Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of ACTH, beta-lipotropin (beta-LPH) and beta-endorphin (beta-EP) were measured in 15 patients affected by dementia, who underwent also a brain computerized tomography (CT), and in 13 age-matched healthy volunteers. ACTH CSF levels of patients (4.0 +/- 2.4 fmol/ml, M +/- SD) were significantly lower than in controls (9.8 +/- 5.0, P less than 0.01) the lowest values being found in Alzheimer type of dementia (ATD: 3.1 +/- 2.5) and in patients with radiological evidence of cortical atrophy (2.5 +/- 1.2), independently of the probable origin of dementia. Although beta-LPH and beta-EP levels of patients fell within normal range, they were lower in ATD than in dementia sustained on a vascular origin. There was no variation of either peptides concentration in relation to CT findings. These data indicate the ACTH impairment as typical of dementia, supporting in humans the positive role of this peptide on learning and mnesic functions. Moreover, the maintained CSF levels of both beta-LPH and beta-EP in the dementia sustained on a vascular origin, while lower values were found in ATD, could represent a differentiation between vascular and degenerative diseases of the Central Nervous System (CNS).

Central ACTH deficit in degenerative and vascular dementia / Facchinetti F, Nappi G, Petraglia F, Martignoni E, Sinforiani E, Genazzani AR. - In: LIFE SCIENCES. - ISSN 1879-0631. - ELETTRONICO. - (1984), pp. 1691-1697.

Central ACTH deficit in degenerative and vascular dementia.

Facchinetti F;Petraglia F;
1984

Abstract

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of ACTH, beta-lipotropin (beta-LPH) and beta-endorphin (beta-EP) were measured in 15 patients affected by dementia, who underwent also a brain computerized tomography (CT), and in 13 age-matched healthy volunteers. ACTH CSF levels of patients (4.0 +/- 2.4 fmol/ml, M +/- SD) were significantly lower than in controls (9.8 +/- 5.0, P less than 0.01) the lowest values being found in Alzheimer type of dementia (ATD: 3.1 +/- 2.5) and in patients with radiological evidence of cortical atrophy (2.5 +/- 1.2), independently of the probable origin of dementia. Although beta-LPH and beta-EP levels of patients fell within normal range, they were lower in ATD than in dementia sustained on a vascular origin. There was no variation of either peptides concentration in relation to CT findings. These data indicate the ACTH impairment as typical of dementia, supporting in humans the positive role of this peptide on learning and mnesic functions. Moreover, the maintained CSF levels of both beta-LPH and beta-EP in the dementia sustained on a vascular origin, while lower values were found in ATD, could represent a differentiation between vascular and degenerative diseases of the Central Nervous System (CNS).
1984
1691
1697
Facchinetti F, Nappi G, Petraglia F, Martignoni E, Sinforiani E, Genazzani AR
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in FLORE sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/1168954
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 44
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact