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Journal of Parkinson's Disease 2024REM-sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and other non-motor symptoms such as hyposmia were proposed by the Movement Disorder Society as research criteria for prodromal...
BACKGROUND
REM-sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and other non-motor symptoms such as hyposmia were proposed by the Movement Disorder Society as research criteria for prodromal Parkinson's disease (P-PD). Global cognitive deficit was later added.
OBJECTIVE
To compare non-motor symptoms, focusing on cognition, between a P-PD group and a matched control group.
METHODS
In this cross-sectional, case-control study, in a first set of analyses, we performed extensive cognitive testing on people with (n = 76) and a control group without (n = 195) probable RBD and hyposmia. Furthermore, we assessed motor and non-motor symptoms related to Parkinson's Disease (PD). After propensity score matching, we compared 62 P-PD with 62 age- and sex-matched controls. In addition, we performed regression analyses on the total sample (n = 271). In a second set of analyses, we used, a.o., the CUPRO to evaluate retrograde procedural memory and visuo-constructive functions.
RESULTS
People with P-PD showed significantly poorer performances in global cognition, visuo-constructive and executive functions, mainly in mental flexibility (p < 0.001; p = 0.004; p = 0.003), despite similar educational levels (p = 0.415). We observed significantly more motor and non-motor symptoms (p < 0.001; p = 0.004), higher scores for depression (p = 0.004) and apathy (p < 0.001) as well as lower quality of life (p < 0.001) in P-PD.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings confirm that global cognitive, executive, and visuo-constructive deficits define the P-PD group. In addition, depression, apathy, and lower quality of life were more prevalent in P-PD. If replicated in other samples, executive and visuo-constructive deficits should be considered in non-motor P-PD. Determining specific patterns will support early recognition of PD, secondary prevention of complications and the development of neuroprotective treatments.
Topics: Humans; Parkinson Disease; REM Sleep Behavior Disorder; Male; Female; Aged; Middle Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; Case-Control Studies; Cognitive Dysfunction; Anosmia; Prodromal Symptoms; Executive Function; Neuropsychological Tests; Cognition
PubMed: 38669560
DOI: 10.3233/JPD-230285 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2024Based on a large body of previous research suggesting that smell loss was a predictor of COVID-19, we investigated the ability of SCENTinel®, a newly validated rapid...
INTRODUCTION
Based on a large body of previous research suggesting that smell loss was a predictor of COVID-19, we investigated the ability of SCENTinel®, a newly validated rapid olfactory test that assesses odor detection, intensity, and identification, to predict SARS-CoV-2 infection in a community sample.
METHODS
Between April 5, 2021, and July 5, 2022, 1,979 individuals took one SCENTinel® test, completed at least one physician-ordered SARS-CoV-2 PCR test, and endorsed a list of self-reported symptoms.
RESULTS
Among the of SCENTinel® subtests, the self-rated odor intensity score, especially when dichotomized using a previously established threshold, was the strongest predictor of SARS-CoV-2 infection. SCENTinel® had high specificity and negative predictive value, indicating that those who passed SCENTinel® likely did not have a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Predictability of the SCENTinel® performance was stronger when the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant was dominant rather than when the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant was dominant. Additionally, SCENTinel® predicted SARS-CoV-2 positivity better than using a self-reported symptom checklist alone.
DISCUSSION
These results indicate that SCENTinel® is a rapid assessment tool that can be used for population-level screening to monitor abrupt changes in olfactory function, and to evaluate spread of viral infections like SARS-CoV-2 that often have smell loss as a symptom.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Male; Female; SARS-CoV-2; Adult; Middle Aged; Predictive Value of Tests; Aged; Sensitivity and Specificity; Odorants; Olfaction Disorders; Young Adult
PubMed: 38660364
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1322797 -
World Journal of Psychiatry Apr 2024Anosmia was one of the main symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A psychiatric history ( depression) may be an independent contributor to the risk of...
BACKGROUND
Anosmia was one of the main symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A psychiatric history ( depression) may be an independent contributor to the risk of COVID-19 diagnosis, and COVID-19 survivors appear to have an increased risk of neuropsychiatric sequelae (bidirectional association).
