Cortical α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and β-amyloid levels in early Alzheimer disease
Document Type
Article
Abstract
Objective: To examine α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) binding and β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide load in superior frontal cortex (SFC) across clinical and neuropathological stages of Alzheimer disease (AD). Design: Quantitative measures of α7 nAChR by [3H] methyllycaconitine binding and Aβ concentration by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in SFC were compared across subjects with antemortem clinical classification of no cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment, or mild to moderate AD, and with postmortem neuropathological diagnoses. Setting: Academic medical center. Subjects: Twenty-nine elderly retired clergy. Main Outcome Measures: Quantitative measures of α7 nAChR binding and Aβ peptide concentration in SFC. Results: Higher concentrations of total Aβ peptide in SFC were associated with clinical diagnosis of mild to moderate AD (P = .02), lower Mini-Mental State Examination scores (P = .003), presence of cortical Aβ plaques (P = .02), and likelihood of AD diagnosis by the National Institute on Aging-Reagan criteria (P = .002). Increased α7 nAChR binding was associated with National Institute on Aging-Reagan diagnosis (P = .02) and, albeit weakly, the presence of cortical Aβ plaques (P = .08). There was no correlation between the 2 biochemical measures. Conclusions: These observations suggest that during the clinical progression from normal cognition to neurodegenerative disease state, total Aβ peptide concentration increases while α7 nAChRs remain relatively stable in SFC. Regardless of subjects' clinical status, however, elevated α7 nAChR binding is associated with increased Aβ plaque pathology, supporting the hypothesis that cellular expression of these receptors may be upregulated selectively in Aβ plaque-burdened brain areas. ©2009 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
Publication Date
5-1-2009
Publication Title
Archives of Neurology
ISSN
00039942
E-ISSN
15383687
Volume
66
Issue
5
First Page
646
Last Page
651
PubMed ID
19433665
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1001/archneurol.2009.46
Recommended Citation
Ikonomovic, Milos D.; Wecker, Lynn; Abrahamson, Eric E.; Wuu, Joanne; Counts, Scott E.; Ginsberg, Stephen D.; Mufson, Elliott J.; and DeKosky, Steven T., "Cortical α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and β-amyloid levels in early Alzheimer disease" (2009). Translational Neuroscience. 1770.
https://scholar.barrowneuro.org/neurobiology/1770