Lack of association between antisperm antibodies and language dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease

Changsu Han, Nan Hie Kim, Do Young Kwon, Woo Keun Seo, Moon Ho Park

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the single most common cause of primary dementia. Language-based frontotemporal dementia, another type of primary dementia, is known as primary progressive aphasia (PPA). Although the cardinal feature of AD is a progressive loss of memory, many patients with AD also present with language impairment. Moreover AD and PPA have partially shared pathophysiology. Recently, it was suggested that a history of vasectomy might be a risk factor for PPA, by immune responses to sperm or antisperm antibody (ASA), which has long been known to have antigenic property. As ASAs could develop naturally in both men and women, we studied the relation between the presence of ASAs and cognitive function in AD. A total of 86 elderly were selected (46 patient with AD, 20 with mild cognitive impairment, and 20 without cognitive dysfunction) and were assessed for the presence of ASAs with neuropsychological evaluation. However, there were no significant differences in the distribution of ASAs according to cognitive status or language function status. Thus, the current study does not support the association between the immune responses and language dysfunction in AD.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)338-340
Number of pages3
JournalArchives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
Volume50
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2010 May
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors thank the subjects for their willingness to participate in this study. This study was mainly supported by Korea National Institute of Health Grant (091-4800-4845-300-260) and partly by the grant (A050079) of the Korea Health 21 R&D Project from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Korea University Grant (to Dr. Park, MH).

Keywords

  • Alzheimer's disease
  • Antisperm antibody
  • Primary progressive aphasia

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Health(social science)
  • Ageing
  • Gerontology
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology

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