Glutamate and other CSF amino acids in Alzheimer's disease.
The authors compared CSF amino acid levels of 10 patients with mild to moderate dementia and probable Alzheimer's disease who had never received antidepressant or neuroleptic medication with those of 10 normal subjects of similar age. The Alzheimer's patients had significantly higher levels of CSF glutamate. This finding was not related to age, sex, or severity of dementia. Elevated CSF glutamate may reflect greater glutamatergic activity early in the course of Alzheimer's disease. The authors speculate that the excitotoxic effects of glutamate may contribute to progressive neuronal loss in Alzheimer's disease.
Pomara
N
N
Lafayette Clinic, Detroit, Mich.
Singh
R
R
Deptula
D
D
Chou
J C
JC
Schwartz
M B
MB
LeWitt
P A
PA
D000367:Age Factors; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005971:Glutamates / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013654:Taurine / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid
D000596:Amino Acids; D005971:Glutamates; D013654:Taurine