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Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2020 May 13;65:43-46. Epub 2020 May 13.

Clinical Centre of Excellence for Body, Mind and Health, GGz Breburg, Tilburg, the Netherlands; Tilburg University, Tranzo Dept., Tilburg, the Netherlands. Electronic address:

ACS Nano 2020 May 27. Epub 2020 May 27.

Förster Resonant Energy Transfer (FRET)-mediated exciton diffusion through artificial nanoscale building block assemblies could be used as an optoelectronic design element to transport energy. However, so far nanocrystal (NC) systems supported only diffusion lengths of 30 nm, which are too small to be useful in devices. Here, we demonstrate a FRET-mediated exciton diffusion length of 200 nm with 0. Read More

Eur Neurol 2020 May 26:1-8. Epub 2020 May 26.

Department of Health, Ethics and Society, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands,

Introduction: The psychological contribution to functional neurological and somatic symptom disorders is a major topic in current medical debate.

Objective: For an understanding of the processes leading to functional somatic symptoms, it is paramount to explore their relationship with stress and life events and to elucidate the contribution of cultural factors.

Methods: A total of 937 case records of civilian and military patients with functional somatic disorders treated in London during World War 1 were analysed. Read More

Sleep Med 2020 Feb 29. Epub 2020 Feb 29.

Clinical Neurology, Dept. of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Italy; IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.

Objective: To investigate clinical and dopaminergic pre-synaptic brain imaging characteristics of subjects with idiopathic rapid eye movement (REM) behavior disorder (iRBD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and to evaluate the combined predictive value of risk factors for short-term conversion to synucleinopathy.

Method: In sum, 44 polysomnography (PSG)-confirmed iRBD patients (68.5 ± 7. Read More

BMJ Open 2020 May 24;10(5):e035147. Epub 2020 May 24.

King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK.

Objectives: Depression can be a prodromal feature or a risk factor for dementia. We aimed to investigate which clinical factors in patients with late-life depression are associated with a higher risk of developing dementia and a more rapid conversion.

Design: Retrospective cohort study. Read More

Am J Mens Health 2020 May-Jun;14(3):1557988320922443

Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET - FEI - División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

During adolescence, androgens are responsible for the development of secondary sexual characteristics, pubertal growth, and the anabolic effects on bone and muscle mass. Testosterone is the most abundant testicular androgen, but some effects are mediated by its conversion to the more potent androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or to estradiol. Androgen deficiency, requiring replacement therapy, may occur due to a primary testicular failure or secondary to a hypothalamic-pituitary disorder. Read More

Mov Disord 2020 May 23. Epub 2020 May 23.

Center of Neurology, Department of Neurodegeneration and Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.

Background: Neurofilament light protein is an unspecific biofluid marker that reflects the extent of neuronal/axonal damage and thereby offers the chance monitor disease severity and progression. The objective of this study was to investigate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of neurofilament light protein in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with clinical trajectories of motor and cognitive function longitudinally.

Methods: CSF neurofilament light protein levels were assessed in 371 PD , 126 genetic PD patients (91 PD , 8 PD , 21 PD , 6 PD ), and 71 healthy controls. Read More

Vasc Endovascular Surg 2020 May 22:1538574420927533. Epub 2020 May 22.

ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health, CO, USA.

Median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) is an often discounted and vexing condition that may go unnoticed in a population of patients with complex comorbid conditions or those with poor psychiatric health. We report a unique case of a patient with anorexia nervosa in whom the successful operation for MALS was briefly complicated by a postoperative conversion disorder. Read More

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2020 May 22. Epub 2020 May 22.

Organic solar cells (OSCs) have again become a hot research topic in recent years. The record power conversion efficiency (PCE) of OSCs has boosted to over 17% in 2020. Apart from the high PCE, the stability of OSCs is also critical for its future applications and commercialization. Read More

Ther Adv Psychopharmacol 2020 11;10:2045125320912125. Epub 2020 May 11.

The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.

Functional neurological disorder (FND), formerly known as conversion disorder, causes a high burden of disability and distress, and is amongst the most commonly encountered conditions in neurology clinics and neuropsychiatric services, yet the therapeutic evidence base is somewhat limited. There has been recent interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics such as psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and in recent studies psychedelics have shown promise in treating a range of neuropsychiatric conditions. Modification of neural circuits associated with self-representation is thought to underlie some of this effect, and as some contemporary theories of FND focus on aberrant somatic self-representation, psychedelics may therefore represent an unexplored treatment option for FND. Read More

Calcif Tissue Int 2020 May 19. Epub 2020 May 19.

Reference Center for Inborn Errors of Metabolism, Pediatric Unit, University Hospital of Nancy, Nancy, France.

Vitamin D-dependent rickets type 1B (VDDR1B) is an autosomal semidominant genetic disorder caused by a deficiency in CYP2R1, which encodes vitamin D 25-hydroxylase, an enzyme that plays a crucial role in the conversion of vitamin D to 25-dihydroxyvitamin D. VDDR1B is a severe form of rickets that occurs during infancy and which is responsive to 25-OH vitamin D supplementation. We studied three adult patients from a multi-consanguineous family with VDDR1B. Read More

Chemistry 2020 May 19. Epub 2020 May 19.

Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, AC, GERMANY.

We report on a systematic variation of the SBA-15 synthesis conditions and its impact on the structural and chemical characteristics. An incremental alteration of the hydrothermal aging temperature and time was used to induce first changes of the highly ordered SBA-15 structure. Any effects on the total surface area, mesopores size, micropore contributions and pore connectivity are amplified by a combined incremental increase of the NH 4 F concentration. Read More

J Affect Disord 2020 Apr 30;273:240-246. Epub 2020 Apr 30.

Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:

Background: Patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and depressive episodes are usually diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). It is clinically important to estimate diagnostic conversion rate from MDD to BD and identify factors characterizing MDD patients at highest risk. We investigated conversion rate from depression to BD, stratified by age and sex, and associated psychopharmacological treatment patterns. Read More

ACS Nano 2020 May 20. Epub 2020 May 20.

CEITEC, Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova 123, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic.

Understanding the nucleation and growth kinetics of thin films is a prerequisite for their large-scale utilization in devices. For self-assembled molecular phases near thermodynamic equilibrium the nucleation-growth kinetic models are still not developed. Here, we employ real-time low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM) to visualize a phase transformation induced by the carboxylation of 4,4'-biphenyl dicarboxylic acid on Ag(001) under ultra-high-vacuum conditions. Read More

J Neurol 2020 May 14. Epub 2020 May 14.

Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, Box 95, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.

Aim: We report results from a 5-week MDT treatment programme, with individualised sessions, for a selected group of patients with FNSD, delivered in a neuropsychiatric outpatient setting. Primary aims were to (1) reduce symptoms, (2) improve functional performance and (3) improve health status.

Methods: Treatment involved individual sessions of neuropsychiatry, cognitive behavioural therapy, physiotherapy, occupational-therapy, education and family meetings. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2020 May 11;21(9). Epub 2020 May 11.

National Institute of Infectious Disease and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, No. 35, Keyan Road, Zhunan Town, Miaoli County 35053, Taiwan.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disorder manifested as Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) characterized by intestinal inflammation and involves a dysregulated immune response against commensal microbiota through the activation of CD4 T helper cells. T helper cell differentiation to effector or regulatory phenotypes is controlled by cytokine networks and transcriptional regulators. Distinct polarized T helper cells are able to alter their phenotypes to adapt to diverse and fluctuating physiological environments. Read More

Braz J Psychiatry 2020 May 11. Epub 2020 May 11.

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.

Objectives: To prospectively investigate whether baseline clinical characteristics and medication exposure predict development of major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder in offspring of parents with bipolar disorder.

Methods: Youth aged 9-20 years with at least one biological parent with bipolar disorder and no prior history of mood or psychotic episodes (n=93) were prospectively evaluated and treated naturalistically during the study. Participants were divided into two groups: converters, defined as those who met DSM-IV criteria for a mood episode during follow-up (n=19); or non-converters (n=74). Read More

Eur J Neurol 2020 May 12. Epub 2020 May 12.

