title: Differences in cerebrospinal fluid gangliosides between "probable Alzheimer's disease" and normal aging.
abstract: The four major brain gangliosides, GM1, GD1a, GD1b, and GT1b, were determined in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 43 patients with "probable Alzheimer's disease (AD)" and 40 healthy controls without psychiatric or neurological disorders. The total concentration of the four gangliosides did not differ significantly between "probable AD" group (116 +/- 58 nmol/L) and controls (92 +/- 31 nmol/L), but the proportion between the gangliosides was changed. In the "probable AD" group compared with the age-matched control group, there was an increase in both the GM1 (22.6 +/- 9.3% vs 12.6 +/- 4.1%; p < 0.0001) and GD1a (32.1 +/- 9.8% vs 23.3 +/- 5.7%; p < 0.0005) proportion, and a decrease in the GD1b (20.0 +/- 6.6% vs 23.8 +/- 6.0%; p < 0.05) and GT1b (25.3 +/- 7.9 vs 40.3 +/- 9.3%; p < 0.0001) proportion. The proportion of GM1 showed a positive correlation with age in the control group (r = 0.45; p < 0.01), but a negative correlation with age in the "probable AD" group (r = -0.37; p < 0.05). Thus, although the increase in proportion GM1 in the "probable AD" group was preferentially found in younger "probable AD" patients, it was not caused by age differences. While the pathogenetic mechanism for these changes in CSF-gangliosides in "probable AD" remains to be established, it may reflect the degeneration of nerve cells and synapses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Göteborg, Mölndal Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blennow
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Davidsson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wallin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fredman
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Gottfries
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Månsson
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Svennerholm
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005260:Female; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D005732:Gangliosides; C021298:ganglioside, GD1a; C033851:ganglioside, GD1b; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside; C016481:trisialoganglioside GT1