Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Br J Pharmacol 2019 Mar 21. Epub 2019 Mar 21.

Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC, Avda Dr Arce 37, 28002, Madrid, Spain.

Background And Purpose: L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia (LID) remains a major complication of L-DOPA therapy in Parkinson's disease. LID is believed to result from inhibition of substantia nigra reticulata (SNr) neurons by GABAergic striatal projection neurons that become supersensitive to dopamine receptor stimulation after severe nigrostriatal degeneration. Here we asked if stimulation of direct medium spiny neuron (dMSN) GABAergic terminals at the SNr can produce a full dyskinetic state similar to that induced by L-DOPA. Read More

Gene Ther 2019 02 7;26(1-2):57-64. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

CNS Gene Therapy, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.

Glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a promising therapeutic molecule to treat Parkinson's disease. Despite an excellent profile in experimental settings, clinical trials testing GDNF have failed. One of the theories to explain these negative outcomes is that the clinical trials were done in late-stage patients that have advanced nigrostriatal degeneration and may therefore not respond to a neurotrophic factor therapy. Read More

Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2018 Oct 15. Epub 2018 Oct 15.

Department of Neurology, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany. Electronic address:

Background: X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism (XDP) is characterized by the unique transition of dystonia to parkinsonism and striatal degeneration. Slowing of saccades on clinical examination has been taken as suggestive of a progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) phenotype.

Objectives: To elucidate whether eye movement abnormalities in XDP patients reflect striatonigral impairment or deficits in the brainstem saccade generator as present in PSP. Read More

Mov Disord 2018 Jul;33(7):1099-1107

University College London (UCL) Institute of Neurology, London, UK.

Background: The onset of multiple system atrophy (MSA) before age 40 years is referred to as "young-onset MSA." We identified clinical and pathological characteristics that might help with its early diagnosis and distinction from young-onset Parkinson's disease and late-onset MSA.

Methods: We reviewed the available clinical and pathological features in cases that fulfilled consensus criteria for diagnosis of probable MSA or had autopsy confirmed MSA with an onset before age 40 years and compared the clinical features with 16 autopsy confirmed cases with young-onset Parkinson's disease and a large published series of late-onset MSA from the European MSA Study Group. Read More

J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2018 Jul;77(7):598-607

Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders, Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disease characterized by aggregation of α-synuclein in oligodendrocytes to form glial cytoplasmic inclusions. According to the distribution of neurodegeneration, MSA is subtyped as striatonigral degeneration (SND), olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA), or as combination of these 2 (mixed MSA). In the current study, we aimed to investigate regional microglial populations and gene expression in the 3 different MSA subtypes. Read More

J Neurol 2018 Jul 25;265(7):1540-1547. Epub 2018 Apr 25.

Department of Neurology, Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Beomo-ri, Mulgum-eup, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do, 626-770, Republic of Korea.

Objective: The variability of the severity and regional distribution of pathological process in basal ganglia (BG) and brainstem-cerebellar systems results in clinical heterogeneity and represents the motor subtype of multiple system atrophy (MSA). This study aimed to quantify spatial patterns of multimodal MRI abnormalities in BG and stem-CB regions and define structural MRI findings that correlate with clinical characteristics.

Methods: We simultaneously measured R2*, mean diffusivity (MD), and volume in the subcortical structures (BG, thalamus, brainstem-cerebellar regions) of 39 probable MSA and 22 control subjects. Read More

Acta Neurol Scand 2018 Aug 24;138(2):170-176. Epub 2018 Mar 24.

Department of Neurology & National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

Objectives: To investigate the differences in the pattern of striatal (caudate and putamen) dopamine transporter (DAT) loss in a multiple system atrophy (MSA) cohort, based on the clinical variants parkinsonian subtype (MSA-P) and cerebellar subtype (MSA-C) via (11)C-N-2-carbomethoxy-3-(4-fluorophenyl)-tropane ( C-CFT) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging.

