The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has updated its Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including with new information specifically addressed to individuals in the European Economic Area. As described in the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, this website utilizes cookies, including for the purpose of offering an optimal online experience and services tailored to your preferences.

Please read the entire Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. By closing this message, browsing this website, continuing the navigation, or otherwise continuing to use the APA's websites, you confirm that you understand and accept the terms of the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including the utilization of cookies.

×
No Access

CSF somatostatin in patients with Alzheimer's disease, older depressed patients, and age-matched control subjects

Published Online:https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.144.10.1313

Somatostatin-like immunoreactivity was measured in the CSF of 12 patients with Alzheimer's disease, 15 age-matched control subjects, and 20 older depressed subjects. Patients with dementia or depression were found to have lower CSF somatostatin concentrations than control subjects despite markedly different clinical presentations. Severity of depression was clearly different in all three groups but showed no significant correlation with CSF concentration of somatostatin. There was a significant positive correlation between CSF somatostatin-like immunoreactivity and cognitive functioning in all 47 subjects, but this association was not statistically significant within individual diagnostic groups. These data raise interesting questions about possible biological links between Alzheimer's disease and depression in older patients.

Access content

To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.