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Severe CTE and TDP-43 pathology in a former professional soccer player with dementia: a clinicopathological case report and review of the literature.
van Amerongen, S, Kamps, S, Kaijser, KKM, Pijnenburg, YAL, Scheltens, P, Teunissen, CE, Barkhof, F, Ossenkoppele, R, Rozemuller, AJM, Stern, RA, et al
Acta neuropathologica communications. 2023;(1):77
Abstract
In the last decades, numerous post-mortem case series have documented chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in former contact-sport athletes, though reports of CTE pathology in former soccer players are scarce. This study presents a clinicopathological case of a former professional soccer player with young-onset dementia. The patient experienced early onset progressive cognitive decline and developed dementia in his mid-50 s, after playing soccer for 12 years at a professional level. While the clinical picture mimicked Alzheimer's disease, amyloid PET imaging did not provide evidence of elevated beta-amyloid plaque density. After he died in his mid-60 s, brain autopsy showed severe phosphorylated tau (p-tau) abnormalities fulfilling the neuropathological criteria for high-stage CTE, as well as astrocytic and oligodendroglial tau pathology in terms of tufted astrocytes, thorn-shaped astrocytes, and coiled bodies. Additionally, there were TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) positive cytoplasmic inclusions in the frontal lobe and hippocampus, and Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) positivity in the axons of the white matter. A systematic review of the literature revealed only 13 other soccer players with postmortem diagnosis of CTE. Our report illustrates the complex clinicopathological correlation of CTE and the need for disease-specific biomarkers.
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Rationale and design of the "NEurodegeneration: Traumatic brain injury as Origin of the Neuropathology (NEwTON)" study: a prospective cohort study of individuals at risk for chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
van Amerongen, S, Caton, DK, Ossenkoppele, R, Barkhof, F, Pouwels, PJW, Teunissen, CE, Rozemuller, AJM, Hoozemans, JJM, Pijnenburg, YAL, Scheltens, P, et al
Alzheimer's research & therapy. 2022;(1):119
Abstract
BACKGROUND Repetitive head injury in contact sports is associated with cognitive, neurobehavioral, and motor impairments and linked to a unique neurodegenerative disorder: chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). As the clinical presentation is variable, risk factors are heterogeneous, and diagnostic biomarkers are not yet established, the diagnostic process of CTE remains a challenge. The general objective of the NEwTON study is to establish a prospective cohort of individuals with high risk for CTE, to phenotype the study population, to identify potential fluid and neuroimaging biomarkers, and to measure clinical progression of the disease. The present paper explains the protocol and design of this case-finding study. METHODS NEwTON is a prospective study that aims to recruit participants at risk for CTE, with features of the traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (exposed participants), and healthy unexposed control individuals. Subjects are invited to participate after diagnostic screening at our memory clinic or recruited by advertisement. Exposed participants receive a comprehensive baseline screening, including neurological examination, neuropsychological tests, questionnaires and brain MRI for anatomical imaging, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI), and quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM). Questionnaires include topics on life-time head injury, subjective cognitive change, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Optionally, blood and cerebrospinal fluid are obtained for storage in the NEwTON biobank. Patients are informed about our brain donation program in collaboration with the Netherlands Brain Brank. Follow-up takes place annually and includes neuropsychological assessment, questionnaires, and optional blood draw. Testing of control subjects is limited to baseline neuropsychological tests, MRI scan, and also noncompulsory blood draw. RESULTS To date, 27 exposed participants have finished their baseline assessments. First baseline results are expected in 2023. CONCLUSIONS The NEwTON study will assemble a unique cohort with prospective observational data of male and female individuals with high risk for CTE. This study is expected to be a primary explorative base and designed to share data with international CTE-related cohorts. Sub-studies may be added in the future with this cohort as backbone.
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The Neuropathology of Gluten-Related Neurological Disorders: A Systematic Review.
