Objective: To elucidate the role of neuroendocrine hormones in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and evaluate their potential utilization as biomarkers.

Background: A growing body of evidence, links the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and PD. In this context, neuroendocrine hormones which regulate GIT processes by modulation of the central or local nervous system, are hypothesized to be involved in the pathogenesis of PD. As no satisfying PD-biomarkers currently exist, this group of molecules could serve as such. The limited data available on this topic, however, prompted us to look more closely into this matter.

Method: From 2013-2015, the concentration of insulin, ghrelin, glucose dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP), glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1), leptin, pancreatic polypeptide (PP) and peptide YY (PYY) was measured in plasma and freeze-dried cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples of 15 PD-patients and 10 control participants, utilizing a bead-based multiplex immunoassay. Standard demographical data were collected. Symptoms of depression and the cognitive status of participants were assessed with the Beck depression inventory and the mini-mental status test. As the production of some neuroendocrine peptides depends on the amount of adipose tissue, body-mass-index (BMI) was documented, too.

Results: There was no significant difference in the demographical variables, BMI, symptoms of depression, and cognitive status of PD-patients and controls. No significant difference existed for the different hormone levels, although the CSF concentration of ghrelin, GLP-1 and PYY was too low to be detected. For those neuropeptides that were measured, however, PD-patients tended to show lower CSF concentrations. In addition, a weak correlation between the age of PD-patients and the plasma level of ghrelin, leptin und insulin, as well CSF concentration of GIP, PP and leptin was demonstrated. Eventually, it should be noted that a high inter-individual variability in the CSF and plasma protein levels was observed for both groups.

Conclusion: The presence of different levels of neuroendocrine hormones in PD-patients and controls backs up our hypothesis and hints at their involvement in the pathophysiology of PD. However, the large variability in the protein concentrations and the limited dataset do not yet permit to draw conclusions about their future application as biomarkers.

« Back to 2019 International Congress

MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/the-level-of-neuroendocrine-hormones-in-parkinsons-disease-and-their-potential-role-as-biomarkers-a-pilot-study/