engleski

Arylsulphatase A(ASA) in human brain during ageing

A realtionship between arylsulphatase A(ASA)defficiency and various neuropsychiatric disorders has been indicated. However, very little is known about regional distribution and ASA activity in human brain during ageing. Thus, we measured ASA activity in different brain regions(prefronatal, parietal, temporal, occipital, cerebellar, hypocampal and insular cortex, sensorymotor cortex, thalamus and amygdala)of healthy persons, using praa-nitro- catechol (p-NCS)as an in vitro substrate. In the "younger" group(age 15-30), ASA activity was highest in cerebellar and lowest in sensorymotor cortex. There was no correlation between ASA activity in any of the region and age. In the "older" group (30-80 years) ASA activity was age-dependantly 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 region declines during ageing. Since ASA defficiency is related to demyelinization process and ASA pseudodefficiency has high rate among general population, one could assume that the age-related decline in ASA activity may contribute to onset of demyelinization-associated neuropsychiatric disorders in elderly.

ASA; human brain; ageing

nije evidentirano