Decreased platelet phospholipase A2 activity in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive Impairment

Abstract

We investigated the activity of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in platelets from patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), in healthy elderly controls and in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). PLA2 activity was significantly lower in AD than in MCI patients and controls. MCI showed mean PLA2 values between AD and controls. Lower PLA2 activity was significantly correlated with a worse cognitive performance as rated by the MMSE and CAMDEX. Our data replicate previous findings of reduced PLA2 activity in AD and further suggests that PLA2 activity may also be decreased in non-demented memory impaired subjects. PLA2 activity in platelets may reflect its activity in the brain, considering previous evidence of reduced PLA2 in post-mortem AD brains, and in vivo spectroscopy data suggesting reduced cortical phospholipid turnover in AD.