AIM
To compare the rate of psychiatric disorder among post-COVID patients without anosmia patients with persistent olfactory complaints.
METHODS
We conducted a prospective case control study from March 2020 to May 2021. Patients recruited at the ENT department of Nice University Hospital had a subjective olfactory complaint (visual analogue scale) for over 6 wk and a molecular or CT-proven severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 diagnosis confirmed by serology. Post-COVID patients without persistent olfactory disorders were recruited at the university hospital infectiology department. Psychiatric medical histories were collected by a psychiatrist during the assessments.
RESULTS
Thirty-four patients with post-COVID-19 olfactory complaints were included in the first group of the study. Fifty percent of the patients were female ( = 17). The group's mean age was 40.5 ± 12.9 years. The control group included 32 participants, of which 34.4% were female ( = 11), and had a mean age of 61.2 ± 12.2 years. The rate of psychiatric disorder among post-COVID patients with olfactory complaints was significatively higher (41.7%) than among patients without (18.8%) ( = 5.9, = 0.015).
CONCLUSION
The presence of a psychiatric history may constitute a potential risk factor for the development of long COVID due to persistent anosmia. It therefore seems important to establish reinforced health monitoring after a COVID 19 infection in at-risk patients. Further prospective, translational, and collaborative studies are needed to extrapolate these results to the general population.
PubMed: 38659602
DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v14.i4.507 -
Cureus Mar 2024Cushing's syndrome is a constellation of features occurring due to high blood cortisol levels. We report a case of a 47-year-old male with a history of recurrent...
Cushing's syndrome is a constellation of features occurring due to high blood cortisol levels. We report a case of a 47-year-old male with a history of recurrent olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB). He presented with bilateral lower limb weakness and anosmia and was found to have Cushing's syndrome due to high adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels from an ectopic source, ONB in this case. Serum cortisol and ACTH levels declined after tumor removal.
PubMed: 38638776
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.56434 -
The Egyptian Heart Journal : (EHJ) :... Apr 2024Kallmann-Morsier syndrome is a rare disease characterized by the association of congenital gonadotropic deficiency and anosmia or hyposmia. The cardiac manifestations...
BACKGROUND
Kallmann-Morsier syndrome is a rare disease characterized by the association of congenital gonadotropic deficiency and anosmia or hyposmia. The cardiac manifestations associated with this syndrome are little known. Through this case, we will characterize the cardiac involvement of this disease in the light of what is already described in the literature.
CASE PRESENTATION
We report the case of a young patient who presented with a picture of cardiac decompensation revealing restrictive heart disease. In her exploration, she was found to have primary amenorrhea, leading to the diagnosis of Kallmann syndrome. Medical treatment was optimized for the management of her cardiac decompensation as well as hormonal replacement treatment for her delayed puberty and growth.
CONCLUSIONS
Cardiac manifestations in Kallmann-Morsier syndrome are few reported in the literature, and restrictive heart disease is uncommon with no cases report till now. This association suggests a possible common genetic origin that should be explored in the future.
PubMed: 38635120
DOI: 10.1186/s43044-024-00479-1 -
BMC Medicine Apr 2024ANKRD11 (ankyrin repeat domain 11) is a chromatin regulator and the only gene associated with KBG syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental disorder. We have previously shown...
ANKRD11 (ankyrin repeat domain 11) is a chromatin regulator and the only gene associated with KBG syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental disorder. We have previously shown that Ankrd11 regulates murine embryonic cortical neurogenesis. Here, we show a novel olfactory bulb phenotype in a KBG syndrome mouse model and two diagnosed patients. Conditional knockout of Ankrd11 in murine embryonic neural stem cells leads to aberrant postnatal olfactory bulb development and reduced size due to reduction of the olfactory bulb granule cell layer. We further show that the rostral migratory stream has incomplete migration of neuroblasts, reduced cell proliferation as well as aberrant differentiation of neurons. This leads to reduced neuroblasts and neurons in the olfactory bulb granule cell layer. In vitro, Ankrd11-deficient neural stem cells from the postnatal subventricular zone display reduced migration, proliferation, and neurogenesis. Finally, we describe two clinically and molecularly confirmed KBG syndrome patients with anosmia and olfactory bulb and groove hypo-dysgenesis/agenesis. Our report provides evidence that Ankrd11 is a novel regulator of olfactory bulb development and neuroblast migration. Moreover, our study highlights a novel clinical sign of KBG syndrome linked to ANKRD11 perturbations in mice and humans.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Mice; Abnormalities, Multiple; Intellectual Disability; Tooth Abnormalities; Bone Diseases, Developmental; Facies; Olfactory Bulb; Disease Models, Animal
PubMed: 38616269
DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03363-6 -
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2024Taste and smell disorders are common symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 acute infection. In post-COVID-19 condition, symptoms can persist leading to disruption in patients' lives,...
Taste and smell disorders are common symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 acute infection. In post-COVID-19 condition, symptoms can persist leading to disruption in patients' lives, to changes in their coping skills, and to the need to develop strategies for everyday life. This study aimed to describe the perspective of a group of patients with Long-COVID-19, a condition where loss of taste and/or smell was the most predominant symptom. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted. Participants who had suffered SARS-CoV-2 infection and had Long-COVID-19 loss of taste and/or smell were recruited. Purposive sampling was applied, and participants were recruited until data redundancy was reached. In-depth interviews were used for data collection and thematic analysis was applied. Twelve COVID-19 survivors (75% women) were recruited. The mean age of the participants was 55 years, and the mean duration of post-COVID-19 symptoms was 25 months. Three themes were identified: (a) Living with taste and smell disorders, describing the disorders they experience on a daily basis, how their life has changed and the accompanying emotions, (b) Changes and challenges resulting from the loss of taste and smell, changes in habits, self-care and risk in certain jobs or daily activities, (c) Coping with taste and smell disorders, describing the daily strategies used and the health care received. In conclusion, Long-COVID-19 taste and/or smell disorders limit daily life and involve changes in habits, meal preparation, and the ability to detect potentially dangerous situations.
PubMed: 38610176
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12070754 -
Cureus Mar 2024Background Anosmia has been identified as a distinctive symptom of COVID-19, leading to hypotheses about its pathophysiological underpinnings, including the potential...
Background Anosmia has been identified as a distinctive symptom of COVID-19, leading to hypotheses about its pathophysiological underpinnings, including the potential role of paranasal sinus mucosal thickening. Objective To investigate the association between paranasal sinus mucosal thickening and anosmia in COVID-19 patients, providing insights into the complex clinical manifestations of the disease. Methods This retrospective cohort study analyzed CT paranasal sinus from 270 confirmed COVID-19 patients, divided into those with anosmia (n = 23, 8.52%) and those without anosmia (n = 247, 91.48%). Statistical analysis, including independent t-tests, was employed to compare mucosal thickening between the groups. Results The study found an average mucosal thickening of 0.03 in patients with anosmia and 0.02 in those without, with no statistically significant difference between the groups (p = 0.480, which is greater than 0.05). The findings suggest that mucosal thickening in the paranasal sinuses does not serve as a definitive correlate of anosmia among COVID-19 patients. Conclusion The absence of a significant correlation between paranasal sinus mucosal thickening and anosmia in COVID-19 patients indicates that the pathophysiology of anosmia may involve factors beyond anatomical changes, including direct viral effects and systemic inflammatory responses.
PubMed: 38606227
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.56019 -
Media, Culture, and Society May 2023The enduring effects of COVID-19 have called into question many of the assumptions upon which media and cultural studies rest, including a fundamental mode of...
The enduring effects of COVID-19 have called into question many of the assumptions upon which media and cultural studies rest, including a fundamental mode of perception: the sense of smell. In dialog with the field of sensory studies, this paper traces digital smell loss (anosmia) communities from pre-pandemic Facebook groups to mid-pandemic TikTok challenges. This article considers digital smell loss communities on TikTok as imitation publics characterized by repetition. Via replicable TikTok challenges, digital smell-loss communities reckoned with the unmooring effects of a seemingly mild symptom. By exploring how formulaic smell-loss challenges generated support and facilitated community-building, this article demands greater attention to a sense often considered 'disposable'.
PubMed: 38603299
DOI: 10.1177/01634437221146904 -
PLoS Medicine Apr 2024Acute neurological manifestation is a common complication of acute Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease. This retrospective cohort study investigated the 3-year...
BACKGROUND
Acute neurological manifestation is a common complication of acute Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease. This retrospective cohort study investigated the 3-year outcomes of patients with and without significant neurological manifestations during initial COVID-19 hospitalization.
METHODS AND FINDINGS
Patients hospitalized for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection between 03/01/2020 and 4/16/2020 in the Montefiore Health System in the Bronx, an epicenter of the early pandemic, were included. Follow-up data was captured up to 01/23/2023 (3 years post-COVID-19). This cohort consisted of 414 patients with COVID-19 with significant neurological manifestations and 1,199 propensity-matched patients (for age and COVID-19 severity score) with COVID-19 without neurological manifestations. Neurological involvement during the acute phase included acute stroke, new or recrudescent seizures, anatomic brain lesions, presence of altered mentation with evidence for impaired cognition or arousal, and neuro-COVID-19 complex (headache, anosmia, ageusia, chemesthesis, vertigo, presyncope, paresthesias, cranial nerve abnormalities, ataxia, dysautonomia, and skeletal muscle injury with normal orientation and arousal signs). There were no significant group differences in female sex composition (44.93% versus 48.21%, p = 0.249), ICU and IMV status, white, not Hispanic (6.52% versus 7.84%, p = 0.380), and Hispanic (33.57% versus 38.20%, p = 0.093), except black non-Hispanic (42.51% versus 36.03%, p = 0.019). Primary outcomes were mortality, stroke, heart attack, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), reinfection, and hospital readmission post-discharge. Secondary outcomes were neuroimaging findings (hemorrhage, active and prior stroke, mass effect, microhemorrhages, white matter changes, microvascular disease (MVD), and volume loss). More patients in the neurological cohort were discharged to acute rehabilitation (10.39% versus 3.34%, p < 0.001) or skilled nursing facilities (35.75% versus 25.35%, p < 0.001) and fewer to home (50.24% versus 66.64%, p < 0.001) than matched controls. Incidence of readmission for any reason (65.70% versus 60.72%, p = 0.036), stroke (6.28% versus 2.34%, p < 0.001), and MACE (20.53% versus 16.51%, p = 0.032) was higher in the neurological cohort post-discharge. Per Kaplan-Meier univariate survival curve analysis, such patients in the neurological cohort were more likely to die post-discharge compared to controls (hazard ratio: 2.346, (95% confidence interval (CI) [1.586, 3.470]; p < 0.001)). Across both cohorts, the major causes of death post-discharge were heart disease (13.79% neurological, 15.38% control), sepsis (8.63%, 17.58%), influenza and pneumonia (13.79%, 9.89%), COVID-19 (10.34%, 7.69%), and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (10.34%, 6.59%). Factors associated with mortality after leaving the hospital involved the neurological cohort (odds ratio (OR): 1.802 (95% CI [1.237, 2.608]; p = 0.002)), discharge disposition (OR: 1.508 (95% CI [1.276, 1.775]; p < 0.001)), congestive heart failure (OR: 2.281 (95% CI [1.429, 3.593]; p < 0.001)), higher COVID-19 severity score (OR: 1.177 (95% CI [1.062, 1.304]; p = 0.002)), and older age (OR: 1.027 (95% CI [1.010, 1.044]; p = 0.002)). There were no group differences in radiological findings, except that the neurological cohort showed significantly more age-adjusted brain volume loss (p = 0.045) than controls. The study's patient cohort was limited to patients infected with COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic, when hospitals were overburdened, vaccines were not yet available, and treatments were limited. Patient profiles might differ when interrogating subsequent waves.
CONCLUSIONS
Patients with COVID-19 with neurological manifestations had worse long-term outcomes compared to matched controls. These findings raise awareness and the need for closer monitoring and timely interventions for patients with COVID-19 with neurological manifestations, as their disease course involving initial neurological manifestations is associated with enhanced morbidity and mortality.
Topics: Humans; Female; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Retrospective Studies; Follow-Up Studies; Aftercare; Patient Discharge; Seizures; Stroke
PubMed: 38573873
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004263