Preservation of brain nerve growth factor in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease.
BACKGROUND
The status of nerve growth factor (NGF) levels during the prodromal phase of Alzheimer disease (AD), characterized by mild cognitive impairment (MCI), remains unknown.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether cortical and/or hippocampal NGF levels are altered in subjects with MCI or different levels of AD severity.


METHODS
An NGF enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay determined protein levels in the hippocampus and 5 cortical areas in people clinically diagnosed as having no cognitive impairment, MCI, mild AD, or severe AD.


METHODS
Subjects were from the Rush Religious Orders Study and the University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (Pittsburgh, Pa).


RESULTS
We found no changes in cortical or hippocampal NGF levels across groups; in MCI, levels did not correlate with an increase in choline acetyltransferase activity in these regions.


CONCLUSIONS
Brain NGF levels appear sufficient to support the cholinergic plasticity changes seen in MCI and remain stable throughout the disease course.
Mufson
Elliott J
EJ
Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush Presbyterian-St Luke's Medical Center, 2242 W. Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. emufson@rush.edu
Ikonomovic
Milos D
MD
Styren
Scot D
SD
Counts
Scott E
SE
Wuu
Joanne
J
Leurgans
Sue
S
Bennett
David A
DA
Cochran
Elizabeth J
EJ
DeKosky
Steven T
ST
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002452:Cell Count; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase