PLASMA NEUROPEPTIDE-Y IS REDUCED IN PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is demonstrated to be involved in the pathophysio logy of Alzheimer's disease, as web as somatostatin. We measured the p lasma NPY content in patients with Alzheimer's disease and healthy con trol subjects (n = 25) by HPLC coupled with radioimmunoassay. The diff erence in screening pattern of NPY-like immunoreactivity in 50 fractio ns eluted by HPLC obtained from the plasma peptide-rich fraction betwe en patients with Alzheimer's disease and healthy controls suggested th e abnormal metabolism of plasma NPY in patients with Alzheimer's disea se. Plasma NPY in patients with Alzheimer's disease was significantly decreased compared with that in healthy controls, which was compatible with the findings obtained from the brain and cerebrospinal fluid and could be involved in the pathogenesis or pathophysiology of Alzheimer 's disease.