Effect of homocysteine and nitric oxide levels on specific Computed Axial Tomography measurements in Alzheimer disease
Autor: | Maurizio Gallucci, Andrea Zanardo, Silvia Baiguera, Marcella Folin |
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Rok vydání: | 2007 |
Předmět: |
medicine.medical_specialty
Homocysteine QH301-705.5 Biology General Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology Nitric oxide chemistry.chemical_compound Atrophy Neuroimaging nitric oxide Internal medicine Global brain atrophy alzheimer disease medicine Dementia Biology (General) Vascular dementia cognitive impairment neuroimaging General Immunology and Microbiology General Neuroscience vascular dementia homocysteine medicine.disease Endocrinology chemistry Alzheimer's disease General Agricultural and Biological Sciences brain atrophy |
Zdroj: | Open Life Sciences, Vol 2, Iss 1, Pp 99-108 (2007) |
ISSN: | 2391-5412 |
Popis: | The present study was undertaken to examine the effect of Homocysteine (Hcy) and nitric oxide (NO) levels on specific Computed Axial Tomography (CAT) measurements, as global brain atrophy and brain vascular lesion in Alzheimer Disease (AD) and in Vascular Dementia (VD) patients. We have analysed serum Hcy and NO levels in AD patients and compared the findings with those in VD patients and control subjects. Moreover we have studied the correlation of Hcy and NO levels with cognitive impairment and brain atrophy determined by Computed Axial Tomography. Hcy serum levels significantly increased in all demented patients compared to control group, independently from the dementia type. On the contrary, no differences were observed in NO serum levels between groups. Moreover, we found significant correlation between Hcy and brain atrophy in both demented groups; whereas NO levels correlated only in AD, but not in VD patients. The pathogenic effect of Hcy either in AD and VD patients appears to confirm a definitive vascular component in AD. As regards NO, our results highlight the role of NO as a beneficial molecule in AD and support the use of NO mimetics as an antineurodegenerative therapy for AD patients. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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