Fatty acid composition of brain glycolipids in Alzheimer's disease, senile dementia, and cerebrocortical atrophy.

Quantitative fatty acid compositions are reported for human cerebral gray matter glycolipids (gangliosides, cerebrosides, and cerebroside sulfates) in Alzheimer's disease (presenile dementia) and related disorders of the central nervous system. Although the fatty acid compositions were generally similar to those of the controls, some significant differences were noted in Alzheimer's disease which were not found in the single samples of senile dementia and of senile cerebrocortical atrophy. In the ganglioside fatty acids, the percentage of palmitic acid was higher in all three cases of Alzheimer's disease than in the controls. In cerebrosides, the proportion of 2-hydroxy to non-hydroxy acids was slightly lower in Alzheimer's disease than in controls and the relative proportions of 2-hydroxystearic acid and 2-hydroxytricosenoic acid were slightly higher. In cerebroside sulfates, monounsaturated 2-hydroxy acids were lower in two of the samples with Alzheimer's disease. The results indicate possible effects of the degenerative changes in this disease on glycolipid metabolism.