title: Baroreflex function is reduced in Alzheimer's disease: a candidate biomarker?
abstract: The baroreflex (BR) reflects autonomic blood pressure control. Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects the autonomic system. Detailed properties of BR in AD are unknown. We hypothesized that BR is reduced in AD, and is influenced by autonomic effects of cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEI). BR was determined in 18 AD patients, 11 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 19 healthy control subjects. In AD, BR was measured again after ChEI treatment. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to define a BR cutoff value, which was then tested in an independent validation sample of 16 AD, 18 MCI, and 18 control subjects. BR was lower in AD compared with MCI (p < 0.05) and in MCI compared with healthy control subjects (p < 0.01). Receiver operating characteristic analysis between AD and healthy control subjects yielded a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 94%. ChEI treatment increased BR with 66% (p < 0.01). BR was reduced in AD and increased after treatment with ChEI. BR might be a good biomarker to further explore the link between cardiovascular disease and AD.
authors.affiliation: Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Aisha S S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Meel-van den Abeelen
authors.forename: Joep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lagro
authors.forename: Erik D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Gommer
authors.forename: Jos P H
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Reulen
authors.forename: Jurgen A H R
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Claassen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017704:Baroreflex; D015415:Biomarkers; D001794:Blood Pressure; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers