engleski

Arylsulphatase A (ASA) activity in human brain during ageing.

A relationship between arylsuphatase A (ASA) deficienca and various neuropsychiatric disorders has been indicated. However, very little is known about regional distribution and ASA activitiy in huma brain during ageing. Thus, we measured ASA activity in different brain regions (prefrontal, parietal, temporal, occipital, cerebellar, hypoccampal and insular cortex, snsorymotot cortex, thalamus and amygdala) or healthy persons, using para-nitro-catechol sulphate (paNCS) as an in vitro substrate. In the "younger" group (age 15-30 years) ASA activity was highest in cerebellar and lowest in sensorymotor cortex. There was no correlation between ASA activity in any of the regions and age. In the "older" group (30-80 years). ASA activity was age dependently decreased in occipital (by 10%) and cerebellar (by 30%) cortex, and stable in frontal cortex and other regions, irrespective of age. Our results suggest that ASA activity in selected brain regions declines during ageing. Since ASA defficiency is related to demyelinization process and ASA pseudodefficiency has a high rate among general population, one could assume that the age-related decline in ASA activity might contribute to onset of demyalinization-associated neuropsychiatric disorders in elderly.

arylsulphatase; brain; ageing

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