Journal
ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA
Volume 9, Issue 5, Pages 488-498Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2012.06.010
Keywords
Alzheimer's disease; Dementia; BPSD; Biogenic amines and metabolites; Amino acids; Neurochemistry; Cerebrospinal fluid
Categories
Funding
- Special Research Fund of the University of Antwerp
- Stichting Alzheimer Onderzoek
- Thomas Riellaerts Research Fund
- Institute Born-Bunge
- University of Antwerp
- central Biobank facility of the Institute Born-Bunge/University of Antwerp
- Neurosearch Antwerp
- Fund for Scientific Research-Flanders (FWO-F)
- Interuniversity Attraction Poles (IAP) Program of the Belgian Federal Science Policy [P6/43]
- Flemish Government, Belgium
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Background: Behavioral and psychological signs and symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are a heterogeneous group of behavioral and psychiatric disturbances occurring in dementia patients of any etiology. Research suggests that altered activities of dopaminergic, serotonergic, (nor)adrenergic, as well as amino acid neurotransmitter systems play a role in the etiopathogenesis of BPSD. In this study we attempted to identify cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) neurochemical correlates of BPSD to provide further insight into its underlying neurochemical pathophysiological mechanisms. Methods: Patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD; n = 202), probable AD with cerebrovascular disease (n = 37), probable frontotemporal dementia (FTD; n = 32), and probable dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB; n = 26) underwent behavioral assessment and lumbar puncture. CSF levels of six amino acids and several biogenic amines and metabolites were analyzed using ultraperformance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Results: In the AD patients, CSF homovanillic acid/5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (HVA/5HIAA) ratios correlated positively with anxieties/phobias, whereas CSF levels of taurine correlated negatively with depression and behavioral disturbances in general. In FTD patients, CSF levels of glutamate correlated negatively with verbally agitated behavior. In DLB patients, CSF levels of HVA correlated negatively with hallucinations. Conclusions: Several neurotransmitter systems can be linked to one specific behavioral syndrome depending on the dementia subtype. In addition to biogenic amines and metabolites, amino acids seem to play a major role in the neurochemical etiology of BPSD as well. (C) 2013 The Alzheimer's Association. All rights reserved.
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