Affiliations: [a] Department for Psychiatry, Saarland University, Building 90, 66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany | [b] Department for Clinical Chemistry, Central Laboratory, Building 57, Saarland University Hospital, 66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany | [c] Institute for Biochemistry, Free University of Berlin, Thielallee 63, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Correspondence:
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Corresponding authors: Thomas Bayer, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neurobiology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany. Tel.: +49 6841 16 24290; Fax: +49 6841 16 24378; E-mail: thomas.bayer@uniklinik-saarland.de
Note: [*] These authors contributed equally.
Abstract: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating brain disorder clinically characterised by progressive loss of characteristic cognitive abilities. Increasing evidence suggests a disturbed copper (Cu) homeostasis to be associated with the pathological processes. In the present study we analysed the plasma Cu levels and cognitive abilities using the Alzheimer's disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) in 32 patients with mild to moderate AD. Statistical analysis revealed a negative correlation between plasma Cu levels and cognitive decline (r=−0.49; P<0.01). Patients with low plasma Cu (mean 82 ± SD 9) had significant higher ADAS-cog values (mean 23 ± SD 7), than patients with medium plasma Cu (mean 110 ± SD 7), who exhibited lower ADAS-cog scores (mean 16 ± SD 4; ANOVA, P<0.0001). Despite the fact that all patients had plasma Cu levels within the physiological range between 65μg and 165μg/dL, 87.5% of the patients revealed a significant negative correlation between plasma Cu and ADAS-cog. This finding supports the hypothesis of a mild Cu deficiency in most AD patients.