Radboud University Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Neurology, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Functional neurological disorder (FND), is the second most common reason for referral to a neurologist. Despite being potentially treatable, FND remains underdiagnosed and associated with high levels of disability and distress. In this article, we address ten common myths about FND that continue to obstruct the diagnosis and treatment for these patients, and present them with accompanying lessons for the clinician. Read More

JIMD Rep 2020 May 8;53(1):83-89. Epub 2020 Apr 8.

Met Ed Co. Boulder Colorado.

Background: Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inherited metabolic disorder affecting the conversion of phenylalanine (Phe) to tyrosine. Medical nutrition therapy, consisting of a Phe-restricted diet with medical formula, is the primary treatment for PKU. The Simplified Diet is an approach to PKU nutrition management that allows certain fruits, vegetables, and low-protein foods to be eaten without measuring or tracking, referred to as free/uncounted foods. Read More

J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A 2020 May 11. Epub 2020 May 11.

Department of Hematology, Institut Jules Bordet (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.

Laparoscopic splenectomy for malignant hemopathies has been associated with a higher morbidity than for benign hemopathies. Recent progress in medical and surgical treatment for malignant hemopathies may have improved the outcomes of laparoscopic splenectomy. The purpose of this study is to compare the outcomes of laparoscopic splenectomy for malignant hemopathies (SHM) and benign hemopathies (SHB). Read More

Front Mol Biosci 2020 24;7:69. Epub 2020 Apr 24.

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States.

Elucidating the molecular mechanisms in the development of such a devastating neurodegenerative disorder as Alzheimer's disease (AD) is currently one of the major challenges of molecular medicine. Evidence strongly suggests that the development of AD is due to the accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) oligomers; therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms defining the conversion of physiologically important monomers of Aβ proteins into neurotoxic oligomeric species is the key for the development of treatments and preventions of AD. However, these oligomers are unstable and unavailable for structural, physical, and chemical studies. Read More

Bipolar Disord 2020 May 8. Epub 2020 May 8.

Department of Psychiatry, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.

Objective: To examine temporal patterns and predictors for diagnostic conversion from unipolar depression (UD) to bipolar disorder (BD), schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder (SAD).

Methods: A prospective nationwide register-based cohort (n = 43 495) of all first psychiatric hospitalizations due to UD during 1996-2011 was followed up to 15 years. We used cumulative incidence function (CIF) analyses and the Fine-Gray subdistribution model to define the cumulative incidence of the conversions and subdistribution hazard ratios (SHRs) for predictors. Read More

J Phys Chem B 2020 May 19. Epub 2020 May 19.

Pharmaceutical Sciences, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States.

Crystalline and amorphous materials usually possess distinct physicochemical properties due to major variations in long-range and local molecular packings. Enhanced fundamental knowledge of the molecular details of crystalline-to-amorphous interconversions is necessary to correlate the intermolecular structure to material properties and functions. While crystal structures can be readily obtained by X-ray crystallography, the microstructure of amorphous materials has rarely been explored due to a lack of high-resolution techniques capable of probing local molecular structures. Read More

J Biol Chem 2020 May 6. Epub 2020 May 6.

National Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, United States.

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a vascular disorder that primarily involves deposition of the 40-residue-long amyloid β peptide (Aβ40) in and along small blood vessels of the brain. CAA is often associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is characterized by amyloid plaques in the brain parenchyma enriched in the Aβ42 peptide. Several recent studies have suggested a structural origin that underlies the differences between the vascular amyloid deposits in CAA and the parenchymal plaques in AD. Read More

CNS Spectr 2020 May 6:1-6. Epub 2020 May 6.

J Med Internet Res 2020 May 5;22(5):e17098. Epub 2020 May 5.

Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Background: Evidence was found for the effectiveness of virtual reality-based cognitive behavioral therapy (VR-CBT) for treating paranoia in psychosis, but health-economic evaluations are lacking.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the short-term cost-effectiveness of VR-CBT.

