Abstract Introduction Increased non-REM hypertonia (NRH) and decreased sleep spindle-durations were found to be independently associated with patients broadly characterized as presumed Parkinsonian-spectrum disorder [i.e., dementia with Lewy Bodies/Parkinson Disease Dementia (DLB/PDD), Parkinson Disease (PD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), or isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD)] when compared to subjects with Alzheimer Disease dementia (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and normal cognition (NC). In this investigation, the NRH and spindle-duration features were combined to determine whether these biomarkers could distinguish neurodegenerative disorder subtypes. Methods This multicenter investigation included analysis of several neurodegenerative disorder patient subtypes including: DLB/PDD (n=16), PD (n=16), iRBD (n=19), PSP (n=13), AD (n=22), MCI (n=35), and NC (n=61). Sleep Profiler (SP) studies were conducted in all participants. NRH was auto-detected based on persistently elevated electromyographic (EMG) power relative to delta, theta, and sigma bands, while spindles were recognized by temporal excursions in alpha and sigma power > 250-milliseconds. With NRH >5% of sleep-time and spindle-duration <1-minute considered abnormal, tallies were compared across neurodegenerative disorder subtypes with Fisher Exact tests. Results Combined SP features of Normal-NRH/normal-SpD were greater in the NC (56%), AD (46%), and MCI (43%) subtypes versus PSP (8%) and DLB/PDD (6%), and when iRBD (21%) was compared to NC (all P<0.05). Abnormal-NRH/abnormal-SpD were more frequent in PSP (85%) and DLB/PDD (75%) subtypes versus iRBD (26%), PD (25%), MCI (11%), AD (9%), and NC (8%)(all P<0.02). Abnormal-NRH/normal-SpD were greater in iRBD (47%) compared to MCI (14%), NC (8%), PSP (8%), DLB/PDD (6%), and AD (5%) subtypes, and in PD (31%) versus NC (all P<0.05). Normal-NRH/abnormal-SpD occurred more often in AD (41%) than iRBD (5%) and PSP (0%)(both P<0.05). Conclusion The combination of NRH and spindle-duration abnormality occurred more frequently in DLB/PDD and PSP subtypes. Abnormal NRH with normal sleep-duration was more frequent in iRBD and PD subtypes. Normal NRH and spindle-duration occurred most often in NC and MCI types. AD exhibited normal NRH with isolated cases of either normal or abnormal spindle-duration. Our preliminary findings suggest that auto-detected sleep biomarkers may aid in the characterization of neurodegenerative disorder subtypes. Larger prospective cohort studies are needed. Support (If Any) NIA grants: R44AG050326, R44AG054256, P30AG62677 and R34AG56639.
0266 Sleep Spindle-Duration: A Potential Biomarker for Neurodegenerative Disorder Phenotyping
Abstract Introduction Decreased sleep spindle oscillations were previously associated with cognitive decline in older adults, increased tau levels, and phenoconversion to dementia in patients with Parkinson disease (PD). We analyzed quantitative sleep spindle measures to determine if this biomarker was associated with particular neurodegenerative disorder syndromes. Methods Sleep spindle oscillations ascertained in patients broadly characterized as presumed Parkinsonian-spectrum disorders (PSD), which included the subtypes dementia with Lewy Bodies/Parkinson Disease Dementia (DLB/PDD, n=16), PD (n=16), isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD, n=19), and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP, n=13), were compared with non-PSD subtypes Alzheimer Disease dementia (AD, n=22), mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n=35), and normal cognition (NC, n=61). Sleep Profiler studies were conducted in all participants. The automated spindle detection algorithms recognized temporal excursions in the alpha (8-12 Hz) and sigma (12-16 Hz) power of 250 milliseconds or greater, with spindle duration being the sum of all spindle elapsed times. Night-to-night variability was assessed in PSP=13, PD=16, DLB/PDD=12, AD=17, MCI=25, and NC=53. Statistical analyses included intraclass correlations (ICC) and Bland-Altman plots for two-night data, and Mann-Whitney U-tests and multiple logistic regression