PLATELET AND LYMPHOCYTE BENZODIAZEPINE BINDING IN PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

Peripheral blood cells, such as platelets or lymphocytes, have been st udied in the investigation of systemic derangements and central nervou s system biochemical changes occurring in several neuropsychiatric dis orders. In the present work, assaying platelet and lymphocyte peripher al-type benzodiazepine binding in patients with Alzheimer's disease (A D) and healthy controls, we found a significantly reduced number of ce ll receptors in patients' platelets and lymphocytes. These results are discussed with reference to central nervous system biochemical abnorm alities in AD. Moreover, the lymphocyte binding data may represent an impairment of the immune response in AD, since lymphocyte sur-face per ipheral-type benzodiazepine receptors seem to be related to immune fun ction. (C) 1997 Academic Press.