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Reduced plasma oestrogen stimulated neurophysin and delayed response to oestrogen challenge in Alzheimer's disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Janice Christie ,
Robert Hunter ,
John Bennie ,
Helen Wilson ,
Sheena Carroll  and
George Fink
Janice Christie
Affiliation:
MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
Robert Hunter*
Affiliation:
MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
John Bennie
Affiliation:
MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
Helen Wilson
Affiliation:
MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
Sheena Carroll
Affiliation:
MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
George Fink
Affiliation:
MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Robert Hunter, MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, Edinburgh EH 10 5HF.
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Synopsis

Plasma concentrations of oestrogen stimulated neurophysin (ESN) were reduced in 28 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) compared with 14 age-matched controls, 16 patients with other presenile dementias and 12 patients with major depressive disorder. The ESN response to oestrogen challenge was delayed in 10 AD patients compared with 7 age-matched controls. Reduced basal and oestrogen stimulated plasma ESN may be related to impaired responsiveness of the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial neurons and/or a reduction in the amount of pituitary ESN available for release. Plasma ESN measurements may be of value for excluding the diagnosis of AD in patients with dementia who present before the age of 65.

Type
Orginal Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 20 , Issue 4 , November 1990 , pp. 773 - 777
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

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