AUTHOR=Gong Zhongying , Gao Lina , Lu Yi , Wang Zhiyun 

TITLE=RETRACTED: CSF p-tau as a potential cognition impairment biomarker in ALS

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2022.991143

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2022.991143

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum tau (t-tau, p-tau) are potential biomarkers for neurodegeneration in Alzheimer disease (AD), but their role in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is unclear. Objectives: The aim of our study was to evaluate CSF and serum p-tau and t-tau in patients with ALS and to analyze the correlation and clinical parameters between them. Methods: CSF and serum samples were obtained from 90 patients with ALS, 48 OND, and 20 with ALS mimic (AM) diseases. The levels of p-tau and t-tau in the CSF and serum were assessed with a  enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and disease progression parameters, including the duration, the ALSFRS-R score, DPR, the UMN score, the MMSE score, the MoCA score, and the ECAS results, were analyzed by registered neurologists. Statistical analyses were performed using Prism software. Results: Compared with controls, patients with ALS displayed significantly lower levels of CSF p-tau and  p-tau:t-tau ratio. The CSF p-tau level in patients with ALS and cognition impairment was higher than that in patients with ALS who did not have cognition impairment. CSF p-tau level was negatively correlated with MMSE, MoCA, ECAS total score and the specific score of ECAS in patients with ALS and cognition impairment. Conclusions: The CSF p-tau level and p-tau:t-tau ratio were lower in patients with ALS than patients with OND and AM. Results suggest that CSF p-tau may be used as an index of cognition impairment in patients with ALS.