Neurology Commons^™

Relationship Identification Between Triggers And Changes In The Brain And The Overall Human Electrophysiology During Migraines, Dominic Sandell, Jonah Dematto, Gianpiero Lara, Jasmine Rosales, Legacy Wilson, Zachary Young

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

One of the most common neurological conditions in the world is migraines; nearly 1/4th of the working population suffers from this condition and exhibits a large variety of triggers. The current treatment method for migraine uses few different medications for all migraines, regardless of triggers. Our hypothesis is that there is a specific relationship between the triggers of migraines and the electrical changes in the brain during migraines. It is known that electrical activity in the brain occurs during migraines; it is unclear whether these changes differ across triggers. The study incorporates two different data collection methods: electrophysiological tests (Electroencephalogram …

Fentanyl Mediated Distortions Of Phasic Dopamine Release Dynamics Encoding Natural Reward And Aversive Processing In The Mammalian Mesolimbic Circuit, Oliver P. Culver Iv

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Mu opioid receptor (MOR) agonists are recognized to disinhibit tonic dopamine (DA) in the ventral striatum (VS), contributing to opioid addiction and euphoria. However, MOR agonists can also inhibit non-drug reward-seeking, and disrupt conditioned responding to aversive stimuli, a phenomenon not readily explained by tonic DA disinhibition. We hypothesized that this effect could be due in part to disruption of phasic DA responses to conditioned stimuli (CS) which critically shape and maintain behaviors during naturalistic reward and aversive processing. Because MOR effects on CS-evoked phasic DA are largely unexamined, we conducted in vivo fiber photometric recordings in water-deprived male and …

Evaluating Sensory Sensitivities Among Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In An Adaptive Gymnastics Program, Aicha Kaouss, Bradley Eppinger, Austin Ebbrecht, Kailash Ram, Kaitlin P. Hardy Md

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Introduction: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) participate in physical activity at lower rates than their neurotypical peers1. Sensory sensitivities, reported in approximately 75–95% of children with ASD, may contribute to this disparity2. Gymnastics environments involve bright lighting and loud noise, which can precipitate sensory overload. The impact of specific sensory features on participation in adaptive gymnastics remains underexplored.

Methods: A cross-sectional study recruited caregivers of children aged 3–12 years with an ASD diagnosis enrolled in the EVMS Adaptive Gymnastics Program. Caregivers completed the Sensory Experiences Questionnaire–Third Edition (SEQ-3)3 and supplemental survey items on Redcap which assessed environmental triggers and …

Screening Ptsd In Clinical Populations Within East Africa: Results From The First Follow-Up Study Of Neurogap-Psychosis, Shaili Jha, Rocky Stroud, Ana Lucia Dice, Joseph Kyebuzibwa, Stella Gichuru, Fredrick Ochieng, Manasi Sharma, Hayden Mountcastle, Lydia Marshall, Lukoye Atwoli

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: Given the high burden of trauma in Sub-Saharan Africa, there is a critical need for scalable tools to screen for trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, especially in low-resource settings.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the utility, reliability, and validity of the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5) administered over the telephone to individuals previously enrolled in the Neuropsychiatric Genetics of African Populations-Psychosis study (NeuroGAP-Psychosis) study in Uganda (N = 4,921) and Kenya (N = 3,149).

Method: Cases with psychosis and controls without psychosis (patients, caretakers, or employees) were recontacted from the NeuroGAP-Psychosis …

Seeking Traditional Health Practitioners And Use Of Complementary/Alternative Medicines In The Management Of Movement Disorders In Africa: A Multicenter Continental Study, Ali Shalash, Tamer Roushdy, Samia Sassi, Oluwadamilola Ojo, Yusuf Jamnagerwalla, Ahmed Sheikh, Yasser Mecheri, Maouly Fall, Juzar Hooker, Dilraj Sokhi

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background Traditional health practitioners (THP) and complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) play a well-recognized role in Africa. However, their role in treating movement disorders (MD) remains poorly studied.

Objective This large multicenter continental study aimed to investigate the prevalence of seeking and consulting THPs and using CAMs among people with MDs in different African countries and the associated factors of their use.

