Antioxidants in Alzheimer's disease-vitamin C delivery to a demanding brain

J Alzheimers Dis. 2003 Aug;5(4):309-13. doi: 10.3233/jad-2003-5406.

Abstract

Levels of several antioxidants and related markers were measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma of 10 Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and 10 controls. Daily dosage of vitamin C was significantly correlated with both plasma (R=0.662; p=0.0015) and CSF level (R=0.639, p=0.0024). Plasma and CSF vitamin C levels were also highly correlated R=0.793, p<0.0001). Similarly, daily dosage of Vitamin E was significantly correlated with plasma vitamin E (R=0.681; p=0.0009) and showed a trend toward correlation with CSF vitamin E (R=0.422, p=0.06). There were no significant differences between groups in absolute CSF or plasma levels of any analyte. However, the CSF: plasma ratio of vitamin C was significantly greater in the AD patients compared to the controls (p=0.048). In a subset of AD patients, hippocampal volume was significantly correlated with plasma (R2=0.833; p=0.004) and CSF (R2 =0.603; p=0.04) vitamin C levels, and inversely correlated with CSF:plasma vitamin C ratio (R2 =0.717; p=0.016). We conclude that oral vitamin C supplements are delivered to the brain, and speculate that the increased CSF: plasma ratio of vitamin C in AD reflects increased antioxidant consumption by the AD brain.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Controlled Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Alzheimer Disease / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Alzheimer Disease / drug therapy*
  • Antioxidants / administration & dosage*
  • Antioxidants / metabolism
  • Ascorbic Acid / administration & dosage*
  • Ascorbic Acid / metabolism
  • Blood-Brain Barrier
  • Brain / drug effects*
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Status Schedule
  • Middle Aged

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Ascorbic Acid