| 1. |
- Chiang, Huei-Hsin, et al.
(författare)
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Novel TARDBP mutations in Nordic ALS patients
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Human Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1434-5161 .- 1435-232X. ; 57:5, s. 316-319
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative syndrome primarily affecting the upper and lower motor neurons. A characteristic neuropathological finding in ALS patients is neuronal inclusions positive for TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43). Subsequently, mutations in the gene encoding TDP-43, TARDBP, proved to be involved in the development of ALS. We thus sequenced TARDBP in 177 Nordic ALS patients and found two previously reported (p.A90V and p.S379P) and two novel (p.G357R and p.R361T) missense variations in three familial ALS patients. The p.A90V and p.G357R variations were detected in the same patient and p.R361T was present in a family with both ALS and frontotemporal dementia-ALS. None of the missense variations were present in 200 neurologically healthy controls. However, p.A90V has also been reported in healthy individuals by others. Thus, the data suggest that these variations are rare and p.G357R, p.R361T and p.S379P are likely pathogenic but further functional characterization is needed to prove their pathogenicity. The mutation frequency in TARDBP in Nordic ALS patients was 1.7%. The ALS cohort was highly selected for a positive family history suggesting that mutations in TARDBP generally are a rare cause of ALS in Nordic countries.
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| 2. |
- Lee, Teresa, et al.
(författare)
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Ataxin-2 intermediate-length polyglutamine expansions in European ALS patients
- 2011
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Ingår i: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 20:9, s. 1697-1700
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal adult-onset neurodegenerative disease primarily affecting motor neurons. We recently identified intermediate-length polyglutamine (polyQ) expansions (27-33 Qs) in ataxin 2 as a genetic risk factor for sporadic ALS in North American ALS patients. To extend these findings, we assessed the ataxin 2 polyQ repeat length in 1294 European ALS patients and 679 matched healthy controls. We observed a significant association between polyQ expansions and ALS (>30 Qs; P= 6.2 × 10(-3)). Thus, intermediate-length ataxin 2 polyQ repeat expansions are associated with increased risk for ALS also in the European cohort. The specific polyQ length cutoff, however, appears to vary between different populations, with longer repeat lengths showing a clear association. Our findings support the hypothesis that ataxin 2 plays an important role in predisposing to ALS and that polyQ expansions in ataxin 2 are a significant risk factor for the disease.
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| 3. |
- Alves, Guido, et al.
(författare)
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Cerebrospinal fluid amyloid-β and phenotypic heterogeneity in de novo Parkinson's disease.
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. - : BMJ. - 1468-330X .- 0022-3050. ; 84:5, s. 537-43
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In Parkinson's disease (PD), the motor presentation characterised by postural instability/gait difficulties (PIGD) heralds accelerated motor, functional and cognitive decline, as compared with the more benign tremor-dominant (TD) variant. This makes the PIGD complex an attractive target for the discovery of prognostic biomarkers in PD.
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| 4. |
- Alves, Guido, et al.
(författare)
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CSF amyloid-β and tau proteins, and cognitive performance, in early and untreated Parkinson's Disease: the Norwegian ParkWest study
- 2010
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Ingår i: Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. - : BMJ. - 1468-330X .- 0022-3050. ; 81:10, s. 1080-1086
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology is found in a considerable portion of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), particularly those with early dementia (PDD). Altered cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of amyloid-beta (Abeta) and tau proteins have been found in PDD, with intermediate changes for Abeta42 in non-demented PD. The authors investigated whether AD-related CSF protein levels are altered and relate to neuropsychological performance in early, untreated PD. Methods CSF concentrations of Abeta42, Abeta40 and Abeta38 were measured by electrochemiluminiscene and levels of total tau (T-tau) and phosphorylated tau (P-tau) by ELISA in 109 newly diagnosed, unmedicated, non-demented, community-based PD patients who had undergone comprehensive neuropsychological testing, and were compared with those of 36 age-matched normal controls and 20 subjects with mild AD. Results PD patients displayed significant reductions in Abeta42 (19%; p=0.009), Abeta40 (15.5%; p=0.008) and Abeta38 (23%; p=0.004) but not T-tau (p=0.816) or P-tau (p=0.531) compared with controls. CSF Abeta42 reductions in PD were less marked than in AD (53%; p=0.002). Sequential regression analyses demonstrated significant associations between CSF levels of Abeta42 (beta=0.205; p=0.019), Abeta40 (beta=0.378; p<0.001) and Abeta38 (beta=0.288; p=0.001) and memory impairment, but not executive-attentional or visuospatial dysfunction. Tau protein levels did not correlate with cognitive measures. Conclusion CSF Abeta levels are altered in a subset of patients with early PD and relate to memory impairment. Our study suggests that alterations in Abeta protein metabolism may contribute to the heterogeneity in pattern and course of cognitive decline associated with PD. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the clinical significance of CSF Abeta peptides as prognostic biomarkers in PD.
