Lysosomal enzymes in cerebral atrophy

In seven patients with cerebral atrophy due to pre-senile dementia and/or cerebrovascular disease, the activity of acid phosphatase in lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was higher (p less than 0.05) than in six controls. The activity of arylsulphatase and beta-galactosidase in CSF was the same in the two groups. In the serum, the activities of acid phosphatase and arylsulphatase were the same in the two groups but the activity of beta-galactosidase was lower (p less than 0.02) in patients with cerebral atrophy.