Cerebrospinal fluid from frontotemporal dementia patients is toxic to neurons

Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2021 Jun 1;1867(6):166122. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2021.166122. Epub 2021 Mar 11.

Abstract

Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by a progressive deterioration of cognitive functions. Currently, no effective treatment exists. We have studied cytotoxicity and neuronal functionality in cortical and spinal cord cultures upon exposure to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 39 FTD patients. FTD-CSF alters the miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents in the cortical cultures and it is toxic to spinal cord cultures, particularly to GABAergic+ and calbindin-D28k + neurons.

Keywords: Cerebrospinal fluid; Cytotoxicity; Frontotemporal dementia; Neuronal cell culture; Synaptic activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Biomarkers / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid*
  • Female
  • Frontotemporal Dementia / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Frontotemporal Dementia / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurons / pathology*

Substances

  • Biomarkers