Am J Psychiatry 1987; 144:860-868
Copyright © 1987 by American Psychiatric Association
Platelet membrane fluidity in Alzheimer's disease and major depression
GS Zubenko, BM Cohen, CF Reynolds 3d, F Boller, I Malinakova and N Keefe
Double-blind fluorescence studies of platelet membrane fluidity were
conducted at 37 degrees C for 51 patients with Alzheimer-type dementia, 24
nondemented depressed patients, and 50 neurologically healthy subjects. The
fluidity of the hydrocarbon region of platelet membranes from the demented
group, as reflected by the steady-state anisotropy of the fluorescent probe
1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH), was significantly greater than that
for the depressed and normal control subjects. Within the demented group,
platelet membrane fluidity was significantly correlated with severity of
dementia but not with duration of illness or age at onset. Demented
patients with "increased" platelet membrane fluidity had an earlier onset,
were more severely demented, and deteriorated more rapidly.
