title: Platelet and lymphocyte benzodiazepine binding in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: Peripheral blood cells, such as platelets or lymphocytes, have been studied in the investigation of systemic derangements and central nervous system biochemical changes occurring in several neuropsychiatric disorders. In the present work, assaying platelet and lymphocyte peripheral-type benzodiazepine binding in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and healthy controls, we found a significantly reduced number of cell receptors in patients' platelets and lymphocytes. These results are discussed with reference to central nervous system biochemical abnormalities in AD. Moreover, the lymphocyte binding data may represent an impairment of the immune response in AD, since lymphocyte surface peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors seem to be related to immune function.
authors.affiliation: Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitari e di Perfezionamento, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bongioanni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castagna
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mondino
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boccardi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borgna
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D001570:Benzodiazepinones / Q000494:pharmacology; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D001570:Benzodiazepinones; D001569:Benzodiazepines; C028513:4'-chlorodiazepam