Plasma antioxidants are similarly depleted in mild cognitive impairment and in Alzheimer’s disease

• Published in: Neurobiology of aging Vol. 24; no. 7; pp. 915 - 919
• Main Authors: Rinaldi, P., Polidori, M.C., Metastasio, A., Mariani, E., Mattioli, P., Cherubini, A., Catani, M., Cecchetti, R., Senin, U., Mecocci, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Inc 01-11-2003; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alzheimer Disease - blood; Alzheimer Disease - genetics; Alzheimer Disease - physiopathology; Alzheimer’s disease; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - analysis; Apolipoproteins E - genetics; Ascorbic Acid - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Carotenoids - blood; Cognition Disorders - blood; Cognition Disorders - physiopathology; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Erythrocytes - enzymology; Female; Glutathione Peroxidase - metabolism; Humans; Male; Matched-Pair Analysis; Medical sciences; Mild cognitive impairment; Neurology; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - physiology; Plasma - chemistry; Reference Values; Superoxide Dismutase - metabolism; Uric Acid - blood; Vitamin A - blood; Vitamin E - blood; Antioxidants; Oxidative stress; Alzheimer’s disease; Mild cognitive impairment; Human; Nervous system diseases; Cognitive disorder; Alzheimer disease; Antioxidant; Cerebral disorder; Blood plasma; Central nervous system disease; Degenerative disease; Alzheimer's disease
• ISSN: 0197-4580; 1558-1497
• DOI: 10.1016/S0197-4580(03)00031-9

In order to assess peripheral levels and activities of a broad spectrum of non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants in elderly subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), plasma levels of water-soluble (Vitamin C and uric acid) and of lipophilic (Vitamin A, Vitamin E and carotenoids including lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, α- and β-carotene) antioxidant micronutrients as well as activities of plasma and red blood cell (RBC) superoxide dismutase (SOD) and of plasma glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were measured in 25 patients with MCI, 63 AD patients and 53 controls. Peripheral levels and activities of antioxidants were similarly lower in MCI and AD patients as compared to controls. As MCI may represent a prodromal stage of AD, and oxidative damage appears to occur as one of the earliest pathophysiological events in AD, an increased intake of antioxidants in patients with MCI could be helpful in lowering the risk of conversion to dementia.