Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39891470›Full record

ArticleAnnals of neurology2025

Frequency and Early Predictors of Cognitive Deterioration in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Longitudinal Population-Based Study.

Barbara Iazzolino, Francesca Palumbo, Cristina Moglia, Umberto Manera, Maurizio Grassano, Enrico Matteoni, Sara Cabras, Maura Brunetti, Rosario Vasta, Marco Pagani and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Cerebral metabolic patterns onEuropean journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Barbara Iazzolino *ALS Center, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
Francesca Palumbo *ALS Center, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
Cristina Moglia *ALS Center, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
Umberto ManeraALS Center, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
Maurizio GrassanoALS Center, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
Enrico MatteoniALS Center, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
Sara CabrasALS Center, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
Maura BrunettiALS Center, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
Rosario VastaALS Center, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-0393-4736
Marco PaganiInstitute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council, Rome, Italy.
Gabriele Mora *ALS Center, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
Antonio Canosa *ALS Center, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-5876-4079
Andrea Calvo *ALS Center, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-5122-7243
Adriano Chiò *ALS Center, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-9579-5341

Funding

EU Joint Programme - Neurodegenerative Disease Research ALS-CareEU Joint Programme - Neurodegenerative Disease Research Brain-MendFP7 Health 259867HORIZON EUROPE Health 101017598Ministero della Salute RF-2016-02362405Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca (Department of Excellence) 2017SNW5MBMinistero dell'Università e della Ricerca (Department of Excellence) 20228N7573
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe objective is to evaluate cognitive and behavioral progression and identify early predictors of these changes in a cohort of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients.

methodsA total of 161 ALS patients were tested at diagnosis (T0), and 107 were re-tested after 1 year (T1) using cognitive/behavioral tests. All patients underwent whole-genome sequencing, and 46 patients (ALS-normal cognition [CN]) underwent [18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography.

resultsOf the 161 patients, 107 were re-rested at T1; non-retested patients included 10 with frontotemporal dementia and 44 who were either non-testable or deceased. At T0, 67 patients (62.6%) were classified as ALS-CN, whereas 40 (38.4%) showed some degree of cognitive/behavioral impairment. Eighteen ALS-CN patients (26.9%) experienced cognitive decline at T1. Phenoconverters had lower baseline scores in letter fluency (Letter Fluency Test [FAS]) (p < 0.001), Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral ALS Screen (ECAS) verbal fluency score (p = 0.017). Both tests were independently predictive of phenoconversion in binary logistic regression models, with optimal cut-off scores of 28.75 and 14.2, with good sensitivity and specificity. Other predictors included older age, lower education, and ALS-related genetic variants. Phenoconverters were hypometabolic in the left temporal lobe. Thirteen (32.5%) of the 40 patients with cognitive impairment at T0 worsened by T1, with FAS (p = 0.02) and the ECAS verbal fluency score (p = 0.023) predicting further decline.

interpretationApproximately 30% of ALS patients experienced cognitive/behavioral decline within the first year after diagnosis. FAS and ECAS verbal fluency were predictive of cognitive phenoconversion. Our findings highlight the importance of early detection of at-risk individuals and the need for longitudinal cognitive assessments to monitor disease progression. ANN NEUROL 2025;97:1122-1133.

Indexed as

Amyotrophic Lateral SclerosisCognitive DysfunctionAdultAgedDisease ProgressionFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedNeuropsychological TestsPositron-Emission Tomography

Identifiers

PMID39891470
PMCPMC12082020

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.