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| 5. |
- Alves, Guido, et al.
(författare)
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CSF Aβ42 predicts early-onset dementia in Parkinson disease.
- 2014
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Ingår i: Neurology. - 1526-632X. ; 82:20, s. 1784-90
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To test in vivo the proposal from clinicopathologic studies that β-amyloid (Aβ) pathology shortens the time to dementia in Parkinson disease (PD), and to explore the utility of CSF Aβ and related measures as early prognostic biomarkers of dementia in an incident PD cohort.
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| 6. |
- Linder, Jan, 1957-
(författare)
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Idiopathic parkinsonism : epidemiology and clinical characteristics of a population-based incidence cohort
- 2012
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: Idiopathic parkinsonism is a neurodegenerative syndrome of unknown cause and includes Parkinson’s disease (PD) and atypical parkinsonian disorders. The atypical parkinsonian disorders are: Multiple system atrophy (MSA), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and corticobasal degeneration (CBD). The incidence rates of these diseases in Sweden are largely unknown. The diagnosis of each disease relies mainly on clinical examination although several imaging and laboratory parameters may show changes. A diagnosis based on clinical examination is especially difficult early in the course of each disease; diagnosis is easier later on when disease-charactersistic signs have evolved and become more prominent. However, even in later stages it is not uncommon that patients are misdiagnosed. PD can be divided into subgroups based on the main clinical symptoms, i. e. tremor dominant, postural instability and gait difficulty (PIGD), and indeterminate. The PIGD subtype has worse prognosis including higher risk of dementia. The aims were to study the incidence of idiopathic parkinsonism and the different specific parkinsonian disorders in the Umeåregion and to investigate the patients early in the course of the disease with brainmagnetic resonance tomography (MRI), external anal sphincterelectromyography (EAS-EMG) and oculomotor examination. Can these methods improve the differential diagnostic work-up and/or differentiate between the subtypes of PD? Methods: We examined all patients in our catchment area (142,000 inhabitants) who were referred to us due to a suspected parkinsonian syndrome. Our clinic is the only clinic in the area receiving referrals regarding movement disorders. During the period (January 1, 2004 through April 30,2009) 190 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. Healthy volunteers served as controls. Results: Incidence: We found the highest incidences reported in the literature: PD (22.5/100,000/year), MSA(2.4/100,000/year), and PSP (1.2/100,000/year). No CBD patients were encountered. Brain MRI: Degenerative changes were common both in controls and PD. There were no differences between the PD subtypes. EAS-EMG: Pathological changes in EAS-EMG examination were common in PD, MSA and PSP. It was not possible to separate PD, MSA and PSP by the EAS-EMG examination. Oculomotor examination: Pathological results were common in all diagnosis groups compared to controls. It was not possible to separate PD, MSA and PSP or the PD subtypes with the help of oculomotor examination. Conclusions: The incidences of idiopathic parkinsonism, PD, MSA and PSP were higher than previously reported in the literature. It is not clear weather this is due to a true higher incidence in the Umeå region or a more effective casefinding than in other studies. MRI, EAS-EMG and oculomotor examination could not contribute to the differential diagnostic work-up between PD, MSA and PSP nor differentiate between PD subtypes early in the course of the disease.
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