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Decreased phospholipase A2 activity in Alzheimer brains
Gattaz WF, Maras A, Cairns NJ, Levy R, Förstl H.. Biological psychiatry, 1995-01-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is a key-enzyme in the metabolism of membrane phospholipids. In cholinergic neurons PLA2 controls the physico-chemical properties of neuronal membranes as well as the breakdown of phosphatidylcholine to produce choline for acetylcholine synthesis. Moreover PLA2 influences the processing and secretion of the amyloid precursor protein, which gives rise to the beta-amyloid peptide, the major component of the amyloid plaque in Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Gattaz, W. F., Maras, A., Cairns, N. J., Levy, R., & Förstl, H. (1995). Decreased phospholipase A2 activity in Alzheimer brains. Biological psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-3223(94)00123-k
Vancouver
Gattaz WF, Maras A, Cairns NJ, Levy R, Förstl H. Decreased phospholipase A2 activity in Alzheimer brains. Biological psychiatry. 1995. doi:10.1016/0006-3223(94)00123-k. PMID: 7893853.
BibTeX
@article{gattaz1995-7893853,
author = {Gattaz, W. F. and Maras, A. and Cairns, N. J. and Levy, R. and Förstl, H.},
title = {{Decreased phospholipase A2 activity in Alzheimer brains}},
journal = {Biological psychiatry},
year = {1995},
doi = {10.1016/0006-3223(94)00123-k},
pmid = {7893853},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-3223(94)00123-k}
}
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Key findings
- In cholinergic neurons PLA2 controls the physico-chemical properties of neuronal membranes as well as the breakdown of phosphatidylcholine to produce choline for acetylcholine synthesis.
- Moreover PLA2 influences the processing and secretion of the amyloid precursor protein, which gives rise to the beta-amyloid peptide, the major component of the amyloid plaque in Alzheimer's disease (AD).
- In the present study PLA2 activity was investigated in post-mortem brains from 23 patients with AD and 20 nondemented elderly controls.
- In AD brains PLA2 activity was significantly decreased in the parietal and to a lesser degree in the frontal cortex.
Why it matters
In post-mortem brains, phospholipase A2 activity was decreased in Alzheimer's disease compared with controls. This describes a biochemical difference in brain tissue and reports no treatment, cure or prevention.
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Study details
- Participants23
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 42/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Biological psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Biological Psychiatry: journal h-index 428 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1995 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 23 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 108 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 3.3 citations a year over 33 year(s) since 1995 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 9 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Hans Förstl: h-index 74 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Central Institute of Mental Health: institution h-index 422 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 7893853) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 42 / 100 | — |
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