28 research outputs found

    Depressive symptoms in Parkinson's disease and in non-neurological medical illnesses.

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    Background: Patients with neurological and non-neurological medical illnesses very often complain of depressive symptoms that are associated with cognitive and functional impairments. We compared the profile of depressive symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with that of control subjects (CS) suffering from non-neurological medical illnesses. Methods: One-hundred PD patients and 100 CS were submitted to a structured clinical interview for identification of major depressive disorder (MDD) and minor depressive disorder (MIND), according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR), criteria. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were also administered to measure depression severity. Results: When considering the whole groups, there were no differences in depressive symptom frequency between PD and CS apart from worthlessness/guilt, and changes in appetite reduced rates in PD. Further, total scores and psychic and somatic subscores of HDRS and BDI did not differ between PD and CS. After we separated PD and CS in those with MDD, MIND, and no depression (NODEP), comparing total scores and psychic/somatic subscores of HDRS and BDI, we found increased total depression severity in NODEP PD and reduced severity of the psychic symptoms of depression in MDD PD, with no differences in MIND. However, the severity of individual symptom frequency of depression was not different between PD and CS in MDD, MIND, and NODEP groups. Conclusion: Although MDD and MIND phenomenology in PD may be very similar to that of CS with non-neurological medical illnesses, neurological symptoms of PD may worsen (or confound) depression severity in patients with no formal/structured DSM-IV-TR, diagnosis of depressive mood disorders. Thus, a thorough assessment of depression in PD should take into consideration the different impacts of neurological manifestations on MDD, MIND, and NODEP. © 2013 Assogna et al, publisher and licensee Dove Medical Press Ltd

    Resonant third-harmonic generation driven by out-of-equilibrium electron dynamics in sodium-based near-zero index thin films

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    We investigate resonant third-harmonic generation in near-zero index thin films driven out-of-equilibrium by intense optical excitation. Adopting the Landau weak coupling formalism to incorporate electron-electron and electron-phonon scattering processes, we derive a novel set of hydrodynamic equations accounting for collision-driven nonlinear dynamics in sodium. By perturbatively solving hydrodynamic equations, we model third-harmonic generation by a thin sodium film, finding that such a nonlinear process is resonant at the near-zero index resonance of the third-harmonic signal. Thanks to the reduced absorption of sodium, we observe that third-harmonic resonance can be tuned by the impinging pump radiation angle, efficiently modulating the third-harmonic generation process. Furthermore, owing to the metallic sodium response at the pump optical wavelength, we find that the third-harmonic conversion efficiency is maximised at a peculiar thin film thickness where evanescent back-reflection provides increased field intensity within the thin film. Our results are relevant for the development of future ultraviolet light sources, with potential impact for innovative integrated spectroscopy schemes

    High-performance chiral mirrors by twisted anisotropic photonic crystals

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    The capability of anisotropic media to exert an optical torque on electromagnetic fields is crucial for polarization control. Here we investigate twisted layered stacks of uniaxial anisotropic media to engineer chiral mirrors for the manipulation of circularly polarized light by adjusting the layer number, thicknesses, and orientation. To this aim, we undertake a comprehensive theoretical analysis devising a multilayered twisted anisotropic photonic crystal enabling highly efficient circular polarization manipulation functionalities, i.e., showing concurring close-To-unitary helicity-preserving reflectance of one circular polarization and transmittance of the opposite one. Owing to the angular-momentum manipulation concept enabled by our proposed devices, we envisage that such chiral mirrors are promising candidates for an alternative class of integrated circular polarizers, holding great potential for applications in quantum technologies, polarization-sensitive optical detectors, and electro-optical information processing

    Neuropsychiatric and cognitive symptoms and body side of onset of parkinsonism in unmedicated Parkinson's disease patients

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    The onset of motor symptoms is primarily unilateral in the majority of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Because of the lateralization of several cognitive and neuropsychiatric functions and the role of impaired dopaminergic transmission on non-motor symptoms in PD, the question raises whether body side of onset of parkinsonian motor symptoms might influence cognitive and/or neuropsychiatric domains in idiopathic PD

    The early course of affective and cognitive symptoms in de novo patients with Parkinson's disease

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    Neuropsychiatric and cognitive symptoms are common in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) from the early stage of the disease but their course is still unclear. In this study we investigated prospectively the progression of affective and cognitive symptoms and disorders in de novo idiopathic PD patients. Twenty-four de novo drug naïve PD patients underwent a comprehensive neurological, psychopathological and neuropsychological evaluation at the first diagnostic visit (OFF), after 4-6 months when the antiparkinsonian therapy regimen was stabilized (ON-1), and at one year following the ON-1 follow-up visit (ON-2). Generalized least squares analysis revealed a significant improvement over time in the depressive mood, short and long term episodic verbal memory, visual memory, and the motor symptoms. Pairwise comparisons showed a significant change from OFF to ON-1 for all the aforementioned variables, except for short term episodic verbal memory which approached significance. A significant improvement from ON-1 to ON-2, however, was shown for short term episodic verbal memory. An ancillary analysis indicated that overall level and change in a number of cognitive variables, but not depression, was conditional upon age of onset, education, and sometime gender. In conclusion, early stage PD is not associated with affective and cognitive deterioration. On the contrary, very specific neuropsychiatric and cognitive symptoms may improve. This study provides Class III evidence that antiparkinsonian treatment commonly used in the clinical practice improves memory performance and depression severity in de novo patients with PD

    Chronic Pain in the Elderly with Cognitive Decline: A Narrative Review

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    Full copyright for enhanced digital features is owned by the authors. Article full text The full text of this article can be found here. Provide enhanced digital features for this article If you are an author of this publication and would like to provide additional enhanced digital features for your article then please contact [email protected]. The journal offers a range of additional features designed to increase visibility and readership. All features will be thoroughly peer reviewed to ensure the content is of the highest scientific standard and all features are marked as ‘peer reviewed’ to ensure readers are aware that the content has been reviewed to the same level as the articles they are being presented alongside. Moreover, all sponsorship and disclosure information is included to provide complete transparency and adherence to good publication practices. This ensures that however the content is reached the reader has a full understanding of its origin. No fees are charged for hosting additional open access content. Other enhanced features include, but are not limited to: • Slide decks • Videos and animations • Audio abstracts • Audio slides</p

    Depressive symptoms in Parkinson&amp;rsquo;s disease and in non-neurological medical illnesses

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    Francesca Assogna,1 Sabrina Fagioli,1 Luca Cravello,1 Giuseppe Meco,2 Mariangela Pierantozzi,3 Alessandro Stefani,3 Francesca Imperiale,2 Carlo Caltagirone,1,3 Francesco E Pontieri,4 Gianfranco Spalletta11I.R.C.C.S. Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy; 2Department of Neurology and Psychiatry (Parkinson&amp;rsquo;s Centre) and Research Centre of Social Diseases (CIMS), University &amp;ldquo;Sapienza&amp;rdquo;, Rome, Italy; 3Department of Neuroscience, University &amp;ldquo;Tor Vergata&amp;rdquo;, Rome, Italy; 4Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sensory Systems, University &amp;ldquo;Sapienza&amp;rdquo;, Movement Disorder Unit, Sant&amp;rsquo;Andrea Hospital, Rome, ItalyBackground: Patients with neurological and non-neurological medical illnesses very often complain of depressive symptoms that are associated with cognitive and functional impairments. We compared the profile of depressive symptoms in Parkinson&amp;rsquo;s disease (PD) patients with that of control subjects (CS) suffering from non-neurological medical illnesses.Methods: One-hundred PD patients and 100 CS were submitted to a structured clinical interview for identification of major depressive disorder (MDD) and minor depressive disorder (MIND), according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR), criteria. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were also administered to measure depression severity.Results: When considering the whole groups, there were no differences in depressive symptom frequency between PD and CS apart from worthlessness/guilt, and changes in appetite reduced rates in PD. Further, total scores and psychic and somatic subscores of HDRS and BDI did not differ between PD and CS. After we separated PD and CS in those with MDD, MIND, and no depression (NODEP), comparing total scores and psychic/somatic subscores of HDRS and BDI, we found increased total depression severity in NODEP PD and reduced severity of the psychic symptoms of depression in MDD PD, with no differences in MIND. However, the severity of individual symptom frequency of depression was not different between PD and CS in MDD, MIND, and NODEP groups.Conclusion: Although MDD and MIND phenomenology in PD may be very similar to that of CS with non-neurological medical illnesses, neurological symptoms of PD may worsen (or confound) depression severity in patients with no formal/structured DSM-IV-TR, diagnosis of depressive mood disorders. Thus, a thorough assessment of depression in PD should take into consideration the different impacts of neurological manifestations on MDD, MIND, and NODEP.Keywords: Parkinson&amp;rsquo;s disease, neuropsychiatry, depression, nonmotor symptom
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