CORRELATION BETWEEN CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID NEUROPEPTIDE-Y LEVELS IN DEMENTIA OF THE ALZHEIMER-TYPE AND FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has been shown to be involved in the control of s everal neuroendocrine functions. Moreover, in animal models, NPY produ ces behavioral effects that are similar to those induced by anxiolytic s. We studied NPY-like immunoreactivity (NPY-LI) in cerebrospinal flui d (CSF) in two primary degenerative dementias, Alzheimer disease (AD, n = 34) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD, n = 22) and correlated the C SF NPY-LI levels with clinical characteristics, as rated with the Orga nic Brain Syndrome scale. There were significant correlations between NPY-LI and such clinical items as suspiciousness, anxiousness, restles sness-agitation, and irritability in both AD and FTD. AD patients, but not FTD patients, showed a significant negative correlation between N PY-LI and duration of the disease. Thus, the study found significant c orrelations between CSF NPY-LI and emotional symptoms and behavior in organic dementia.