Decreased Serum Lipids in Patients with Probable Alzheimer´s Disease

Abstract

Alzheimer;s disease (AD) is a multifactorial disease but its aetiology and pathophisiology are still not fully understood. Epidemiologic studies examining the association between lipids and dementia have reported conflicting results. High total cholesterol has been associated with both an increased, and decreased, risk of AD and/or vascular dementia (VAD), whereas other studies found no association. The aim of this study was to investigate the serum lipids concentration in patients with probable AD, as well as possible correlation between serum lipids concentrations and cognitive impairment. Our cross-sectional study included 30 patients with probable AD and 30 age and sex matched control subjects. The probable AD was clinically diagnosed by NINCDS-ADRDA criteria. Serum total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglyceride (TG) levels were determined at the initial assessment using standard enzymatic colorimetric techniques. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) levels were calculated. Subjects with probable AD had significantly lower serum TG (p<0,01), TC (p<0,05), LDL-C (p<0,05) and VLDL-C (p<0,01) compared to the control group. We did not observe significant difference in HDL-C level between patients with probable AD and control subjects. Negative, although not significant correlation between TG, TC and VLDL-C and MMSE in patients with AD was observed. In the control group of subjects there was a negative correlation between TC and MMSE but it was not statistically significant (r = -0,28). Further studies are required to explore the possibility for serum lipids to serve as diagnostic and therapeutic markers of AD.

Interrelationship between Mini‐Mental State Examination scores and biochemical parameters in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease

“…Follow‐up data after a year showed significant age‐related decline in the scores in the old men and women, MCI, and AD groups, when compared with initial assessment. In the old control groups and patients with MCI, the lower scores indicate the initial period of the disease that are used as possible risk factors to identify individuals in preclinical stages . Rapid decline in MMSE scores at the follow‐up evaluation in patients with MCI and AD over a 12‐month period indicated disease progression in these groups, which is consistent with those reported earlier by other groups .…”

“…In older adults and AD patients, impaired liver functions are common, such as altered bilirubin metabolism and cholesterol and triglyceride levels; and impaired activity of detoxification and conjugating enzymes, such as alkaline phosphatase, serum glutamate‐ornithine transferase or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and serum glutamate pyruvate transferase or alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Although such alterations in biochemical profiles have been widely observed, the exact association of these parameters with cognitive decline and AD pathogenesis in the elderly population is still unclear . However, such alterations in biochemical parameters have been shown to be associated with the susceptibility to developing AD with advancing age …”

“…Although such alterations in biochemical profiles have been widely observed, the exact association of these parameters with cognitive decline and AD pathogenesis in the elderly population is still unclear . However, such alterations in biochemical parameters have been shown to be associated with the susceptibility to developing AD with advancing age …”

“…Although such alterations in biochemical profiles have been widely observed, the exact association of these parameters with cognitive decline and AD pathogenesis in the elderly population is still unclear. [8][9][10] However, such alterations in biochemical parameters have been shown to be associated with the susceptibility to developing AD with advancing age. [9][10][11] Despite the wide prevalence of AD and other neurological disorders amongst the aging population worldwide, the incidence of similar diseases in India are poorly examined and are more often dismissed as normal ageassociated memory loss or cognitive decline.…”

Triglycerides are negatively correlated with cognitive function in nondemented aging adults.

“…While the effect of risk factors like hypertension and type II diabetes on cognitive function are well established in literature, the relationship between triglycerides and cognition remains controversial (Luchsinger JA., 2004; Whitmer et al, 2005). Some studies suggest that increased serum triglycerides are correlated with poor cognitive performance (Dong, Zhang, Lu, & Flaherty, 2009; Rogers RL., Meyer JS., McClintic K., 1989), while others either find no relationship (Dong et al, 2009; Van Exel et al, 2002) or suggest that low serum triglyceride levels lead to poorer memory (Dimopoulos et al, 2007; Lepara, Valjevac, Alajbegović, Zaćiragić, & Nakas-Ićindić, 2009). In addition, whereas most studies have focused on the relationship between triglycerides and memory (Dimopoulos et al, 2007; Dong et al, 2009; Lepara et al, 2009; Luchsinger JA., 2004; Whitmer et al, 2005), few have explored the effects of triglycerides on other measures of cognitive function, particularly executive function.…”