title: Associations between plasma ceramides and cognitive and neuropsychiatric manifestations in Parkinson's disease dementia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The abnormal metabolism of ceramides may account for the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD). However, the effect of ceramides on cognitive domain impairments and neuropsychiatric symptoms of PDD remains unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 38 PDD, 40 PD with no cognitive impairment (PD-NC) and 40 normal controls were included. A series of cognitive tests and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) were used to assess cognitive domains and neuropsychiatric symptoms. A non-fasting blood sample was obtained from each subject. Plasma ceramide levels were tested by HPLC-MS/MS analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  C14:0 and C24:1 levels were significantly higher in PDD than in PD-NC and normal controls. Verbal memory was negatively correlated with C14:0 and C24:1. After controlling for confounding factors, C22:0, C20:0 and C18:0 were significantly associated with hallucinations, anxiety and sleep behavior disturbances, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In PDD, the increase in ceramide levels was correlated with decreased memory function and associated with higher odds of multiple neuropsychiatric symptoms.
authors: Department of Neurology, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors: Yi
authors: Y
authors: Xing
authors: Department of Neurology, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors: Yi
authors: Y
authors: Tang
authors: Department of Neurology, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors: Lina
authors: L
authors: Zhao
authors: Department of Neurology, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors: Qi
authors: Q
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Neurology, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Qin
authors: Department of Cadre Health Care, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors: Xiaojuan
authors: X
authors: Ji
authors: State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China. Electronic address: zhjl@imm.ac.cn.
authors: Jinlan
authors: J
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Neurology, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Department of Neurology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: jiajp@vip.126.com.
authors: Jianping
authors: J
authors: Jia
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D002518:Ceramides / Q000097:blood*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003704:Dementia / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002518:Ceramides
keywords: Ceramide; Cognitive impairment; Neuropsychiatric symptom; Parkinson's disease