be considered partial contributors to optimal brain health. In this study, we aimed to establish the association and risk detected by a Brain Health Index and the risk of possible vascular dementia (PVD) using data from the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) 2012-2015. The MHAS is a longitudinal study of adults aged ≥ 50 years. We analyzed the data obtained between 2012 and 2015. CVRFS included in the index were diabetes mellitus, hypertension, myocardial infarction, depression, obesity, physical inactivity, and smoking history. A PVD diagnosis was established when scores in the Cross-Cultural Cognitive Examination were below reference norms and limitations in ≥1 instrumental activities of daily living and a history of stroke were present. A multinomial regression model was developed to determine the association between BHI scores and PVD. In 2015, 75 PVD cases were identified. Mean age was 67.1 ±13.2 years, 35.8% were female, and the mean educational level was 5.8 ±5.5 years. In cases with a higher score in the BHI, the model revealed a hazards ratio of 1.63 (95% CI: 1.63-1.64, p< 0.001) for PVD. In this longitudinal study, with the use of a feasible multifactorial BHI in the Mexican population, a greater score was associated with a 1.63-fold risk of developing PVD during the 3-year follow-up, while the risk for stroke was 1.75. This index could potentially be used to predict the risk of PVD in adults with modifiable CVRFS.

#876 Albuminuria and the risk of dementia and different dementia subtypes: the Stockholm Creatinine Measurements (SCREAM) project

Abstract Background and Aims Studies investigating the association of chronic kidney disease and dementia predominantly focused on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) rather than albuminuria. The few studies focusing on albuminuria reported conflicting results, probably due to a lack of power, not taking into account the different dementia subtypes, not adjusting for eGFR, and the use of different albuminuria measurement techniques. This study therefore investigated the eGFR-independent risk of all-cause and type-specific dementia associated with albuminuria, quantified as urine albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR) and by dipstick, in a large population. Method We included subjects from the Stockholm Creatinine Measurements (SCREAM) project without a history of dementia and with age ≥65 years. The main analyses involved 138 688 subjects with at least one ACR test, and for sensitivity analyses, we involved 170 572 subjects with at least one dipstick proteinuria test. Albuminuria was quantified as KDIGO albuminuria A1-A3 stages. The primary outcome was incidence of all-cause dementia, and the key secondary outcomes were incidence of type-specific dementia. Dementia incidence was ascertained by record linkage with the national dementia registry (SveDem). ICD-10 coding was also used to classify subtypes only when there were no available dementia records in SveDem. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs, 95% CIs) crude, and adjusted for confounders including baseline eGFR. Results During a median follow-up of 3.9 (IQR, 1.8-7.2) years, 9 970 subjects developed de novo dementia. After multivariable adjustment including baseline eGFR, subjects with an ACR of 30-299 mg/g or ≥300 mg/g had a 26% (HR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.20-1.32) and 36% (HR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.24-1.50) higher risk of developing all-cause dementia, respectively, when compared to subjects with an ACR &amp;lt;30 mg/g. Subjects with an ACR of 30-299 mg/g also presented a higher risk of developing several type-specific dementia, including Alzheimer's dementia (HR, 1.09, 95% CI, 1.01-1.17), vascular dementia (HR, 1.35, 95% CI, 1.22-1.48), and unspecified dementia (HR, 1.54, 95% CI, 1.41-1.69). No significant associations between albuminuria and the incidence of Lewy body dementia and Parkinson's Disease with dementia, frontotemporal dementia, as well as other types of dementia were observed. These results were generally robust in several sensitivity analyses, including replicating our main analyses in subjects with a dipstick proteinuria test instead of an ACR. Conclusion Increased albuminuria is associated with a higher risk of all-cause, Alzheimer's, and vascular dementia, independent of baseline eGFR and different albuminuria measurement techniques.

#1858 Delirium among patients admitted to a Nephrology ward-risk factors and association with short-term outcomes: an observational prospective cohort study

Abstract Background and Aims To date, delirium is considered one of the most frequent neuropsychiatric acute syndromes among hospitalized populations. In general medicine, the risk factors for delirium are well-established but there are limited data concerning the incidence and predictors of delirium in nephrological patients. The aims of the study were (i) to assess the prevalence and the risk factors for delirium in hospitalized patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), and (ii) to evaluate the effect of delirium on in-hospital mortality. Method A cohort of 942 patients admitted to the Nephrology Department of a tertiary-care Hospital from January 2023 to December 2023 were enrolled in a prospective observational study. Delirium was diagnosed by a psychiatrist during the hospitalization. The endpoint was defined as hospital death or hospital discharge. Relevant sociodemographic, nephrological- and medical-related clusters were assessed with logistic uni- and multivariable regression methods to evaluate their association with delirium and in-hospital mortality. A two-tailed value &amp;lt;0.05 was considered significant. Results In the studied group, mean age was 62.85 years, 519 (55.09%) patients being males. The prevalence of delirium was 5.41% (51/942 patients). The delirious patients were older (mean 70.04 vs. 62.44 years; P&amp;lt;0.001) and with a longer duration of hospitalization (13.12 ± 7.90 days vs. 10.76 ± 8.92 days; P=0.007). Univariable regression analysis showed that delirium was associated with age (r=0.117, P&amp;lt;0.001), alcohol abuse (r=0.144, P&amp;lt;0.001), history of stroke (r=0.184, P&amp;lt;0.001), vascular dementia (r=0.125, P&amp;lt;0.001), dehydration (r=0.175, P&amp;lt;0.001), sepsis (r=0.144, P&amp;lt;0.001), and acute kidney injury (AKI) stage 2 and 3 (r=0.155, P&amp;lt;0.001). In multivariable regression analysis, the independent predictors of delirium were: age (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.029, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.002–1.056, P=0.034), alcohol abuse (OR=4.728, 95% CI: 1.968-11.359, P=0.001), history of stroke (OR=3.493, 95% CI: 1.849-6.598, P&amp;lt;0.001), and AKI stage 2 and 3 (OR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.152-4.105, P=0.017). Chronic kidney disease was not associated with a higher risk of delirium (OR=0.583, 95% CI: 0.308-1.110, P=0.097). Delirium was associated with increased in-hospital mortality (47.05% vs. no-delirium 14.36%, P&amp;lt;0.001) and was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality (OR=3.074, 95% CI: 1.630-5.797, P=0.001). Conclusion In this study conducted on patients hospitalized in a nephrology ward age, alcohol abuse, history of stroke, and AKI stage 2 and 3 were independent risk factors for delirium. Delirium significantly increased in-hospital mortality. The findings of the study emphasize the strong connectivity between AKI and acute brain dysfunction.

Cognitive trajectories preluding the onset of different dementia entities: a descriptive longitudinal study using the NACC database

ObjectiveTo describe the 10-year preclinical cognitive trajectories of older, non-demented individuals towards the onset of the four most prevalent types of dementia, i.e., Alzheimer’s disease(AD), Lewy body(LBD), vascular(VD) and frontotemporal dementia(FTD).MethodsOur analysis focused on data from older (≥ 60years) NACC (National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center) participants. Four distinct presymptomatic dementia groups (AD-LBD-VD-FTD) and a comparison group of cognitively unimpaired(CU) participants were formed. Comprehensive cognitive assessments involving verbal episodic memory, semantic verbal fluency, confrontation naming, mental processing speed – attention and executive function – cognitive flexibility were conducted at baseline and on an approximately yearly basis. Descriptive analyses (adjusted general linear models) were performed to determine and compare the yearly cognitive scores of each group throughout the follow-up. Exploratory analyses were conducted to estimate the rates of cognitive decline.ResultsThere were 3343 participants who developed AD, 247 LBD, 108 FTD, 155 VD and 3398 composed the CU group. Participants with AD performed worse on episodic memory than those with VD and LBD for about 3 to 4 years prior to dementia onset (the FTD group documented an intermediate course). Presymptomatic verbal fluency and confrontation naming trajectories differentiated quite well between the FTD group and the remaining dementia entities. Participants with incident LBD and VD performed worse than those with AD on executive functions and mental processing speed-attention since about 5 years prior to the onset of dementia, and worse than those with FTD more proximally to the diagnosis of the disorder.ConclusionsHeterogeneous cognitive trajectories characterize the presymptomatic courses of the most prevalent dementia entities.

