Publication Date

2014

Journal Title

Neurobiology of Aging

Abstract

Converging evidence suggests that psychotic Alzheimer's disease (AD + P) is associated with an acceleration of frontal degeneration, with tau pathology playing a primary role. Previous histopathologic and biomarker studies have specifically implicated tau pathology in this condition. To precisely quantify tau abnormalities in the frontal cortex in AD + P, we used a sensitive biochemical assay of total tau and 4 epitopes of phospho-tau relevant in AD pathology in a postmortem sample of AD + P and AD - P. Samples of superior frontal gyrus from 26 AD subjects without psychosis and 45 AD + P subjects with psychosis were analyzed. Results of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay demonstrate that AD + P females, but not males, had significantly higher levels of phosphorylated tau in the frontal cortex. In males, but not females, AD + P was associated with the presence of alpha-synuclein pathology. These results support a gender dissociation of pathology in AD + P. The design of future studies aimed at the elucidation of cognitive and/or functional outcomes; regional brain metabolic deficits; or genetic correlates of AD + P should take gender into consideration. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Volume Number

35

Issue Number

9

Pages

2021-2028

Document Type

Article

EPub Date

2014/04/16

Status

Faculty, Northwell Researcher

Facility

School of Medicine; Northwell Health

Primary Department

Psychiatry

PMID

24731519

DOI

10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.03.003

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Included in

Psychiatry Commons

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