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Neurodegeneration Biomarkers in Patients with Subjective Cognitive Complaints

In individuals with subjective cognitive decline, multiple biomarkers of neurodegeneration were found to add predictive values beyond amyloid and tau biomarkers; however, the various neurodegeneration biomarkers were not equivalent and should not be used interchangeably.

Antibody Profile in Refractory Myasthenia Gravis

In retrospective studies of patients with generalized myasthenia gravis, those who are refractory to multiple treatments have disease onset at an earlier age, are more likely to have thymic pathology, and are more likely to be double-seronegative (neither acetylcholine receptor nor muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase antibodies).

Outcomes of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy Treated with IL-7

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a severe demyelinating disease of the central nervous system caused by the reactivation of the JC virus. The authors of this study conducted a multi-centered retrospective observational study on 64 patients with PML who were treated with recombinant human IL-7 (RhIL-7). Overall, the one-year all-cause survival following start of RhIL-7 was 55% and similar among human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, hematological malignancies, and primary immunodeficiencies.

Does Amantadine Treatment Reduce Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesias?

This retrospective cohort study compared the effect of amantadine on levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) onset with use of anticholinergics and monoamine oxidase type B inhibitors in patients with Parkinson’s disease. The authors concluded that early treatment with amantadine may delay LID onset more than treatment with other symptomatic agents.

Cognitive Outcomes After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) may lead to adverse cognitive and neuropsychiatric outcomes. The pathways that lead to adverse cognitive outcomes remain to be scientifically elucidated. A prospective cohort study of 656 participants enrolled in the Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in TBI (TRACK-TBI) study found that at one year, 13.5% of participants with mTBI had poor cognitive outcome compared to 4.5% of controls, highlighting the need for better understanding of the mechanisms leading to poor cognitive and functional outcomes after mTBIs and interventions to optimize cognitive recovery.

It Is Uncertain if Men and Women Present with Different Symptoms at the Onset of Ischemic Stroke

There have been anecdotal reports and small case series that have suggested women may present with symptoms that are different from men at the onset of ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attacks. These investigators conducted a systematic review to determine if there was a difference in presenting symptoms between men and women.

Women Have a Higher Risk for Rupture of Intracranial Aneurysms than Men, Not Explained by Aneurysm Characteristics

It has been noted by clinicians that women have a higher risk of rupture of intracranial aneurysms than men, but in epidemiological studies this was not found to be an independent risk factor. These investigators undertook a review of several large, prospective studies and performed a meta-analysis to assess the characteristics that might be different between men and women to explain these observations.

Men Are More Likely to Have High-Risk and Dangerous Carotid Artery Plaques than Women

Investigators in the Netherlands investigated the differences between atherosclerotic plaque burden and plaque morphology between men and women who had recent ischemic stroke symptoms and less than 70% ipsilateral carotid artery stenosis.

Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy Are Associated with an Increased Risk of Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke

It has been established that women who have hypertension during pregnancy from any cause, compared to those without a history of hypertension, have an increased risk for subsequent stroke. Investigators in this study from Taiwan looked at the differences between the four major types of hypertensive disorders and the relative risks of subsequent stroke in women.

Women Who Experienced Miscarriage or Stillbirth Early in Life Have an Increased Risk of Stroke in Later Life

There have been limited studies looking at the effect of miscarriage and stillbirth, which could have an effect on endothelial function and chronic systemic inflammation, conditions that play a role in the long-term risk of stroke. These investigators performed a comprehensive literature search and meta-analysis that reviewed the records of women who experienced complications around pregnancy to determine the subsequent risk of stroke.