Description of longitudinal cohorts focused on prodromal neurodegeneration in Czechia and Slovakia

Czech version

Authors: P. Dušek ¹; O. Bezdíček ¹; J. Bušková ²; L. Brabenec ³; J. Farkaš ³; J. Hort ⁴; K. Kulcsárová ^5-7; I. Rektorová ³; D. Školoudík ⁸; M. Škorvánek ^5-7
Authors‘ workplace: Neurologická klinika a Centrum klinických neurověd, 1. LF UK a VFN v Praze ¹; Národní ústav duševního zdraví, Klecany a 3. LF UK, Praha ²; 1. neurologická klinika LF MU a FN u sv. Anny a CEITEC, MU, Brno ³; Neurologická klinika 2. LF UK FN Motol, Praha ⁴; Neurologická klinika LF Univerzity Pavla Jozefa Šafárika v Košiciach ⁵; Neurologická klinika UN L. Pasteura v Košiciach ⁶; Ústav klinických neurovied, LF Univerzity Pavla Jozefa Šafárika v Košiciach ⁷; Centrum zdravotnického výzkumu, LF OU, Ostrava ⁸
Published in: Cesk Slov Neurol N 2026; 89(3): 178-184
Category: Original Paper
doi: https://doi.org/10.48095/cccsnn2026178

Overview

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe existing longitudinal cohort studies in Czechia and Slovakia that focus on prodromal neurodegeneration, describe their design, and evaluate opportunities for data sharing and protocol harmonization. Material and methods: A standardized questionnaire was distributed to centers conducting cohort studies of prodromal neurodegeneration. The questionnaire inquired about cohort focus, inclusion/exclusion criteria, sample sizes of followed patient groups, follow-up frequency, and applied methodologies. Results: Six centers located in Prague, Brno, Ostrava, and Košice collectively manage seven cohorts initiated between 2007 and 2020. In total, they include 285 individuals with Parkinson’s disease, 1,000 with Alzheimer’s disease, 72 with dementia with Lewy bodies, 210 with isolated REM sleep behavior disorder, 603 with mild cognitive impairment, 500 with subjective cognitive decline, 133 with hyposmia, 101 with substantia nigra hyperechogenicity on transcranial sonography, 20 carriers of genetic risk variants, and 523 healthy controls. Clinical follow-up intervals range from 1 to 5 years, with a maximum follow-up duration of 17 years. Most cohorts employ longitudinal cognitive and motor assessments, questionnaires addressing depression, anxiety, sleep, autonomic functions, and quality of life, olfactory testing, brain MRI, transcranial sonography, and biobanking of biological material. Conclusion: A robust network of cohorts focused on prodromal neurodegeneration exists in Czechia and Slovakia, covering a broad spectrum of diagnoses and offering substantial potential for multicenter studies.

Keywords:

cohort studies – Parkinson’s disease – hyposmia – REM sleep behavior disorder – Metadata – Alzheimer’s disease – prodromal neurodegeneration – Lewy body dementia

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