Immune and Inflammatory Determinants Underlying Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology

Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology - This study examines the link between peripheral immune changes in perpetuation of the Alzheimer’s disease (AD) neuropathology and cognitive deficits. Our...     

Functional MT + lesion impairs contralateral motion processing

Human motion processing region MT + is retinotopically organized with perception of and attention to motion in the right visual field preferentially associated with left MT + activity and vice versa. However, the degree to which MT + is crucial for motion processing is uncertain. We report an epilepsy patient with visual symptoms early in his seizure evolution and a left temporal-occipital seizure onset electrographically in whom we hypothesized a functional left MT + lesion. The patient was impaired in his right but not left visual field on a hemifield motion attention task and demonstrated worse performance on a hemifield picture identification task when pictures implying motion were presented in the right as opposed to the left visual field. Functional MRI (fMRI) during a full-field motion detection task activated right MT + but failed to activate left MT + despite activating both left and right MT + in each of 10 controls. Furthermore, fMRI during a hemifield motion attention task also showed a lack of left MT + attention effects in the patient. Together these results suggest that MT + is necessary for normal motion processing.     

Intestinal Microbiota Containing Barnesiella Species Cures Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium Colonization

Bacteria causing infections in hospitalized patients are increasingly antibiotic resistant. Classical infection control practices are only partially effective at preventing spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria within hospitals. Because the density of intestinal colonization by the highly antibiotic-resistant bacterium vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) can exceed 10⁹ organisms per gram of feces, even optimally implemented hygiene protocols often fail. Decreasing the density of intestinal colonization, therefore, represents an important approach to limit VRE transmission. We demonstrate that reintroduction of a diverse intestinal microbiota to densely VRE-colonized mice eliminates VRE from the intestinal tract. While oxygen-tolerant members of the microbiota are ineffective at eliminating VRE, administration of obligate anaerobic commensal bacteria to mice results in a billionfold reduction in the density of intestinal VRE colonization. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of intestinal bacterial populations isolated from mice that cleared VRE following microbiota reconstitution revealed that recolonization with a microbiota that contains Barnesiella correlates with VRE elimination. Characterization of the fecal microbiota of patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation demonstrated that intestinal colonization with Barnesiella confers resistance to intestinal domination and bloodstream infection with VRE. Our studies indicate that obligate anaerobic bacteria belonging to the Barnesiella genus enable clearance of intestinal VRE colonization and may provide novel approaches to prevent the spread of highly antibiotic-resistant bacteria.     

Autism Traits Predict Self-reported Executive Functioning Deficits in Everyday Life and an Aversion to Exercise

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - Are Autism Quotient (AQ) scores related to executive functioning (EF)? We sampled 200 students of normal intelligence and examined the relationship...     

Correction to: The Adapted ADOS: A New Module Set for the Assessment of Minimally Verbal Adolescents and Adults

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - The original version of the article has contained an error in Table 3 (the organization of Module 2 items into the Basic Social Communication and...     

Cortical Thickness of the Salience Network and Change in Apathy Following Antidepressant Treatment for Late-Life Depression

ObjectiveApathy is common in late-life depression and is associated with poor response to antidepressant drugs. In depressed older adults, apathy may be characterized by neuroanatomical abnormalities of the salience network. The current study examined whether cortical thickness of select salience network structures predicted change in apathy following a 12-week treatment with escitalopram.MethodsA sample of 46 older adults with major depressive disorder received 12 weeks of escitalopram treatment at a daily target dose of 20 mg. All participants underwent a structural brain MRI scan at baseline, and cortical thickness was estimated in key cortical nodes of the salience network: the caudal anterior cingulate cortex and the insula. We measured baseline and post-treatment symptoms using the Apathy Evaluation Scale and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.ResultsA thicker insula at baseline predicted reduction in apathy symptoms following 12 weeks of treatment with escitalopram, even when controlling for age, baseline depression severity and change in depressive symptoms.ConclusionReduced insular thickness predicted residual apathetic symptoms following escitalopram treatment. These results converge with our previous findings of abnormal functional connectivity of the insular cortex in older depressed individuals with apathy. Older depressed adults with apathy may benefit from alternative treatment approaches or augmentative interventions that target abnormalities of the salience network.     

