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Behavioral correlates of cerebrospinal fluid amino acid and biogenic amine neurotransmitter alterations in dementia
Author(s) -
Vermeiren Yannick,
Le Bastard Nathalie,
Van Hemelrijck An,
Drinkenburg Wilhelmus H.,
Engelborghs Sebastiaan,
De Deyn Peter P.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2012.06.010
Subject(s) - neurochemical , homovanillic acid , cerebrospinal fluid , dementia , biogenic amine , neurotransmitter , psychology , monoamine neurotransmitter , serotonergic , dopaminergic , medicine , dopamine , alzheimer's disease , neuroscience , endocrinology , disease , serotonin , central nervous system , receptor
Background Behavioral and psychological signs and symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are a heterogeneous group of behavioral and psychiatric disturbances occurring in dementia patients of any etiology. Research suggests that altered activities of dopaminergic, serotonergic, (nor)adrenergic, as well as amino acid neurotransmitter systems play a role in the etiopathogenesis of BPSD. In this study we attempted to identify cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) neurochemical correlates of BPSD to provide further insight into its underlying neurochemical pathophysiological mechanisms. Methods Patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD; n = 202), probable AD with cerebrovascular disease ( n = 37), probable frontotemporal dementia (FTD; n = 32), and probable dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB; n = 26) underwent behavioral assessment and lumbar puncture. CSF levels of six amino acids and several biogenic amines and metabolites were analyzed using ultraperformance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Results In the AD patients, CSF homovanillic acid/5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid (HVA/5HIAA) ratios correlated positively with anxieties/phobias, whereas CSF levels of taurine correlated negatively with depression and behavioral disturbances in general. In FTD patients, CSF levels of glutamate correlated negatively with verbally agitated behavior. In DLB patients, CSF levels of HVA correlated negatively with hallucinations. Conclusions Several neurotransmitter systems can be linked to one specific behavioral syndrome depending on the dementia subtype. In addition to biogenic amines and metabolites, amino acids seem to play a major role in the neurochemical etiology of BPSD as well.