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Published on: November 10, 2008
Longitudinal cerebrospinal fluid tau load increases in mild cognitive impairment
M J de Leon1, S Segal, C Y Tarshish
1Centre for Brain Health, Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, NY 10016, USA. mony.deleon@med.nyu.edu
Neuroscience Letters
|November 14, 2002
Summary
Adjusting cerebrospinal fluid tau levels for ventricular enlargement in Alzheimer's disease helps detect longitudinal changes. This method improves the detection of progression in mild cognitive impairment, unlike amyloid beta levels.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Biochemistry
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau and amyloid beta (Abeta) levels are crucial for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
- Longitudinal studies often struggle to show tau progression, potentially due to dilution effects.
- Predominantly brain-derived proteins like tau exhibit higher ventricle-to-lumbar CSF ratios compared to non-brain-derived proteins.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if adjusting CSF tau levels for ventricular enlargement can improve the detection of longitudinal changes in MCI.
- To determine if this adjustment benefits the detection of longitudinal changes in Abeta levels.
Main Methods:
- A 1-year longitudinal study involving eight MCI patients and ten controls.
- Measurement of CSF levels of hyperphosphorylated tau (Ptau231), Abeta40, and Abeta42.
- Assessment of ventricular volumes and adjustment of CSF protein levels for ventricular size.
Main Results:
- MCI patients exhibited elevated cross-sectional Ptau231 and Abeta40 levels, along with larger ventricular volumes.
- Longitudinal increases in Ptau231 levels were observed in MCI patients only after adjusting for ventricular volume.
- No significant benefit was observed when adjusting Abeta levels for ventricular volume.
Conclusions:
- Adjusting CSF Ptau231 levels for ventricular enlargement improves the detection of longitudinal progression in MCI.
- Ventricular enlargement may dilute CSF tau levels, masking longitudinal changes.
- Further research is needed on tau clearance mechanisms and the use of neuroimaging in interpreting CSF studies for AD and MCI.
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