REM sleep behavior disorder in a patient with frontotemporal dementia

We describe a patient with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a tauopathy, who also showed clinical and polysomnographic features of REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). The patient is a 78-year-old male with a 1 year history of behavioral dysfunction involving emotion, character and social functioning. Brain imaging and the results of neuropsychological testing were consistent with a diagnosis of FTD. Sleep symptom onset occurred some years before the behavioral changes, and consisted of unpleasant dreams, vocalization, and prominent motor behaviors. A polysomnography confirmed the diagnosis of RBD. Our findings support the hypothesis that RBD, although more frequent in synucleinopathies, might …

COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT IN PATIENTS WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE

Sleep and sleepiness in Parkinson’s disease: result of a “spontaneous” observational study on rotigotine

Clinical features and disease out come in patients with pediatric and young adult onset Multiple Sclerosis

PREGNANCIES MODIFY RELAPSES AND PROGRESSION IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Back to the life: a case of tretable dementia

Primary Progressive and progressive relapsing multiple sclerosis show different clinical and instrumental findings and disability progression? A comparison study on a Sicilian database

ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA.

MSJ872889_supplemental_table – Supplemental material for Treatment of multiple sclerosis with rituximab: A multicentric Italian–Swiss experience

Supplemental material, MSJ872889_supplemental_table for Treatment of multiple sclerosis with rituximab: A multicentric Italian–Swiss experience by Chiara Zecca, Francesca Bovis, Giovanni Novi, Marco Capobianco, Roberta Lanzillo, Jessica Frau, Anna Maria Repice, Bahia Hakiki, Sabrina Realmuto, Simona Bonavita, Erica Curti, Laura Brambilla, Giorgia Mataluni, Paola Cavalla, Alessia Di Sapio, Elisabetta Signoriello, Stefania Barone, Giorgia T Maniscalco, Ilaria Maietta, Isabella Maraffi, Giacomo Boffa, Simona Malucchi, Agostino Nozzolillo, Giancarlo Coghe, Claudia Mechi, Giuseppe Salemi, Antonio Gallo, Rosaria Sacco, Maria Cellerino, Maria Malentacchi, Marcello De Angelis, Lorena Lorefice, Elia…

INFLUENCE OF REPETITIVE TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION (RTMS) ON ACTION TREMOR IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS

Klotho and vitamin D in multiple sclerosis: an Italian study

Introduction Low vitamin D levels have been recognised as an important risk factor for autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a multifactorial disease, the pathogenesis of which contributes both to genetic and environmental factors. Polymorphisms in genes codifying molecules involved in vitamin D homeostasis have been associated with hypovitaminosis D. However, the influence of polymorphisms of Klotho, which codify a protein with a pivotal role in vitamin D metabolism, have never been investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association among genetic variants of Klotho, namely rs1207568 and rs9536314, serum 25(OH)D3 levels, and multiple sclerosis (both …

PRIMARY PROGRESSIVE CROSSED APHASIA IN A DEXTRAL WOMAN

Natalizumab therapy of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: an evaluation of the safety profile and a comparison of efficacy with interferon beta therapy

EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES IN CEREBROSPINAL FLUID AS MARKERS OF CNS INFLAMMATION

Neurofunctional correlates of attention rehabilitation in Parkinson's disease: an explorative study

The effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation (CR) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is in its relative infancy, and nowadays there is insufficient information to support evidence-based clinical protocols. This study is aimed at testing a validated therapeutic strategy characterized by intensive computer-based attention-training program tailored to attention deficits. We further investigated the presence of synaptic plasticity by means of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Using a randomized controlled study, we enrolled eight PD patients who underwent a CR program (Experimental group) and seven clinically/demographically-matched PD patients who underwent a placebo intervention (Contro…

Clinical features, disease course and prognosis in patients with paediatric and young adult onset multiple sclerosis

Background. Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients develop their first symptoms before adolescence approximately in 5%. Studies comparing clinical and prognostic characteristics in early onset MS, did not show homogeneous results. Objective. Aim of this study was to investigate characteristics of early onset MS patients and compare them with patients who experienced MS onset later. Methods. MS patients diagnosed as affected by MS according to Poser's criteria, were included if they experienced symptoms onset before age 25. They were classified in three groups. Group A: patients who had their onset until they were 16 years old Group B: individuals with onset between 17 and 20 yearsGroup C: patient…

Lifestyle factors and multiple sclerosis: a case control study

A population-based survey of cognitive performance in a Sicilian elderly community.

<i>Background:</i> The global burden of neurodegenerative diseases is increasing. Previous studies reported differences related to age, gender and socioeconomic status. We calculated the cognitive performances of a Sicilian population aged 65 years or older, by means of a door-to-door population-based survey in Bagheria city, Sicily. <i>Methods:</i> A door-to-door survey was carried out in the city of Bagheria, Sicily (prevalence day September 30, 2006). A cohort of 2,200 persons was randomly stratified, obtaining a 25% sample of the whole population. Cognitive function was assessed by Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Percentile distributions by age, gender, edu…

Comparison of the intestinal microbiome of italian patients with multiple sclerosis and their household relatives

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system, caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. In recent years, a role in MS pathogenesis was assigned to the gut microbiota. However, different signatures of gut dysbiosis have been shown to depend on environmental factors, like diet and lifestyle. In this study, we compared the gut microbiome in MS patients and their household healthy relatives sharing lifestyle and environmental factors. Faecal metagenomic DNA was extracted and the V3–V4 regions of the conserved bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene were amplified and sequenced. While overall bacterial communities were similar, specific …

Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the right hemisphere improves auditory comprehension in a case of dementia.

Background Noninvasive transcranial stimulation methods have been increasingly employed in order to improve cognitive performance in neurological patients. In previous studies with both stroke patients and healthy subjects, noninvasive stimulation of temporal-parietal regions and their homologue produced an improvement in linguistic tasks. Objective The aim of the current study was to evaluate if anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over Brodmann areas 39/40 (angular and supramarginal gyri) could promote the recovery of linguistic functions, in particular comprehension and naming, in a single patient affected by dementia. Methods Three preliminary explorative single session…

Real world experience with teriflunomide in multiple sclerosis: the TER-Italy study.

Objective: To identify baseline factors associated with disease activity in patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) under teriflunomide treatment. Methods: This was an independent, multi-centre, retrospective post-marketing study. We analysed data of 1,507 patients who started teriflunomide since October 2014 and were regularly followed in 28 Centres in Italy. We reported the proportions of patients who discontinued treatment (after excluding 32 lost to follow-up) and who experienced clinical disease activity, i.e., relapse(s) and/or confirmed disability worsening, as assessed by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Decision tree-based analysis was performed to i…

Application of tRNS to improve multiple sclerosis fatigue: a pilot, single-blind, sham-controlled study

We evaluated the effects of transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) on fatigue in 17 subjects with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis with low physical disability. Two different patient groups underwent real or sham stimulation for 10 days, targeting the primary motor cortex of the dominant side or contralateral to the most compromised limb. In the ‘real group’, beneficial effects were observed using the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (p = 0.04; physical subscale: p = 0.03), the subscales ‘change in health’ (p = 0.006) and ‘role limitations due to physical problems’ (p = 0.001) of the Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54, and by assessing the patient impression of perceived fatigue…

Sleep disturbances and dysautonomic dysfunction are associated in patients with Parkinson’s disease

Insidious onset of Pisa syndrome after rasagiline therapy in a patient with Parkinson’s disease

N.A.

Lesion load may predict long-term cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis patients

Background: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques provided evidences into the understanding of cognitive impairment (CIm) in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Objectives: To investigate the role of white matter (WM) and gray matter (GM) in predicting long-term CIm in a cohort of MS patients. Methods: 303 out of 597 patients participating in a previous multicenter clinical-MRI study were enrolled (49.4% were lost at follow-up). The following MRI parameters, expressed as fraction (f) of intracranial volume, were evaluated: cerebrospinal fluid (CSF-f), WM-f, GM-f and abnormal WM (AWM-f), a measure of lesion load. Nine years later, cognitive status was assessed in 241 patients using the Symbol Dig…

Toxic effects on astrocytes of extracellular vesicles from CSF of multiple sclerosis patients: a pilot in vitro study.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune and degenerative disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) that causes a progressive loss of motor and cognitive perfor-mances. Moreover, since the earlier phases, axonal loss as well as neuronal degener-ation and a failure of oligodendrocytes to promote myelin repair have been demon-strated. In previous studies, it has been shown that the treatment of rat neuronal primary cultures with serum from MS patients can be toxic for neurons. Here we report a pilot investigation showing that CSF from patients contains extracellular vesicles (EVs) able to induce cell death in rat cultured astrocytes. Although these data are still preliminary, they suggest …

Discontinuation of treatment with Natalizumab after 24 courses. Report from spontaneous, observational, prospective study (TYSTOP).

Treatment of multiple sclerosis with rituximab: A multicentric Italian–Swiss experience

Background: Rituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody leading to B lymphocyte depletion, is increasingly used as an off-label treatment option for multiple sclerosis (MS). Objective: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of rituximab in relapsing–remitting (RR) and progressive MS. Methods: This is a multicenter, retrospective study on consecutive MS patients treated off-label with rituximab in 22 Italian and 1 Swiss MS centers. Relapse rate, time to first relapse, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) progression, incidence of adverse events, and radiological outcomes from 2009 to 2019 were analyzed. Results: A total of 355/451 enrolled subjects had at least one follow-up visit an…

Natalizumab Discontinuation and Treatment Strategies in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS): A Retrospective Study from Two Italian MS Centers

Introduction Natalizumab (NTZ) discontinuation can be followed by multiple sclerosis (MS) disease reactivation. Currently no disease-modifying drug (DMD) has been shown to be able to abolish disease reactivation. The aims of the current study were: (1) to determine the frequency of MS reactivation after NTZ discontinuation; (2) to evaluate predictors of reactivation risk, and (3) to compare the effect of different treatments in reducing this risk. Methods Data from 132 patients with MS followed-up for 2 years before NTZ treatment and 1 year after interruption were collected from two Italian MS centers and retrospectively evaluated. Results Overall, 72 of 132 patients (54.5%) had relapses af…

Tumor diagnosis preceding Alzheimer’s disease: a case-control study

In patient’s with Parkinson disease, autonomic symptoms are frequent and associated with other non-motor symptoms

Background: Autonomic symptoms and sleep disorders are common non-motor symptoms of Parkinson disease (PD), which are correlated with poor quality of life for patients. Purpose: To assess the frequency of autonomic symptoms in a consecutive series of PD patients and to correlate them with other motor and non-motor symptoms. Methods: All consecutive non-demented PD patients who underwent an extensive evaluation including Hoehn and Yahr staging, Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale, Beck’s Depression Inventory, Neuropsychiatric Inventory, PDQ-39 Scale, the Parkinson’s diseases Sleep Scale, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and SCOPA-AUT scale were enrolled. Comorbidity has been also considered…

IMMUNOSUPPRESSANT TREATMENT AND CANCER RISK IN A COHORT OF PATIENTS AFFECTED BY MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Reversible Pisa Syndrome in a patient with Parkinson's disease on rasagiline therapy

The Ekman 60-faces test: an italiana normative study

LATE MORTALITY OF HEMORRHAGIC TRANSFORMATION OF ISCHEMIC STROKE

Introduction. Hemorrhagic transformation (HT), a complication of ischemic stroke (IS) is supposed to influence patient’s prognosis. Aim of our study was to evaluate, in a hospital-based series of patients not treated with thrombolysis, the relationship between HT and late mortality. Methods. Mortality of individuals with spontaneous HT was compared to that of individuals without. Medical records of patients diagnosed with anterior IS during the period 2004-2006 were reviewed. Living status was obtained from the public record office of the municipality of Palermo or indirectly by telephone interview. Outcome measure was 90 days survival after IS onset. Kaplan-Meier estimates were used to con…

Modulation of action tremor by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in multiple sclerosis patients

Background: Patients affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can show a tremor of their upper limbs, mostly during the performing of finalised action (action tremor) or at the maintaining of a position against gravity (postural tremor), as key clinical feature of their disease. Objectives: In order to reduce the tremor, patients underwent to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the primary motor cortex of left hemisphere. Methods: Eight patients affected by a middle form of MS were enrolled into the study. A standard neurological examination was carried out and the individual degree of disability was established employing the Expanded Disability Status Score (EDSS). At EDSS pa…

Chronic acquired hepatocerebral degeneration or Parkinson Disease? A case report

Clinical Features and disease outcome in pt with pediatric and young adult onset multiple sclerosis

Social cognition dysfunctions in patients with epilepsy: Evidence from patients with temporal lobe and idiopathic generalized epilepsies

Abstract Background and aim Despite an extensive literature on cognitive impairments in focal and generalized epilepsy, only a few number of studies specifically explored social cognition disorders in epilepsy syndromes. The aim of our study was to investigate social cognition abilities in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE). Materials and methods Thirty-nine patients (21 patients with TLE and 18 patients with IGE) and 21 matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. All subjects underwent a basic neuropsychological battery plus two experimental tasks evaluating emotion recognition from facial expression (Ekman-60-Faces test…

