Aug 2026· Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences· 0 citations· 10 references
Medicine
TL;DR
It is suggested that primary spoken language may be associated with ANT1 performance in MHE assessments and Integrating ANT1 with serum IL-6 showed numerically improved discrimination in Mandarin speakers, whereas exploratory demographic calibration of S-ANT1 showed a numerically higher AUROC in Taiwanese Hokkien speakers.
Abstract
ABSTRACT Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) involves subtle cognitive dysfunction and systemic inflammation and is associated with an increased risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy. The Animal Naming Test (ANT1) is a rapid semantic fluency tool for MHE assessment, but its performance across different primary spoken languages remains unclear. We conducted a prospective proof‐of‐concept study to evaluate the diagnostic performance of ANT1 and serum interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) in Mandarin‐ and Taiwanese Hokkien‐speaking cirrhotic patients. A total of 65 cirrhotic patients and 34 healthy controls were enrolled. Patients completed ANT1, simplified ANT1 (S‐ANT1), and standard psychometric assessments. MHE was defined by abnormal PHES and/or visually assessed EEG slowing. Diagnostic discrimination was evaluated using AUROC analyses stratified by primary spoken language. A post hoc exploratory Taiwanese‐calibrated S‐ANT1 was also assessed in Taiwanese Hokkien‐speaking patients. Sixteen cirrhotic patients (24.6%) were diagnosed with MHE. Patients with MHE had lower ANT1 scores and higher serum IL‐6 levels than those without MHE. In Mandarin‐speaking patients (n = 44), ANT1 demonstrated an AUROC of 0.760, while serum IL‐6 showed an AUROC of 0.841. The composite model combining ANT1 and serum IL‐6 showed a numerically higher AUROC of 0.895, but this improvement was not statistically significant in pairwise DeLong comparisons. In Taiwanese Hokkien‐speaking patients (n = 21), standard ANT1 showed a lower AUROC of 0.679. The exploratory Taiwanese‐calibrated S‐ANT1 showed a numerically higher AUROC of 0.776; however, this post hoc finding was based on a small subgroup with 7 MHE events and requires external validation. This study suggests that primary spoken language may be associated with ANT1 performance in MHE assessments. Integrating ANT1 with serum IL‐6 showed numerically improved discrimination in Mandarin speakers, whereas exploratory demographic calibration of S‐ANT1 showed a numerically higher AUROC in Taiwanese Hokkien speakers. These findings are exploratory and hypothesis‐generating, necessitating validation in larger independent cohorts before clinical implementation.
Abstract Background Cognitive impairment represents a significant concern within the spectrum of post‐acute sequelae of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection, particularly impacting the aging population. This study aimed to assess the incidence of reversible and irreversible cognitive decline after Omicron infection, identify changes in specific cognitive domains, and determine the risk factors for progressive cognitive decline. Methods In this multicenter longitudinal cohort, 3419 patients diagnosed with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19) between December 2022 and March 2023 from nine hospitals in China were enrolled. Cognitive function was assessed at 6 months and 2 years post‐infection using the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) and Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status‐40 (TICS‐40). Domain‐specific performance was analyzed, and logistic regression was used to identify risk factors. Results In total, 2087 patients with COVID‐19 completed both the 6‐month and 2‐year follow‐up (1172 [56.2%] men; 915 [43.8%] women; median age 63.0 years [interquartile range]: 53.0–71.0) respectively. Two years after discharge from the hospital, 67.1% (1401/2087) of survivors maintained stable cognitive function, 22.0% (460/2087) of survivors experienced reversible cognitive decline, and 10.8% (226/2087) experienced irreversible cognitive decline (3.6% [76/2087] showed progressive cognitive decline). The profile of recovery or deterioration in cognitive domains involved attention/calculation, executive function, delayed recall, registration, and learning, all of which are multi‐dimensional. Age ≥60 years (OR = 4.31, 95% CI [1.47, 12.65]), reinfection (OR = 2.12, 95% CI [1.33, 3.38]), and vaccination doses (OR = 0.69, 95% CI [0.55, 0.87]) were associated with progressive decline. Conclusion Post‐Omicron cognitive decline is largely reversible, with significant recovery observed in key domains including attention/calculation, executive function, delayed recall, registration, and learning. However, a vulnerable subset with risk factors such as older adults, reinfection, and inadequate vaccination, is at risk for progressive cognitive decline. These findings highlight the necessity of targeted long‐term monitoring and early intervention for high‐risk populations.
