title: Platelet membrane fluidity in Alzheimer's disease and multi-infarct dementia: a spin label study.
abstract: The membrane fluidity of platelets isolated from 15 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD), 11 patients with probable multi-infarct dementia (MID), and 7 neurologically healthy controls was studied by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy employing spin label techniques. Spin label I(12,3) probed the shallow site (hydrophilic region) and spin label I(5, 10) the deeper site (hydrophobic region) of the platelet membrane. With both probes, a significant increase in membrane fluidity was observed in patients with AD and MID, as compared to age-matched controls. However, there were no significant differences in fluidity between AD and MID patients. Our results suggest an increased platelet membrane fluidity in dementias, but the change seems not to be specific to AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaakkola
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alila
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Erkinjuntti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sulkava
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Palo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology*; D015161:Dementia, Multi-Infarct / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008560:Membrane Fluidity / Q000502:physiology*; D008609:Mental Status Schedule