Correlation between Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Alzheimer Type Dementia and Plasma Homocysteine Concentration

Zhanjie Zheng,Weizhen Cui,Chunxia Wang,Lingli Kong,Jindong Wang,Hong Chen,Lei Yi,Hui Yu

doi:10.1155/2014/383494

Abstract

The relationship between plasma homocysteine and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) has not been specifically investigated in previous research. In this study, we compared plasma homocysteine (Hcy) among 40 Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients with BPSD, 37 AD patients without BPSD, and 39 healthy controls. Our results evidenced that the plasma homocysteine levels in AD patients with BPSD and without BPSD were higher than healthy controls and that the plasma homocysteine concentration in AD patients with BPSD was the highest among the three groups. Significant correlation between plasma homocysteine concentration and cognitive decline and duration of dementia was observed, but there was no correlation between BPSD and cognitive dysfunction or duration of dementia. In conclusion, this study showed for the first time that BPSD were associated with plasma homocysteine concentration in Alzheimer's dementia, and the results supported that hyperhomocysteine may take part in the pathogenesis of BPSD.

Highlights

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by a progressive loss of learning and memory processes and alterations in spatial abilities, confusion, and disorientation
In scope of the recent findings that reported the relation between homocysteine and psychiatric symptoms and potential suggestions that homocysteine measurement may provide a better estimate of tissue activities of vitamin B12 and folate, we compared plasma homocysteine concentration in AD patients with and without behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and healthy participants to explore the possible different concentrations of homocysteine in AD patients with BPSD
The first important aspect of our finding is that we observed that both “BPSD” and “No BPSD” groups had higher homocysteine concentration than that of control group, while BPSD patients showed higher homocysteine concentration than No BPSD patients

Summary

Introduction

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by a progressive loss of learning and memory processes and alterations in spatial abilities, confusion, and disorientation. Decreased serum vitamin B12 and folate concentrations have been reported in Alzheimer’s disease patients [9, 10] and psychiatric disorders [11]. The relationships between concentration of serum vitamin B12, folate, and BPSD of dementia were previously assessed by other investigations, but no significant correlation was found [12, 13]. No studies have found the correlation between plasma homocysteine concentration and BPSD of dementia patients. In scope of the recent findings that reported the relation between homocysteine and psychiatric symptoms and potential suggestions that homocysteine measurement may provide a better estimate of tissue activities of vitamin B12 and folate, we compared plasma homocysteine concentration in AD patients with and without BPSD and healthy participants to explore the possible different concentrations of homocysteine in AD patients with BPSD. We investigated whether a specific correlation exists between homocysteine concentration and clinical symptoms

Material and Methods

Results

Discussion