CSF-folate levels are decreased in late-onset AD patients.
Folates are involved in the cerebral metabolism of cobalamine, methionine, L-tyrosine and acetylcholine. Remarkably CSF-folate levels are 3 to 4 times higher than blood-folate levels. To reach the brain, folates are actively transported by choroid plexus (CP) as well as vitamins B6, B12, C and E. Epithelial atrophy having been reported in aging and in Alzheimer's disease (AD), we measured the CSF folate-levels of 126 patients, including 30 AD consecutive patients to evaluate whether CP functions of folate-transport were impaired. CSF-folate concentrations did not vary with age (10.47 +/- 1.93ng/ml between 20 and 60 years; 9.96 +/- 2.01 ng/ml in elderly control patients older than 60 years of age, p > 0.05) while late-onset AD patients had significantly lower CSF-folate levels (8.26 +/- 1.82 ng/ml, p < 0.001). These data support a specific alteration of CP transport function in AD patients.
Serot
J M
JM
Laboratoire d'Immunologie, GRIP, JE DRED 251, Faculté de Médecine, UHP, Nancy, France. faure@grip.u-nancy.fr
Christmann
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Dubost
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Béne
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Faure
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GC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002831:Choroid Plexus / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005494:Folic Acid Deficiency / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D005492:Folic Acid