title: beta-Endorphin-like immunoreactivity in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
abstract: beta-Endorphin-like immunoreactivity (beta-EP-LI) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was measured in 42 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), 36 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), and 35 controls. Values for patients with Alzheimer's disease (10.9 +/- 2.8 pmol/l) seemed to be lower than those for controls (12.9 +/- 2.5 pmol/l) (P less than 0.05). In addition, the severely demented patients had lower values than the moderately demented (P less than 0.01). In patients with Parkinson's disease no significant difference in beta-EP-LI values was observed compared to the controls. The data suggest, that processing of pro-opiomelanocortin, precursor of beta-endorphin, and the mechanism of cognitive impairment may differ in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D004723:Endorphins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000378:metabolism; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D001615:beta-Endorphin
chemical_list: D004723:Endorphins; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin