TAU-PROTEIN CONCENTRATIONS IN CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID OF NONDEMENTED PARKINSONS-DISEASE PATIENTS

We measured total tau protein concentrations in the cerebrospinal flui d (CSF) of 26 non-demented Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and 25 ma tched controls. When compared with controls, PD patients had similar C SF tau protein concentrations. These values were not correlated with a ge, age at onset of PD, duration of PD, scores of the Unified PD Ratin g Scale (UPDRS), and the Hoehn and Yahr staging, and were not influenc ed significantly by antiparkinsonian drugs. Our results suggest that C SF tau protein levels are apparently unrelated to the risk of PD. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.