Methods: The health-economic evaluation was embedded in a randomized controlled trial evaluating VR-CBT in 116 patients with a psychotic disorder suffering from paranoid ideation. Read More

Clin EEG Neurosci 2020 May 4:1550059420918756. Epub 2020 May 4.

Department of Psychology, Uskudar University, Istanbul, Turkey.

. Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES), is one of the clinical manifestations of conversion disorder that epileptiform discharges do not accompany. Factors capable of increasing susceptibility to these seizures have not been adequately investigated yet. Read More

Acta Neuropathol 2020 Apr 27. Epub 2020 Apr 27.

IRCCS, Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.

The clinical diagnosis of synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and multiple system atrophy (MSA), is challenging, especially at an early disease stage, due to the heterogeneous and often non-specific clinical manifestations. The discovery of reliable specific markers for synucleinopathies would consequently be of great aid to the diagnosis and management of these disorders. Real-Time Quaking-Induced Conversion (RT-QuIC) is an ultrasensitive technique that has been previously used to detect self-templating amyloidogenic proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and other biospecimens in prion disease and synucleinopathies. Read More

J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020 May;59(5):583-585

Bellevue Hospital, New York, NY. Electronic address:

A 32-year-old child and adolescent psychiatry resident with a history of presenting an abstract at a local psychiatric conference during residency and fourth authorship on an immunotherapy paper from a summer internship during medical school presents with a new-onset desire to write a case report. She has just come off her consultation liaison rotation, during which she consulted on a 12-year-old boy with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, and low depressive state hospitalized for pseudoseizures, a new-onset inability to walk, and aggressive outbursts. He had a negative magnetic resonance imaging scan, negative computed tomography scan, negative laboratory test results, and an unremarkable lumbar puncture. Read More

Mov Disord 2020 Apr 27. Epub 2020 Apr 27.

Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.

Background And Objective: Hypertension (HTN) is associated with worsening clinical outcomes in neurodegenerative diseases. The relationship between HTN and the age of diagnosis (ADx) of Huntington's disease (HD) is not clear, however. This study sought to determine if the presence of HTN in adult patients with premanifest HD was associated with an earlier ADx compared with normotensive patients with HD. Read More

Biochemistry 2020 May 4;59(19):1823-1831. Epub 2020 May 4.

Department of Chemistry, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616, United States.

CYP119, a bacterial thermophilic protein from the cytochrome P450 superfamily, has previously been observed in three different conformations with different inhibitors bound using X-ray crystallography. The significance of these states in solution and in the function of the enzyme is not well-known. Double electron-electron resonance (DEER) was used to measure distances and distance distributions between spin-labels for populated conformational states in solution. Read More

Mov Disord 2020 Apr 27. Epub 2020 Apr 27.

Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research and Center of Neurology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.

Background And Objectives: With disease-modifying treatment strategies on the horizon, stratification of individual patients at the earliest stages of Parkinson's disease (PD) is key-ideally already at clinical disease onset. Blood levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) provide an easily accessible fluid biomarker that might allow capturing the conversion from prodromal to manifest PD.

Methods: We assessed longitudinal serum NfL levels in subjects converting from prodromal to manifest sporadic PD (converters), at-risk subjects, and matched controls (72 participants with ≈4 visits), using single-molecule array (Simoa) technique. Read More

J Atten Disord 2020 Apr 26:1087054720909084. Epub 2020 Apr 26.

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.

To evaluate efficacy and safety of SPN-810 (extended-release molindone) in a Phase-2b, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study of children (6-12 years) with ADHD and persistent impulsive aggression (IA). After lead-in, children were randomized to (a) placebo ( = 31); (b) low-dose ( = 29, 12/18 mg/day); (c) medium-dose ( = 30, 24/36 mg/day); and (4) high-dose ( = 31, 36/54 mg/day) groups. Treatment included ~2. Read More

J Neurol Sci 2020 Apr 5;414:116821. Epub 2020 Apr 5.

Department of Public Health, Dokkyo Medical University, Japan.

Purpose: We examined dopamine transporter (DAT) binding in Japanese patients with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (IRBD) as a biomarker for the development of Lewy body disease (LBD).

