title: Reduced plasma desmosterol-to-cholesterol ratio and longitudinal cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We here examined whether plasma desmosterol-to-cholesterol ratio (DES/CHO) is decreased in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and investigated the association between plasma DES/CHO and longitudinal cognitive decline.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma DES/CHO of AD patients and age-matched controls in a Japanese cross-sectional cohort was determined. Plasma DES/CHO at baseline and follow-up visits was assessed in relation to cognitive decline in Japanese and Swedish longitudinal cohorts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma DES/CHO was significantly reduced in Japanese AD patients and significantly correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score. The longitudinal analysis revealed that plasma DES/CHO in AD patients shows a significant decrease at follow-up intervals. The decline in plasma DES/CHO is larger in the AD group with rapid progression than in that with slow progression. The changes in plasma DES/CHO significantly correlated with changes in the MMSE score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma DES/CHO is decreased in AD patients and may serve as a longitudinal surrogate marker associated with cognitive decline.
authors.affiliation: Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Francois
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bernier
authors.affiliation: EIDIA Co., Ltd., Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasukazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
authors.affiliation: Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aoshima
authors.affiliation: Eisai Inc., Andover, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Yoshiya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.affiliation: Geriatrics, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ingelsson
authors.affiliation: Geriatrics, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lannfelt
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan.
authors.forename: Akinori
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miyashita
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryozo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kuwano
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ikeuchi
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Blood-based biomarker; Desmosterol; Longitudinal biomarker; Mild cognitive impairment