Preservation of brain nerve growth factor in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease

Arch Neurol. 2003 Aug;60(8):1143-8. doi: 10.1001/archneur.60.8.1143.

Abstract

Background: The status of nerve growth factor (NGF) levels during the prodromal phase of Alzheimer disease (AD), characterized by mild cognitive impairment (MCI), remains unknown.

Objective: To investigate whether cortical and/or hippocampal NGF levels are altered in subjects with MCI or different levels of AD severity.

Design and main outcome measures: An NGF enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay determined protein levels in the hippocampus and 5 cortical areas in people clinically diagnosed as having no cognitive impairment, MCI, mild AD, or severe AD.

Setting and patients: Subjects were from the Rush Religious Orders Study and the University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (Pittsburgh, Pa).

Results: We found no changes in cortical or hippocampal NGF levels across groups; in MCI, levels did not correlate with an increase in choline acetyltransferase activity in these regions.

Conclusion: Brain NGF levels appear sufficient to support the cholinergic plasticity changes seen in MCI and remain stable throughout the disease course.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Alzheimer Disease / metabolism*
  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Brain / pathology
  • Cell Count
  • Choline O-Acetyltransferase / metabolism
  • Cognition Disorders / metabolism*
  • Cognition Disorders / pathology
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Humans
  • Nerve Growth Factor / metabolism*
  • Neuronal Plasticity
  • Neurons / pathology
  • Neuropsychological Tests

Substances

  • Nerve Growth Factor
  • Choline O-Acetyltransferase