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Differences in coated-platelet production between frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer disease

Calin I Prodan1, Elliott D Ross, Andrea S Vincent

  • 1Neurology Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA. calin-prodan@ouhsc.edu

Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders
|October 9, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Coated-platelet levels do not correlate with disease severity in frontotemporal dementia (FTD), unlike in Alzheimer disease (AD). Early-stage AD patients show higher coated-platelets than early-stage FTD patients, suggesting potential diagnostic value.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Hematology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Coated-platelets, activated by collagen and thrombin, display full-length amyloid precursor protein.
  • Coated-platelet levels inversely correlate with Alzheimer disease (AD) severity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate coated-platelet production in frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
  • Determine if coated-platelet findings in AD are unique or applicable to FTD.
  • Explore the relationship between coated-platelets and disease severity in FTD.

Main Methods:

  • Assayed coated-platelet levels in 40 FTD patients, 40 AD patients, and 40 controls.
  • Classified patients into mild-stage (CDR < or =1) and advanced-stage (CDR >1) dementia groups.

Main Results:

  • No significant difference in coated-platelet levels between early and advanced FTD stages (P=0.9).
  • Significantly higher coated-platelet levels in early-stage AD compared to advanced-stage AD (P<0.001).
  • Elevated coated-platelet production in early-stage AD versus early-stage FTD (P=0.01).

Conclusions:

  • Coated-platelet levels do not correlate with disease severity in FTD.
  • Significant differences in coated-platelet levels between early-stage AD and FTD suggest potential clinical applications for differential diagnosis.
Abstract

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