Methods This study involved 12 sites within 11 African countries. We developed and distributed a structured questionnaire that documented frequency, attitudes, beliefs, and factors related to patients' engagement with THPs and use of CAMs.

Results We surveyed 1158 …

Neuroinflammation And Its Role In Depression– A Review Of Emerging Biomarkers And Therapeutic Targets, Sophia M. Valerino

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent and debilitating mental illness that affects millions globally. Traditionally, the pathophysiology of MDD was thought to be due primarily neurotransmitter imbalances. However, emerging research highlights the role of neuroinflammation in MDD pathogenesis. Elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, microglial activation, and blood-brain barrier dysfunction have been implicated in the etiology of MDD. Additionally, biomarkers such as C-reactive protein and neuroimaging findings further support the neuroinflammatory hypothesis. This growing body of evidence has led to increased interest in novel treatment approaches, including anti-inflammatory medications and lifestyle interventions, as potential therapeutic strategies. While selective serotonin reuptake …

Multimodal Machine Learning For Alzheimer's Disease Classification Using Adni Biomarker Fusion, Hesameddin Mostaghimi, Hamid R. Okhravi, Bahar Niknejad, Daniel A. Cohen, Michel A. Audette, Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Despite ongoing advances, accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains challenging due to its multifactorial nature, comorbidities, and clinical heterogeneity. Accordingly, approaches that combine multimodal data may improve AD classification by integrating complementary information. To investigate this, we evaluated classification performance using a preprocessed ADNI-3 dataset comprising a shared set of clinical/cognitive features along with four imaging modality-based cohorts: trimodal (MRI + amyloid PET + tau PET), MRI + amyloid PET, MRI + tau PET, and MRI-only. We trained a range of supervised machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) classifiers using stratified five-fold cross-validation and evaluated performance using accuracy, …

The Frontal Assessment Battery In Older Multilingual Kenyan Adults, Anne Njoki Gitere, Anne Nyambura, Karen Blackmon, Levi Muyela, Rachel Maina, Olivera Nesic Taylor,, Jasmit Shah, Dilraj Sokhi, Sylvia Mbugua, Samuel Gitau, Sheila Waa, Juzar Hooker, Zul Merali, Chinedu Momoh, Karen Blackmon

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) was developed as a short (6-item) bedside assessment of executive dysfunction in older adults with suspected neurodegeneration. This study describes psychometric features of the FAB in multilingual Kenyan adults with and without clinical diagnosis of dementia.

Method: The FAB consists of six items assessing verbal abstract reasoning, lexical fluency, motor learning, and inhibitory control. The score on each item ranges from 0-3, with higher scores indicating better performance. Bilingual English-Swahili study personnel translated, blind back-translated, and applied consensus-driven cultural adaptations. FAB was then administered to 95 participants [71 cognitively unimpaired (CU) controls; 24 people …

Capacity, Allocation And Update Dynamics Of Human Memory Systems, Shaoying Wang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Information is encoded and stored in three types of memory: sensory memory (SM), short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM). SM has a large capacity but retains information for only a brief period. When information transfers to STM, only a limited amount can be stored. Information in STM can then be transferred to LTM, which has a much larger capacity and longer retention time. STM is often conceptualized as working memory (WM) to highlight its role in active information processing. Due to the limited capacity of STM, it is commonly believed that STM serves as the bottleneck for information processing. …

Plasma Biomarkers In Neuropsychiatric Syndromes: A Narrative Review, Zahinoor Ismail, Dylan X Guan, Ganesh Babulal, James Bateman, Marc Cantillon, Byron Creese, Fabrizia D'Antonio, Corinne Fischer, Jennifer Gatchel, Chinedu Momoh

Brain and Mind Institute

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are common features of neurodegenerative disease (NDD) but are relatively understudied compared to cognition, especially regarding biomarkers. Further, emerging evidence describes the utility of systematic assessment of NPS across the cognitive continuum, even in advance of dementia. In this narrative review, we discuss the role of plasma biomarkers in relation to NPS across the cognitive continuum of unimpaired, subjective cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia. While Alzheimer's disease is the primary focus, vascular, Lewy body, and frontotemporal dementia etiologies are also discussed. Literature searches included NPS and dementia-related search terms with additional literature identified based on …

Retracted: Idea Density And Grammatical Complexity As Neurocognitive Markers, Diego Iacono, Gloria Feltis

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Language, a uniquely human cognitive faculty, is fundamentally characterized by its capacity for complex thoughts and structured expressions. This review examines two critical measures of linguistic performance: idea density (ID) and grammatical complexity (GC). ID quantifies the richness of information conveyed per unit of language, reflecting semantic efficiency and conceptual processing. GC, conversely, measures the structural sophistication of syntax, indicative of hierarchical organization and rule-based operations. We explore the neurobiological underpinnings of these measures, identifying key brain regions and white matter pathways involved in their generation and comprehension. This includes linking ID to a distributed network of semantic hubs, like …

High-Gamma And Beta Bursts In The Left Supramarginal Gyrus Can Differentiate Verbal Memory States And Performance, Shennan Aibel Weiss, Nicolás Sawczuk, Daniel Y. Rubinstein, Michael R Sperling, Katrina Wendel-Mitoraj, Päivi Österman, René Dumay-Roscher, Charles B. Mikell, Sima Mofakham, Kelly Coulehan, Petar M. Djuric, Diego Fernandez Slezak, Juan Esteban Kamienkowski

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: The left supramarginal gyrus (LSMG) contributes to attentional allocation for memory encoding and may also reflect memory state and performance. Given the roles of high-gamma and beta bursts in cognition and memory, this proof-of-concept study investigated whether these signals within the LSMG could classify memory state and performance.

METHODS: Using secondary data from 103 epilepsy patients undergoing presurgical iEEG evaluation, we analyzed 141 delayed verbal free recall experiments. Intracranial EEG (iEEG) data, recorded solely from LSMG electrode contacts, were processed to create two-dimensional (2D) tensors of convolved high-gamma (HG), and beta (15-40 Hz) burst activity. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) …

Stress And Seizures: The October 7th Experience, Alon Doron, Firas Fahoum, Lilach Goldstein

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: Stress is a frequently self-reported seizure trigger in patients with epilepsy (PWE), with studies regarding this issue having conflicting results. On October 7th, 2023, a large-scale military invasion accompanied by massive rocket launches against Israel, including Tel Aviv, occurred, providing an opportunity to investigate the role of acute stress in provoking seizures.

METHODS: All adults who presented to the emergency department (ED) of Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center between January 1st, 2017, and February 29th, 2024, and were diagnosed with seizures were included. Data were collected using MDClone, a data acquisition tool. The overall seizure-related ED admissions were compared …

Neuroanatomical And Morphometric Differences In Children Who Stutter, Mohammad A. Khan

Honors Scholar Theses

Childhood-Onset Fluency Disorder commonly known as stuttering is a neurodevelopmental speech disorder characterized by disruptions in speech fluency. While genetic and neurobiological factors are implicated, the structural brain differences underlying stuttering remain unclear. This study investigated neuroanatomical alterations in children who stutter (CWS) compared to typically fluent children (TFC), focusing on gray matter volume, cortical thickness, and surface area in speech-related regions; the Inferior Frontal Gyrus, Middle Temporal Gyrus, and Pre-motor Operculum. High-resolution MRI data from 100 children (48 CWS, 52 TFC) aged 3–12 years were analyzed using FreeSurfer. Group comparisons revealed no statistically significant differences in cortical thickness, surface …

Is The Vaping Epidemic Linked To Neurologic Changes And Mental Health Diagnoses Amongst Us Adolescents?, Tracy Lin, Victoria Shwe

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Vaping has significantly increased among U.S. adolescents, driven by the rise of e-cigarettes and flavored pods. Nicotine exposure during brain development is linked to changes in the limbic-dopaminergic system, white matter integrity, and increased risk of emotional and behavioral dysregulation. Higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality are reported among adolescent users, with greater symptom severity seen in those with high vaping dependence. Though studies show correlation rather than causation, findings suggest vaping may contribute to rising mental health diagnoses. Addressing vaping’s neurological and psychological impact is critical to guiding prevention efforts, regulatory policies, and support for at-risk youth.

Is Acupuncture At The Auricular Shenmen Point Effective In Treating Anxiety?, Nicole Vaiani, Alexander King, Venkateswar Venkataraman

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health condition in the United States and are often managed with pharmacological interventions, which can lead to adverse side effects. As a result, alternative therapies such as acupuncture are gaining attention. This study investigates the effectiveness of auricular acupuncture, specifically targeting the Shenmen point, in reducing symptoms of anxiety. We analyzed ten randomized controlled trials that included quantitative outcome measures. The results suggest that auricular acupuncture at the Shenmen point is an effective and well-tolerated adjunctive treatment for anxiety. While further research with larger sample sizes and extended follow-up periods is warranted, these …

Reevaluating Informed Consent: Integrating Shared Decision-Making Into Spinal Surgery For Better Patient Outcomes., Jeffrey N Wang, Mohamed A Elhakeem, Matthew J Mesimer, Paul G Mastrokostas, Salman Ahmad, Tim Reed, Brandon Klein, Lucas E Bartlett, Adam D Bitterman, Andrew Megas

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Study Design: Narrative review.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to answer the following questions: (1) What is the quality of informed consent in spine surgery, including both neurosurgery and orthopaedic spine surgery? (2) What limitations impede the ability of surgeons to engage in effective shared decision-making (SDM) and obtain adequate informed consent? (3) What strategies and solutions may improve the quality of informed consent and SDM? (4) What factors decrease the incidence of litigation in spine surgery?

Methods: N/A.

Results: SDM is a collaborative process where patients are involved in their treatment choices through open communication about risks, …

Igf-1 As A Biomarker For Symptom Severity In Adult Traumatic Brain Injury: Evidence From An Observational Study, Justin Weppner, Kimberly Rosenthal, Jennifer Bath, Tonja Locklear, Melissa Martinez

Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Faculty Publications

Traumatic brain injury (TBI)-related growth hormone deficiency is often undertreated, despite documented physical, metabolic, and neuropsychiatric effects. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), with neuroreceptors located in brain regions responsible for learning, memory, and mood, regulates cerebral blood flow, neurogenesis, and neuroplasticity. The aim of this study was to determine associations between IGF-1 levels and post-TBI symptom severity, anxiety, and depression. This retrospective observational study at an Academic Brain Injury Center included participants evaluated 3-12 months post-TBI with available IGF-1 values and complete Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ-13), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) responses. Patients under 18 or …

Blood Biomarkers In Down Syndrome: Facilitating Alzheimer’S Disease Detection And Monitoring, Melissa E. Petersen, Lisi Flores-Aguilar, Elizabeth Head, Laia Montoliu-Gaya, Andre Strydom, Sarah E. Pape, Juan Fortea, Nicholas J. Ashton, Chinedu Udeh-Momoh, Sid E. O’Bryant, Dwight German, Florin Despa, Mark Mapstone, Henrik Zetterberg

Neurology Faculty Publications

Blood-based biomarkers continue to be explored for disease detection, monitoring of progression, and therapeutic outcomes as the diagnostic determination of Alzheimer’s Disease in Down Syndrome (DS-AD) remains challenging in clinical settings. This perspective highlights the current status of this effort. Overall, amyloid (A), tau (T), and neurodegeneration (AT[N]) blood-based biomarkers have been shown to increase with disease pathology for individuals with DS. Phosphorylated tau biomarkers (p-tau217, p-tau181) have been consistently shown to track disease progression for DS-AD and are likely good candidates for use in clinical settings. Biomarkers of inflammation (glial fibrillary acidic protein) also show promise; however, additional work …

Weighted Family History Density Of Substance Use: Influence On Participant Substance Use Onset, Escalation, And Duration, Carleigh A. Litteral

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Substance use disorders impose a staggering toll on the United States (U.S.), straining healthcare systems, destabilizing communities, and profoundly impacting both individuals and families. Approximately one in six Americans aged 12 and older had a past-year substance use disorder in 2022 (Key Substance Use, 2022), and nearly one-third of adults experience a substance use disorder in their lifetime (Wu, 2010), contributing to an economic burden exceeding $400 billion annually (National Drug Threat Assessment, 2011). Family history of substance use disorders is a key predictor of vulnerability, with individuals who have affected relatives being 2–8 times more …

Hiv Protein Tat Dysregulates Multiple Pathways In Human Ipscs- Derived Microglia, Liam Liyang Guo, Robert Jiang, Yan Cheng, Brooke Russell, Yan Y. Sanders, Ming-Lei Guo

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

In the era of combined antiretroviral therapy, around 50% of chronic HIV (+) individuals show varying degrees of memory and cognitive deficiency (NeuroHIV), a phenomenon of accelerated brain aging. HIV protein transactivator of transcription (TAT) has been well-accepted as a risk factor contributing to NeuroHIV through dysregulating microglia (Mg) functions. Previous studies have demonstrated that HIV-TAT can affect lipid metabolism, immune responses, autophagy, and senescence in rodent Mg. However, due to the significant species differences between rodent and human Mg (hMg), it is essential to take caution when interpreting the results obtained from rodent models into human conditions. For the …

Deep Dive In Sound Filtering, Cecilia Zoutewelle

A. The Science of Sound

A 7-page report, with illustrations and bullet-point summaries, on the ways we filter sounds as part of the standard process of hearing. Includes brief considerations of evolution, selective listening in conversations, and listening bias.

Womb, Gravity, And Space: Shifting Towards The Cerebellum-Basal Ganglia Paradigm In Dystonia, Diego Iacono

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries In Justice-Involved Individuals And Executive Function Consequences On Transition And Reentry Into The Community ​, Alaina L. Randerson, Michael Sutcliffe, Cassandra Nelson, Ariana Gonzalez

Fall 2024 OTD Capstone Symposium

The United States has the highest documented incarceration rate in the world (Carson, 2022), with an increasing number of justice-involved individuals (JII) potentially affected by mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Despite the high prevalence of mTBIs in the general population, limited research exists on the prevalence and impact of mTBIs in JII. Preliminary evidence suggests that the prevalence of mTBIs in incarcerated individuals is 50 times higher than in the general public (Siegler et al., 2017). This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of JII with mTBI, focusing on the origin of mTBIs, executive dysfunction, and the occupational barriers …

Psychosis And Personality Changes Following Traumatic Brain Injury, David Hanna, Sonya Priven, Nathan Carroll, Heba Ekladios, Adriana Fitzsimmons

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Psychotic disorders following traumatic brain injury (TBI) are a significant concern in psychiatry, with chronic sequelae often overlooked. The pathophysiology of post-TBI psychosis involves neuroplasticity and neuronal remodeling, potentially exacerbating vulnerabilities to chronic psychotic disorders. Differentiating post-TBI psychosis from primary schizophrenia and other psychotic conditions is crucial for appropriate treatment. This case report discusses a 63-year-old male with a history of TBI from a gunshot wound sustained in adolescence, who later developed schizophrenia. The report explores the patient's psychiatric symptoms, cognitive dysfunction, personality changes, and imaging findings. The report examined the complex relationship between TBI and psychotic symptoms, considering genetic, …

The Alzmatch Pilot Study - Feasibility Of Remote Blood Collection Of Plasma Biomarkers For Preclinical Alzheimer’S Disease Trials, S. Walter, O. Langford, G. A. Jimenez-Maggiora, S. Abdel-Latif, R. A. Rissman, J. D. Grill, J. Karlawish, A. Atri, S. Bruschi, K. Hussen, M. C. Donohue, G. A. Marshall, Gregory Jicha, M. Racke, R. S. Turner, C. H. Van Dyck, V. Venkatesh, K. E. Yarasheski, R. Sperling, J. Cummings, Paul Aisen, R. Raman

Neurology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Advances in plasma biomarkers to detect Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biology allows researchers to improve the efficiency of participant recruitment into preclinical trials. Recently, protein levels of plasma amyloid-beta and tau proteins have been shown to be predictive of elevated amyloid in brain. Online registries, such as the Alzheimer’s Prevention Trials (APT) Webstudy, include and follow participants using remote assessments to facilitate efficient screening and enrollment of large numbers of individuals who may be at higher risk for AD.

