SELECTIVE INCREASE IN LIPID-PEROXIDATION IN THE INFERIOR TEMPORAL CORTEX IN ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

The concentration of a product of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde) was determined in six areas of neocortex of 8 subjects with Alzheimer 's disease and 8 control subjects. Malondialdehyde concentration was s ignificantly increased by incubation with iron and ascorbate in all sa mples. Both basal and iron/ascorbate-stimulated malondialdehyde concen tration were higher in the inferior temporal cortex of Alzheimer subje cts than corresponding controls; other regions were unaffected. Basal concentrations of malondialdehyde correlated with age in both the infe rior parietal lobule and the sensory/motor cortex.