Lack of association between antisperm antibodies and language dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the single most common cause of primary dementia. Language-based frontotemporal dementia, another type of primary dementia, is known as primary progressive aphasia (PPA). Although the cardinal feature of AD is a progressive loss of memory, many patients with AD also present with language impairment. Moreover AD and PPA have partially shared pathophysiology. Recently, it was suggested that a history of vasectomy might be a risk factor for PPA, by immune responses to sperm or antisperm antibody (ASA), which has long been known to have antigenic property. As ASAs could develop naturally in both men and women, we studied the relation between the presence of ASAs and cognitive function in AD. A total of 86 elderly were selected (46 patient with AD, 20 with mild cognitive impairment, and 20 without cognitive dysfunction) and were assessed for the presence of ASAs with neuropsychological evaluation. However, there were no significant differences in the distribution of ASAs according to cognitive status or language function status. Thus, the current study does not support the association between the immune responses and language dysfunction in AD.
Han
Changsu
C
Geriatric Health Clinic and Research Institute, Korea University Ansan Hospital, and Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Medical College, 516 Gojan-1-dong, Danwon-gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do 425-707, Republic of Korea.
Kim
Nan Hie
NH
Kwon
Do Young
DY
Seo
Woo-Keun
WK
Park
Moon Ho
MH
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D000917:Antibody Formation; D018888:Aphasia, Primary Progressive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies