title: Differentiation of geriatric major depression from Alzheimer's disease with CSF tau protein phosphorylated at threonine 231.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Differentiation of geriatric major depression from Alzheimer's disease is hampered by overlapping symptoms. Increased CSF concentrations of tau protein phosphorylated at threonine 231 (p-tau(231)) have been suggested as a biomarker for Alzheimer's disease. The authors asked whether p-tau(231) levels improve the differential diagnosis between geriatric major depression and Alzheimer's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Included were 34 depression subjects, 64 with probable Alzheimer's disease, 17 with possible Alzheimer's disease, and 21 healthy comparison subjects. P-tau(231) concentrations were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  P-tau(231) levels were significantly higher in Alzheimer's disease than in geriatric major depression patients and healthy comparison subjects. For differentiation of probable Alzheimer's disease from major depression, p-tau(231) correctly allocated 87% of subjects. When possible mild Alzheimer's disease was compared to major depression, p-tau(231) correctly allocated 78% of subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CSF p-tau(231) should be evaluated as a potential biological marker for differentiation of geriatric depression from Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: Dementia Research Section and Memory Clinic, Alzheimer Memorial Center and Geriatric Psychiatry Branch, Department of Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany. katharina.buerger@psy.med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Buerger
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zinkowski
authors.forename: Stefan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Teipel
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: DeBernardis
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kerkman
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McCulloch
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Padberg
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Faltraco
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goernitz
authors.forename: Tero
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tapiola
authors.forename: Stanley I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Rapoport
authors.forename: Tuula
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pirttilä
authors.forename: Hans-Jürgen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hampel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010766:Phosphorylation; D013912:Threonine / Q000378:metabolism; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016875:tau Proteins; D013912:Threonine