Human dementia with Lewy bodies brain shows widespread urea elevations

IntroductionSeveral recent studies have uncovered the presence of widespread urea elevations in multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD), vascular dementia (VaD), and Huntington's disease (HD). However, it is currently unknown whether dementia with Lewy bodies also shows these alterations in urea. This study aimed to investigate if and where urea is perturbed in the DLB brain. MethodsTissues from ten brain regions were obtained from 20 diagnosed cases of DLB and 19 controls. Urea concentrations were measured using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS). Case–control differences were assessed by nonparametric Mann-Whitney U tests, and s-values, E-values, effect sizes, and risk ratios were determined for each brain region. The results were compared to those previously obtained for AD, PDD, VaD, and HD. ResultsAs with other previously investigated dementia diseases, DLB shows widespread urea elevations, affecting all ten regions investigated in the current study; the degree of these elevations is lower than that seen in AD or PDD, similar to that seen in HD, and higher than that observed in VaD. The highest urea fold-change was observed in the pons and the lowest in the primary visual cortex. ConclusionUrea elevations appear to be a shared alterations across at least five neurodegenerative diseases, despite their many differences in clinical and neuropathological presentation. The cause and effects of this perturbation should be the focus of future studies, for its possible contributions to the pathology of these conditions.

Influence of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms on Caregiver Burden for Different Types of Dementia: Clinical Experience in Lima, Peru

Introduction: People caring for patients with dementia are prone to suffering from burden. Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) may have an impact on caregiver burden. In Latin American countries, there is a lack of research on caregiver burden. We aimed to determine which BPSD have the greatest impact on caregiver burden among Peruvian patients with dementia and to compare the effects of BPSD on caregiver burden across different types of dementia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 231 patients living with Alzheimer’s dementia (AD), behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and vascular dementia (VD) and their caregivers who attended a Peruvian memory clinic. BPSD were assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Caregiver burden was assessed with the Zarit Burden Inventory. We used analysis of variance to compare the AD, bvFTD, DLB, and VD groups. Correlations between Zarit Burden Inventory and NPI subscale scores were assessed with Spearman’s correlation. Results: DLB caregivers had significantly higher levels of burden than the other patient groups (p < 0.05) and higher total NPI scores than caregivers for other patient groups (p < 0.05). bvFTD caregivers had significantly higher total NPI scores than AD and VD caregivers (p < 0.05). Hallucinations, aberrant motor behavior, and apathy were the symptoms most significantly correlated with caregiver burden in those caring for DLB, bvFTD, and AD patients, respectively. Conclusion: Neuropsychiatric symptoms are higher in DLB caregivers. Hallucinations, aberrant motor behavior, and apathy are the main symptoms correlated with burden.

NOSOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF IN-PATIENT PSYCHIATRIC CARE PROVISION IN THE POLTAVA REGION IN 2023

Introduction. The importance of safeguarding mental health and providing high-quality psychiatric care became increasingly urgent following the onset of full-scale war in Ukraine. Currently, a strategy to transfer psychiatric care from specialized institutions to primary care is being implemented. Therefore, analyzing the nosological distribution of referrals to a psychiatric hospital during martial law is an extremely urgent issue. The aim of this study is to investigate the nosological structure of hospitalizations at the Communal Enterprise “Regional Institution of Mental Psychiatric Care of the Poltava Regional Council” in 2023. Results and their discussion. Schizophrenia remains the leading diagnosis among patients receiving inpatient psychiatric care. The second place is taken by neurotic, stress-related, and somatoform disorders. In third place are organic, including symptomatic, mental disorders, with vascular dementia being the leading primary diagnosis among patients with organic, including symptomatic, mental disorders. Among the substances causing mental and behavioral disorders due to the use of psychoactive substances, alcohol ranks first. Paranoid schizophrenia is the leading diagnosis in patients with schizophrenia, schizotypal states, and delusional disorders. Recurrent depressive disorder is the most common among affective disorders. Adjustment disorders occupy the first place in the structure of the incidence of neurotic, stress-related, and somatoform disorders. Among the behavioral syndromes associated with physiological disturbances and physical factors, anorexia nervosa is the most common. Emotionally unstable personality disorder is most common among patients with disorders of adult personality and behavior. Mild mental retardation is more common than others. Childhood autism has the largest share in the incidence structure of disorders of psychological development. Among behavioral and emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescence, the most common are mixed disorders of conduct and emotions. Conclusion. The obtained results can be used in planning and forecasting the provision of inpatient psychiatric care to patients during the wartime.

Computerized decision support is an effective approach to select memory clinic patients for amyloid-PET.

The use of amyloid-PET in dementia workup is upcoming. At the same time, amyloid-PET is costly and limitedly available. While the appropriate use criteria (AUC) aim for optimal use of amyloid-PET, their limited sensitivity hinders the translation to clinical practice. Therefore, there is a need for tools that guide selection of patients for whom amyloid-PET has the most clinical utility. We aimed to develop a computerized decision support approach to select patients for amyloid-PET. We included 286 subjects (135 controls, 108 Alzheimer's disease dementia, 33 frontotemporal lobe dementia, and 10 vascular dementia) from the Amsterdam Dementia Cohort, with available neuropsychology, APOE, MRI and [18F]florbetaben amyloid-PET. In our computerized decision support approach, using supervised machine learning based on the DSI classifier, we first classified the subjects using only neuropsychology, APOE, and quantified MRI. Then, for subjects with uncertain classification (probability of correct class (PCC) < 0.75) we enriched classification by adding (hypothetical) amyloid positive (AD-like) and negative (normal) PET visual read results and assessed whether the diagnosis became more certain in at least one scenario (PPC≥0.75). If this was the case, the actual visual read result was used in the final classification. We compared the proportion of PET scans and patients diagnosed with sufficient certainty in the computerized approach with three scenarios: 1) without amyloid-PET, 2) amyloid-PET according to the AUC, and 3) amyloid-PET for all patients. The computerized approach advised PET in n = 60(21%) patients, leading to a diagnosis with sufficient certainty in n = 188(66%) patients. This approach was more efficient than the other three scenarios: 1) without amyloid-PET, diagnostic classification was obtained in n = 155(54%), 2) applying the AUC resulted in amyloid-PET in n = 113(40%) and diagnostic classification in n = 156(55%), and 3) performing amyloid-PET in all resulted in diagnostic classification in n = 154(54%). Our computerized data-driven approach selected 21% of memory clinic patients for amyloid-PET, without compromising diagnostic performance. Our work contributes to a cost-effective implementation and could support clinicians in making a balanced decision in ordering additional amyloid PET during the dementia workup.

Classification of Vascular Dementia on magnetic resonance imaging using deep learning architectures

Vascular Dementia is a severe disease that results from dead nerve cells’ accumulation in blood vessels. This affects the blood flow and impairs memory and decision-making abilities. Machine learning and deep learning have been used in detecting this disease. Nevertheless, their accuracy has been inconsistent, explaining why their utilization in diagnosing patients has led to poor performance. We developed several transfer learning architectures that improve classification accuracy and diagnosis performance in assessing vascular dementia. The process first entails the preprocessing of the dataset where a random selection ensures data representation is balanced. We used a dataset containing resting-state fMRI scans to split training, testing, and validation into 80%, 10%, and 10%. We employ different Convolutional Neural Network architectures such as VGG16, VGG19, DenseNet121, and InceptionResNetV2 to enhance classification. To, enhance these, we incorporated Rectified Linear Unit and leaky activation functions for the training phase to counteract problems associated with vanishing gradient common in deep learning tasks. Our methodology ensures effective information flow throughout different layers, which is essential for a divergent information hierarchy in medical information. As such, the specifics show that our approach achieved 84.67% in accuracy in the multi-classification, which is better than the current state-of-the-art research in the same field. Therefore, the result shows that transfer learning-based approaches are suitable when combined with strategic pre-processing and activation functions in improving the diagnosis of vascular dementia using MRI images.

A Visual Approach for Inducing Dolichoectasia in Mice to Model Large Vessel-Mediated Cerebrovascular Dysfunction.

