Cerebrospinal fluid neurochemical phenotypes in vascular dementias: original data and mini-review.
OBJECTIVE
The study evaluated the patterns of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptides, total tau and phospho-tau among Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementias (VAD).


METHODS
Abeta-SDS-PAGE immunoblot and commercially available ELISAs were applied to the CSF analysis of 52 patients with probable (n = 21) and possible (n = 16) VAD, AD with cerebrovascular disease (n = 15), 30 patients with probable AD and 30 nondemented disease controls.


RESULTS
AD and AD with cerebrovascular disease displayed a similar neurochemical phenotype in contrast to nondemented disease controls and probable VAD with regard to tau, p-tau, Abeta1-40(ox) and Abeta1-42%. Possible VAD displayed AD-like changes only for Abeta1-40(ox) and Abeta1-42%.


CONCLUSIONS
CSF neurochemical phenotypes sufficiently discriminate probable AD and VAD from each other, but their diagnostic value is limited in case of no clear-cut clinical appearance, such as possible VAD. Conversely, CSF Abeta peptides and p-tau levels may help estimate the involvement of AD-like pathophysiological pathways in VAD subgroups.
Bibl
Mirko
M
Klinik fur Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie der Rheinischen Kliniken Essen, Universitat Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany. mbibl@gwdg.de
Mollenhauer
Brit
B
Esselmann
Hermann
H
Schneider
Michael
M
Lewczuk
Piotr
P
Welge
Volker
V
Gross
Martin
M
Falkai
Peter
P
Kornhuber
Johannes
J
Wiltfang
Jens
J
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index