Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 10, 2025

An Improved Method for Collection of Cerebrospinal Fluid from Anesthetized Mice
Published on: March 19, 2018
Cerebrospinal Fluid Complement 4 Levels Were Associated with Alzheimer's Disease Pathology and Cognition in
Jie Zhou1, Zhi-Bo Wang2, Yan Sun2
1Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Background:
Numerous studies have shown that the complement system plays an important role in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, whether complement 4 (C4) protein in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was associated with AD pathology, especially in the early stage of AD, is still unclear.
Objective:
We aimed to explore the association of CSF C4 with AD pathology and cognition in the preclinical AD.
Methods:
The study included a total of 287 participants from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database. Based on the A/T scheme, they were divided into four groups to access the changes of CSF C4 in the preclinical AD. Linear regression models were used to test the associations between CSF C4 and AD core biomarkers, namely Aβ42, P-tau, and T-tau.
Results:
The level of CSF C4 decreased in the A + T- group compared with the A-T- group (p = 0.04) and it increased in the A-T+ group compared to the A + T- group (p = 0.01). In pooled samples, C4 was significantly associated with AD core biomarkers (all p < 0.05), but only in the A + group after stratification according to the A/T scheme. Furthermore, CSF C4 levels at baseline were associated with longitudinal cognitive changes.
Conclusions:
Our results showed that CSF C4 levels changed dynamically in the preclinical AD, and that the responses of CSF C4 to brain Aβ pathology, tau pathology and neurodegeneration were found only in the presence of amyloid plaques, both of which indicates the complex link between C4 and AD.
More Related Videos
07:26High-resolution Melting PCR for Complement Receptor 1 Length Polymorphism Genotyping: An Innovative Tool for Alzheimer's Disease Gene Susceptibility Assessment
Published on: July 18, 2017
06:23The 4 Mountains Test: A Short Test of Spatial Memory with High Sensitivity for the Diagnosis of Pre-dementia Alzheimer's Disease
Published on: October 13, 2016
Related Concept Videos
Cerebrospinal Fluid
CSF Production
CSF is produced mainly in the choroid plexus, a network of capillaries and ependymal cells located within the ventricular system of the brain....
Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ...
Dementia
The progression of dementia is generally gradual....
Role of Neurotransmitters in Memory
Glutamate and Synaptic Plasticity
Glutamate, the brain's main excitatory neurotransmitter, is...
Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment