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CSF total and phosphorylated tau protein, regional glucose metabolism and dementia severity in Alzheimer’s disease
Author(s) -
Haense C.,
Buerger K.,
Kalbe E.,
Drzezga A.,
Teipel S. J.,
Markiewicz P.,
Herholz K.,
Heiss W. D.,
Hampel H.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
european journal of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1468-1331
pISSN - 1351-5101
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2008.02274.x
Subject(s) - precuneus , medicine , dementia , alzheimer's disease , tau protein , superior frontal gyrus , parahippocampal gyrus , endocrinology , positron emission tomography , cognitive impairment , cardiology , temporal lobe , pathology , nuclear medicine , disease , cognition , psychiatry , epilepsy
Background and purpose: We investigated associations between severity of cognitive impairment, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of total‐tau (t‐tau) protein and tau phosphorylated at threonin 181 (p‐tau 181 ) and regional glucose metabolism measured with 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose‐positron emission tomography (18F‐FDG‐PET) in patients with probable Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods: In 38 patients (mean age 66.5 ± 8.0 years) with AD, Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores were evaluated and CSF levels of t‐tau and p‐tau 181 measured. All patients underwent an 18F‐FDG‐PET scan. Image analysis including correlation analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were performed using SPM5 and VINCI. Results: Dementia severity (MMSE 21.2 ± 4.9) correlated well with metabolic impairment especially in left hemisphere association areas that are typically affected in patients with AD (e.g. inferior parietal lobule, r = 0.512; medial temporal gyrus, r = 0.478; inferior temporal gyrus, r = 0.488; precuneus, r = 0.468; PCA: r = 0.639, F = 7.751; all P < 0.001). There were no associations between t‐tau and p‐tau 181 with dementia severity and only weak correlations between t‐tau and cerebral glucose metabolism (superior parietal gyrus, r = −0.325, P < 0.05; precentral gyrus r = −0.418, P < 0.01; amygdala r = −0.362, P < 0.05). No correlations were found between p‐tau 181 and regional hypometabolism in FDG‐PET. Conclusion: MMSE and CSF t‐tau represent different aspects of disease severity. Whilst MMSE is closely related to impaired cerebral glucose metabolism, CSF t‐tau is less closely related and appears to be less well suited for assessment of disease progression.