The blood-brain (BBB) is a crucial system that regulates selective brain circulation with the periphery, as an example, allowing necessary nutrients to enter and expel excessive amino acids or toxins from the brain. To model how the BBB can be compromised in diseases like vascular dementia (VaD) or Alzheimer's disease (AD), researchers developed novel methods to model vessel dilatation. A compromised BBB in these disease states can be detrimental and result in the dysregulation of the BBB leading to untoward and pathological consequences impacting brain function. We were able to modify an existing technique that enabled us to inject directly into the Cisterna magna (CM) to induce dilatation of blood vessels using elastase, and disrupt the tight junctions (TJ) of the BBB. With this method, we were able to see various metrics of success over previous techniques, including consistent blood vessel dilatation, reduced mortality or improved recovery, and improving the fill/opacifying agent, a silicone rubber compound, delivery for labeling blood vessels for dilatation analysis. This modified minimally invasive method has had promising results, with a 19%-32% increase in sustained dilatation of large blood vessels in mice from 2 weeks to 3 months post-injection. This improvement contrasts with previous studies, which showed increased dilatation only at the 2 week mark. Additional data suggests sustained expansion even after 9.5 months. This increase was confirmed by comparing the diameter of blood vessels of the elastase and the vehicle-injected group. Overall, this technique is valuable for studying pathological disorders that affect the central nervous system (CNS) using animal models.

Neurofilament Light Chain as a Biomarker of Global Cognition in Individuals With Possible Vascular Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Neurofilament Light Chain (NfL) is a biomarker of axonal injury elevated in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease dementia. Blood NfL also inversely correlates with cognitive performance in those conditions. However, few studies have assessed NfL as a biomarker of global cognition in individuals demonstrating mild cognitive deficits who are at risk for vascular-related cognitive decline. To assess the relationship between blood NfL and global cognition in individuals with possible vascular MCI (vMCI) throughout cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Additionally, NfL levels were compared to age/sex-matched cognitively unimpaired (CU) controls. Participants with coronary artery disease (vMCI or CU) were recruited at entry to a 24-week CR program. Global cognition was measured using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and plasma NfL level (pg/ml) was quantified using a highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Higher plasma NfL was correlated with worse MoCA scores at baseline (β = -.352, P = .029) in 43 individuals with vMCI after adjusting for age, sex, and education. An increase in NfL was associated with worse global cognition (b[SE] = -4.81[2.06], P = .023) over time, however baseline NfL did not predict a decline in global cognition. NfL levels did not differ between the vMCI (n = 39) and CU (n = 39) groups (F(1, 76) = 1.37, P = .245). Plasma NfL correlates with global cognition at baseline in individuals with vMCI, and is associated with decline in global cognition during CR. Our findings increase understanding of NfL and neurobiological mechanisms associated with cognitive decline in vMCI.

The AHA/ASA and DSM-V diagnostic criteria for vascular cognitive impairment identify cases with predominant vascular pathology.

There are major challenges in determining the etiology of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) clinically, especially in the presence of mixed pathologies, such as vascular and amyloid. Most recently, two criteria (American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V)) have been proposed for the clinical diagnosis of VCI but have not as yet been validated using neuroimaging. This study aims to determine whether the AHA/ASA and DSM-V criteria for VCI can distinguish between cases with predominantly vascular pathology and cases with mixed pathology. A total of 186 subjects were recruited from a cross-sectional memory clinic-based study at the National University Hospital, Singapore. All subjects underwent clinical and neuropsychological assessment, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and carbon 11-labeled Pittsburgh Compound B ([11C] PiB) positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Diagnosis of the etiological subtypes of VCI (probable vascular mild cognitive impairment (VaMCI), possible VaMCI, non-VaMCI, probable vascular dementia (VaD), possible VaD, non-VaD) were performed following AHA/ASA and DSM-V criteria. Brain amyloid burden was determined for each subject with standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) values ⩾1.5 classified as amyloid positive. Using κ statistics, both criteria had excellent agreement for probable VaMCI, probable VaD, and possible VaD (κ = 1.00), and good for possible VaMCI (κ = 0.71). Using the AHA/ASA criteria, the amyloid positivity of probable VaMCI (3.8%) and probable VaD (15%) was significantly lower compared to possible VaMCI (26.7%), non-VaMCI (33.3%), possible VaD (73.3%), and non-VaD (76.2%) (p < 0.001). Similarly, using the DSM-V criteria, the amyloid positivity of probable VaMCI (3.8%) and probable VaD (15%) was significantly lower compared to possible VaMCI (26.3%), non-VaMCI (32.1%), possible VaD (73.3%), and non-VaD (76.2%) (p < 0.001). In both criteria, there was good agreement in differentiating individuals with non-VaD and possible VaD, with significantly higher (p < 0.001) global [11C]-PiB SUVR, from individuals with probable VaMCI and probable VaD, who had predominant vascular pathology. The AHA/ASA and DSM-V criteria for VCI can identify VCI cases with little to no concomitant amyloid pathology, hence supporting the utility of AHA/ASA and DSM-V criteria in diagnosing patients with predominant vascular pathology. Data supporting this study are available from the Memory Aging and Cognition Center, National University of Singapore. Access to the data is subject to approval and a data sharing agreement due to University policy.

Human Cytomegalovirus Infection and Neurocognitive and Neuropsychiatric Health.

A common infection, human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) has been associated with a variety of human diseases, including cardiovascular disease and possibly certain cancers. HCMV has also been associated with cognitive, psychiatric, and neurological conditions. Children with congenital or early-life HCMV are at risk for microcephaly, cerebral palsy, and sensorineural hearing loss, although in many cases sensorineural loss may resolve. In addition, HCMV can be associated with neurodevelopmental impairment, which may improve with time. In young, middle-aged, and older adults, HCMV has been adversely associated with cognitive function in some but not in all studies. Research has linked HCMV to Alzheimer's and vascular dementia, but again not all findings consistently support these associations. In addition, HCMV has been associated with depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and autism-spectrum disorder, although the available findings are likewise inconsistent. Given associations between HCMV and a variety of neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric disorders, additional research investigating reasons for the considerable inconsistencies in the currently available findings is needed. Additional meta-analyses and more longitudinal studies are needed as well. Research into the effects of antiviral medication on cognitive and neurological outcomes and continued efforts in vaccine development have potential to lower the neurocognitive, neuropsychiatric, and neurological burden of HCMV infection.

No genetic causal associations between periodontitis and brain atrophy or cognitive impairment: evidence from a comprehensive bidirectional Mendelian randomization study

BackgroundObservational studies have explored the relationships of periodontitis with brain atrophy and cognitive impairment, but these findings are limited by reverse causation, confounders and have reported conflicting results. Our study aimed to investigate the causal associations of periodontitis with brain atrophy and cognitive impairment through a comprehensive bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) research.MethodsWe incorporated two distinct genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary datasets as an exploration cohort and a replication cohort for periodontitis. Four and eight metrics were selected for the insightful evaluation of brain atrophy and cognitive impairment, respectively. The former involved cortical thickness and surface area, left and right hippocampal volumes, with the latter covering assessments of cognitive performance, fluid intelligence scores, prospective memory, and reaction time for mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease (AD), Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia and frontotemporal dementia for severe situations. Furthermore, supplementary analyses were conducted to examine the associations between the longitudinal rates of change in brain atrophy and cognitive function metrics with periodontitis. The main analysis utilized the inverse variance weighting (IVW) method and evaluated the robustness of the results through a series of sensitivity analyses. For multiple tests, associations with p-values < 0.0021 were considered statistically significant, while p-values ≥ 0.0021 and < 0.05 were regarded as suggestive of significance.ResultsIn the exploration cohort, forward and reverse MR results revealed no causal associations between periodontitis and brain atrophy or cognitive impairment, and only a potential causal association was found between AD and periodontitis (IVW: OR = 0.917, 95% CI from 0.845 to 0.995, P = 0.038). Results from the replication cohort similarly corroborated the absence of a causal relationship. In the supplementary analyses, the longitudinal rates of change in brain atrophy and cognitive function were also not found to have causal relationships with periodontitis.ConclusionsThe MR analyses indicated a lack of substantial evidence for a causal connection between periodontitis and both brain atrophy and cognitive impairment.