# PSYCHOPATHOLOGY OF ALZHEIMER'S-PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 1991 · $158,738

## Abstract

The in vivo functional activity of central nervous system (CNS)
noradrenergic, vasopressinergic and cholinergic systems will be
evaluated in vivo in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and in
comparison groups of patient's with multiinfarct dementia and both
elderly and young normal subjects.  These neuronal and endocrine
systems appear abnormal in AD and affect behaviors impaired in AD.
Three major questions will be addressed:  1) Is there decreased
alpha-2 mediated suppression of CNS noradrenergic systems in AD?
This question will be addressed by measuring the response of
norepinephrine (NE) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma to the
alpha-2 agonist clonidine.  2) Does the observed decrease in CSF
agrinine vasopressin in AD reflect the cholinergic deficiency of
AD?  This questions will be addressed by measuring the response of
AVP in CSF to the cholinesterase inhibitor physostigmine and to
hypertonic saline.  3) Can the cholinergic deficiency of AD be
documented in AD antemortem via blunted plasma neuroendocrine
responses to increased CNS cholinergic stimulatory regulation (AVP,
beta endorphin, NE, epinephrine and growth hormone) to
physostigmine.

These studies should increase knowledge of AD pathophysiology and
suggest clinically useful diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to
this disorder.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3120020
- **Project number:** 5R01AG008419-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **SAM.gov UEI:** HD1WMN6945W6
- **Principal Investigator:** MURRAY A RASKIND
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1991
- **Award amount:** $158,738
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1989-01-01 → 1992-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3120020

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3120020, PSYCHOPATHOLOGY OF ALZHEIMER'S-PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY (5R01AG008419-03). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3120020. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*