Clinical usability of telephone-based cognitive screening tests in Parkinson's disease Angelica De Sandi, Edoardo Nicolò Aiello, Federica Verardo, Denise Mellace, Angelica Marfoli, et al. Journal of Parkinson S Disease, 2026 Background Accessible screening tools are crucial for the early detection of cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD), especially in contexts where in-person assessments are not feasible. Objective To assess the clinical usability of telephone-based cognitive screening (TBCS) tools in PD patients. Methods Forty-two non-demented PD individuals and N = 103 healthy controls (HCs) underwent a TBCS battery including the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS), the Telephone-based Frontal Assessment Battery (t-FAB) and sub-tests from the Telephone-based Verbal Fluency Battery (t-VFB) and Telephone Language Screener (TLS). PD individuals were also administered the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in person and assessed for behavior and cognitive-driven functional independence via caregiver-report questionnaires administered over the telephone (Neuropsychiatric Inventory, NPI and Amsterdam IADL Questionnaire – 30-item version, A-IADL-Q-30, respectively). Correlations were run to test the construct and ecological validity of TBCS tests in PD individuals; ROC analyses were run to test the capability of TBCS tests to discriminate PD individuals from HCs and PD individuals with a defective MoCA from those performing normally (PD-MCI vs. PD-CN). Results The vast majority of TBCS measures were significantly associated with the MoCA and A-IADL-Q-30 scores, supporting convergent and ecological validity, respectively; TBCS measures also diverged from the NPI. TBCS measures of global cognition and executive-attentive measures discriminated PD individuals from HCs with acceptable accuracy (AUC = 0.71–0.75), showing, by contrast, a better performance in differentiating PD-MCI from PD-CN groups (AUC = 0.74–0.89). Conclusion TBCS tests are clinimetrically sound tools for identifying cognitive deficits in PD.
Prevalence and determinants of anxiety in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Edoardo Nicolò Aiello, Giulia De Luca, Beatrice Curti, Silvia Torre, Claudia Gendarini, et al. Bjpsych Open, 2026 Background Clinically relevant anxiety can be detected in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but its prevalence and determinants have not yet been fully assessed. Aims This study aimed at assessing the prevalence and clinical underpinnings of anxiety in ALS. Method Non-demented ALS patients ( N = 433) and healthy controls ( N = 313) were administered the State- and Trait-Anxiety Inventory – Form Y (STAI-Y1 for state-anxiety and STAI-Y2 for trait-anxiety) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Patients were further assessed for cognition (Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen), behaviour (Frontal Behavioural Inventory) and motor status (disease duration, ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised and progression rate). The prevalence of clinically significant state- and trait-anxiety were estimated by applying age-stratified cut-offs to STAI-Y1/-Y2 t -scores. Linear and logistic regressions were run to test the determinants of STAI-Y1/-Y2 scores. Results STAI-Y1 and -Y2 scores above cut-off were detected in 18.2 and 13.9% of patients, respectively – with proportions being higher in cases versus controls ( p s < 0.001). BDI, but neither cognitive/behavioural nor motor variables, was identified as a significant predictor of STAI-Y1/-Y2 scores ( p s < 0.003). The cognitive–affective subscale of BDI was the sole predictor of scores above cut-off on both STAI-Y1 and STAI-Y2 ( p s < 0.001). Conclusions Clinically significant levels of state- and trait-anxiety occur in ∼18 and ∼14% of non-demented ALS patients, respectively, mostly driven by cognitive and affective facets of depression, and are independent of motor and cognitive/behavioural features.
