Research staff
PD Dr. P. Schönknecht, E. Arendt, Dr. med. M. Strauß, S. Olbrich, C. Sander, K. Nägler, Prof. Dr. U. Hegerl
Cooperation partner
Finance
Own funds
Background
In the last decade several sensitive liquor markers were identified in the
psychiatric diagnostic, among other things the group of tau-proteins and the
ß-amyloid 1-42 belongs to them.
The diagnostic valence of the mentioned
liquor markers in AD was documented in larger multi centric studies. At the
moment it is possible to distinguish reversible demential syndroms from
irreversible, primary progredient demential disorders. However, a systematic
examination of the liquor marker in patients with cognitive deficits is not in
progress.
The few examinations about the relation between schizophrenic
disorders and markers of neurodegenerative diseases are limited so far mainly to
post-mortem-identifications, in which the liquor levels of the mentioned markers
are not enough examinated until now. The data record of the differential
diagnosis in depressive disorders is comparable with cognitive deficits and a
preclinical alzheimer's disease (AD).
Therefore, in the present project the
concentration of the liquor markes is to be identified and examinated in terms
of important clinical characteristics of the diseases. That are the
psychopathology, the neuropsychological capability profile as well as structural
and functional cerebral characteristics.
Objective target
- In patients with mild cognitive impairment, demential diseases and affective
disorders several liquor markers are to be compared systematically and
examinated in terms of clinical characteristics and course of disease.
- In a subgroup of the mentioned patients the separate markers shall be
correlated with morphologic (f.e. MRT) or functional (f.e. EEG, fMRT, PET)
cerebral variances.