title: Impact of increased plasma serotonin levels and carotid atherosclerosis on vascular dementia.
abstract: Serotonin (5-HT), a potent vasoconstrictor in the large cerebral arteries, is considered to play a key role in atherothrombosis and to be implicated in ischemic cerebrovascular events followed by delayed neuronal death. The present study aims at evaluating the relationship between plasma levels of 5-HT and vascular dementia (VaD) caused by stroke or atherosclerotic small vessel disease. Carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), plaques, plasma 5-HT levels and atherosclerotic parameters were determined in 20 patients with VaD and 40 age-matched controls. Age, gender, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose levels and serum levels of insulin, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, leptin, adiponectin and interleukin-6 and plasma levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 were not significantly different between the two groups. Serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were significantly lower in VaD patients than in controls. Plasma 5-HT levels, serum levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), max IMT and plaque frequency were significantly greater in VaD patients than in controls. There was a significant positive correlation of max IMT with 5-HT or HGF levels. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that increased plasma levels of 5-HT and carotid plaque prevalence had significantly independent association with VaD as compared with serum levels of IGF-1, HGF, LDL cholesterol and hs-CRP. These results suggest that increased plasma levels of 5-HT and carotid atherosclerotic plaques may be involved in the pathogenesis and progression of VaD.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ban
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Yasuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tobe
authors.forename: Tsunenori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Idei
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iguchi
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ban
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katagiri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D012701:Serotonin