OBJECTIVES: The AlzMatch Pilot Study investigated the feasibility of recruiting individuals from an online registry for blood sample collection at community-based …

Parallel Electrophysiological Abnormalities Due To Covid-19 Infection And To Alzheimer’S Disease And Related Dementia, Yang Jiang, Jennifer Neal, Pradoldej Sompol, Görsev Yener, Xianghong Arakaki, Christopher M. Norris, Francesca R. Farina, Agustin Ibanez, Susanna Lopez, Abdulhakim Al-Ezzi, Voyko Kavcic, Bahar Güntekin, Claudio Babiloni, Mihály Hajós

Neurology Faculty Publications

Many coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive individuals exhibit abnormal electroencephalographic (EEG) activity reflecting “brain fog” and mild cognitive impairments even months after the acute phase of infection. Resting-state EEG abnormalities include EEG slowing (reduced alpha rhythm; increased slow waves) and epileptiform activity. An expert panel conducted a systematic review to present compelling evidence that cognitive deficits due to COVID-19 and to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD) are driven by overlapping pathologies and neurophysiological abnormalities. EEG abnormalities seen in COVID-19 patients resemble those observed in early stages of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly ADRD. It is proposed that similar EEG abnormalities in …

The Seattle Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Als) Patient Project Database: Observational, Longitudinal, Dyadic Characterization Of People With Als And Their Partners, Suzanne C. Segerstrom, Edward J. Kasarskis

Neurology Faculty Publications

Introduction: The median survival time in ALS is approximately 3 years, but survival times range from less than a year to more than 10 years and much variance in disease course remains to be explained. As is true for physical outcomes, there is considerable variance in QOL, which is influenced by psychological health, coping, and social support, among other psychosocial factors. The Seattle ALS Patient Project Database (SALSPPD) provides a unique opportunity for researchers to address established and novel hypotheses about disease progression and QOL in ALS.

Methods: The SALSPPD is a longitudinal dataset of people with ALS (n = …

Cerebrovascular Reactivity Mri As A Biomarker For Cerebral Small Vessel Disease–Related Cognitive Decline: Multi-Site Validation In The Markvcid Consortium, Peiying Liu, Zixuan Lin, Kaisha Hazel, George Pottanat, Cuimei Xu, Dengrong Jiang, Jay J. Pillai, Emma Lucke, Christopher E. Bauer, Brian T. Gold, Steven M. Greenburg, Karl G. Helmer, Kay Jann, Gregory Jicha, Joel Kramer, Pauline Maillard, Rachel M. Mulavelil, Pavel Rodriguez, Claudia L. Satizabal, Kristin Schwab, Sudha Seshadri, Herpreet Singh, Ángel G. Velarde Dediós, Danny J. J. Wang, Rita R. Kalyani, Abhay Moghekar, Paul B. Rosenberg, Sevil Yasar, Marilyn Albert, Hanzhang Lu

Neurology Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) represent a major factor in cognitive decline in older adults. The present study examined the relationship between cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cognitive function in a multi-site study, using a predefined hypothesis.

METHODS: We conducted the study in a total of three analysis sites and 263 subjects. Each site performed an identical CVR MRI procedure using 5% carbon dioxide inhalation. A global cognitive measure of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and an executive function measure of item response theory (IRT) score were used as outcomes.

RESULTS: CVR …

Relationships Between Trauma Types And Psychotic Symptoms: A Network Analysis Of Patients With Psychotic Disorders In A Large, Multi-Country Study In East Africa, Anne Stevenson, Supriya Misra, Engida Girma, Adela-Maria Isvoranu, Dickens Akena, Melkam Alemayehu, Lukoye Atwoli, Bizu Gelaye, Stella Gichuru, Symon Kariuki

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: The link between trauma exposure and psychotic disorders is well-established. Further, specific types of trauma may be associated with specific psychotic symptoms. Network analysis is an approach that can advance our understanding of the associations across trauma types and psychotic symptoms. Methods: We conducted a network analysis with data from 16,628 adult participants (mean age [standard deviation] = 36.3 years [11.5]; 55.8% males) with psychotic disorders in East Africa recruited between 2018 and 2023. We used the Life Events Checklist and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview to determine whether specific trauma types experienced over the life course and specific …