title: Brain choline acetyltransferase and mental function in Alzheimer disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether higher brain levels of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) are associated with improved neuropsychological function in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series with single-blind post hoc analysis of biopsy specimens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Urban hospital and medical school.
  
  
  METHODS
  A consecutive sample of 8 patients with AD undergoing brain biopsy and surgical implantation of intraventricular pumps for administration of potential chemotherapeutic agents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Brain biopsy, surgical implantation of intraventricular pumps, and, in 1 patient, ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients underwent neuropsychological testing no more than 2 weeks before surgical biopsy. Levels of ChAT were determined in fresh brain tissue from biopsy samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant positive correlations were found between ChAT levels and 2 neuropsychological test scores, Mini-Mental State Examination and the Logical Memory subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Degeneration of the cholinergic system in vivo correlates with decreasing cognitive function in patients with AD.
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery Section, Department of Surgery, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, Texas, USA. dbaskin@tmh.tmc.edu
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Baskin
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Browning
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Pirozzolo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Korporaal
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Baskin
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Appel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000523:psychology; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000601:surgery; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
chemical_list: D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase