title: Cerebrospinal fluid choline levels are decreased in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: We examined acetylcholinsterase (AChE) activity and choline levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in 16 patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease and 9 control subjects of corresponding age: 8 were untreated Parkinson's patients; 4 were treated with carbidopa-levodopa (100/1,000 mg/day) for 20 +/- 3 months; and 4 were treated with carbidopa-levodopa (110/1,100 mg/day) for 28 +/- 18 months plus amantadine (200 mg/day) for 16 +/- 8 months. CSF choline levels (nmol/ml) were 2.97 +/- 0.79 (control subjects); 1.31 +/- 0.29 (untreated patients); 1.00 +/- 0.29 (carbidopa-levodopa treated); and 1.26 +/- 0.19 (carbidopa-levodopa/amantadine treated). Choline levels were significantly lower in untreated and treated patients compared to control subjects (p = 0.0001). AChE activity did not differ in Parkinson's disease patients as compared to control subjects. The reduced level of choline in CSF may reflect a deficit in choline transport into the brain or a decrease of choline-phospholipid output from the brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL 62794-9230.
authors.forename: B V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Manyam
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giacobini
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Colliver
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D002794:Choline / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
chemical_list: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D002794:Choline