title: Serum leptin is not altered nor related to cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low plasma leptin levels can be a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) but the relation of leptin with disease progression in clinical AD is unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between serum leptin concentrations and cognitive decline in clinical AD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum leptin levels were analyzed in 295 non-obese subjects including healthy controls (n = 65), patients with subjective memory complaints (n = 99), patients with AD (n = 100), and patients with vascular dementia (n = 31). Leptin levels were related to hippocampal atrophy, baseline Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores and annual decline in MMSE measured over 2 years (range 0.4-4.5 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum leptin levels were similar in AD patients compared to healthy controls and patients with subjective memory complaints. No correlation was observed between leptin concentrations and MMSE, annual change in MMSE during follow-up or atrophy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum leptin levels are not altered in this population of relatively young AD or vascular dementia patients (mean 60) compared to healthy and clinical control groups and were not related to cognitive decline. These results suggest that peripheral leptin levels do not play a role in evolution of AD pathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Charlotte E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Teunissen
authors.affiliation: Alzheimer center & Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wiesje M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: van der Flier
authors.affiliation: Alzheimer center & Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scheltens
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anneli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duits
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands EMGO + Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nienke
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wijnstok
authors.affiliation: EMGO + Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands Department of General Practice, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Giel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nijpels
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands EMGO + Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jacqueline M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dekker
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rien M A
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Blankenstein
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Annemieke C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Heijboer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; atrophy; blood-based biomarker; cognition; leptin; vascular dementia