Sustained choroid plexus function in human elderly and Alzheimer’s disease patients

We and other investigators have postulated deterioration of essential choroid plexus (CP) functions in some elderly and especially Alzheimer’s disease patients based on apparent anatomical, histological and pathological changes in CP. We have termed this putative phenomenon CP failure. By focusing on four essential energy-requiring CP functions, specifically ascorbic acid (AA) and folate transport from blood into CSF, transthyretin synthesis and secretion into CSF, and electrolyte/acid–base balance in CSF, we were able to evaluate the hypothesis of CP failure by reviewing definitive human data. In both healthy elderly and Alzheimer’s disease patients, the CP functions normally to transport AA and folates actively from blood into CSF, synthesize and secrete transthyretin into CSF, and maintain CSF acid–base balance and ion concentrations. These human CSF compositional data provide no support for the notion of CP failure in elderly humans and Alzheimer’s disease patients.