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CSF vasopressin concentration is reduced in Alzheimer's disease

Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital. Boston, MA.

The concentration of arginine vasopressin (AVP) was measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by radioimmunoassay. Serial dilution curves and reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) showed that the material measured behaved identically to authentic vasopressin. Levels of CSF AVP were reduced by 37% in Alzheimer's disease, but were normal in Huntington's disease, normal-pressure hydrocephalus, and several other neurologic disorders. On direct comparison, the CSF AVP concentration was significantly lower in Alzheimer's disease than in normal-pressure hydrocephalus. Low CSF levels of AVP may therefore assist in the identification of demented patients who are not likely to benefit from ventricular shunting.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Mazurek, Department of Neurology, Research 4, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114.

Supported by NIH grants NS 16367 and NIA P50AG051134. M.F. Mazurek is a Fellow of the Medical Research Council of Canada. M.F. Beal is supported by Young Investigator Award 1R23NS19867–1.

Presented in part at the thirty-sixth annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, Boston, MA, April 1984.

Accepted for publication December 18, 1985.

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