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Excessive glutamine sensitivity in Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome lymphocytes
Peeters MA, Salabelle A, Attal N, Rethore MO, Mircher C, Laplane D, Lejeune J.. Journal of the neurological sciences, 1995-11-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
In addition to clinical and neuropathological similarities between Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome there are genetic and biochemical data which suggest common disease mechanism. Using an in vitro assay examining variations of the mitotic index in the presence or absence of various inhibitors or metabolites of purine and/or pyrimidine synthesis, we studied 19 Alzheimer disease patients and 16 patients with both Down syndrome and Alzheimer type dementia. A highly significant decrease in mitotic index in the presence of exogenous glutamine was noted in patients presenting an Alzheimer type dementia with or without associated Down syndrome. These findings suggest that glutamine sensitivity or some dysregulation of the glutamine/glutamate pathway may play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. If these findings are confirmed, they would have important implications in the development of preventive strategies.
Key findings
- A highly significant decrease in mitotic index in the presence of exogenous glutamine was noted in patients presenting an Alzheimer type dementia with or without associated Down syndrome.
- These findings suggest that glutamine sensitivity or some dysregulation of the glutamine/glutamate pathway may play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.
- If these findings are confirmed, they would have important implications in the development of preventive strategies.
Why it matters
In this in-vitro assay, cells from people with Alzheimer-type dementia showed a large drop in mitotic index when glutamine was added, suggesting glutamine sensitivity or a problem in the glutamine/glutamate pathway may be involved in the disease. The authors state these findings would need to be confirmed before they could inform preventive strategies.
Study details
- Participants19
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 33/100
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 (Journal of the neurological sciences) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of the Neurological Sciences: journal h-index 233 (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 | 19 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 | 2 / 7 | Cited 10 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.3 citations a year over 33 year(s) since 1995 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author JÉRÔME LEJEUNE: h-index 38 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital: institution h-index 837 (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 8583230) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 33 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Peeters, M. A., Salabelle, A., Attal, N., Rethore, M. O., Mircher, C., Laplane, D., et al. (1995). Excessive glutamine sensitivity in Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome lymphocytes. Journal of the neurological sciences. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-510x(95)00135-o
Vancouver
Peeters MA, Salabelle A, Attal N, Rethore MO, Mircher C, Laplane D, et al. Excessive glutamine sensitivity in Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome lymphocytes. Journal of the neurological sciences. 1995. doi:10.1016/0022-510x(95)00135-o. PMID: 8583230.
BibTeX
@article{peeters1995-8583230,
author = {Peeters, M. A. and Salabelle, A. and Attal, N. and Rethore, M. O. and Mircher, C. and Laplane, D. and Lejeune, J.},
title = {{Excessive glutamine sensitivity in Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome lymphocytes}},
journal = {Journal of the neurological sciences},
year = {1995},
doi = {10.1016/0022-510x(95)00135-o},
pmid = {8583230},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-510x(95)00135-o}
}
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