Background/Objectives: Cognitive impairment represents a core and prodromal clinical feature of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). We sought to assess specific cognitive domains which are mainly affected among patients with CAA and to investigate probable associations with neuroimaging markers and Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) biomarkers. Methods: Thirty-five patients fulfilling the Boston Criteria v1.5 or v2.0 for the diagnosis of probable/possible CAA were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging and CSF biomarker data were collected. Every eligible participant underwent a comprehensive neurocognitive assessment. Spearman’s rank correlation tests were used to identify possible relationships between the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination—Revised (ACE-R) sub-scores and other neurocognitive test scores and the CSF biomarker and neuroimaging parameters among CAA patients. Moreover, linear regression analyses were used to investigate the effects of CSF biomarkers on the ACE-R total score and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score, based on the outcomes of univariate analyses. Results: Cognitive impairment was detected in 80% of patients, and 60% had a coexistent Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology based on CSF biomarker profiles. Notable correlations were identified between increased levels of total tau (t-tau) and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) and diminished performance in terms of overall cognitive function, especially memory. In contrast, neuroimaging indicators, including lobar cerebral microbleeds and superficial siderosis, had no significant associations with cognitive scores. Among the CAA patients, those without AD had superior neurocognitive test performance, with significant differences observed in their ACE-R total scores and memory sub-scores. Conclusions: The significance of tauopathy in cognitive impairment associated with CAA may be greater than previously imagined, underscoring the necessity for additional exploration of the non-hemorrhagic facets of the disease and new neuroimaging markers.

Background: Psoriasis is associated with a high psychological burden and comorbidities, such as depression and anxiety. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychopathological profile of patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis under systemic treatment and to explore the association between DLQI and alexithymia, depression, and other psychopathological disorders. Methods: In this monocentric, prospective clinical study, 104 adult patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis were evaluated according to the disease severity (measured by PASI) influence of psoriasis on their quality of life (measured by DLQI) and their psychopathological profile (measured by the BDI, TAS-20, and SCL-90 questionnaires). Results: The psoriasis patients exhibited high levels of psychopathological symptoms, particularly for depression, obsessive-compulsive behavior, somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, and anxiety. More than half of the psoriatic patients (56.7%) were diagnosed with minimal depression, 26.9% with mild depression, and 16.3% with moderate or severe depression. The symptoms of possible and confirmed alexithymia were present in 19.2% and 15.4% of the patients, respectively. The patients with alexithymia appeared to experience a more significant impact on their QoL. Specifically, the percentage of patients with alexithymia/possible alexithymia who had a DLQI of ≥2 was 77.8% vs. 51.5% in those without alexithymia. Conclusions: Our study illuminates the intricate connection between the disease severity and psychological components that impact the QoL of patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. It is advised that clinicians adopt a comprehensive approach to managing psoriasis, which involves addressing both the physical symptoms of the condition and the psychological impact. In cases of patients with a DLQI of ≥2, despite adequate clinical responses, evaluating the possible coexistence of general psychopathology is recommended.

Type-1 diabetes mellitus (DM) is a lifelong serious condition which often renders the application of standard treatment options for patients' comorbid conditions, such as bipolar disorder I, risky – especially for acute manic episodes. We present such a case whereby the application of standard anti-manic treatments would have jeopardized a patient whose physical condition was already compromised by DM.

Background: Caspases (cysteine-aspartic proteases) represent a family of enzymes that critically influence cell homeostasis by being involved in inflammation and apoptosis mechanisms. Meningiomas demonstrate the most common intracranial primary central nervous system tumors in adults worldwide. Aim: Our purpose was to explore the role of caspase 8 expression in meningiomas’ pathological features. Materials and methods: A total of 50 meningioma cases were included in the study, comprising a broad spectrum of histopathological sub-types. An immunohistochemistry assay was applied on tissue microarray cores followed by digital image analysis. Results: Overexpression of caspase 8 protein was observed in 21/50 (42%) cases, whereas the rest of them (29/50, 58%) demonstrated moderate to low levels of the molecule. Caspase 8 overall expression was statistically significantly correlated to grade of the examined tumors and to mitotic index (p=0.001, p=0.002, respectively). Conclusions: Caspase 8 aberrant expression is observed in meningiomas associated with their differentiation grade and mitotic activity. Targeted therapeutic strategies focused on enhancing caspase 8 expression and also inducing the overall apoptotic activity should be a very promising approach in rationally handling sub-groups of meningioma patients.