title: Alzheimer's disease: pathophysiological implications of measurement of plasma cortisol, plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and lymphocytic corticosteroid receptors.
abstract: Alzheimer's disease is often characterized by an increase in plasma cortisol without clinical evidence of hypercorticism. Twenty-three consecutive patients with Alzheimer's disease and 23 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were studied by measuring plasma cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) (by enzyme immunoassay), the number of type I and type II corticosteroid receptors in mononuclear leukocytes (by radio-receptor-assay), and the lymphocyte subpopulations (by cytofluorimetry). Results are expressed in terms of median and range. In Alzheimer's disease, plasma cortisol was higher than in controls (median 0.74, range 0.47-1.21 vs 0.47, 0.36-0.77 mmol/L; p < 0.001). Plasma DHEAS, the DHEAS/cortisol ratio, and the number of type II corticosteroid receptors were significantly lower in AD than in controls (DHEAS: median 1.81, range 0.21-3.69 vs 3.51, 1.35-9.07 micromol/L; DHEAS/ cortisol: 2.04, range 0.3-5.8 vs 6.8, range 2.7-24 and type II receptors: 1219, 1000-2700 vs 1950, 1035- 2750 receptors per cell; p < 0.001). No correlation was found between the hormonal parameters, age, and mini-mental test score. These data support the hypothesis of a dysregulation of the adrenal pituitary axis in Alzheimer's disease, which is probably the consequence of damage to target tissues by corticosteroids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences-Endocrinology, University of Padua, Via Ospedale 105, 35100 Padua, Italy. decio.armanini@unipd.it
authors.forename: Decio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Armanini
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vecchio
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Basso
authors.forename: Francesco Ferro
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Milone
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simoncini
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.forename: Mee Joung
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mattarello
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sartorato
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Karbowiak
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007118:Immunoassay; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D011987:Receptors, Steroid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011987:Receptors, Steroid; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone