Glycolytic enzymes from human autoptic brain cortex: normal aged and demented cases.

The activities of glycolytic enzymes were determined in human autoptic temporal lobes from patients with different forms of dementia. For some enzymes (hexokinase, phosphofructokinase and phosphoglycerate mutase) the effect seen in dementia can be regarded as an intensification of the normal ageing affect. For other enzymes (aldolase, phosphoglucose isomerase, triosephosphate isomerase and lactate dehydrogenase) no changes in enzyme activities corresponding to those found in dementia are observed in the normal ageing process. These effects are most pronounced in the non-vascular Alzheimer cases. With the exception of triosephosphate isomerase and lactate dehydrogenase, enzyme activity is also reduced in bronchopneumonia. The effects of dementia and bronchopneumonia on the activities of glycolytic enzymes in human autoptic brain tissue are often difficult to distinguish.