Combating an invisible enemy:The American military response to global pandemics

The present moment is not the first time that America has found itself at war with a pathogen during a time of international conflict.Between crowded barracks at home and trenches abroad,wartime conditions helped enable the spread of influenza in the fall of 1918 during World War Ⅰ such that an estimated 20％-40％ of U.S.military members were infected.While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is unparalleled for most of today's population,it is essential to not view it as unprecedented lest the lessons of past pandemics and their effect on the American military be forgotten.This article provides a historical perspective on the effect of the most notable antecedent pandemic,the Spanish Influenza epidemic,on American forces with the goal of understanding the interrelationship of global pandemics and the military,highlighting the unique challenges of the current pandemic,and examining how the American military has fought back against pandemics both at home and abroad,both 100 years ago and today.     

Changes in exertion-related symptoms in adults and youth who have sustained a sport-related concussion

ObjectivesTo identify the symptoms responsible for cessation of exercise testing and evaluate changes in post-concussion symptom scores on the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS) from the Sport-Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT5) immediately, 1–4 h, and 6–12 h following completion of the Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test (BCTT) in youth and adults who have sustained a sport-related concussion.DesignProspective case-series.MethodsIndividuals who were diagnosed with a sport-related concussion and self-reported difficulties with exertion were referred to perform an exertional treadmill test. Individuals were recruited from a university sports medicine clinic. Change in PCSS symptom severity scores were operationally defined as a change ≥4 points.ResultsForty-five individuals aged 13–57 years consented to participate. A total of 14/24 (58.3%) female and 13/21 (61.9%) male participants reported an increase in symptom severity scores immediately following the BCTT. At 1–4 h, 5/10 (50.0%) males and 5/14 (35.7%) females who completed the PCSS had elevated symptom severity scores compared to pre-exertion. Only 24.2% (3/17 males and 5/16 females) of participants completing the PCSS at 6–12 h reported increased symptom severity scores.ConclusionExertional testing is an important component of a multifaceted assessment following concussion; however, previous research evaluating symptom responses to exertion is limited. This study provides evidence to suggest individuals who experience an exacerbation of concussion-associated symptoms after exertion are likely to return to pre-exertion levels within the same day. Future research monitoring symptoms following exertion and throughout recovery should be performed in tandem with physiological measures to better understand the source of symptoms.     

Household illness is the strongest predictor of upper respiratory tract symptom risk in elite rugby union players

ObjectivesTo identify periods of increased risk for upper respiratory tract symptom (URTS) episodes, and examine whether biomarkers and/or self-reported lifestyle and wellness data can predict URTS risk in elite rugby union players.DesignProspective, longitudinal and repeated-measures study.MethodsSalivary secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA), salivary cortisol, URTS, internal training load and self-reported lifestyle and wellness data including household illness, stress, mood, fatigue, muscle soreness and sleep quality were repeatedly measured in elite Southern hemisphere rugby union players (n = 28) throughout a season. Univariate frailty model analysis, which included 495 observations, was used to determine predictors of URTS risk.ResultsSurprisingly, the highest incidence of URTS occurred after rest weeks, namely the Christmas break and bye weeks (i.e., no scheduled trainings or matches); whereas URTS risk was reduced during weeks involving international travel (Hazard ratio (HR): 0.43, p < 0.001)). Household illness was the strongest predictor of URTS risk; players were almost three-fold more at risk for an URTS episode when illness in the household was present (HR: 2.90, p = 0.002). A non-significant, but potentially important trend for an inverse association between SIgA concentration and URTS incidence was also observed (HR: 0.99, p = 0.070).ConclusionsRest weeks were identified as periods of increased risk for URTS; while international travel did not appear to increase players risk for URTS. Incidence of household illness and SIgA concentration independently predicted URTS risk, with household illness being the strongest predictor. These findings can assist practitioners monitoring and management of athletes to potentially reduce URTS risk.