Cerebrospinal fluid TAU protein and amyloid beta42 in mild cognitive impairment: prediction of progression to Alzheimer's disease and correlation with the neuropsychological examination

Neurocase. 2005 Feb;11(1):32-9. doi: 10.1080/13554790490896901.

Abstract

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) TAU protein and Amyloid beta42 were able to distinguish between 28 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients and both 38 normal aged and 17 anxious and depressed elderly patients, with good sensitivity/specificity when the two measures were combined. These biological markers are independent predictors of the presence of Alzheimer disease (AD), in addition to memory performance. Low Amyloid beta42 level was predictor of a fast progression of MCI patients to full blown dementia. The TAU protein level tended to correlate with memory performance, presumably in relation with the extent of the bilateral medio-temporal damage in early AD.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Alzheimer Disease / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Alzheimer Disease / diagnosis
  • Alzheimer Disease / physiopathology
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Cognition Disorders / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Cognition Disorders / diagnosis
  • Cognition Disorders / physiopathology
  • Dementia
  • Disease Progression
  • Evaluation Studies as Topic
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuropsychological Tests*
  • Peptide Fragments / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • tau Proteins / cerebrospinal fluid*

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Peptide Fragments
  • amyloid beta-protein (1-42)
  • tau Proteins