Objective: To investigate whether serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is associated with clinical-neuropsychiatric, imaging and CSF markers of PD pathology in patients with early, drug-naïve Parkinson’s disease (PD). 

Background: IGF-1 has been shown to harbor an important role for plasticity, neuronal survival and differentiation within the nervous system. IGF-1 has been linked with an increased risk of developing dementia in middle-aged population.

Methods: Using the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative database, a total of 388 participants were identified and included in this study. Serum IGF-1 was measured for all participants included in the study. The relationship between serum IGF-1 levels and clinical scales, neuropsychological battery, and imaging and non-imaging markers of PD pathology was evaluated.

Results: Lower IGF-1 serum levels were correlated with older age (r=−0.20, P<0.001), higher CSF tau levels (r=−0.24, P<0.001), worse Benton Judgment of Line Orientation test scores (r=0.12, P<0.05) and worse Symbol Digit Modalities Scores (r=0.17, P<0.001). No associations were found between serum IGF-1 and other clinical (e.g. UPDRS-III) and non-clinical biomarkers (e.g. DAT uptake).

Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that lower IGF-1 levels are associated with an increased burden of CSF tau pathology and executive dysfunction in de novo PD patients and suggest a potential pathway which may contribute to cognitive impairment early in PD.   

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/igf-1-levels-are-associated-with-csf-pathology-and-executive-dysfunction-in-de-novo-parkinsons-disease-patients/