Min Qiu, Mengwen Wang, Shengcai Chen et al.· Neuroprotection· 0 citations
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD), remains undiagnosed in > 90% of individuals, delaying access to timely evaluation and interventions. Self‐administered digital cognitive assessments (SA‐DCAs) offer scalable approaches for early detection, yet their real‐world validation and clinical readiness remain uncertain. We developed a use‐case–specific framework to evaluate SA‐DCAs intended for community and primary‐care MCI screening and applied it to a comprehensive scoping review of published evidence (2012‐2025). Among 79 identified SA‐DCAs, only four tools met predefined framework criteria across nine eligible studies. Common limitations included restricted population representativeness, inconsistent diagnostic performance reporting, limited biomarker anchoring, and reliance on prefiltered cohorts. Overall, the current evidence base is methodologically heterogeneous and incomplete for clinical deployment. The proposed framework characterizes requirements including anchoring strength, prevalence‐adjusted performance reporting, and representative sampling establishing a foundation for advancing robust real‐world evidence needed to translate SA‐DCAs from research to clinical practice.
H. Hampel, Yosuke Nakamura, J. Bell et al.· Alzheimer's & Dementia· 0 citations
ABSTRACT Background Very late‐onset schizophrenia‐like psychosis (VLOSLP) is clinically heterogeneous, and its relationship with dementia‐related neurodegenerative disease remains unresolved. We examined whether Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Lewy body disease (LBD) biomarker status were associated with dementia progression in VLOSLP. Methods We retrospectively identified patients who visited the University of Osaka Hospital between January 2018 and December 2023 and met criteria for VLOSLP. Twenty‐two participants with AD and/or LBD biomarker data and at least one follow‐up assessment within 775 days were classified as biomarker‐negative (BMs‐neg; n = 7) or biomarker‐positive (BMs‐pos; n = 15). Group comparisons were performed using Mann–Whitney U tests and Fisher's exact tests. Results The BMs‐pos group showed older onset age and lower memory scores than the BMs‐neg group. Dementia progression was more frequent in the BMs‐pos group than in the BMs‐neg group, although the difference was not statistically significant (8/15 [53.3%] vs. 1/7 [14.3%]; p = 0.165; odds ratio 6.31; 95% CI 0.55–353.18). Five of eight participants with AD biomarker positivity progressed to AD dementia. Three of seven participants with LBD biomarker positivity progressed to dementia, including two diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies. Follow‐up MMSE, CDR, and CDR‐SB scores differed significantly between groups. Conclusions AD and/or LBD biomarker‐positive VLOSLP may be associated with greater dementia progression and cognitive decline, although findings should be interpreted cautiously given the small sample size and retrospective design. These results support the clinical value of considering neurodegenerative biomarkers when evaluating the prognosis and underlying pathology of VLOSLP.
Y. Satake, H. Kanemoto, Daiki Taomoto et al.· Psychogeriatrics· 0 citations
BACKGROUND
Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) is a neurodegenerative syndrome characterized by progressive language impairment, with semantic deficits as a core feature, particularly in the semantic variant. However, culturally appropriate tools for assessing semantic associations remain limited in the Indonesian context. This study aimed to develop and psychometrically validate the Indonesian Neurocognitive Semantic Association Test for Neurodegenerative Impairment (INSANI).
METHODS
INSANI was developed using culturally adapted semantic association tasks across three domains: class membership, part-whole, and contiguity. Content validity was evaluated by expert neurologists and language specialists using the content validity index (CVI). A field study was conducted in 300 healthy Indonesian-speaking adults. Construct validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).
RESULTS
Of the initial 38 items, 33 were retained after content validation. CFA supported a refined 7-item model with good construct validity while maintaining representation across semantic domains. The final instrument demonstrated moderate internal consistency and high comprehensibility, indicating good psychometric performance and cultural appropriateness.
