Schneider L S, Severson J A, Chui H C, Pollock V E, Sloane R B, Fredrickson E R
Research Laboratory Technician, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles.
Psychiatry Res. 1988 Sep;25(3):311-22. doi: 10.1016/0165-1781(88)90101-1.
Decreased platelet 3H-imipramine binding density and decreased monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity have been considered as biological characteristics of several neuropsychiatric disorders, and may be related to central serotonin defects. Since serotonin system defects occur in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and decreased brain 3H-imipramine binding density, and increased brain and platelet MAO activity are reported also, we studied platelet 3H-imipramine binding density (Bmax) and platelet MAO activity in AD outpatients without antecedent psychiatric disorder. AD subjects with significant symptomatic behavioral disorder, predominantly agitation and delusions, and AD subjects without symptomatic behaviors were compared with controls. Age, sex, mini-mental state examination score, and illness duration did not distinguish the two AD groups. The agitated/delusional group showed significantly lower Bmax values than uncomplicated AD subjects or controls. MAO activity was significantly increased among female AD subjects without symptomatic behaviors compared to those who were agitated or to controls. These results indicate that 3H-imipramine binding and MAO activity may distinguish AD subjects with agitation or delusions from those without symptomatic behaviors, and suggest the existence of a biologically based Alzheimer's behavioral subtype.
血小板3H-丙咪嗪结合密度降低和单胺氧化酶（MAO）活性降低被认为是几种神经精神疾病的生物学特征，并且可能与中枢5-羟色胺缺陷有关。由于在阿尔茨海默病（AD）中存在5-羟色胺系统缺陷，并且也有报道称脑3H-丙咪嗪结合密度降低以及脑和血小板MAO活性增加，因此我们研究了无既往精神疾病的AD门诊患者的血小板3H-丙咪嗪结合密度（Bmax）和血小板MAO活性。将有明显症状性行为障碍（主要是激越和妄想）的AD患者以及无症状性行为的AD患者与对照组进行比较。年龄、性别、简易精神状态检查评分和病程并不能区分这两组AD患者。激越/妄想组的Bmax值显著低于无并发症的AD患者或对照组。与有激越症状的女性AD患者或对照组相比，无症状性行为的女性AD患者的MAO活性显著增加。这些结果表明，3H-丙咪嗪结合和MAO活性可能有助于区分有激越或妄想症状的AD患者与无症状性行为的患者，并提示存在一种基于生物学的阿尔茨海默病行为亚型。
