INCREASED CHEMILUMINESCENCE RESPONSE OF NEUTROPHILS FROM THE PERIPHERAL-BLOOD OF PATIENTS WITH SENILE DEMENTIA OF THE ALZHEIMERS TYPE

The metabolic activity of circulating neutrophils from patients with s enile dementia of the Alzheimer's type (SDAT) was investigated by a ch emiluminescence assay and compared with that of old and young healthy controls. Neutrophils from demented patients showed a higher and faste r chemiluminescence emission than those of controls when activated in vitro by autologous or heterologous sera. Granulocytes from patients w ith Parkinson's disease did not show an increased chemiluminescence ac tivity. Moreover, serum from patients with SDAT depressed the chemilum inescence emission of granulocytes, from young donors. Serum levels of alpha(1)-antichymotrypsin (alpha(1)-ACT) were also determined and wer e found to be higher in demented subjects than in old and young contro ls. These data suggest that peripheral and systemic indexes of inflamm ation are present in the disease and might be associated with mental d eterioration.