Antibodies against GM1 in demented patients

Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2008 Jun-Jul;23(3):274-9. doi: 10.1177/1533317508317816. Epub 2008 May 28.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of anti-GM1 in demented patients, correlating them with the type and severity of dementia as well as with the eventually coexistent polyneuropathy. Anti-GM1 concentrations were measured in the sera of 33 demented patients with a male-to-female ratio of 1:2.7 (the mean age was 69.7 years for males and 70.1 years for females). Eighty-two percent of the patients revealed increased values of anti-GM1, but only 18.2% demonstrated polyneuropathies. Fifty-nine percent of the patients suffered from vascular dementia. The most severely demented patients demonstrated a Mini-Mental State Examination score of 5 to 23 out of 30 and revealed the most increased levels of anti-GM1 (>40 EU/mL). The findings of this study are indicative of a possible correlation between the levels of anti-GM1 and the severity of dementia, mainly of the vascular type.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alzheimer Disease / immunology*
  • Autoantibodies / blood*
  • Comorbidity
  • Dementia / diagnosis
  • Dementia / immunology*
  • Dementia, Vascular / diagnosis
  • Dementia, Vascular / immunology*
  • Female
  • G(M1) Ganglioside / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin M / blood*
  • Male
  • Mental Status Schedule / statistics & numerical data
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Polyneuropathies / blood
  • Polyneuropathies / immunology
  • Psychometrics / statistics & numerical data

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Immunoglobulin M
  • G(M1) Ganglioside