applied to sleep-time weight-averaged spindle-durations. Results The night-to-night spindle-duration ICC was 0.95 (P<0.0001), with a Bland-Altman bias of 0.05+/-2.83 minutes. Spindle-duration was independently associated with PSD versus non-PSD groups (P=0.017, OR 1.08, 95%-CI 1.01-1.15), but not significantly associated with age (P=0.12, OR 1.03, 95%-CI 0.99-1.07) or sex (P=0.54). When stratified by subtype, age was associated with spindle-duration when NC were compared to AD and MCI (P=0.0003, OR 1.10, 95%-CI 1.04-1.16) and when iRBD were compared to DLB/PDD, PD and PSP (P<0.05, OR 1.00, 95%-CI 0.89-1.13)Spindle-durations were reduced in PSP (0.9+/-2.1) and DLB/PDD (2.0+/-5.1) when individually compared to AD (3.2+/-7.1), iRBD (3.3+/-3.4), PD (5.3+/-6.6), MCI (5.3+/-9.7), and NC (8.0+/-11.1) subtypes (all P<0.05). AD patients also exhibited lower spindle-durations than NC (P=0.03). Conclusion Auto-detected sleep spindle-durations exhibited excellent night-to-night reliability in both NC and patients with neurologic disorders. Decreased sleep spindle-duration was independently associated with PSP and DLB/PDD, and in AD. Reduced sleep spindle duration may be a distinct sleep biomarker for those disorders likely indicating thalamocortical dysfunction. Support (If Any) NIA grants: R44AG050326, R44AG054256, P30AG62677 and R34AG56639.
0267 The Influence of Antidepressants on Non-REM Hypertonia
Abstract Introduction The severity of REM sleep without atonia, a prodromal biomarker for synucleinopathy-related neurodegenerative disorders, is influenced by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) or serotonin-norepinephrine retake inhibitor (SNRI) use. This study investigates whether SSRI/SNRIs similarly impacts the severity of Non-REM hypertonia (NRH), a biomarker independently associated with patients broadly characterized with presumed Parkinsonian-spectrum disorders (PSD). Methods In this multi-center study, the relationship between NRH and SSRI/SNRIs was evaluated in PSD patients [Lewy Body/Parkinson Disease Dementia (DLB/PDD=16), Parkinson Disease (PD=16), isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD=19), and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP=12)], and non-PSD subjects [Alzheimer Disease (AD=22), mild cognitive impairment (MCI=35), and normal cognition (NC=61)]. Studies were conducted with the Sleep Profiler in all participants. NRH was auto-detected based on persistently elevated electromyographic (EMG) power relative to delta, theta, and sigma bands. Abnormal-NRH was based on a threshold of >5% of sleep time, and weight-averaged by sleep time, in the 75% of studies with two-nights of data. Statistical analyses included multiple logistic regression, Fisher Exact, and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results Across all 181 records, 38% had abnormal-NRH and 24% used SSRI/SNRIs (P<0.005). No differences were observed in the distributions of NRH for those with NRH-only vs. those with combined NRH and SSRI/SNRI use (n=45, 14.5+/-7.7% versus n=24, 18.6+/-11.6%, respectively; P=0.19). Abnormal-NRH was associated with the PSD versus non-PSD groups (P<0.0001, odds-ratio=14.0) and SSRI/SNRI use (P<0.05, odds-ratio=2.4), but not age and sex. Within the PSD and non-PSD groups, the frequency of abnormal-NRH was 75% vs. 19% (P<0.0001), and SSRI/SNRI use was 32% vs. 19% (P=0.07), respectively. The distributions of abnormal-NRH in the PSD and non-PSD subgroups ranged from PSP=92%, DLB/PDD=81%, PD=56% ,and RBD=74% versus MCI=26%, and NC=16%, AD=14%, respectively. By comparison, distributions of SSRI/SNRI use were DLB/PDD=50%, RBD=42%, PSP=33%, and PD=0% in the PSD subgroups, compared to MCI=34%, AD=23%, and NC=10% in the non-PSD subgroups. Conclusion Abnormal non-REM hypertonia exhibited a very strong association with Parkinsonian-spectrum disorder diagnoses (odds-ratio=14.0) and a relatively weaker association with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or serotonin-norepinephrine retake inhibitor use (odds-ratio=2.4), suggesting a finding that reflects an interactive, rather than causal inference. Support (If Any) NIA grants R44AG050326, R44AG054256, P30AG62677 and R34AG56639.
