Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and homocysteine levels in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid.
BACKGROUND
There is evidence that homocysteine contributes to various neurodegenerative disorders.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the values of homocysteine in patients with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in both cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma.


METHODS



METHODS
Case control study. Total homocysteine was quantified in CSF and plasma samples of CJD patients (n=13) and healthy controls (n=13).


RESULTS
Mean values in healthy controls: 0.15 micromol/l +/- 0.07 (CSF) and 9.10 micromol/l +/- 2.99 (plasma); mean values in CJD patients: 0.13 micromol/l +/- 0.03 (CSF) and 9.22 micromol/l +/- 1.81 (plasma). No significant differences between CJD patients and controls were observed (Mann-Whitney U, p >0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that the CSF and plasma of CJD patients showed no higher endogenous levels of homocysteine as compared to normal healthy controls. These findings provide no evidence for an additional role of homocysteine in the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying CJD neurodegeneration.
Bleich
Stefan
S
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-University, Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany.
Otto
Markus
M
Zerr
Inga
I
Kropp
Stefan
S
Kretzschmar
Hans A
HA
Wiltfang
Jens
J
D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D007562:Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects
D006710:Homocysteine