Original scientific paper
Cerebrospinal Fluid Markers in Differential Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease and Vascular Dementia
Marina Boban
Kristina Grbić
Mihovil Mladinov
Patrick R. Hof
Christine Süßmair
Nibal Ackl
Gabrijela Stanić
Benedikt Bader
Adrian Danek
Goran Šimić
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) are the two most common causes of dementia in old people.
They remain difficult to differentiate in practice because of lack of sensitivity and specificity of current clinical diagnostic
criteria. Recent molecular and cellular advancements indicate that the use of cerebrospinal fluid markers may improve
early detection and differential diagnosis of AD. Our objective in this study was to determine diagnostic accuracy of three
cerebrospinal (CSF) markers: total tau protein (t-tau), tau protein phosphorylated on threonine 181 (p-tau181) and tau
protein phosphorylated on serine 199 (p-tau199). Using commercially available ELISA kits concentrations of t-tau, p-
-tau181 and p-tau199 were analyzed in 12 patients with probable AD, 9 patients with VaD and 12 NC subjects. The median
levels of all three markers were significantly higher in AD group versus VaD and NC groups. However, when the
sensitivity levels were set to 85% or higher, only t-tau and p-tau199 satisfied consensus recommendations (specificity
more than 75%) when differentiating AD from VaD. In conclusion, our preliminary data on a small group of selected subjects
suggest that the CSF t-tau and p-tau199 levels are useful markers for differentiating AD from VaD.
Keywords
Alzheimer’s disease; cerebrospinal fluid; ELISA; phoshorylated epitopes; tau proteins; vascular dementia
Hrčak ID:
24550
URI
Publication date:
13.5.2008.
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