0264 Sleepiness in cognitively unimpaired older adults is associated with CSF biomarkers of inflammation and axonal integrity
Abstract Introduction We have previously shown that older adults with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) appear to be more vulnerable to longitudinal amyloid PET accumulation before the onset of the dementia. It remains unclear whether this vulnerability is specific to amyloid or extends to other biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease pathology, or axonal integrity and inflammation, which can also contribute to neurodegeneration and cognitive changes. Methods For this cross-sectional analysis, we identified 260 cognitively unimpaired adults (>60 years old) without neurologic disorder who underwent CSF quantification of AD biomarkers (CSF Aβ-42, p-tau181, p-tau217) along with at least one other biomarker of interest (neurofilament light chain [NfL], IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α) from the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging – a longitudinal population-based cohort in Olmsted County, Minnesota. CSF biomarkers were available in 251-260 individuals, depending on the biomarker. We fit linear regression models to assess whether the CSF biomarkers were associated with sleepiness as measured by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), after controlling for age, sex, APOE4 genotype, BMI, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and OSA diagnosis (by chart review). Results Higher ESS scores were independently associated with higher CSF IL-6 and NfL, but not with the other biomarkers in the whole sample. For every single-point increase in the ESS score, there was a .008 ([95% CI .001-.016], p=0.033) increase in the log of IL-6 and .01 ([95% CI .002-.018], p=0.016) increase in the log of NfL. A sensitivity analysis showed a correlation between ESS scores and log of p-tau/Aβ-42 ratio only in participants with abnormal ratio (>0.023), after controlling for APOE4 (partial r=.27, p=039). Conclusion Our results corroborate previous literature suggesting that higher inflammatory milieu reflected by increased CSF IL-6 is associated with sleepiness. The association between NfL and sleepiness suggests that sleepiness may be related to disturbed connectivity due to axonal damage. Alternatively, NfL may be a surrogate of active axonal injury associated with more disrupted sleep. A correlation between sleepiness and CSF p-tau/ab-42 ratio was only seen in patients with abnormal ratio, suggesting a stronger association between sleepiness and AD pathology as the disease progresses, possibly because AD pathology worsens sleep quality and/or vice-versa. Support (If Any) NIH/NIA
Distributed brain co-processor for tracking spikes, seizures and behaviour during electrical brain stimulation
Abstract Early implantable epilepsy therapy devices provided open-loop electrical stimulation without brain sensing, computing, or an interface for synchronized behavioural inputs from patients. Recent epilepsy stimulation devices provide brain sensing but have not yet developed analytics for accurately tracking and quantifying behaviour and seizures. Here we describe a distributed brain co-processor providing an intuitive bi-directional interface between patient, implanted neural stimulation and sensing device, and local and distributed computing resources. Automated analysis of continuous streaming electrophysiology is synchronized with patient reports using a handheld device and integrated with distributed cloud computing resources for quantifying seizures, interictal epileptiform spikes and patient symptoms during therapeutic electrical brain stimulation. The classification algorithms for interictal epileptiform spikes and seizures were developed and parameterized using long-term ambulatory data from nine humans and eight canines with epilepsy, and then implemented prospectively in out-of-sample testing in two pet canines and four humans with drug-resistant epilepsy living in their natural environments. Accurate seizure diaries are needed as the primary clinical outcome measure of epilepsy therapy and to guide brain-stimulation optimization. The brain co-processor system described here enables tracking interictal epileptiform spikes, seizures and correlation with patient behavioural reports. In the future, correlation of spikes and seizures with behaviour will allow more detailed investigation of the clinical impact of spikes and seizures on patients.
Potential utility of longitudinal 123I‐FP‐CIT SPECT imaging in predicting phenoconversion to overt synucleinopathy in isolated REM sleep behavior disorder
AbstractBackgroundIsolated REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (iRBD) patients are known to be at high risk for developing an overt synucleinopathy – particularly Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) and Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Reduced nigrostriatal uptake on 123I‐FP‐CIT SPECT reflects dopamine deficiency, which is common in the overt synucleinopathies. We sought to assess how 123I‐FP‐CIT SPECT imaging in iRBD changes longitudinally and whether an abnormal 123I‐FP‐CIT SPECT scan precedes and predicts future transition to an overt synucleinopathy.MethodParticipants with polysomnography‐confirmed iRBD from the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center database +/‐ North American Prodromal Synucleinopathy (NAPS) Consortium who had two or more longitudinal 123I‐FP‐CIT SPECT scans and been followed prospectively for at least 24 months were included in this analysis. Striatonigral dopamine transporter uptake was evaluated semi‐quantitatively with 123I‐FP‐CIT SPECT using DaTQUANT software (GE Healthcare) to calculate z‐scores of putamen uptake.ResultThirty‐five iRBD participants (86% male) were evaluated prospectively (mean 62.5 ± 19.4 months) and underwent two or more 123I‐FP‐CIT SPECT scans at a minimum of 12 months intervals. Thirteen participants (37%) developed an overt synucleinopathy (11 DLB and 2 PD; phenoconverters) and 22 participants (63%) remained as iRBD (stable iRBD). Phenoconverters were older (mean 70.8 ± 7.0 vs 63.4 ± 6.0 years old) and had more negative DaTQUANT putamen z‐scores (mean ‐1.68 ± 1.42 vs ‐0.33 ± 1.52) than stable iRBD participants at baseline. Among phenoconverters, nine participants (69%) had one or more 123I‐FP‐CIT SPECT scans with DaTQUANT putamen z‐score of <‐2.0 prior to phenoconversion, and mean time from initial DaTQUANT putamen z‐score of <‐2.0 to phenoconversion was 36.8 ± 28.7 months. In stable RBD participants, eight participants (36%) showed a decline in DaTQUANT putamen z‐score of >1 between the most recent and the baseline scan, and four participants (18%) presented DaTQUANT putamen z‐score of <‐2.0 at the most recent scan.ConclusionThese findings suggest that a decline in putamen uptake on 123I‐FP‐CIT SPECT in iRBD serves as a predictor and a surrogate biomarker for progression of iRBD to an overt synucleinopathy.
