Glutamate uptake is decreased in platelets from Alzheimer's disease patients

Because excitotoxicity may be involved in neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease, we investigated possible modifications of platelet glutamate uptak e in AD patients. High-affinity glutamate uptake was studied in platelets f rom 35 Alzheimer's disease patients, 10 multi-infarct dementia patients, an d 35 age-matched normal controls; it was decreased by 40% in platelets from Alzheimer's disease patients compared with controls and with multi-infarct dementia patients. Platelet glutamate uptake could be used as peripheral m arker of glutamatergic involvement and as adjunctive diagnostic tool in Alz heimer's disease patients.