Methods: [I]FP-CIT SPECT (DAT-SPECT) scans of 74 IRBD patients were compared to those from healthy Japanese subjects, and the predictive value for conversion to LBD during a 5-year follow-up was evaluated.

Results: Baseline DAT deficits (Z-score ≤ -2. Read More

JNMA J Nepal Med Assoc 2019 Sep-Oct;57(219):320-322

Department of Psychiatry, Narayani Hospital, Birgunj, Nepal.

Introduction: Dissociative disorder is one of the common psychiatric problems encountered very frequently in the hospital setting. The aim of the study is to find out the prevalence of dissociative convulsions type in patients suffering from dissociative disorder attending Psychiatry outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital.

Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital from February 2019 to July 2019 after taking ethical approval (MEMG/IRC/210/GA). Read More

Neurol Sci 2020 Apr 24. Epub 2020 Apr 24.

Imaging and Characterization Core Lab, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Prion diseases are a group of rare neurodegenerative disorders that develop as a result of the conformational conversion of normal prion protein (PrP) to the disease-associated isoform (PrP). The mechanism that actually causes disease remains unclear. However, the mechanism underlying the conformational transformation of prion protein is partially understood-in particular, there is strong evidence that copper ions play a significant functional role in prion proteins and in their conformational conversion. Read More

Braz J Psychiatry 2020 Apr 17. Epub 2020 Apr 17.

Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Objective: Obstacles for computational tools in psychiatry include gathering robust evidence and keeping implementation costs reasonable. We report a systematic review of automated speech evaluation for the psychosis spectrum and analyze the value of information for a screening program in a healthcare system with a limited number of psychiatrists (Maputo, Mozambique).

Methods: Original studies on speech analysis for forecasting of conversion in individuals at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis, diagnosis of manifested psychotic disorder, and first-episode psychosis (FEP) were included in this review. Read More

J Phys Condens Matter 2020 Apr 22;32(29):295702. Epub 2020 Apr 22.

CNRS et Université Lyon 1, 6, rue Ada Byron, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France.

Understanding thermal transport in 2D materials and especially in graphene is a key challenge for the design of heat management and energy conversion devices. The high sensitivity of measured transport properties to structural defects, ripples and vacancies is of crucial importance in these materials. Using a first principle based approach combined with an exact treatment of the disorder, we address the impact of vacancies on phonon lifetimes and thermal transport in graphene. Read More

Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2020 Apr 19. Epub 2020 Apr 19.

Mood Disorders Program, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.

Objective: To identify whether lifetime cocaine use is a risk factor for conversion from Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) to Bipolar Disorder (BD) in an outpatient sample of adults.

Methods: This is a prospective cohort study including 585 subjects aged between 18 and 60 years of age, diagnosed with MDD, as assessed by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI-Plus) at baseline (2012 - 2015). Subjects were re-assessed a mean of 3 years later (2017 - 2018) for potential conversion to BD assessed by MINI-Plus. Read More

ACS Catal 2020 Feb 6;10(3):1984-1992. Epub 2020 Jan 6.

Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratories, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, United Kingdom.

The use of solid-state molecular organometallic chemistry (SMOM-chem) to promote the efficient double bond isomerization of 1-butene to 2-butenes under flow-reactor conditions is reported. Single crystalline catalysts based upon the σ-alkane complexes [Rh(RPCHCHPR)(ηη-NBA)][BAr] (R = Cy, Bu; NBA = norbornane; Ar = 3,5-(CF)CH) are prepared by hydrogenation of a norbornadiene precursor. For the Bu-substituted system this results in the loss of long-range order, which can be re-established by addition of 1-butene to the material to form a mixture of [Rh(BuPCHCHPBu)(-2-butene)][BAr] and [Rh(BuPCHCHPBu)(1-butene)][BAr], in an order/disorder/order phase change. Read More

Stroke 2020 May 16;51(5):1629-1635. Epub 2020 Apr 16.

Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin-Institute for Advanced Study, Germany (S.P., A.M.B.).

