In a case/control study, serum concentrations of vitamins A and E and
major carotenoids were determined in patients with Alzheimer's disease
, multi-infarct dementia and control subjects. The results showed that
both Alzheimer's and multi-infarct dementia patients had significantl
y lower levels of vitamin E and beta-carotene than controls (vitamin E
: 18.65 +/- 3.62-mu-mol/l in Alzheimer's disease and 15.80 +/- 6.93-mu
-mol/l in multi-infarct dementia versus 30.03 +/- 12.03-mu-mol/l in co
ntrols; beta-carotene < 0.13 to 0.42-mu-mol/l in Alzheimer's disease a
nd < 0.13 to 0.30-mu-mol/l in multi-infarct dementia versus 0.13 to 1.
53-mu-mol/l in controls). Vitamin A was significantly reduced only in
the Alzheimer's patients (1.56 +/- 0.78-mu-mol/l in Alzheimer's diseas
e versus 2.13 +/- 0.86-mu-mol/l in controls).