engleski

Platelet serotonin and platelet MAO activity in Alzheimer's disease

Several biochemical abnormalities in peripheral tissues have been reported in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In light of the recent reports of the altered platelet serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5- HT) concentration, we studied platelet 5-HT and platelet monoamino oxidase (MAO) activity type B in both AD patients and healthy subjects. The diagnosis of the probable Alzheimer's disease according to NINCDS-ADRDA criteria was established by two psychiatrists according to ICD-10 and DSM-IV-TR criteria. A total of 34 AD patients (14 men ; 20 women) and 75 healthy controls (36 men ; 39 women) were analyzed. The groups were sex and age-matched. All participants gave their informed consent. The platelet 5-HT concentration and platelet MAO activity were determined spectrofluorimetrically. All data, expressed as means ± SD, were evaluated using one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey multiple comparison procedure. Platelet 5-HT concentration was significantly increased in AD patients when compared to values in their corresponding controls. Significantly higher platelet 5-HT concentration was detected in 20 female AD patients than in 39 healthy women. The platelet MAO activity was significantly higher in male and female AD patients in comparison to healthy subjects. Our preliminary data, from this ongoing study, support the thesis that platelet serotonergic markers (5-HT and MAO) are altered in AD patients, and may play a role in the etiopathogenesis of this disease.

platelet MAO; platelet serotonin; Alzheimer's disease

Časopis je indeksiran u: Neuroscience Citation Index i EMBASE (Excerpta Medica).