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Epidermal growth factor receptor expression in skin does not predict dementia in the elderly
S D Styren1, G C Styren, S T DeKosky
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, PA 15261, USA.
Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders
|February 20, 1998
Summary
Vascular epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in skin biopsies did not correlate with cognitive status in living patients. Therefore, endothelial EGFR expression cannot confirm a premortem clinical diagnosis of dementia.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Vascular Biology
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Previous studies suggested epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression on vascular endothelial cells in postmortem dementia specimens.
- This expression was not observed in cognitively normal individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between vascular EGFR expression and cognitive status in living patients.
- To determine if endothelial EGFR expression can serve as a premortem diagnostic marker for dementia.
Main Methods:
- Skin biopsies were obtained from 35 living participants.
- Participants were categorized as cognitively normal or having a clinical diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease.
- Vascular EGFR expression was assessed in endothelial cells.
Main Results:
- No correlation was found between vascular EGFR expression and clinically determined cognitive status in the living cohort.
- Endothelial EGFR expression levels did not differ significantly between normal and probable Alzheimer's disease groups.
Conclusions:
- Endothelial EGFR expression in skin biopsies is not a reliable biomarker for confirming a premortem clinical diagnosis of dementia.
- Further research is needed to understand the role of EGFR in dementia and its vascular implications.