Association between multiple sclerosis, cancer risk, and immunosuppressant treatment: a cohort study

Abstract Background The association between multiple sclerosis (MS) and cancer has long been investigated with conflicting results. Several reports suggest an increased cancer risk among MS patients treated with immunosuppressant (IS) drugs. Methods We performed a cohort study including MS patients recruited at the Neurological Department of the University of Palermo. Mean follow-up period was ten years for the whole cohort. We calculated cancer incidence among patients treated with IS. Incidence rates were compared in the cohort by calculating the relative risk according to length and dose of exposure to IS. Cancer incidence among MS patients was compared to cancer incidence in the general…

Sleep quality in caregivers of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease patients and its relationship to quality of life

Moral Cognition and Multiple Sclerosis: A Neuropsychological Study

Objectives Recent literature proved that social cognition impairments may characterize the neuropsychological profile of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients. However, little is still known about moral cognition in MS. In this study, we evaluated non-social, social, and moral cognitive performances in 45 relapsing-remitting MS patients. Methods Patients underwent the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis battery, the Cognitive Estimation and Stroop tasks, the Ekman-60 Faces test, the Reading the Mind in the Eye and Story-based Empathy task. Additionally, a task of moral dilemmas including both "instrumental" and "incidental" conditions was administered to patients. For…

Clinical and instrumental predictors of efficacy of natalizumab therapy in the course of multiple sclerosis: a retrospective study from a single centre

Pisa syndrome after rasagiline therapy in a patient with Parkinson’s disease

Dear Editor, We have read with interest comments by Solla et al. [1] regarding our Letter to the Editor published in NeurologicalSciences titled ‘‘Insidious onset of Pisa Syndrome afterrasagiline therapy in a patient with Parkinson’s Disease’’[2]. We thank the authors for their interest in our paper, but we think it is necessary to make some clarifications regarding the temporal relationship between the onset of Pisa Syndrome (PS) and rasagiline therapy. PS occurred in fact after and not before rasagiline treatment as stated by Solla et al. In particular, PS occurred after a time interval of 6–12 months and anyway after rasagiline was added to patient’s therapy. This long time interval is o…

Four cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in iatrogenic immunocompromised patients

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) caused by John Cunningham Virus (JCV). We report four PML cases in immunocompromised patients, respectively treated with (1) Natalizumab, (2) Rituximab, (3) autologous stem-cell transplantation, and (4) Tacrolimus. All patients underwent neurological examination, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), JCV-DNA research on biological samples, and lymphocytes subpopulation study. All cases presented with motor, behavioural, and cognitive disorders. Visual, sensitive, and cerebellar deficits developed in three cases. MRI revealed widespread progressiv…

Frequency of Mitoxantrone related heart involvement in patients affected by Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple reversibile MR signals in course of Epstein-Barr virus encephalitis

Tumor Diagnosis Preceding Alzheimer's Disease Onset: Is There a Link Between Cancer and Alzheimer's Disease?

Studies reporting an inverse association between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cancer are scant. Available data are mostly based on ancillary findings of mortality data or obtained from studies evaluating frequency of neoplasms in AD patients independently if they occurred before or after AD. Moreover, some studies estimated frequencies of neoplasms in demented individuals, who were not necessarily AD patients. We estimated frequency of tumors preceding the onset of AD in AD patients and compared it to that of age- and gender-matched AD-free individuals. Occurrence of tumors preceding AD onset was assessed through a semi-structured questionnaire. Tumors were categorized as benign, malignant,…

Primary progressive crossed aphasia in dextrals: report of three cases

Reduced striatal dopamine transporter binding in posterior cortical atrophy

TREATMENT CHOICE AFTER 24 NATALIZUMAB DOSES IN PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS: A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY, THE TY-STOP

Clinical activity after fingolimod cessation: Disease reactivation or rebound?