Materials And Methods: One hundred and six subjects (forty-one patients with probable MSA-P; forty patients with probable MSA-C; twenty-five healthy controls) underwent C-CFT PET. Subregional C-CFT uptake of bilateral caudate, anterior putamen, and posterior putamen was calculated respectively to measure the striatal dopaminergic function. Read More

Neuroimmunomodulation 2017 6;24(4-5):276-281. Epub 2018 Mar 6.

Institute of Pediatric Neurology, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tikva, Israel.

Prompted by findings suggesting immune instability in infantile bilateral striatal necrosis (IBSN), we evaluated levels of proinflammatory (tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, interferon [IFN]γ) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10 and IL-1ra) cytokines produced by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 6 children with IBSN and 11 age-matched controls. Compared to controls, non-stimulated PBMC from the IBSN group produced a significantly lower level of IL-1ra (by 38%; p < 0.001) and significantly lower levels of TNFα, IL-1β, and IFNγ (by 36% [p < 0. Read More

J Parkinsons Dis 2018 ;8(1):93-100

Parkinson's Institute and Clinical Center, Sunnyvale, CA, USA.

Background: Mutations in the leucine rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene are among the most common genetic causes of Lewy body Parkinson's disease (PD). However, LRRK2 mutations can also lead to a variety of pathological phenotypes other than typical PD, including relatively pure nigrostriatal cell loss without alpha-synuclein-positive Lewy bodies or Lewy neurites, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and multiple system atrophy (MSA). The mechanisms behind this remarkable pleomorphic pathology are currently unclear. Read More

J Alzheimers Dis 2018 ;61(4):1253-1273

Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.

Iron is essential for cellular development and maintenance of multiple physiological processes in the central nervous system. The disturbance of its homeostasis leads to abnormal iron deposition in the brain and causes neurotoxicity via generation of free radicals and oxidative stress. Iron toxicity has been established in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease; however, its contribution to multiple system atrophy (MSA) remains elusive. Read More

Acta Neuropathol Commun 2018 01 3;6(1). Epub 2018 Jan 3.

Division of Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 66 / G2, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by widespread oligodendroglial cytoplasmic inclusions of filamentous α-synuclein, and neuronal loss in autonomic centres, basal ganglia and cerebellar circuits. It has been suggested that primary oligodendroglial α-synucleinopathy may represent a trigger in the pathogenesis of MSA, but the mechanisms underlying selective vulnerability and disease progression are unclear. The post-mortem analysis of MSA brains provides a static final picture of the disease neuropathology, but gives no clear indication on the sequence of pathogenic events in MSA. Read More

Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2017 12 7;4(12):859-864. Epub 2017 Nov 7.

Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research Murdoch Childrens Research Institute Parkville Victoria 3052 Australia.

Objective: To characterize the clinical features and neuropathology associated with recessive mutations.

Methods: Whole-exome sequencing was used to identify the genetic etiology of a rapidly progressive neurological disease presenting in early childhood in two deceased siblings with distinct neuropathological features on post mortem examination.

Results: We identified compound heterozygous variants in in two deceased siblings with early childhood onset of severe, progressive dystonia, and neurodegeneration. Read More

Auton Neurosci 2018 05 16;211:39-42. Epub 2017 Dec 16.

The Multiple System Atrophy Coalition, Inc., 9935-D Rea Rd, #212, Charlotte, NC 28277, USA. Electronic address:

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a rare, progressive and ultimately fatal neurodegenerative disease with no known cause and no available disease modifying treatment. Known previously by various names including Shy-Drager Syndrome, olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA) and striatonigral degeneration, MSA can be classified simultaneously as a movement disorder, an autonomic disorder, a cerebellar ataxia and an atypical parkinsonian disorder. Despite scholarly attempts to better describe the disease, awareness among medical practitioners about multiple system atrophy as a diagnostic possibility has been slow to catch on. Read More

Front Cell Neurosci 2017 21;11:364. Epub 2017 Nov 21.

Department of Neurodegenerative Disorders Research, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan.

The motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) result from striatal dopamine (DA) deficiency due to a progressive degeneration of nigral dopaminergic cells. Although DA replacement therapy is the mainstay to treat parkinsonian symptoms, a long-term daily administration of levodopa often develops levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID). LID is closely linked to the dysregulation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling cascades in the medium spiny neurons (MSNs), the principal neurons of the striatum, which are roughly halved with striatonigral MSNs by striatopallidal MSNs. Read More

Expert Rev Neurother 2017 Dec 23;17(12):1189-1208. Epub 2017 Oct 23.

a Institute of Clinical Neurobiology , Vienna , Austria.

Introduction: Multiple system atrophy (MSA), an adult-onset, fatal disorder of uncertain etiology, characterized by parkinsonism, cerebellar, autonomic and motor dysfunctions, is an α-synucleinopathy with glioneuronal degeneration involving multiple parts of the nervous system. The clinical variants correlate with the morphological phenotypes of striatonigral degeneration (MSA-P), olivoponto-cerebellar atrophy (MSA-C), and mixed type MSA. Neuropathological hallmark is the deposition of aberrant α-synuclein in glia and neurons forming cytoplasmic inclusions that cause cell dysfunction/demise. Read More

J Alzheimers Dis 2018 ;62(3):1141-1179

Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, Vienna, Austria.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is an orphan, fatal, adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder of uncertain etiology that is clinically characterized by various combinations of parkinsonism, cerebellar, autonomic, and motor dysfunction. MSA is an α-synucleinopathy with specific glioneuronal degeneration involving striatonigral, olivopontocerebellar, and autonomic nervous systems but also other parts of the central and peripheral nervous systems. The major clinical variants correlate with the morphologic phenotypes of striatonigral degeneration (MSA-P) and olivopontocerebellar atrophy (MSA-C). Read More

Neuroimage Clin 2017 9;16:557-563. Epub 2017 Sep 9.

William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA.

The cardinal movement abnormalities of Parkinson's disease (PD), including tremor, muscle rigidity, and reduced speed and frequency of movements, are caused by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra that project to the putamen, compromising information flow through frontal-subcortical circuits. Typically, the nigrostriatal pathway is more severely affected on the side of the brain opposite (contralateral) to the side of the body that manifests initial symptoms. Several studies have suggested that PD is also associated with changes in white matter microstructural integrity. Read More

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2018 Feb 31;89(2):175-184. Epub 2017 Aug 31.

Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by a variable combination of autonomic failure, levodopa-unresponsive parkinsonism, cerebellar ataxia and pyramidal symptoms. The pathological hallmark is the oligodendrocytic glial cytoplasmic inclusion (GCI) consisting of α-synuclein; therefore, MSA is included in the category of α-synucleinopathies. MSA has been divided into two clinicopathological subtypes: MSA with predominant parkinsonism and MSA with predominant cerebellar ataxia, which generally correlate with striatonigral degeneration and olivopontocerebellar atrophy, respectively. Read More

Sci Rep 2017 08 8;7(1):7495. Epub 2017 Aug 8.

Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth, United Kingdom.

Alpha-synuclein (α-syn) is involved in both familial and sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD). One of the proposed pathogenic mechanisms of α-syn mutations is mitochondrial dysfunction. However, it is not entirely clear the impact of impaired mitochondrial dynamics induced by α-syn on neurodegeneration and whether targeting this pathway has therapeutic potential. Read More

J Neurol Sci 2017 Jul 10;378:177-181. Epub 2017 May 10.

Department of Neurology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan. Electronic address:

Bilateral striatal necrosis (BSN) has many causes and is characterized by unique clinical and neuroradiological features. Herein, we report a clinical and genetic analysis of three BSN cases from two independent Japanese families harboring a mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) 14459G>A mutation located in a coding region of the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 6 gene. In the first family, two male siblings from non-consanguineous parents exhibited similar phenotypes, with infantile-onset generalized dystonia. Read More

Proc Jpn Acad Ser B Phys Biol Sci 2017 ;93(5):251-258

Department of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder that has both clinical and pathological variants. Clinical examples include MSA with predominant cerebellar ataxia (MSA-C) and MSA with predominant parkinsonism (MSA-P), whereas olivopontocerebellar atrophy and striatonigral degeneration represent pathological variants. We performed systematic reviews of studies that addressed the relative frequencies of clinical or pathological variants of MSA in various populations to determine the clinicopathological characteristics in Japanese MSA. Read More

Neuropathology 2017 Oct 16;37(5):431-440. Epub 2017 Apr 16.

Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

We report the case of a 79-year-old Japanese woman who developed cerebellar ataxia followed by rigidity, dysautonomia and cognitive disorders, and was thus clinically diagnosed as having possible MSA with dementia. Neuropathological findings demonstrated not only olivopontocerebellar and striatonigral degeneration with frequent glial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCIs), but also degenerative changes in the parahippocampal region, accentuated in the anterior portion of perirhinal cortex, where neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions (NCIs) and NFTs were numerous while GCIs were limited. NCIs were frequent in the deep layer, whereas NFTs were more frequent in superficial cortical layers. Read More

Folia Neuropathol 2016 ;54(4):405-409

Department of Medical Genetics, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland.

Pathogenic molecular variants in the ADAR gene are a known cause of rare diseases, autosomal recessive Aicardi- Goutières syndrome type 6, severe infantile encephalopathy with intracranial calcifications and dominant dyschromatosis symmetrica hereditaria, demonstrated mainly in Asian adults. Recently, they have been also found in patients with nonsyndromic bilateral striatal necrosis accompanied by skin changes of the freckles-like type. Here, we present Polish siblings with acute onset and slowly progressive extrapyramidal syndrome with preserved intellectual abilities and basal ganglia changes found in MRI. Read More

Case Rep Neurol 2016 Sep-Dec;8(3):243-250. Epub 2016 Dec 13.

Department of Neurology, Tokai University Oiso Hospital, Oiso, Japan.

We report a 44-year-old female with striatonigral degeneration (SND) who showed wearing-off oscillations after 4 months of levodopa treatment. The patient presented with asymmetric left-side dominant rigidity, and levodopa was effective at first. However, she began to show wearing-off oscillations of motor symptoms, which gradually worsened thereafter. Read More

Mol Genet Metab 2016 11 3;119(3):214-222. Epub 2016 Sep 3.

Medical Genetics, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.

We report here the case of a young male who started to show verbal fluency disturbance, clumsiness and gait anomalies at the age of 3.5years and presented bilateral striatal necrosis. Clinically, the diagnosis was compatible with Leigh syndrome but the underlying molecular defect remained elusive even after exome analysis using autosomal/X-linked recessive or de novo models. Read More

Neurosci Res 2017 Jan 22;114:62-69. Epub 2016 Sep 22.

College of Pharmacy, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-Ro, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38541, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:

Accumulating evidence suggests that chronic inflammation plays a role in the progressive dopaminergic neurodegeneration that occurs in Parkinson's disease. It has been hypothesized that inflammation mediates neuronal damage via exacerbation of a vicious cycle of oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. The bacterial endotoxin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), induces microglial activation and inflammation driven dopaminergic neurodegeneration. Read More

Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2016 10 26;31:91-97. Epub 2016 Jul 26.

Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.

Background: X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism (XDP) is an inherited neurodegenerative adult-onset basal ganglia model disease associated with severe striatal atrophy. Anatomical changes exceeding striatal pathology were not yet described in XDP. The present study aimed to assess the microstructure of white matter tracts in XDP using magnetic resonance tomography. Read More

Toxicol Lett 2016 Sep 14;258:36-45. Epub 2016 Jun 14.

Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Hanyang Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:

Inflammatory responses are involved in mechanisms of neuronal cell damage in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD). We investigated the mechanisms whereby inflammatory responses contribute to loss of dopaminergic neurons in fipronil (FPN)-treated rats. After stereotaxic injection of FPN in the substantia nigra (SN), the number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons and the levels of TH expression in the SN decreased at 7days, and a significant decrease was observed at 14days with a subsequent reduction in striatal TH expression. Read More

Neuropathology 2016 Oct 11;36(5):421-431. Epub 2016 Mar 11.

Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, Fuchu-shi, Tokyo, Japan.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disease, which is characterized clinically by parkinsonism, cerebellar ataxia and/or autonomic dysfunction, and pathologically by alpha-synuclein-related multisystem neurodegeneration, so-called alpha-synucleinopathy, which particularly involves the striatonigral and olivopontocerebellar systems, with glial cytoplasmic inclusions and neuronal cytoplasmic/nuclear inclusions (NCIs/NNIs). In the recent consensus criteria for the diagnosis of MSA, dementia is described as one of the features not supporting a diagnosis of MSA. However, MSA with dementia has been reported, although the location of the lesion responsible for the dementia remains unclear. Read More

PLoS One 2016 19;11(2):e0149557. Epub 2016 Feb 19.

Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, United Kingdom.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the levels of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in brain tissue of multiple system atrophy (MSA) patients differ from those in elderly controls and in patients with other neurodegenerative diseases.

Methods: Flash frozen brain tissue of a series of 20 pathologically confirmed MSA patients [9 olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA) type, 6 striatonigral degeneration (SND) type, and 5 mixed type] was used for this study. Elderly controls (n = 37) as well as idiopathic Parkinson's disease (n = 7), dementia with Lewy bodies (n = 20), corticobasal degeneration (n = 15) and cerebellar ataxia (n = 18) patients were used as comparison groups. Read More

Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 2016 20;56(3):125-31. Epub 2016 Jan 20.

Departments of Neurosurgery, University of Toyama.

(123)I-ioflupane SPECT (DaTscan) is an examination that detects presynaptic dopamine neuronal dysfunction, and has been used as a diagnostic tool to identify degenerative parkinsonism. Additionally, myocardial (123)I-metaiodobenzyl guanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy measures the concentration of cardiac sympathetic nerve fibers and is used to diagnose Parkinson's disease (PD). These exams are used as adjuncts in the diagnosis of parkinsonism, however, the relationship of these two examinations are not well-known. Read More

Neuron 2015 Sep;87(5):976-88

Department of Neurology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA. Electronic address:

Degeneration of dopamine (DA) neurons in Parkinson's disease (PD) causes hypokinesia, but DA replacement therapy can elicit exaggerated voluntary and involuntary behaviors that have been attributed to enhanced DA receptor sensitivity in striatal projection neurons. Here we reveal that in hemiparkinsonian mice, striatal D1 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (MSNs) directly projecting to the substantia nigra reticulata (SNr) lose tonic presynaptic inhibition by GABAB receptors. The absence of presynaptic GABAB response potentiates evoked GABA release from MSN efferents to the SNr and drives motor sensitization. Read More

Acta Neuropathol Commun 2015 Jul 25;3:46. Epub 2015 Jul 25.

University de Bordeaux, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, 33000, Bordeaux, France.

Introduction: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons as well as the presence of proteinaceous inclusions named Lewy bodies. α-synuclein (α-syn) is a major constituent of Lewy bodies, and the first disease-causing protein characterized in PD. Several α-syn-based animal models of PD have been developed to investigate the pathophysiology of PD, but none of them recapitulate the full picture of the disease. Read More

Neurotox Res 2015 Oct 21;28(3):185-94. Epub 2015 Jul 21.

Department of Neurology, Innsbruck Medical University, Anichstraße 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease. Post-mortem hallmarks of MSA neuropathology include oligodendroglial α-synuclein (αSYN) inclusions, striatonigral degeneration, olivopontocerebellar atrophy, and increased microglial activation that accompanies the wide spread neurodegeneration. Recently, we demonstrated upregulation of myeloperoxidase (MPO) in activated microglia and provided evidence for the role of microglial MPO in the mediation of MSA-like neurodegeneration (Stefanova et al. Read More

J Neurol 2015 Aug 28;262(8):1876-82. Epub 2015 May 28.

Department of Neurology, Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Beomo-ri, Mulgum-eup, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do, 626-770, South Korea,

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be useful not only for the diagnosis of multiple system atrophy (MSA) itself, but also to distinguish between different clinical subtypes. This study aimed to investigate whether there are differences in the progression of subcortical atrophy and iron deposition between two variants of MSA. Two serial MRIs at baseline and follow-up were analyzed in eight patients with the parkinsonian variant MSA (MSA-P), nine patients with cerebellar variant MSA (MSA-C), and fifteen patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Read More

Acta Neuropathol 2015 Jul 12;130(1):93-105. Epub 2015 May 12.

Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a sporadic neurodegenerative disease clinically characterized by cerebellar signs, parkinsonism, and autonomic dysfunction. Pathologically, MSA is an α-synucleinopathy affecting striatonigral and olivopontocerebellar systems, while neocortical and limbic involvement is usually minimal. In this study, we describe four patients with atypical MSA with clinical features consistent with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), including two with corticobasal syndrome, one with progressive non-fluent aphasia, and one with behavioral variant FTD. Read More

Eur J Neurosci 2015 Jul 9;42(2):1764-74. Epub 2015 May 9.

Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, 197 University Avenue, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA.

Previous work suggests that neostriatal cholinergic interneurons control the activity of several classes of GABAergic interneurons through fast nicotinic receptor-mediated synaptic inputs. Although indirect evidence has suggested the existence of several classes of interneurons controlled by this mechanism, only one such cell type, the neuropeptide-Y-expressing neurogliaform neuron, has been identified to date. Here we tested the hypothesis that in addition to the neurogliaform neurons that elicit slow GABAergic inhibitory responses, another interneuron type exists in the striatum that receives strong nicotinic cholinergic input and elicits conventional fast GABAergic synaptic responses in projection neurons. Read More

J Korean Med Sci 2014 Nov 4;29(11):1555-61. Epub 2014 Nov 4.

Department of Neurological Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

A double toxin-double lesion strategy is well-known to generate a rat model of striatonigral degeneration (SND) such as multiple system atrophy-parkinsonian type. However, with this model it is difficult to distinguish SND from Parkinson's disease (PD). In this study, we propose a new rat model of SND, which is generated by simultaneous injection of 6-hydroxydopamine into the medial forebrain bundle and quinolinic acid into the striatum. Read More

Mov Disord 2014 Dec 9;29(14):1720-41. Epub 2014 Oct 9.

Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, Vienna, Austria.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a fatal adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder of uncertain etiology, clinically manifesting with autonomic failure associated with parkinsonism, cerebellar dysfunction, and pyramidal signs in variable combination. The pathological process affects central autonomic, striatonigral, and olivopontocerebellar systems. These show varying degrees of neurodegeneration and underlie the stratification of the heterogenous disorder into MSA-P and MSA-C clinical variants, which correlate to the morphologic phenotypes of striatonigral degeneration and olivopontocerebellar atrophy (MSA-C). Read More

Semin Neurol 2014 Apr 25;34(2):210-6. Epub 2014 Jun 25.

Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York.

The accumulation of fibrillar α-synuclein protein is the pathological hallmark occurring in both multiple system atrophy (MSA) and diffuse Lewy body disease (DLBD). The oligodendrocytes are especially involved in MSA, while subtypes of neurons are the targets in DLBD. In both instances, the changes are widespread within the central nervous system, but with distinct and topistic vulnerability. Read More

Sleep Med 2014 Apr 21;15(4):476-9. Epub 2014 Feb 21.

Université de Bordeaux, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Bordeaux, France; CNRS, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Bordeaux, France; Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Hospital Bordeaux, France.

Objective: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of portable polygraphy (PG) for the detection of sleep apnea (SA) in multiple system atrophy (MSA).

Methods: Thirty consecutive patients with probable MSA underwent PG (overnight recording of nasal flow, thoracic/abdominal movements and pulse oximetry), followed 4 weeks later by full polysomnography (PSG) (reference standard). The accuracy of PG was first assessed using the same threshold as for PSG (apnea-hypopnea index [AHI]≥5), then for all possible AHI thresholds using the area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) curve. Read More

Prog Neurobiol 2014 Jul 2;118:19-35. Epub 2014 Mar 2.

Department of Neurology, Innsbruck Medical University, Anichstraße 35, Innsbruck 6020, Austria. Electronic address:

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a fatal adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder of uncertain etiopathogenesis manifesting with autonomic failure, parkinsonism, and ataxia in any combination. The underlying neuropathology affects central autonomic, striatonigral and olivopontocerebellar pathways and it is associated with distinctive glial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCIs, Papp-Lantos bodies) that contain aggregates of α-synuclein. Current treatment options are very limited and mainly focused on symptomatic relief, whereas disease modifying options are lacking. Read More

Cerebellum Ataxias 2014 10;1:14. Epub 2014 Oct 10.

