Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Dec 2021
GFAP as a biomarker in frontotemporal dementia and primary psychiatric disorders: diagnostic and prognostic performance.
Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and primary psychiatric disorders (PPD) are characterised by overlapping clinical features but different aetiologies. Here, we assessed for the first time the potential of blood glial fibrillar acidic protein (GFAP), marker of astrogliosis, as a discriminative and prognostic tool in FTLD and PPD. ⋯ sGFAP enabled differentiation of patients with FTLD and PPD and associated with shorter survival and more severe brain atrophy rate in patients with FTLD. These results suggest that blood-based GFAP represents a minimally invasive and useful biomarker in the differential diagnostics between patients with FTLD and PPD and in evaluating disease progression and astrogliosis in FTLD.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Dec 2021
Plasma NfL levels and longitudinal change rates in C9orf72 and GRN-associated diseases: from tailored references to clinical applications.
Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a promising biomarker in genetic frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We evaluated plasma neurofilament light chain (pNfL) levels in controls, and their longitudinal trajectories in C9orf72 and GRN cohorts from presymptomatic to clinical stages. ⋯ This study highlights the importance of gene-specific and age-specific references for clinical and therapeutic trials in genetic FTD/ALS. It supports the usefulness of repeating pNfL measurements and considering ARC as a prognostic marker of disease progression.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Dec 2021
Misdiagnosis of prolonged psychogenic non-epileptic seizures as status epilepticus: epidemiology and associated risks.
To determine the epidemiology of prolonged psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (pPNES) misdiagnosed as status epilepticus, as well as the risks associated with non-indicated treatment. ⋯ Misdiagnosis and treatment of pPNES as status epilepticus are a common and widespread problem with deleterious consequences. Mitigating it will require training of emergency staff in semiological diagnosis. Status epilepticus response protocols should incorporate appropriate diagnostic re-evaluations at each step of treatment escalation, especially in clinical trials.