Predictive value of platelet activation for the rate of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease patients

Abstract

Vascular risk factors contribute to the progression of dementia in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and influence platelet activation. However, the degree of platelet activation as a possible underlying mechanism of this progression has not been studied till now. Significantly higher baseline expression of both platelet activation biomarkers, activated glycoprotein IIb-IIIa complex and P-selectin, was observed in patients with AD with fast cognitive decline compared with AD patients with slow cognitive decline during a 1-year follow-up period. These results suggest that platelet activation could be a putative prognostic biomarker for the rate of cognitive decline and a potential new treatment target in AD patients.

Figure 1

Platelet activation associates with cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD). (A) Box plot showing platelet GPIIb–IIIa complex activation and P-selectin expression levels in AD patients with fast versus slow cognitive decline defined after a 1-year follow-up period. (B) Correlation between change of MMSE score (one year after baseline) and platelet GPIIb–IIIa activation (n=40; r=−0.573; P<0.001) and P-selectin expression (n=40; r=−0.411; P=0.009) in AD patients. (C) Receiver operating characteristic curve for platelet GPIIb–IIIa activation and P-selectin expression for fast cognitive decline after 1-year follow-up in AD patients. GPIIb–IIIa, glycoprotein IIb–IIIa; MMSE, Mini-Mental State Examination.