Association of N-acetylaspartate and cerebrospinal fluid Aβ42 in dementia

J Alzheimers Dis. 2011;27(2):393-9. doi: 10.3233/JAD-2011-110398.

Abstract

The interplay of amyloid and mitochondrial function is considered crucial in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We tested the association of the putative marker of mitochondrial function N-acetylaspartate (NAA) as measured by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy within the medial temporal lobe and cerebrospinal fluid amyoid-β42 (Aβ42), total Tau and pTau181. 109 patients were recruited in a multicenter study (40 mild AD patients, 14 non-AD dementia patients, 29 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) AD-type patients, 26 MCI of non-AD type patients). NAA correlated with Aβ42 within the AD group. Since the NAA concentration is coupled to neuronal mitochondrial function, the correlation between NAA and Aβ42 may reflect the interaction between disrupted mitochondrial pathways and amyloid production.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Alzheimer Disease / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Alzheimer Disease / diagnosis
  • Alzheimer Disease / metabolism
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Aspartic Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • Aspartic Acid / metabolism
  • Biomarkers / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / diagnosis
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / metabolism
  • Dementia / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Dementia / diagnosis
  • Dementia / metabolism
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Mitochondria / pathology
  • Mitochondria / physiology
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Neurons / pathology
  • Neurons / physiology
  • Peptide Fragments / cerebrospinal fluid*

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Biomarkers
  • Peptide Fragments
  • amyloid beta-protein (1-42)
  • Aspartic Acid
  • N-acetylaspartate