Department of Neurology, Innsbruck Medical University, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.

Multiple system atrophy is a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive autonomic failure, ataxia and parkinsonism in any combination. The clinical manifestations reflect central autonomic and striatonigral degeneration as well as olivopontocerebellar atrophy. Glial cytoplasmic inclusions, composed of α-synuclein and other proteins are considered the cellular hallmark lesion. Read More

J Alzheimers Dis 2014 ;40(1):51-5

Department of Pathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, Tokyo, Japan Laboratory of Structural Neuropathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan.

Corticobasal syndrome (CBS) is characterized by lateralized motor disturbance due to levodopa nonresponsive parkinsonism and progressive apraxia. Although CBS is neuropathologically heterogeneous, it remains unclear whether the clinical features of all CBS cases are the same. We report two autopsy cases diagnosed clinically as CBS and pathologically as Alzheimer's disease characterized by lateralized cerebral cortical degeneration and absence of significant nigrostriatial lesions. Read More

J Med Genet 2014 Feb 21;51(2):76-82. Epub 2013 Nov 21.

Department of Paediatric Neurology, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds, UK.

Background: We recently observed mutations in ADAR1 to cause a phenotype of bilateral striatal necrosis (BSN) in a child with the type I interferonopathy Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS). We therefore decided to screen patients with apparently non-syndromic BSN for ADAR1 mutations, and for an upregulation of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs).

Methods: We performed Sanger sequencing of ADAR1 in a series of patients with BSN presenting to us during our routine clinical practice. Read More

Synapse 2014 Mar 15;68(3):98-106. Epub 2013 Nov 15.

Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Université de Bordeaux, UMR 5293, F-33000 Bordeaux, France; CNRS, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, F-33000 Bordeaux, France.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a progressive degeneration of the striatonigral, olivo-ponto-cerebellar, and autonomic systems. Glial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCIs) containing alpha-synuclein represent the hallmark of MSA and are recapitulated in mice expressing alpha-synuclein in oligodendrocytes. To assess if oligodendroglial expression of human wild-type alpha-synuclein in mice (proteolipid promoter, PLP-SYN) could be associated with age-related deficits, PLP-SYN and wild-type mice were assessed for motor function, brain morphometry, striatal levels of dopamine and metabolites, dopaminergic loss, and distribution of GCIs. Read More

Acta Neurol Scand 2014 Mar 20;129(3):204-8. Epub 2013 Aug 20.

Department of Neurology, Klinikum Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven, Germany.

Background: Presynaptic dopaminergic deficiency on dopamine transporter imaging supports a clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and correlates with the severity of rigidity and bradykinesia. Baseline dopaminergic deficiency predicts clinical severity, but the relationship with subsequent medication use has not been reported.

Methods: A randomly selected cross section of 83 Parkinson's disease (PD) patients who had [(123) I] FP-CIT SPECT at the time of clinical diagnosis was identified. Read More

Brain Nerve 2013 Mar;65(3):289-95

Department of Neurology and Cerebrovascular Medicine, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Japan.

Secondary degeneration of the substantia nigra (SN) after damage to the ipsilateral striatum has been widely reported in animal stroke models. Secondary degeneration of the SN frequently occurs in stroke patients with damage to the striatum. Decreased γ-aminobutyric acid in the striatonigral pathway causes disinhibition of the SN pars reticulata, which consequently causes neuronal degeneration there. Read More

Exp Neurol 2013 Sep 8;247:531-6. Epub 2013 Feb 8.

Division of Neurobiology, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a fatal, rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease with limited symptomatic treatment options. Discrimination of MSA from other degenerative disorders crucially depends on the presence of early and severe cardiovascular autonomic failure (CAF). We have previously shown that neuropathologic lesions in the central autonomic nuclei similar to the human disease are present in transgenic MSA mice generated by targeted oligodendroglial overexpression of α-syn using the PLP promoter. Read More