title: Monoaminergic neurotransmitter alterations in postmortem brain regions of depressed and aggressive patients with Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: Depression and aggression in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are 2 of the most severe and prominent neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS). Altered monoaminergic neurotransmitter system functioning has been implicated in both NPS, although their neurochemical etiology remains to be elucidated. Left frozen hemispheres of 40 neuropathologically confirmed AD patients were regionally dissected. Dichotomization based on depression and aggression scores resulted in depressed/nondepressed (AD + D/AD - D) and aggressive/nonaggressive (AD + Agr/AD - Agr) groups. Concentrations of dopamine, serotonin (5-HT), (nor)epinephrine ((N)E), and respective metabolites were determined using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Significantly lower 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) and higher homovanillic acid levels were observed in Brodmann area (BA) 9 and 10 of AD + D compared with AD - D. In AD + Agr, 5-hydroxy-3-indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels in BA9, 5-HIAA to 5-HT ratios in BA11, and MHPG, NE, and 5-HIAA levels in the hippocampus were significantly decreased compared with AD - Agr. These findings indicate that brain region-specific altered monoamines and metabolites may contribute to the occurrence of depression and aggression in AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behaviour, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vermeiren
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behaviour, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Debby
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Van Dam
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behaviour, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aerts
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behaviour, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Neurology and Memory Clinic, Hospital Network Antwerp (ZNA) Middelheim and Hoge Beuken, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sebastiaan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Engelborghs
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behaviour, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Neurology and Memory Clinic, Hospital Network Antwerp (ZNA) Middelheim and Hoge Beuken, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Research Center, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Groningen, the Netherlands; Biobank, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium. Electronic address: dedeyn@skynet.be.
authors.forename: Peter P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: De Deyn
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000374:Aggression; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003863:Depression; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000378:metabolism; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D012701:Serotonin; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D004298:Dopamine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid; D004837:Epinephrine
keywords: Aggression; Alzheimer's disease; Biogenic amines and metabolites; Brain tissue; Dementia; Depression; Neurochemistry; Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS)