Brain gangliosides in dementia of the Alzheimer type
P. B. Crino, M. D. Ullman, B. A. Vogt, E. D. Bird and L. Volicer
E. N. Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Geriatric Research Education Clinical Center, Bedford, MA 01730.
Gangliosides GM1, GD1a, GD1b, and GT1b were measured in nine brain regions
of five patients, clinically and neuropathologically diagnosed as having
dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT), and of three control patients.
Analysis of variance revealed that mean concentrations of all gangliosides
analyzed were significantly lower in DAT than in control brains. The areas
affected in DAT included the nucleus basalis, and entorhinal, posterior
cingulate, visual, and prefrontal cortices. A significant interaction
between ganglioside type and brain area indicated unequal ganglioside
concentrations. Individual gangliosides had significantly different
concentrations in the hippocampal, entorhinal, posterior cingulate, visual,
and prefrontal cortices. Analysis of ratios of "a"-ganglioside (GM1 and
GD1a) and "b"-ganglioside (GD1b and GT1b) subtypes indicated that DAT
preferentially affected "b"-gangliosides. Ganglioside concentrations in
nucleus basalis did not correlate with age at disease onset, age at death,
or postmortem interval. Changes in gangliosides, observed in this study,
were not correlated with classic DAT neuropathology.
