[Platelet cytochrome c-oxidase and glutamine synthetase-like protein in patients with mild cognitive impairment].

The study aimed to develop pre-clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and - in future - preventive therapy in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The MCI group (n=44) and AD group (n=42, including 18 patients with soft dementia and 24 patients with mild dementia) were studied. The groups were matched for age (median 70 and 69 years for MCI and AD groups, respectively). The control group comprised 24 mentally healthy relatives of the patients. Correlations between the activity/amounts of platelet enzymes: cytochrome c-oxidase (COX), glutamine synthetase-like protein (GSLP) and the extent of cognitive impairment were studied. The COX activity in MCI and AD groups was significantly lower than in the control group (Kruskal-Wallis test p=0.0001, χ²=11.6, p=0.003). These tests showed significant differences in GSLP amount between three groups (p=0.04 and χ²=9.38, p=0.01, respectively). Significant reverse correlation (Spearman R= -0.43, p=0.007) was found between GSLP amount and MMSE scores for MCI+AD group, i.e., the lower MMSE scores, the higher platelet GSLP level. Platelet COX and GSLP may be considered as early markers of cognitive impairment.