Monoaminergic Markers Across the Cognitive Spectrum of Lewy Body Disease

J Parkinsons Dis. 2018;8(1):71-84. doi: 10.3233/JPD-171228.

Abstract

Background: Lewy body disorders, including Parkinson's disease (PD), Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), are characterized by profound central and peripheral monoaminergic dysfunction.

Objective: To investigate whether these alterations depend on dementia status, we measured cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum monoamine and metabolite levels across subgroups of the cognitive spectrum, and evaluated their marker potential afterwards.

Methods: In total, 153 subjects were included, of which 43 healthy controls (HC), 28 PD patients with normal cognition (PD-NC), 26 patients with PD and mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI), 18 PDD patients, and 38 DLB patients. The levels of monoamines and metabolites in paired CSF and serum samples were analyzed applying reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

Results: Firstly, when comparing subgroups, CSF 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) levels were found lowest in HC and PD-NC groups and significantly higher in PDD/DLB patients. In addition, CSF 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels differed significantly between HC and PD-MCI/PDD, and DLB patients (P≤0.001), but not between HC and PD-NC patients. Secondly, when performing logistic regression, it was shown that particularly CSF/serum MHPG levels and the serum MHPG to noradrenaline (NA) ratio effectively differentiated between HC and (non-)pooled PD subgroups (AUC = 0.914-0.956), and PDD and DLB patients (AUC = 0.822), respectively. Furthermore, CSF 5-HIAA was the most discriminative parameter to differentiate between PD-NC and PD-MCI (AUC = 0.808), and, PD-NC and PDD subgroups (AUC = 0.916).

Conclusions: Our data revealed that especially alterations of the noradrenergic neurotransmitter system could distinguish between Lewy body disorder subtypes, pinpointing CSF/serum MHPG and NA as potential stage markers across the cognitive spectrum.

Keywords: 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol; 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid; Parkinson’s disease; Parkinson’s disease dementia; RP-HPLC-ECD; biomarkers; dementia with Lewy bodies; monoamines; noradrenaline.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Biogenic Monoamines / blood
  • Biogenic Monoamines / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Biomarkers
  • Cognition Disorders / blood
  • Cognition Disorders / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Cognition Disorders / diagnosis
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / blood
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / diagnosis
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Homovanillic Acid / blood
  • Homovanillic Acid / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Humans
  • Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / blood
  • Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Lewy Body Disease / blood
  • Lewy Body Disease / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Lewy Body Disease / diagnosis
  • Male
  • Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / blood
  • Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Middle Aged
  • Parkinson Disease / blood
  • Parkinson Disease / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Parkinson Disease / diagnosis
  • Retrospective Studies

Substances

  • Biogenic Monoamines
  • Biomarkers
  • Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol
  • Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid
  • Homovanillic Acid