Work

Alterations of Phospholipid Metabolites in Postmortem Brain from Patients with Alzheimer's Diseasea

Year: 1991

Type: article

Abstract: To test the hypothesis that brain cell membranes degenerate in Alzheimer's disease (AD), we measured the levels of phospholipids, their water-soluble metabolites, and glycerophosphocholine (GPC) cholinephosphodiesterase activity in postmortem brain tissue from patients with AD and age-matched controls. We found significantly higher levels of the phospholipid catabolite GPC in AD brain. In contrast, choline and ethanolamine levels were significantly lower in AD, and phospholipid levels were slightly decreased. Furthermore, in AD the activity of the GPC-degrading enzyme GPC cholinephosphodiesterase was unaltered. Our results indicate that membrane phospholipid catabolism is increased in AD brain. Inasmuch as the tissue levels of initial phospholipid precursors were decreased, we suggest that phospholipid turnover is elevated in this neurodegenerative disease.

Source: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1991.tb00200.x

Authors: ROGER NITSCH, ANASTASSIOS PITTAS, JAN K. BLUSZTAJN, BARBARA E. SLACK, JOHN H. GROWDON, RICHARD J. WURTMAN

Institutions: Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston University

Language: English

Topic: Alzheimer's disease research and treatments

Subfield: Physiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Mental Health