Psychosomatics 2020 Feb 22. Epub 2020 Feb 22.

Functional Neurology Research Group, Cognitive Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Electronic address:

Background: Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a prevalent neuropsychiatric condition characterized by sensorimotor difficulties. Patients with FND at times report that sensory experiences trigger and/or exacerbate their symptoms. Sensory processing difficulties are also commonly reported in other psychiatric disorders frequently comorbid in FND, suggesting that contextualizing sensory profiles in FND within a biopsychosocial model may be clinically relevant. Read More

J Pers Med 2020 Apr 9;10(2). Epub 2020 Apr 9.

Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "Agostino Gemelli" IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), also termed mild neurocognitive disorder, includes a heterogeneous group of conditions characterized by declines in one or more cognitive domains greater than that expected during "normal" aging but not severe enough to impair functional abilities. MCI has been associated with an increased risk of developing dementia and even considered an early stage of it. Therefore, noninvasively accessible biomarkers of MCI are highly sought after for early identification of the condition. Read More

Neurol Sci 2020 Apr 12. Epub 2020 Apr 12.

Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Care and Research Centre, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, "Federico II" University of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, edificio 17 piano terra, 80131, Naples, Italy.

Background: Botulinum toxin (BT) is an effective and safe treatment for spasticity, with limited evidence in multiple sclerosis (MS). We aim to describe the use of BT for the management of MS spasticity in the clinical practice, its combination with other anti-spastic treatments in MS and possible MS clinical correlates.

Methods: This is a multicentre cross-sectional observational study including 386 MS patients, receiving BT for spasticity in 19 Italian centres (age 53. Read More

Neurol Clin 2020 05 9;38(2):469-480. Epub 2020 Mar 9.

Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Abbott Hall, Room 1112, 710 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. Electronic address:

Functional movement disorders (FMD) are commonly seen in neurologic practice and frequent sources of disability. Patients may present with tremor, weakness, dystonia, jerking movements, abnormal gait and speech, often combining several movement phenomenologies. Associated symptoms include chronic pain, depression, and anxiety. Read More

Dermatol Ther 2020 Apr 7:e13381. Epub 2020 Apr 7.

Uşak University, School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Uşak, Turkey.

Androgenetic alopecia also known as pattern alopecia, is a disorder characterized by the gradual onset of the conversion of terminal hairs into vellus hairs. Dexpanthenol has an anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effect and a cellular repair capability. We present nine male cases who had marked improvement after receiving only systemic dexpanthenol treatment for androgenetic alopecia. Read More

Psychol Med 2020 Apr 6:1-8. Epub 2020 Apr 6.

Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, USA.

Background: Schizophrenia (SZ) is typically preceded by a prodromal (i.e. pre-illness) period characterized by attenuated positive symptoms and declining functional outcome. Read More

JMIR Med Inform 2020 Apr 3;8(4):e14278. Epub 2020 Apr 3.

Department of Information Management and Institute of Healthcare Information Management, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi County, Taiwan.

Background: Unipolar major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder are two major mood disorders. The two disorders have different treatment strategies and prognoses. However, bipolar disorder may begin with depression and could be diagnosed as MDD in the initial stage, which may later contribute to treatment failure. Read More

Syst Rev 2020 Apr 2;9(1):71. Epub 2020 Apr 2.

Digital Health Hub, Simon Fraser University, 4190 Galleria 4, 250 - 13450 102 Ave, Surrey, BC, V3T 0A3, Canada.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder commonly associated with deficits of cognition and changes in behavior. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the prodromal stage of AD that is defined by slight cognitive decline. Not all with MCI progress to AD dementia. Read More

J Psychosom Res 2020 Mar 21;133:110100. Epub 2020 Mar 21.

Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.

Objective: Emotional difficulties are common in functional movement disorders (FMD), yet their contribution to the disease remains unclear. We explored the potential role of emotional difficulties as risk and maintaining factors of FMD by looking at the effect of emotions on attention.

Method: The dot-probe task was used to investigate attentional biases induced by emotional faces in 25 patients with FMD and 25 healthy controls (HC). Read More