RESPIRATORY-CHAIN ENZYME-ACTIVITIES IN LYMPHOCYTES FROM UNTREATED PATIENTS WITH PARKINSON DISEASE

Respiratory chain enzyme activities were studied in lymphocytes from p atients with Parkinson disease (PD) (n = 16) and age-matched control s ubjects (n = 15). The patients had received no therapy before the stud y was conducted. Complex I, III, and IV activities were significantly lower (P <0.05) in patients than in control subjects. A complex I defe ct was found in one patient, whereas complex IV was defective in anoth er. Two patients had combined defects of both complexes. The use of ly mphocytes for investigating the respiratory chain enzymes provides an easy, noninvasive method to assess mitochondrial function in patients with PD. Furthermore, our study supports the hypothesis that a biochem ical defect in the respiratory chain may be involved in the pathogenes is of PD.