title: Hippocampal membrane alteration in Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: The biophysical properties of hippocampal membrane preparations from patients with Alzheimer's disease were examined by fluorescence spectroscopy using the membrane lipid probe 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) and its cationic derivative 1-[4-(trimethylamino)-phenyl]-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH). Results of these experiments suggest that Alzheimer's disease is associated with a biophysical alteration in superficial regions of brain cell membranes, as reflected by the mobility of TMA-DPH. In contrast, no change in the mobility of DPH, which preferentially localizes to the hydrocarbon core, was observed. Although a trend was observed for TMA-DPH mobility to parallel histopathologic severity in hippocampal specimens, the biophysical changes did not appear to reflect a loss of neuronal membranes relative to glial membranes or the presence of senile plaques or neurofibrillary tangles.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D004161:Diphenylhexatriene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005260:Female; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D004161:Diphenylhexatriene; C033628:1-(4-(trimethylamino)phenyl)-6-phenylhexa-1,3,5-triene