Rouvroye, MD, Zis, P, Van Dam, AM, Rozemuller, AJM, Bouma, G, Hadjivassiliou, M
Nutrients. 2020;12(3)
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Coeliac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder triggered by the ingestion of gluten in genetically susceptible individuals. A wide range of extraintestinal manifestations has been attributed to CD, changing the classic perception of a disease limited to the intestine, to a multisystem disorder. The aim of this study was to analyse the published neuropathology of confirmed cases of gluten-related neurological dysfunction to aid our understanding of the pathogenesis. CD can therefore manifest with dental problems, consequences of malabsorption, skin and neurological disorders. This study is a systematic review of thirty-two neurological disorder focused studies. Results show that: - the neuropathological findings in gluten-related neurological disorders are widespread and not limited to the cerebellum. - the pathology is immune mediated and not related to vitamin or trace elements deficiencies. - the pathophysiology of neurological damage in the context of gluten sensitivity has an immune mediated basis. - more gluten-related neurological disorders affected men (57%), which was even higher in the ataxia group (76%). - transglutaminase 6 antibodies might be helpful in the diagnostic workup of gluten-related neurological disorders. Authors conclude that the current evidence is suggestive of both humoral and cell-mediated immunological responses. Further research is required to investigate the underlying neuropathological mechanism by characterisation of the inflammatory cell infiltrate and identification of target epitopes.
Abstract
Gluten-related neurological disorders (GRND) represent a spectrum of neurological manifestations that are triggered by gluten. In coeliac disease, a T-cell mediated enteropathy is triggered by gluten in genetically predisposed individuals. The underlying pathological mechanism of the neurological dysfunction is not yet clear. The aim of this review is to collate existing neuropathological findings in GRND as a means of aiding the understanding of the pathophysiology. A systematic search of the Pubmed Database yielded 188 articles, of which 32 were included, containing 98 eligible cases with a description of pathological findings in GRND. In gluten ataxia, loss of Purkinje cells, atrophy, gliosis and astrocytosis were apparent, as well as diffuse lymphocytic infiltration and perivascular cuffing with lymphocytes. In patients with large-fiber neuropathy, nerve biopsies revealed axonopathy, loss of myelinated fibers and focal and perivascular infiltration by inflammatory cells. Inflammatory infiltrate was also observed in muscle in myopathy and in cerebrum of patients with encephalopathy and patients with epilepsy. Such changes were not seen in skin biopsies from patients with small fiber neuropathies. The findings from this systematic review suggest an immune mediated pathogenesis for GRND. Future research should focus on the characterization of the inflammatory cell infiltrates and identifying target epitopes.
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Sporadic Fatal Insomnia in Europe: Phenotypic Features and Diagnostic Challenges.
Abu-Rumeileh, S, Redaelli, V, Baiardi, S, Mackenzie, G, Windl, O, Ritchie, DL, Didato, G, Hernandez-Vara, J, Rossi, M, Capellari, S, et al
Annals of neurology. 2018;(3):347-360
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Comprehensively describe the phenotypic spectrum of sporadic fatal insomnia (sFI) to facilitate diagnosis and management of this rare and peculiar prion disorder. METHODS A survey among major prion disease reference centers in Europe identified 13 patients diagnosed with sFI in the past 20 years. We undertook a detailed analysis of clinical and histopathological features and the results of diagnostic investigations. RESULTS Mean age at onset was 43 years, and mean disease duration 30 months. Early clinical findings included psychiatric, sleep, and oculomotor disturbances, followed by cognitive decline and postural instability. In all tested patients, video-polysomnography demonstrated a severe reduction of total sleep time and/or a disorganized sleep. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of proteins 14-3-3 and t-tau were unrevealing, the concentration of neurofilament light protein (NfL) was more consistently increased, and the real-time quaking-induced conversion assay (RT-QuIC) revealed a positive prion seeding activity in 60% of cases. Electroencephalography and magnetic resonance imaging showed nonspecific findings, whereas fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) demonstrated a profound bilateral thalamic hypometabolism in 71% of cases. Molecular analyses revealed PrPSc type 2 and methionine homozygosity at PRNP codon 129 in all cases. INTERPRETATION sFI is a disease of young or middle-aged adults, which is difficult to reconcile with the hypothesis of a spontaneous etiology related to stochastic, age-related PrP misfolding. The combination of psychiatric and/or sleep-related symptoms with oculomotor abnormalities represents an early peculiar clinical feature of sFI to be valued in the differential diagnosis. Video-polysomnography, FDG-PET, and especially CSF prion RT-QuIC and NfL constitute the most promising supportive diagnostic tests in vivo. Ann Neurol 2018;84:347-360.