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- Nilsson, Karin, et al.
(author)
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Relation between plasma homocysteine and Alzheimer's disease.
- 2002
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In: Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders. - : S. Karger AG. - 1420-8008 .- 1421-9824. ; 14:1, s. 41467-41467
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: Several studies have shown that plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) concentration is elevated in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, it is not clear whether elevated plasma tHcy is a primary cause or a consequence of AD. METHOD: To elucidate this question, we have analysed plasma homocysteine and its determinants in patients with early (EOAD)- and late-onset AD (LOAD) and compared the findings with those in vascular dementia (VaD) and age- and sex-matched control subjects. RESULTS: One of the main findings in the present study is that in EOAD there is no change in the levels of either plasma tHcy or its determinants compared with an age- and sex-matched control group. The fact that plasma tHcy concentration is normal in EOAD thus indicates that elevated plasma tHcy is not the primary cause of the disease. Another main finding is that patients with mixed dementia (AD and VaD) and patients with VaD showed significantly increased plasma tHcy concentration compared with controls and that plasma tHCy concentration in patients with LOAD and a history of additional cardiovascular disease was elevated compared both with AD patients without such a history and with the controls. Thus, there is an association between elevated plasma tHcy and vascular disease. A third main finding is that patients with AD who were followed up for several years showed a clinical deterioration of dementia and an elevation of plasma tHcy concentration. This finding likewise supports the notion that elevated plasma tHcy is not the primary cause of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that elevated plasma tHcy is not the primary cause of the disease. Furthermore, the findings indicate that elevated plasma tHcy might be a reflection of concomitant vascular disease in AD patients.
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| 4. |
- Risberg, Jarl, et al.
(author)
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A new tomographic technique for absolute measurements of white and gray matter blood flow
- 2004
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In: Proceedings of the 8th Nordic Meeting in Neuropsychology, Turku, Finland, August 26–29, 2004, 85.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective. Most methods for measurements of the regional cerebral blood flow are unable to provide absolute blood flow values. Until now interest has been focused on measurement of the gray matter blood flow, while the white matter blood flow has been rather neglected. The aim of the present project was to develop and evaluate an improved method for reliable tomographic measurements of absolute white and gray matter blood flow Method. The new tomographic method (modified Xe-SPECT) is based on an extension of the period of 133Xe inhalation from one to eight minutes followed by 22 instead of four minutes of breathing of ambient air. This gives a markedly enhanced signal from the white matter and better basis for correct quantification of the blood flow. The arrival and clearance of the tracer are recorded by a three head gamma camera system that provides flow maps with a spatial resolution of about one cm. Results The new method has been evaluated in 33 healthy younger and older (around 70 years) subjects as well as in a group of elderly patients with organic dementia. Our preliminary findings indicate that new and clinically valuable information is obtained by the improved Xe-SPECT method.
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| 5. |
- Risberg, Jarl, et al.
(author)
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A new tomographic technique for absolute measurements of white and gray matter blood flow
- 2003
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In: Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society. - 1355-6177. ; 9, s. 323-323
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The integrity of the white matter is as important as that of the gray matter and white matter pathology has commonly been reported in elderly subjects and in patients with organic dementia. The aim of the present study is to develop and evaluate an improved method for reliable tomographic measurements of absolute white and gray matter blood flow. The new tomographic method (modified Xe-SPECT) is based on an extension of the period of 133Xe inhalation from one to eight minutes followed by 22 instead of four minutes of breathing of ambient air. This gives a markedly enhanced signal from the white matter and better basis for correct quantification pf the blood flow. The arrival and clearance of the tracer are recorded by a three head gamma camera system that provides flow maps with a spatial resolution of about one cm. The new method has been evaluated in healthy younger and older (around 70 years) subjects as well as in a group of elderly patients with organic dementia. Our preliminary findings indicate that new and clinically valuable information is obtained by the improved Xe-SPECT method
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| 7. |
- Nilsson, K, et al.
(author)
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Lack of association between plasma homocysteine and inflammation in psychogeriatric patients
- 2002
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In: Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders. - 1420-8008. ; 14:3, s. 151-155
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background/Objectives: In previous studies we observed a high incidence of elevated plasma homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations in psychogeriatric patients. Plasma tHcy is increased in folate deficiency. Folates are sensitive to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress, caused by inflammatory processes, could represent an endogenous reason for folate deficiency, even when the dietary intake of the vitamin is within the recommended range. It has been suggested that oxidative stress rather than insufficient folate intake causes hyperhomocysteinemia in different forms of psychogeriatric diseases. In the present study we investigated the association between plasma tHcy and C-reactive protein (CRP), a sensitive marker for inflammation, in psychogeriatric patients. Methods: Plasma tHcy, its main determinants, and CRP were measured in plasma and serum of 132 psychogeriatric patients (53 males and 79 females, mean age 75 12 years). Results. In the psychogeriatric patients, plasma tHcy was elevated and blood folate and serum creatinine were lower than in control subjects, whereas serum CRP concentrations did not differ significantly. We also subdivided the psychogeriatric patients into different diagnosis groups, yet there were no differences in serum CRP concentrations in these groups compared with age-matched control groups. There was a significant correlation between plasma tHcy and serum CRP (rho = 0.19, p < 0.05). A stepwise multiple regression analysis including serum CRP, age, blood folate, serum cobalamin, serum methylmalonic acid and serum creatinine showed that only blood folate (p < 0.001), age (p < 0.001), serum creatinine (p < 0.001), serum cobalamin (p < 0.001), and serum methylmalonic acid (p < 0.001) independently predicted plasma tHcy concentration. Thus CRP concentration was not an independent predictor of plasma tHcy. Conclusion: The present study did not show any association between inflammatory status and plasma tHcy concentration in psychogeriatric patients.
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| 10. |
- Sjöbeck, Martin, et al.
(author)
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Alzheimer's disease and the cerebellum: a morphologic study on neuronal and glial changes
- 2001
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In: Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders. - : S. Karger AG. - 1420-8008 .- 1421-9824. ; 12:3, s. 211-218
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Structural manifestations of Alzheimer's disease (AD) including neuronal loss were investigated in 12 cases of AD and in 10 healthy age-matched controls, with focus on the cerebellum. Linear Purkinje cell (PC) density was measured in the vermis and cerebellar hemispheres. Neurons were also counted in the inferior olivary nucleus. In vermis of the AD cases, the mean PC number was significantly lower (p = 0.019) than in the controls. The neurons in the inferior olive were similarly fewer, though not significantly (p = 0.13). Molecular layer gliosis and atrophy in the vermis was clearly severer in AD than in the controls. Features typical of cerebral Alzheimer encephalopathy (plaques, tangles and microvacuolization) were inconspicious. The structural cerebellar changes in the AD cases were thus neuronal loss, atrophy and gliosis, judged to represent the disease process, and with a main involvement in the vermis. This may be reflected in some of the symptoms and signs seen in AD, signs that are generally overlooked or judged to be of noncerebellar origin.
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