Serotonergic changes in cognitive decline and delirium

Monoamine neurotransmitter alterations have been linked to delirium and cognitive impairment. Aim was to investigate if this holds true in cognitively normal and impaired patients experiencing delirium following hip surgery. Monoamines and metabolites were measured in plasma samples of 181 individuals by means of reversed-phase ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Delirium and delirium severity were scored with the Confusion Assessment Method and Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-1998. Cognitive function was assessed using the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline and the Mini-Mental State Examination, multimorbidity with the Charlson Comorbidity Index.单胺类神经递质（monoamine neurotransmitter）改变已被证实与谵妄（delirium）及认知障碍（cognitive impairment）存在关联。本研究旨在探究该关联在髋部手术后出现谵妄的认知正常与认知受损患者群体中是否同样成立。研究采用反相超高效液相色谱联用电化学检测法（reversed-phase ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection），对181名受试者的血浆样本中的单胺类物质及其代谢产物进行了定量检测。谵妄状态及谵妄严重程度分别通过意识错乱评估法（Confusion Assessment Method）与1998版谵妄评定量表修订版（Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-1998）进行评分。认知功能采用认知下降知情者问卷（Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline）与简易精神状态检查（Mini-Mental State Examination）进行评估，患者共病情况则通过查尔森合并症指数（Charlson Comorbidity Index）进行量化评估。