title: Cerebrospinal fluid tau protein levels in schizophrenia.
abstract: Increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau protein levels are generally considered to provide a sensitive marker of neurodegenerative processes such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Since a more pronounced cognitive decline has been described in older schizophrenic patients, it has been hypothesized that these patients might be at a higher risk of developing AD. CSF levels of total tau protein and tau protein phosphorylated at threonine 181 (phospho-tau) were determined among 19 older and younger patients with schizophrenia compared to 20 age-matched healthy controls. No significant differences in CSF total tau and phospho-tau levels arose between patients with schizophrenia and controls. Although our results do not exclude a progressive neurodegenerative pathology, they provide evidence against major neuronal degeneration such as an AD-related pathology associated with increased tau levels in schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Section of Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schönknecht
authors.forename: Albrecht
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hempel
authors.forename: Aoife
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Seidl
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Volkmann
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pantel
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schröder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016875:tau Proteins