CSF-folate levels are decreased in late-onset AD patients

10 January 2001

journal article
Published by Springer Nature in Journal Of Neural Transmission-Parkinsons Disease and Dementia Section

Vol. 108 (1) , 93-99
https://doi.org/10.1007/s007020170100

Abstract

Folates are involved in the cerebral metabolism of cobalamine, methionine, L-tyrosine and acetylcholine. Remarkably CSF-folate levels are 3 to 4 times higher than blood-folate levels. To reach the brain, folates are actively transported by choroid plexus (CP) as well as vitamins B6, B12, C and E. Epithelial atrophy having been reported in aging and in Alzheimer's disease (AD), we measured the CSF folate-levels of 126 patients, including 30 AD consecutive patients to evaluate whether CP functions of folate-transport were impaired. CSF-folate concentrations did not vary with age (10.47 ± 1.93 ng/ml between 20 and 60 years; 9.96 ± 2.01 ng/ml in elderly control patients older than 60 years of age, p > 0.05) while late-onset AD patients had significantly lower CSF-folate levels (8.26 ± 1.82 ng/ml, p < 0.001). These data support a specific alteration of CP transport function in AD patients.

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