The yes-no reversal phenomenon: Prevalence and correlates in mild cognitive impairment and dementia due to neurodegenerative, chronic cerebrovascular, and mixed etiologies Edoardo Nicolò Aiello, Giulia De Luca, Arianna Moreschi, Beatrice Curti, Francesco Cazzini, et al. Journal of Alzheimer S Disease, 2026 Background The yes-no reversal (YNR) phenomenon consists in a patient saying “yes” when meaning “no”, or vice-versa. Objective To investigate the prevalence of the YNR phenomenon in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia across different neurodegenerative, chronic cerebrovascular, or mixed etiologies, and to explore its demographic and clinical correlates. Methods Informants of N = 267 patients with MCI or dementia due to possible/probable Alzheimer's disease (AD; N = 164), frontotemporal lobar degeneration (N = 25), Lewy body disease (N = 18), mixed—i.e., AD and chronic cerebrovascular—etiologies (N = 37), Aβ-negative degenerative etiologies (N = 6), and chronic cerebrovascular disease (N = 17) were inquired on the occurrence of YNRs in everyday-life conversations. YNR+ and YNR- patients were compared on demographics (i.e., age, sex, education), disease duration (in months), disease severity (i.e., MCI versus dementia), etiology and total and subscale-/item-level Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. A multiple logistic model was also run on the presence/absence of YNRs by addressing, as predictors, variables that yielded significance at an univariable level. Results The YNR phenomenon was recorded in 23 patients (8.61%), all of them being demented (i.e., no MCI patient showed YNRs). YNR+ patients were younger and scored lower on Immediate recall and Language subscores of the MMSE. The prevalence of YNRs was higher in non-AD- (∼18%) versus AD-related (∼5%) etiologies. The effects of disease severity and etiology were confirmed by the multiple logistic model, while the others were not. Conclusions The YNR phenomenon is a clinical sign possibly associated with dementia due to non-AD etiologies.
Applicability and Correlates of a Symptom-Led Staging System for Primary Progressive Aphasia Edoardo Nicolò Aiello, Arianna Moreschi, Valeria Crispiatico, Beatrice Curti, Giulia De Luca, et al. European Journal of Neurology, 2025 Background This study aimed at assessing the applicability of a symptom‐led staging system for primary progressive aphasia (PPA) based on retrospective medical records, as well as at exploring their demographic and clinical correlates. Methods 75 PPA patients (10 semantic, 28 non‐fluent, 22 logopenic, and 16 mixed variants) were retrospectively staged according to the PPA Progression Planning Aid (PPA‐Squared) system, which stages the disease by accounting for clinical features along three axes: (1) Communication; (2) Non‐Verbal Thinking and Personality; (3) Personal Care and Well‐Being. The percentage of successfully staged patients was computed. The association between PPA‐Squared scores and demographic and clinical data was tested via non‐parametric tests. The predictive capability of PPA‐Squared scores towards survival was explored via a Mantel‐Cox test. Results 89.3% of patients were successfully staged based on retrospective medical records. The PPA‐Squared was associated with the MMSE ( p < 0.001), ADL ( p = 0.021), and IADL scores ( p < 0.001) and a set of second‐level cognitive measures tapping on attention, executive functions, language, long‐term memory, and visuo‐spatial abilities ( p ≤ 0.049). No association was found between the PPA‐Squared and demographic features, symptom duration, PPA phenotype, the presence of motor involvement, and survival. Discussion The PPA‐Squared is a feasible and clinically valid tool for staging PPA patients based on their cognitive and functional status .
Prevalence and determinants of anxiety in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis EN Aiello, G De Luca, B Curti, S Torre, C Gendarini, A Cocuzza, ... BJPsych Open 12 (3), e114 , 2026 2026
Updated Italian norms for the Paired-Associate Learning Test (PALT) S Zago, T Rasi, EN Aiello, F Frisco, G De Luca, B Curti, A Moreschi, ... Aging Clinical and Experimental Research , 2026 2026
Clinical usability of telephone-based cognitive screening tests in Parkinson's disease A De Sandi, EN Aiello, F Verardo, D Mellace, A Marfoli, C Manzoni, ... Journal of Parkinson’s Disease, 1877718X251400748 , 2026 2026
Cognitive and behavioral involvement in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA): a systematic review G De Luca, EN Aiello, A Moreschi, B Curti, S Marcato, F Paredi, F Verde, ... Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration, 1-19 , 2026 2026
Two faces of chronic pain: distinct psychosocial profiles in headache and fibromyalgia. A De Sandi, A Marfoli, EN Aiello, D Mellace, C Manzoni, B Poletti, ... Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology , 2026 2026
The yes-no reversal phenomenon: Prevalence and correlates in mild cognitive impairment and dementia due to neurodegenerative, chronic cerebrovascular, and mixed etiologies EN Aiello, GD Luca, A Moreschi, B Curti, F Cazzini, A Cerri, S Saba, ... Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease 110 (2), 948-955 , 2026 2026
The head turning sign “outside the clinic walls” in patients with mild cognitive impairment and dementia EN Aiello, F Cazzini, A Moreschi, B Curti, G De Luca, F Frisco, S Saba, ... Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 13872877261452271 , 2026 2026
Correction to: Telephone-based cognitive screening in neurodegenerative MCI and dementia: preliminary findings from the TBCS Study EN Aiello, B Curti, G De Luca, A Moreschi, V Crispiatico, A Maranzano, ... Neurological sciences: official journal of the Italian Neurological Society … , 2026 2026
Reliable change indices for the cognitive section of Portuguese version of the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS screen (ECAS) I Alves, EN Aiello, D Lopes, M Gromicho, S Simão, A Moreschi, G De Luca, ... Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration 27 (1-2), 175-178 , 2026 2026 Citations: 1
Mental imagery after stroke: an exploratory study to investigate the relationship with cognitive and motor performance during rehabilitation M Ottonello, EN Aiello, A Moreschi, E Torselli, B Poletti, C Pistarini Neurological Sciences 47 (1), 19 , 2026 2026
Validation of the Italian Version of the STAR-MH Mental Health Screening Tool in a Sample of Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Northern Italy J Santambrogio, E Leon, N Cimminiello, L De Carolis, EN Aiello, B Curti, ... International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 00207640251406722 , 2025 2025
Applicability and Correlates of a Symptom‐Led Staging System for Primary Progressive Aphasia EN Aiello, A Moreschi, V Crispiatico, B Curti, G De Luca, M Lazzarini, ... European Journal of Neurology 32 (12), e70472 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Telephone-based cognitive screening in neurodegenerative MCI and dementia: preliminary findings from the TBCS Study EN Aiello, B Curti, G De Luca, A Moreschi, V Crispiatico, A Maranzano, ... Neurological Sciences 46 (12), 6509-6519 , 2025 2025
Semantic and phonemic advantages in Alzheimer's disease and behavioral variant-frontotemporal dementia: Insights from the Fluency Type Index EN Aiello, C Gendarini, A Cocuzza, A Romandini, S Mauri, B Curti, ... Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease 108 (3), 1268-1275 , 2025 2025
Unraveling the contribution of executive functions to language impairment in ALS B Poletti, EN Aiello, B Curti, S Torre, G De Luca, C D’Ambrosio, ... Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration 26 (7-8), 739-747 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Telephone-Based Cognitive Screening for MCI to Dementia in Parkinson's Disease R Ferrucci, A De Sandi, F Verardo, D Mellace, A Marfoli, S Zago, ... MOVEMENT DISORDERS 40 , 2025 2025
Cross-cultural adaptation and preliminary validation of the Italian version of the Feeding-Swallowing Impact Survey for both members of parental dyads A Baffi, V Crispiatico, EN Aiello, B Curti, G De Luca, B Poletti, M Buratti, ... Dysphagia 40 (5), 1191-1204 , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
Diagnostics and Ecological Validity of the Italian Version of the Parkinson’s Disease Cognitive Rating Scale A D’Iorio, EN Aiello, C Vitale, M Amboni, F Verde, V Silani, N Ticozzi, ... Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders 54 (5), 347-351 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Cognitive effects of adaptive deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease: stability without risk R Ferrucci, F Ruggiero, EN Aiello, S Marceglia, M Prenassi, B Poletti, ... European Journal of Medical Research 30 (1), 820 , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
Development and Validation of the Robot Acceptance Questionnaire (RAQ) T Amorese, M Cuciniello, C Greco, A D’Iorio, EN Aiello, B Poletti, V Silani, ... Applied Sciences 15 (17), 9281 , 2025 2025
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA): updated norms and psychometric insights into adaptive testing from healthy individuals in Northern Italy EN Aiello, C Gramegna, A Esposito, V Gazzaniga, S Zago, T Difonzo, ... Aging clinical and experimental research, 1-8 , 2021 2021 Citations: 161
