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Increased levels of 4-hydroxynonenal and acrolein, neurotoxic markers of lipid peroxidation, in the brain in Mild Cognitive Impairment and early Alzheimer's disease
Williams TI, Lynn BC, Markesbery WR, Lovell MA.. Neurobiology of aging, 2005-07-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Previous studies show increased levels of lipid peroxidation and neurotoxic by-products of lipid peroxidation including 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) and acrolein in vulnerable regions of the Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain. To determine if lipid peroxidation occurs early in progression of AD, we analyzed levels of HNE and acrolein in the hippocampus/parahippocampal gyrus (HPG), superior and middle temporal gyrus (SMTG) and cerebellum (CER) of 7 subjects with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), six subjects with early AD (EAD) and sevem age-matched control subjects using liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI/MS/MS). Our data show that there is a statistically significant (P<0.05) increase in HNE in HPG, SMTG and CER in MCI compared to age-matched control subjects. Specimens of SMTG also showed a significant increase in levels of acrolein in MCI. Comparison of EAD and control subjects showed a statistically significant increase in HNE in HPG and SMTG and a significant increase in acrolein in all three brain regions studied. We did not observe any statistically significant differences between MCI and EAD specimens. These results suggest that lipid peroxidation occurs early in the pathogenesis of AD.
Key findings
- Our data show that there is a statistically significant (P<0.05) increase in HNE in HPG, SMTG and CER in MCI compared to age-matched control subjects.
- Specimens of SMTG also showed a significant increase in levels of acrolein in MCI.
- Comparison of EAD and control subjects showed a statistically significant increase in HNE in HPG and SMTG and a significant increase in acrolein in all three brain regions studied.
- We did not observe any statistically significant differences between MCI and EAD specimens.
- These results suggest that lipid peroxidation occurs early in the pathogenesis of AD.
Why it matters
Levels of the lipid peroxidation markers HNE and acrolein were significantly increased in several brain regions of people with mild cognitive impairment compared with age-matched controls. This suggests lipid peroxidation occurs early in the disease process, but it does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 46/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neurobiology of aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Neurobiology of Aging: journal h-index 263 (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 | 2006 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 393 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 17.9 citations a year over 22 year(s) since 2006 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 11.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 18 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 29 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Mark A. Lovell: h-index 60 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Kentucky: institution h-index 824 (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 15993986) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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APA 7th
Williams, T. I., Lynn, B. C., Markesbery, W. R., & Lovell, M. A. (2006). Increased levels of 4-hydroxynonenal and acrolein, neurotoxic markers of lipid peroxidation, in the brain in Mild Cognitive Impairment and early Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiology of aging. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.06.004
Vancouver
Williams TI, Lynn BC, Markesbery WR, Lovell MA. Increased levels of 4-hydroxynonenal and acrolein, neurotoxic markers of lipid peroxidation, in the brain in Mild Cognitive Impairment and early Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiology of aging. 2006. doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.06.004. PMID: 15993986.
BibTeX
@article{williams2006-15993986,
author = {Williams, T. I. and Lynn, B. C. and Markesbery, W. R. and Lovell, M. A.},
title = {{Increased levels of 4-hydroxynonenal and acrolein, neurotoxic markers of lipid peroxidation, in the brain in Mild Cognitive Impairment and early Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Neurobiology of aging},
year = {2006},
doi = {10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.06.004},
pmid = {15993986},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.06.004}
}
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