Objective home sleep profiles differentiate Alzheimer disease from α‐synucleinopathies
AbstractBackgroundNeurodegenerative disease (NDD) is associated with sleep disturbances, including decreased stage N3 and REM sleep and reduced spindle activity. Further, supine sleep position may impact NDD risk by altering glymphatic clearance. This study evaluated conventional and exploratory sleep metrics in the differentiation of subjects with normal cognition (NC) and patients with Alzheimer’s disease dementia (AD) and alpha‐synucleinopathies (α‐Syn).MethodHome sleep data were acquired across multiple study sites using the self‐applied Sleep ProfilerTM, including 44 NC subjects (age=69+5.0), 22 patients diagnosed with AD (age=75+7.1) and 25 with α‐Syn (Parkinson’s disease=14, Parkinson’s disease with Dementia or Dementia with Lewy Bodies=11; age=69+6.9). Recordings were auto‐staged and technically reviewed, with 86% of the records having two‐night averages. Logistic regression and Mann‐Whitney U tests were used to characterize group differences based on age, conventional sleep metrics (i.e., sleep efficiency, sleep onset (SO), awakenings, percent of sleep time (%) in REM,N1, N2 and N3, and sleep spindles) and exploratory sleep measures [i.e., % supine, % Light N2 (L2=N2 epochs absent of spindles with K‐complexes and/or alpha or EMG (>40 Hz) intrusion), % NREM sleep with hypertonia (NRSH=>4 consecutive epochs with persistently elevated EMG power relative to delta and theta power) and % atypical N3 (AN3=epochs staged N3 with low theta and sigma power relative to delta, alpha, beta and EMG)].ResultAD were older than both NC and α‐Syn patients (p<0.005). Both AD and α‐Syn had lower %REM and greater %supine than NC (p<0.005), and %NRSH was greater in α‐Syn than NC or AD (p<0.005). Based on logistic regression, AD was differentiated from NC based on age, %REM, %L2 (p<0.05) and %supine (p=0.06). α‐Syn was distinguished from NC using both conventional (%N3 and SO, p<0.05) and exploratory sleep metric (%AN3 and %NRSH, p<0.05; %supine, p=0.06). Age (p=0.05) and %NRSH (p<0.01) were the only metrics that differentiated α‐Syn from AD.ConclusionObjective home sleep profiles hold promise for differentiating NDD patients from NC. The sleep metrics that provided the greatest distinction between NDD and NC were %REM, %supine and NRSH, while only NRSH distinguished AD from α‐Syn patients. Further confirmatory studies are underway.
EEG biomarkers differentiate Lewy body dementia from Alzheimer’s disease
AbstractBackgroundResting state electroencephalography (rsEEG) is a neurophysiologic Alzheimer disease (AD) and alpha‐synucleinopathy (dementia with Lewy body (DLB) and Parkinson disease (PDD)) biomarker [1]–[5]. Background slowing (increased low frequency power, dominant rhythm (DR) slowing) is frequent in AD and DLB, more so in DLB. We sought to identify distinguishing rsEEG signatures between DLB and AD.MethodParticipants included dementia patients [AD (n=26), DLB (n=12), PD (PDD; n=5)] and controls (HC; n=56). 20‐channel rsEEG was collected in eyes‐closed/eyes‐open conditions (5‐min each). Power spectral densities and coherences were measured using established methods [6]. Individual rsEEG power (delta, 1‐3 Hz; theta, 3‐7 Hz; alpha, 8‐13 Hz), theta/alpha ratio (TAR), dominant rhythm (DR), and DR frequency domain prominence were measured and averaged across groups, and effect sizes were determined and compared using Hedges g.ResultAD, DLB, and PDD groups exhibited increased low frequency (delta‐theta, 1‐5 Hz) power and TAR compared to controls (p<4x10‐4), with higher effect sizes in the DLB and PDD groups compared to AD. DR frequency was also decreased in all patient groups (DLB>PDD>AD) compared to controls (p=3x10‐9, p=3x10‐5, p=4x10‐4).AD alpha power and DR frequency domain prominence were reduced compared to controls and PDD/DLB groups (p<0.003). Both AD patients and controls had comparable posterior power distribution predominance of DR, while DLB power of DR was more anteriorly distributed. Compared to controls, delta coherence was higher in AD, but lower in DLB. Delta power was positively correlated with cognitive fluctuation (CAF) in DLB (r(8)=+0.67, p=0.03), while negatively correlated with MMSE in AD (r(24)=‐0.64, p=10‐5).ConclusionDLB and AD had both common and distinct rsEEG signatures. Both had DR slowing and background slowing that was more severe in DLB than AD. Distinctive DLB findings included reduced posterior DR spatial dominance and decreased delta coherence. Conversely, distinct AD features were increased delta coherence, decreased alpha power, and decreased DR frequency prominence. Finally, the DLB and PDD groups had a similar magnitude of DR slowing, consistent with posteriorly dominant functional impairment in synucleinopathy reflected by corresponding regional rsEEG slowing, although future longitudinal prospective sequential rsEEG analyses are necessary to confirm these findings.
