Population Variation in Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Levels in Brain Ageing: Relationship to Alzheimer-Type Pathology and Dementia

Details

• Personal Author:
  Brayne C ; Forster G ; Ince PG ; Matthews F ; Nicoll JAR ; O'Callaghan JP ; Sawa GM ; Shaw PJ ; Simpson JE ; Wharton SB
• Description:
  Background: The cellular pathology of astrocytes in brain ageing and their role in modulating the brain's response to neurodegenerative pathology remain incompletely understood. Methods: Using quantitative ELISA, we have investigated glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression in the population-based neuropathology cohort of the Medical Research Council Cognitive Function and Ageing Study to determine: (1) the population variation in the astroglial hypertrophic response, (2) its relationship to the presence of Alzheimer-type pathology, and (3) its association with cognition. Results: Increasing GFAP was found with increasing Braak stage, levels increasing even at early stages. Within Braak stages, GFAP did not differ between demented and non-demented individuals, but there was greater variance in GFAP in the demented. Possession of Apo e4 was associated with slightly increased GFAP levels (not significant) for given amyloid protein loads. Conclusion: In a population-based sample, increasing gliosis precedes development of Alzheimer lesions. Population variation in GFAP with varying Alzheimer lesion burdens suggests that they are not the only driver for astrogliosis. GFAP was not independently predictive of dementia, but the variation in astrocytic responses may be a factor modulating brain responses to neurodegenerative pathology. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Age Factors Aging Mental Health Nervous System Nervous System Diseases Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Age-factors Age-groups Alzheimers Disease Astrocyte Pathology Astrogliosis Author Keywords: Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Brain-disorders Brain-function Brain Ageing Gliosis Neurological-system Neuropathology Psychological-disorders Psychological-factors Psychological-testing Quantitative-analysis

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• ISSN:
  1420-8008
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  HELD - Health Effects Laboratory Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  465-473
• Volume:
  27
• Issue:
  5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20035478
• Citation:
  Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 2009 Jun; 27(5):465-473
• Contact Point Address:
  S.B. Wharton Academic Unit of Pathology, University of Sheffield Medical School Beech Hill Road Sheffield, S10 2RX (UK)
• Email:
  s.wharton@sheffield.ac.uk
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2009
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:ba50ea1790ab4bb6bb030417765f0cc62dde6f0e7f30bdcffa2ac8aacb50dfb16465b89ffcdf3b1a0774a22b17b083f697e251dba27182b0710845167c524d4b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/187320/cdc_187320_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 266.94 KB ]