Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and homocysteine levels in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid

Background: There is evidence that homocysteine contributes to
various neurodegenerative disorders. Objective: To assess the
values of homocysteine in patients with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
(CJD) in both cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma. Methods: Study
design: Case control study. Total homocysteine was quantified in
CSF and plasma samples of CJD patients (n = 13) and healthy
controls (n = 13). Results: Mean values in healthy controls: 0.15
mumol/l +/- 0.07 (CSF) and 9.10 mumol/l +/- 2.99 (plasma); mean
values in CJD patients: 0.13 mumol/l +/- 0.03 (CSF) and 9.22
mumol/l +/- 1.81 (plasma). No significant differences between CJD
patients and controls were observed (Mann-Whitney U, p > 0.05).
Conclusions: The results indicate that the CSF and plasma of CJD
patients showed no higher endogenous levels of homocysteine as
compared to normal healthy controls. These findings provide no
evidence for an additional role of homocysteine in the pathogenetic
mechanisms underlying CJD neurodegeneration. Copyright (C) 2005 S.
Karger AG, Basel.