Neuroepidemiology

Many studies have suggested that cognitive training can result in cognitive gains in healthy older adults. We investigated whether personalized computerized cognitive training provides greater benefits than those obtained by playing conventional computer games.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system, often resulting in significant neurological disability. The causes of MS are not known; however, the incidence of MS is increasing, thereby suggesting that changes in lifestyle and/or environmental factors may be responsible. On this background, the Environmental Risk Factors in MS Study or EnvIMS study was designed to further explore the etiology of MS. The design and methodology are described, providing details to enable investigators to (i) use our experiences to design their own studies; (ii) take advantage of, and build on the methodological work completed for, the EnvIMS study; (iii) become aware of this data source that is available for use by the research community. EnvIMS is a multinational case-control study, enrolling 2,800 cases with MS and 5,012 population-based controls in Canada, Italy, Norway, Serbia and Sweden. The study was designed to investigate the most commonly implicated risk factors f...

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of PD among Turkish people from the study of National Burden of Disease (NBD) study.

Methods: Turkish NBD study covered 12,000 house and 48,057 household. The sample size was determined by Turkish Statistical Institution. The household size was calculated both rural and urban area. The responder was determined from the family, bigger than 18 years old with KISH method. The prevalence of PD study was standardized by age and sex in 2012 census in Turkey.

Results: 2012 census was 67,803,927 and riched people in the study was 48,057. The standardized prevalence rate was 48 per 100,000 for 2012 census, it was 40.8 per 100,000 for female, 55.2 per 100,000 for male. The severe motor fluctuation rate for PD was 0.5 per 10,000. The PD rate without demantia 3.6 per 10,000. The PD rate was none of the severe motor disorder nor demans 0.4 per 10,000. According to Hoehn&Yahr stage (H&Y), the prevalence of stage 1 was 1.5 per 10,000, stage 2 was 2.3 per 10,000, stage 3 was 0.5 per 10,000, stage 4 was 0.3 per 10,000 and stage 5 was 0.1 per 10,000.

Conclusions: The prevalence rate of PD was 48 per 100.000. Prevalence of stage 1&2 of PD is estimated as 3,8 per 10.000 and the advanced stage of PD (stage 3-4-5) is estimated as 0,9 per 10.000 of the total prevalence . It is proposed that this study may be validated with further studies

Objective: Glioblastomas(GBM) are the most common primary CNS tumors. Epidemiologic studies have investigated the effect of demographics on patient survival, but the literature remains inconclusive. Methods: This study included all adult patients with intracranial GBMs reported in the SEER-9 population database (1975-2018). The sample consisted of 32746 unique entries. We forecast the annual GBM incidence in the US population through the year of 2060 using time series analysis with autoregressive moving averages. A survival analysis of the GBM-specific time to death was also performed. Multivariate Cox Proportional Hazards(PH) regression revealed frank violations of the PH assumption for multiple covariates. Parametric models best described the GBM population’s survival pattern; the results were compared to the semi-parametric analysis and the published literature. Results: We predicted an increasing GBM incidence, which demonstrated that by the year 2060, over 1800 cases will be reported annually in the SEER. All eight demographic variables were significant in the univariable analysis. The calendar year 2005 was the cutoff associated with an increased survival probability. A male survival benefit was eliminated in the year-adjusted Cox. The factors: infratentorial tumors, non-metropolitan areas, and White patient race were erroneously associated with survival in the multivariate Cox analysis. AFT lognormal regression was the best model to describe the survival pattern in our patient population, identifying age > 30 years old as a poor prognostic and patients > 70 years old as having the worst survival. Annual income > $75,000 and supratentorial tumors were good prognostics, while surgical intervention provided the strongest survival benefit. Conclusions: Annual GBM incidence rates will continue to increase by almost 50% in the upcoming 30 years. Cox regression analysis should not be utilized for time-to-event predictions in GBM survival statistics. AFT lognormal distribution best describes the GBM specific survival pattern, and as an inherent population characteristic, it should be implemented by researchers for future studies. Surgical intervention provides the strongest survival benefit, while patient age > 70 years old is the worst prognostic. Based on our study, the demographics: gender, race, and county type should not be considered as meaningful prognostics when designing future trials.