Brief smell identification test performance in RBD, DLB and AD
AbstractBackgroundImpaired olfaction has been associated with neurodegenerative diseases and may be a useful tool to aid in diagnosis or track disease progression. We sought to compare olfaction in participants with the clinical diagnoses of idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), or Alzheimer’s disease dementia (AD).MethodParticipants from the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center database who had a diagnosis of RBD (n=27, 56% male), DLB (n=51, 84% male), or AD (n=83, 47% male), and were given the Brief Smell Identification Test (B‐SIT) were included in this analysis. The B‐SIT score was calculated as the sum of correct responses (12 possible). Scores were categorized as reflecting anosmia (<6), hyposmia (6‐10), and normal olfactory function (>10). All participants underwent clinical and neuropsychological evaluations.ResultGlobal cognition was lower in AD and DLB than RBD (MMSE 21.5 ±4.9 in AD, 23.3 ±4.3 in DLB, 28.8 ± 1.2 in RBD; p <0.001). The mean B‐SIT total score was significantly lower for DLB (4.5 ± 3.1) compared to RBD (7.5 ± 3.0) or AD (7.0 ± 2.7) (p<0.001) using an ANOVA F‐test. Anosmia was present in 76% of DLB, which compared to 32% in RBD, and 32% in AD (p=0.9). Hyposmia was present in 18% of DLB, 47% of RBD, and 52% of AD (p=ns). Of 22 patients with normal olfaction, X% were DLB, X% RBD, and X% AD (p=X). An item analysis illustrated that participants with DLB were less likely to identify Menthol, Clove, Strawberry, Smoke, and Soap than those with RBD and AD. On serial examination, 12 RBD (60%) patients’ B‐SIT score decreased by at least one point at their most recent visit compared to their baseline visit.ConclusionThese findings suggest that impaired olfactory function is frequent in RBD, DLB and AD, with olfaction being worst in DLB in this cohort. Olfaction was declining in most of those with RBD who underwent serial evaluations. Further analyses are needed to determine if any scents are more sensitive to phenotype, progression, and degree of cognitive impairment. Supported by: NIH grants AG016574, NS100620, AG056639, AG015866
Patient preferences for prognostic counseling in idiopathic/isolated REM sleep behavior disorder
AbstractBackgroundTo examine patient preferences regarding prognostic counseling for idiopathic/isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD). Idiopathic/isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) carries an approximate 73‐91% long term risk for phenoconversion to dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson disease (PD). Previous research has shown that most providers counsel their patients concerning this risk, yet patients’ values and preferences regarding counseling are unknown.Methods122 participants with iRBD in the Mayo Clinic iRBD Patient Registry enrolled. Participants were sent a survey concerning prognostic counseling and their experience in being diagnosed with iRBD.ResultsOf 81 respondents (67.2% response rate), 74% were men with an average age of 65.7 ± 9.7 years. Responses indicated a strong preference toward receiving prognostic information; 92.5% felt knowledge concerning neurodegenerative disease risk was important, while 87.6% felt prognostic discussion was important to maintain trust in their physician. Additionally, 95.7% indicated they desired more information, while only 4.3% would have desired less information regarding prognostic risk following iRBD diagnosis. Most respondents agreed strongly that prognostic information was important for discussions with their family and friends and future life planning, and expressed interest in learning more about future neuroprotective therapies and symptomatic treatments for parkinsonism and dementia.ConclusionsiRBD patients indicated a strong preference for disclosure of neurodegenerative prognostic risk information, preferred more rather than less information, and felt prognostic information was important for family discussions and life planning. This data informs prognostic counseling practices regarding iRBD and other neurodegenerative diseases.