EFFECTS OF CHRONIC BETA-AMYLOID TREATMENT ON FATTY-ACID INCORPORATIONINTO RAT-BRAIN

The present study evaluated the effects of chronic A beta administrati on on radio-labeled plasma fatty acid incorporation in rat brain. A be ta was chronically infused intraventricularly via an osmotic minipump, for 1 week, at a concentration of 460 mu M. After the infusion, fatty acid incorporation was quantified using an in vivo method developed i n this laboratory. Three radiolabeled fatty acids were separately infu sed IV in awake animals. Biochemical analyses of fatty acid incorporat ion and histology for A beta showed no differences between control (ve hicle infusion only) and experimental groups. However, in vitro tests on the cytotoxicity of A beta showed that it caused significant cell d eath relative to controls (PC-12 cells). The lack of effect of infused A beta on radiolabeled fatty acid incorporation is discussed.