Background and purpose There is debate as to whether the apparent rebound after fingolimod discontinuation is related to the discontinuation itself or whether it is due to the natural course of highly active multiple sclerosis (MS). Our aim was to survey the prevalence of severe reactivation and rebound after discontinuation of fingolimod in a cohort of Italian patients with MS. Methods Patients with relapsing-remitting MS who were treated with fingolimod for at least 6 months and who stopped treatment for reasons that were unrelated to inefficacy were included in the analysis. Results A total of 100 patients who had discontinued fingolimod were included in the study. Fourteen patients (14%…

Quetiapine dose-sparing effect with addiction of memantine: two cases report of Lewy Body disease and dementia associated with Parkinson’s disease

Differences in intercellular communication during clinical relapse and gadolinium-enhanced MRI in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis: A study of the composition of extracellular vesicles in cerebrospinal fluid

This study was designed based on the hypothesis that changes in both the levels and surface marker expression of extracellular vesicles (EVs) isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may be associated with the clinical form, disease activity, and severity of multiple sclerosis (MS). The analyzes were performed on subjects affected by MS or other neurological disorders. EVs, which were isolated by ultracentrifugation of CSF samples, were characterized by flow cytometry. A panel of fluorescent antibodies was used to identify the EV origin: CD4, CCR3, CCR5, CD19, and CD200, as well as isolectin IB4. The Mann–Whitney U-test and Kruskal–Wallis test were used for statistical analyzes. EVs isol…

Anodal tDCS of the swallowing motor cortex for treatment of dysphagia in multiple sclerosis: a pilot open-label study

Swallowing difficulties are a common symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS). The early detection and treatment of dysphagia is critical to prevent complications, including poor nutrition, dehydration, and lung infections. Recently, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been proven to be effective in ameliorating swallowing problems in stroke patients. In this pilot study, we aimed to assess safety and efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in the treatment of dysphagia in MS patients. We screened 30 patients by using the 10-item DYsphagia in MUltiple Sclerosis (DYMUS) questionnaire, and patients at risk for dysphagia underwent a clinical and fiberoptic endoscopi…

Return of disease activity after natalizumab therapy discontinuation in patients with multiple sclerosis: frequency and clinical and instrumental predictors of reactivation

DYSAUTONOMIC DYSFUNCTION IN PARKINSON’DISEASE BY SCOPA-AUT SCALE

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Cardiovascular comorbidity in multiple sclerosis patients treated with mitoxantrone therapy: a cohort study

Abstract Background Mitoxantrone (MX) has been used as second line therapy for aggressive multiple sclerosis (MS). Potential cardiotoxic effects of MX limit its use; a cumulative dose of up to 100 mg/m2, has been long considered relatively safe. We calculated the frequency of cardiac side effects in MS patients treated with MX. Methods We performed a cohort study including all MS patients treated with MX at the Neurological Department of the University Hospital of Palermo, Italy. Two hundred-sixty-four MS patients diagnosed according to validated criteria were included and followed-up until the end of September 2010. Patients were treated with MX as a second line therapy if they had no prev…

Extracellular vesicles isolated by cerebrospinal fluid as biomarkers of inflammation in multiple sclerosis and inflammatory neurological diseases.

Approccio multidimensionale ai disturbi non motori della Malattia di Parkinson

PARKINSON’S DISEASE AND PARKINSON’S DISEASE FAMILIAL HISTORY. RESULTS OF A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

Mitochondrial DNA TRNACYS mutation in a family with frontotemporal dementia and Parkinson’s disease

Identification of three novel progranulin mutations in a series of patients affected by sporadic and familial frontotemporal lobar de generation. Platform Presentation

Efficacy of different rituximab therapeutic strategies in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders

Abstract Objective To evaluate disease activity according to rituximab (RTX) induction and maintenance regimens in a multicenter real-life dataset of NMOSD patients. Methods This is an observational-retrospective multicentre study including patients with NMOSD treated with RTX in 21 Italian and 1 Swiss centers. Demographics, relapse rate and adverse events over the follow-up were summarized taking into account induction strategy (two-1 g infusions at a 15-day interval (IND-A) vs. 375 mg/m2/week infusions for one month (IND-B)) and maintenance therapy (regimen A (M-A) with fixed time-points infusions vs. regimen B (M-B) based on cytofluorimetric driven reinfusion regimens, the least further …

Frequency of cognitive impairment and factors associated in outpatients with Parkinson’s disease

Frontal dementia related to thalamic stroke: a case report.

RISK FACTORS FOR DYSKINESIAS IN PATIENTS WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE

Clinical and Instrumental Findings and Disability Progression in Primary Progressive and Progressive Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis: A Comparison Study of a Sicilian Group of Patients

Natalizumab Discontinuation after the 24th Course: Which Is Way? The TY-STOP Study

Emotion recognition in temporal lobe epilepsy and idiopathic generalized epilepsy

Purine metabolism and multiple sclerosis: pattern varies according to disease stage and clinical form

Clinical and instrumental predictors of efficacy of Natalizumab therapy in multiple sclerosis patients: a retrospective study from a single centre

Psychosis as adverse effect of cholinesterase inhibitors: two case reports of probable Alzheimer disease in treatment with galantamine

P3‐214: Identification of three novel progranulin mutations in a series of patients affected by sporadic and familial frontotemporal lobar degeneration

Rey-Osterrieth Complex figure performance in patients with degenerative dementia using Boston Qualitative Scoring System

Heart involvement in patients treated with mitoxantrone for multiple sclerosis

Emotion recognition from facial expressions: a normative study of the Ekman 60-Faces Test in the Italian population.

The Ekman 60-Faces (EK-60F) Test is a well-known neuropsychological tool assessing emotion recognition from facial expressions. It is the most employed task for research purposes in psychiatric and neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases, such as the behavioral variant of Frontotemporal Dementia (bvFTD). Despite its remarkable usefulness in the social cognition research field, to date, there are still no normative data for the Italian population, thus limiting its application in a clinical context. In this study, we report procedures and normative data for the Italian version of the test. A hundred and thirty-two healthy Italian participants aged between 20 and 79 years…

DYSAUTOMIC DISFUNCTON OCCURS EARLY IN PARKINSON DISEASE

VDBP, CYP27B1, and 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Gene Polymorphism Analyses in a Group of Sicilian Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of central nervous system regarded as one of the most common causes of neurological disability in young adults. The exact etiology of MS is not yet known, although epidemiological data indicate that both genetic susceptibility and environmental exposure are involved. A poor vitamin D status has been proposed as the most attractive environmental factor. Several evidence have highlighted the importance of mutations in vitamin D-regulating genes for vitamin D status. The purpose of our study was to assess the genetic variants of VDBP and CYP27B1 in MS patients and in a control group. A total of 192 subjects, including 100 MS patients a…

Frequency of John Cunningham virus (JCV) DNA and of antibodies against JCV in patients affected by multiple sclerosis and their relationship with natalizumab therapy

Treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis after 24 doses of natalizumab: evidence from an Italian spontaneous, prospective, and observational study (the TY-STOP Study).

Importance The evaluation of therapeutic choices is needed after 24 doses of natalizumab in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Objective To evaluate the effect of therapeutic choices on the mean annualized relapse rate and on magnetic resonance imaging MS activity after 24 doses of natalizumab in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. Design, Setting, and Participants The TY-STOP study, which recruited participants between October 22, 2010, and October 22, 2012, at 8 Italian MS centers (secondary care outpatient clinics) among 124 adult patients who demonstrated no clinical or magnetic resonance imaging MS activity after 24 doses of natalizumab. Interventions Natalizumab, no treatment, i…

Purine metabolism and Multiple Sclerosis: different pattern according to different disease stage and different clinical form.

P422 Purine metabolism and multiple sclerosis: pattern varies according to disease stage and clinical form G. Salemi, M. Gueli, V. Cusimano, M. Lo Re, V. Lo Re, M.A. Mazzola, S. Realmuto, P. Ragonese, G. Savettieri University (Palermo, IT) Background: Serum concentration of uric acid (sUA) was variably associated with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Many papers reported lower sUA in MS patients respect to healthy controls, expecially in course of relapse. This lower sUA was considered as a marker of oxidative stress. However, this association was not confirmed by many other papers. Recently, an increase in the concentration of sUA, hypoxanthine, xanthine, and sum of oxypurine (sPU) was reported in…

Looking for the best therapeutical stretegy after the 24th natalizumab adiministretion. The TY-STOP study

Early and late mortality of spontaneous hemorrhagic transformation of ischemic stroke.

Background Hemorrhagic transformation (HT), a complication of ischemic stroke (IS), might influence patient's prognosis. Our aim is to evaluate, in a hospital-based series of patients not treated with thrombolysis, the relationship between HT and mortality. Methods We compared mortality of individuals with spontaneous HT with that of individuals without. Medical records of patients diagnosed with anterior IS were retrospectively reviewed. Outcome measures were 30- and 90-day survival after IS onset. Kaplan–Meier estimates were used to construct survival curves. Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate hazard ratio (HR) for the main outcome measure (death). HT was stratified in he…

EMpathy ability and emotion recognition in temporal lobe epilepsy and idhiopathic generalizede epileps