Background: Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) invariably develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD) during their life span. It is therefore of importance to study young DS patients when trying to elucidate early events in AD pathogenesis. Aim: To investigate how levels of different amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides, as well as tau and phosphorylated tau, in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from children with DS change over time. The first CSF sample was taken at 8 months and the following two samples at 20–40 and 54 months of age. Results: Individual levels of the Aβ peptides, as well as total Aβ levels in CSF increased over time when measured with Western blot. Tau in CSF decreased whereas there was no change in levels of phosphorylated tau over time. Conclusion: The increasing levels of Aβ in CSF during early childhood of DS patients observed in this study are probably due to the trisomy of the Aβ precursor APP, which leads to an overproduction of Aβ. Despite the increased CSF concentrations of Aβ, there were no signs of an AD-indicating tau pattern in CSF, since the levels of total tau decreased and phosphorylated tau remained unchanged. This observation further strengthens the theory of Aβ pathology preceding tau pathology in AD.

Keywords:
Alzheimer’s disease, Down syndrome, Amyloid-β, Tau, Cerebrospinal fluid
This content is only available via PDF.
© 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel
2007
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.