title: Insulin-like growth factor delivery across the blood-brain barrier. Potential use of IGF-1 as a drug in child neurology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent data indicate that insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) can cross the blood-brain barrier when bound to binding proteins. IGF-1 is very important for early brain development, myelination and survival of cerebellar neurons. It is antiapoptotic and is important for synaptic development. The aim of this study was to identify neurological conditions with low CNS IGF-1.
  
  
  METHODS
  Levels of CSF IGF-1 were determined by radio-immunoassay (Mediagnost, Tubingen, Germany).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of CSF IGF-1 were low in some progressive diseases of white matter and the cerebellum. In some other diseases not involving cerebellum or white matter, CSF IGF-1 was normal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings might pave the way for rational therapy in patients with neurodegeneration. Patients with low CNS IGF-1 might be candidates for IGF-1 therapy.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland. raili.riikonen@uku.fi
authors.forename: Raili
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Riikonen
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000378:metabolism; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000378:metabolism*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D020271:Heredodegenerative Disorders, Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018971:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D009896:Optic Atrophy / Q000378:metabolism; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000378:metabolism; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D018971:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I