CONCLUSION
INSANI is a promising tool for assessing semantic associations in Indonesian-speaking populations, with potential clinical utility in diagnosing and monitoring PPA and related neurodegenerative disorders. Further validation in clinical populations is needed to establish its diagnostic performance.
F. Fitri, Dina Nazriani, Alfansuri Kadri· Applied neuropsychology. Adu...· 0 citations
Abstract Background Parkinson's disease (PD) is clinically heterogeneous, with variable progression rates that complicate clinical trial design. The data‐driven diffuse malignant (DM), intermediate (IM), and mild‐motor predominant (MMP) subtyping model has prognostic value but lacks disease duration–specific thresholds for prospective use in disease‐modifying trials. Objective To define year‐specific percentile thresholds for key motor and non‐motor measures within the first 5 years after diagnosis to enable real‐time PD subtyping and assess progression patterns across subtypes. Methods We analyzed de‐identified PPMI data (downloaded April 22, 2026) from 1030 individuals with idiopathic PD. For each disease year, we computed percentiles for a composite motor score (MDS‐UPDRS II + III + PIGD) and non‐motor measures (MoCA, RBDSQ, SCOPA‐AUT). Thresholds were set at the 75th percentile for motor, RBDSQ, and SCOPA‐AUT, and the 25th percentile for MoCA, and applied annually to classify DM‐, IM‐, and MMP‐PD. Subtype stability (years 1–5) and progression were assessed using 25 predefined PPMI milestones. Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression models evaluated time to first milestone. Results Percentile thresholds worsened progressively over time, paralleling cohort‐level decline. DM‐PD prevalence ranged from 19.2–20.5% (IM 41.8–44.4%; MMP 35.1–38.8%). At baseline, clinical measures differed significantly across subtypes. Compared to MMP‐PD, DM‐PD (HR 3.03; 95% CI: 2.30–3.97) and IM‐PD (HR 1.48; 95% CI: 1.19–1.84) showed faster progression. Conclusions We establish disease duration–specific percentiles for prospective application of the DM/IM/MMP subtyping model, supporting patient stratification and enrichment in disease‐modifying trials.
Ahmed Negida, Nitai D. Mukhopadhyay, Brian D Berman et al.· Movement Disorders Clinical...· 0 citations
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a transitional stage between normal aging and dementia, in which early detection is essential. Urinary amyloid precursor protein (APP) fragments have been proposed as a non‐invasive biomarker, but their diagnostic value in elderly populations remains uncertain. This study evaluated the diagnostic performance of urinary APP fragments, particularly amyloid‐β protein precursor (AβPP), for MCI screening and examined associated sociodemographic and clinical risk factors among adults aged ≥ 65 years.
A single‐center, cross‐sectional, case–control study was conducted at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. A total of 140 age‐ and gender‐matched participants were recruited (70 MCI, 70 cognitively normal). Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Urinary AβPP was measured using a lateral flow immunochromatography kit. Data on comorbidities, body mass index, education level and smoking status were collected. Diagnostic accuracy and logistic regression analyses were performed.
The urinary AβPP test showed a sensitivity of 74.3%, specificity of 27.1%, and overall accuracy of 50.7%, with no significant association with cognitive status (
p
= 0.424). Diabetes mellitus was an independent risk factor predictor for MCI (
p
= 0.007, OR = 5.764, 95% CI 1.615–20.572) along with age (
p
= 0.001, OR = 1.638, 95% CI 1.234–2.175).
Urinary AβPP shows high sensitivity but low specificity for MCI screening. Diabetes mellitus is a significant predictor of MCI, highlighting the role of metabolic health in early cognitive decline.
Hui Xin Oh, Shin Rou Khor, J. Tan et al.· Neurology and Clinical Neuro...· 0 citations
What if pathology foundation models could do more with less? GigaPath-Flash and GigaTIME-Flash cut computational demands while maintaining strong performance, opening the door to larger studies and broader exploration. The post GigaPath-Flash and GigaTIME-Flash: Toward population-scale discovery with efficient pathology foundation models appeared first on Microsoft Research.
MIT News · Artificial Intelligence· news.mit.eduAug 31, 2026
With millions of users across the world, Julia has been used to conduct cutting-edge research and to design new drugs, jet engines, heat pumps, and more.