OBJECTIVE: To determine whether plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels are associated with clinical characteristics, neuropsychological and psychiatric manifestations and cardiovascular comorbidity in patients with Parkinson disease (PD). BACKGROUND: Elevated Hcy levels are linked to atherosclerosis, vascular disease, depression, and dementia. Patients with PD treated with L-dopa have been shown to have elevated Hcy levels. DESIGN/ METHODS: Idiopathic PD patients were evaluated using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, Hoehn and Yahr stage, Parkinson Psychosis Rating Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Frontal Assessment Battery, Mini-Mental Status Examination, and several tests for frontal type cognitive functions. Fasting blood samples were collected for the measurement of Hcy, and carotid B-mode ultrasound was performed to measure intima-media thickness of the common carotid arteries. RESULTS: Seventy-two consecutive PD patients (46 men; average age, 68.7 +/- 11.6 years; average disease duration, 7.0 +/- 4.7 years) were recruited. All but 10 patients were treated with L-dopa. The average level of Hcy was 16.4 +/- 7.8 micromol/L, and 38.9% of the patients had Hcy level above the reference range (>15.0 micromol/L). The Hcy levels were associated with PD duration as they were with L-dopa treatment duration but were not associated with the parameters of disease severity or with L-dopa dose. The Hcy levels were associated neither with the common carotid intima-media thickness nor with cardiovascular morbidity. No association was found between Hcy and the neuropsychiatric features of PD such as depression, cognitive performance, or psychosis. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperhomocystinemia is common in L-dopa-treatedPD patients but was not associated with neuropsychological complications (depression, dementia, and cognitive decline associated with frontal lobe functioning or psychosis), enhanced disease severity, or vascular comorbidity.
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels are associated with clinical characteristics, neuropsychological and psychiatric manifestations and cardiovascular comorbidity in patients with Parkinson disease (PD). BACKGROUND: Elevated Hcy levels are linked to atherosclerosis, vascular disease, depression, and dementia. Patients with PD treated with L-dopa have been shown to have elevated Hcy levels. DESIGN/ METHODS:Idiopathic PDpatients were evaluated using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, Hoehn and Yahr stage, Parkinson Psychosis Rating Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Frontal Assessment Battery, Mini-Mental Status Examination, and several tests for frontal type cognitive functions. Fasting blood samples were collected for the measurement of Hcy, and carotid B-mode ultrasound was performed to measure intima-media thickness of the common carotid arteries. RESULTS: Seventy-two consecutive PDpatients (46 men; average age, 68.7 +/- 11.6 years; average disease duration, 7.0 +/- 4.7 years) were recruited. All but 10 patients were treated with L-dopa. The average level of Hcy was 16.4 +/- 7.8 micromol/L, and 38.9% of the patients had Hcy level above the reference range (>15.0 micromol/L). The Hcy levels were associated with PD duration as they were with L-dopa treatment duration but were not associated with the parameters of disease severity or with L-dopa dose. The Hcy levels were associated neither with the common carotid intima-media thickness nor with cardiovascular morbidity. No association was found between Hcy and the neuropsychiatric features of PD such as depression, cognitive performance, or psychosis. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperhomocystinemia is common in L-dopa-treatedPDpatients but was not associated with neuropsychological complications (depression, dementia, and cognitive decline associated with frontal lobe functioning or psychosis), enhanced disease severity, or vascular comorbidity.
Authors: Eliseu Felippe dos Santos; Estela Natacha Brandt Busanello; Anelise Miglioranza; Angela Zanatta; Alethea Gatto Barchak; Carmen Regla Vargas; Jonas Saute; Charles Rosa; Maria Júlia Carrion; Daiane Camargo; André Dalbem; Jaderson Costa da Costa; Sandro René Pinto de Sousa Miguel; Carlos Roberto de Mello Rieder; Moacir Wajner Journal: Metab Brain Dis Date: 2009-03-18 Impact factor: 3.584
Authors: Manfred Gerlach; Walter Maetzler; Karl Broich; Harald Hampel; Lucas Rems; Torsten Reum; Peter Riederer; Albrecht Stöffler; Johannes Streffer; Daniela Berg Journal: J Neural Transm (Vienna) Date: 2011-07-14 Impact factor: 3.575