The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and its sub-scales: validation and updated normative data in an Italian population sample EN Aiello, A Esposito, C Gramegna, V Gazzaniga, S Zago, T Difonzo, ... Neurological Sciences 43 (2), 979-984 , 2022 2022 Citations: 65
Cognitive assessment in SARS-CoV-2 patients: A systematic review B Biagianti, A Di Liberto, A Nicolò Edoardo, I Lisi, L Nobilia, ... Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience 14, 909661 , 2022 2022 Citations: 63
Screening for cognitive sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection: a comparison between the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) EN Aiello, E Fiabane, MR Manera, A Radici, F Grossi, M Ottonello, D Pain, ... Neurological Sciences 43 (1), 81-84 , 2022 2022 Citations: 59
Norms and standardizations in neuropsychology via equivalent scores: software solutions and practical guides EN Aiello, EG Depaoli Neurological Sciences 43 (2), 961-966 , 2022 2022 Citations: 48
Psychometrics and diagnostics of the Italian version of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) in Parkinson’s disease G Maggi, A D’Iorio, EN Aiello, B Poletti, N Ticozzi, V Silani, M Amboni, ... Neurological Sciences 44 (5), 1607-1612 , 2023 2023 Citations: 45
The Reading the mind in the eyes test, Iowa gambling task and interpersonal reactivity index: normative data in an Italian population sample O Maddaluno, EN Aiello, C Roncoroni, A Prunas, N Bolognini Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology 37 (5), 929-938 , 2022 2022 Citations: 42
Psychometrics and diagnostics of Italian cognitive screening tests: a systematic review EN Aiello, S Rimoldi, N Bolognini, I Appollonio, G Arcara Neurological Sciences 43 (2), 821-845 , 2022 2022 Citations: 42
Clinical features and cognitive sequelae in COVID-19: a retrospective study on N =152 patients MR Manera, E Fiabane, D Pain, EN Aiello, A Radici, M Ottonello, ... Neurological Sciences 43 (1), 45-50 , 2022 2022 Citations: 40
Tele-neuropsychological assessment tools in Italy: a systematic review on psychometric properties and usability E Zanin, EN Aiello, L Diana, G Fusi, M Bonato, A Niang, F Ognibene, ... Neurological Sciences 43 (1), 125-138 , 2022 2022 Citations: 37
Equating mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) scores: conversion norms from a healthy Italian population sample EN Aiello, F Pasotti, I Appollonio, N Bolognini Aging Clinical and Experimental Research 34 (7), 1721-1724 , 2022 2022 Citations: 35
Role of expectations in clinical outcomes after deep brain stimulation in patients with Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review F Mameli, E Zirone, R Girlando, E Scagliotti, G Rigamonti, EN Aiello, ... Journal of neurology 270 (11), 5274-5287 , 2023 2023 Citations: 33
Psychometric properties of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) in Italian physicians EN Aiello, E Fiabane, S Margheritti, S Magnone, N Bolognini, M Miglioretti, ... La Medicina del lavoro 113 (4), e2022037 , 2022 2022 Citations: 33
Gaze-contingent eye-tracking training in brain disorders: a systematic review L Carelli, F Solca, S Tagini, S Torre, F Verde, N Ticozzi, R Ferrucci, ... Brain Sciences 12 (7), 931 , 2022 2022 Citations: 28
Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS): Italian adaptation, psychometrics and diagnostics EN Aiello, A Esposito, I Giannone, L Diana, I Appollonio, N Bolognini Neurological Sciences 43 (5), 3071-3077 , 2022 2022 Citations: 26
Disembodying language: Actionality does not account for verb processing deficits in Parkinson's disease EN Aiello, M Grosso, A Di Liberto, A Andriulo, S Buscone, C Caracciolo, ... Journal of Neurolinguistics 61, 101040 , 2022 2022 Citations: 25
Trajectories of MMSE and MoCA scores across the healthy adult lifespan in the Italian population EN Aiello, F Pasotti, I Appollonio, N Bolognini Aging Clinical and Experimental Research 34 (10), 2417-2420 , 2022 2022 Citations: 24
Cognition and motor phenotypes in ALS: a retrospective study EN Aiello, D Pain, A Radici, KM Aktipi, R Sideri, I Appollonio, G Mora Neurological Sciences 43 (9), 5397-5402 , 2022 2022 Citations: 23
Language impairment in motor neuron disease phenotypes different from classical amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a review B Sbrollini, AN Preti, S Zago, C Papagno, IM Appollonio, EN Aiello Aphasiology, 1-24 , 2021 2021 Citations: 23
Prevalence and determinants of Italian physicians’ burnout in the “post-COVID-19” era E Fiabane, S Margheritti, EN Aiello, S Magnone, M Miglioretti, P Gabanelli, ... International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 96 (3), 377-387 , 2023 2023 Citations: 21