title: Elevated plasma neopterin levels in Alzheimer disease.
abstract: We assessed plasma neopterin level as a marker of inflammation in Alzheimer disease (AD). Plasma neopterin levels were higher in 51 patients with AD (9.3 +/- 5.9 ng/mL) than in 38 age-matched control subjects (6.3 +/- 2.6 ng/ml, p = 0.002). There was no correlation between neopterin levels and Mini-Mental State Examination score or duration of disease; there was a weak association between neopterin level and age (r = 0.26, p = 0.02). Although measurement of plasma neopterin levels is not useful for diagnosis, this assay may provide guidance for the development of anti-inflammatory treatment strategies for AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hull
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Pasinetti
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Aisen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019798:Neopterin / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D019798:Neopterin