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Interindividual differences in the levels of the glutamate transporters GLAST and GLT, but no clear correlation with Alzheimer's disease
Beckstrøm H, Julsrud L, Haugeto O, Dewar D, Graham DI, Lehre KP, Storm-Mathisen J, Danbolt NC.. Journal of neuroscience research, 1999-01-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Alzheimer's disease is a common progressive neurodegenerative disease of unknown etiology. Several different pathological processes have been identified in the brains of Alzheimer patients. To determine if reduced glutamate uptake is a contributing factor, we have measured the levels of the glutamate transporter proteins GLAST (EAAT1) and GLT (EAAT2) in human autopsy samples. The postmortem proteolysis of these proteins turned out to be fairly rapid. Brains from 10 Alzheimer and 10 control patients were therefore obtained with a relatively short postmortem delay (5 hr on average). GLT (N-terminal and central parts), GLAST (C-terminal), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and inositol (1,4,5)-triphosphate (IP3)-receptor immunoreactivities were determined in the cingulate and inferior temporal gyri by immunoblotting. The Na+-dependent "binding" of D-[3H]aspartate and the glutamate uptake after solubilization and reconstitution in liposomes were determined for comparison. An individual variation in GLAST and GLT levels was found, but no significant correlation with Alzheimer's disease, except for a 14% lower ratio of N-terminal to central GLT immunoreactivity (P < 0.04). The levels of GLAST and GLT showed negative correlation in agreement with the idea that these proteins are differentially regulated. In conclusion, Alzheimer's disease brains can have both normal and reduced levels of GLAST and GLT.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Beckstrøm, H., Julsrud, L., Haugeto, O., Dewar, D., Graham, D. I., Lehre, K. P., et al. (1999). Interindividual differences in the levels of the glutamate transporters GLAST and GLT, but no clear correlation with Alzheimer's disease. Journal of neuroscience research. https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1097-4547(19990115)55:2<218::aid-jnr9>3.0.co;2-l
Vancouver
Beckstrøm H, Julsrud L, Haugeto O, Dewar D, Graham DI, Lehre KP, et al. Interindividual differences in the levels of the glutamate transporters GLAST and GLT, but no clear correlation with Alzheimer's disease. Journal of neuroscience research. 1999. doi:10.1002/(sici)1097-4547(19990115)55:2<218::aid-jnr9>3.0.co;2-l. PMID: 9972824.
BibTeX
@article{beckstrom1999-9972824,
author = {Beckstrøm, H. and Julsrud, L. and Haugeto, O. and Dewar, D. and Graham, D. I. and Lehre, K. P. and Storm-Mathisen, J. and Danbolt, N. C.},
title = {{Interindividual differences in the levels of the glutamate transporters GLAST and GLT, but no clear correlation with Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Journal of neuroscience research},
year = {1999},
doi = {10.1002/(sici)1097-4547(19990115)55:2<218::aid-jnr9>3.0.co;2-l},
pmid = {9972824},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1097-4547(19990115)55:2<218::aid-jnr9>3.0.co;2-l}
}
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 8 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.
Key findings
- An individual variation in GLAST and GLT levels was found, but no significant correlation with Alzheimer's disease, except for a 14% lower ratio of N-terminal to central GLT immunoreactivity (P < 0.04).
- In conclusion, Alzheimer's disease brains can have both normal and reduced levels of GLAST and GLT.
Why it matters
This autopsy study found individual variation in the glutamate transporters GLAST and GLT but no significant correlation with Alzheimer's disease, except for a 14% lower ratio of N-terminal to central GLT immunoreactivity. It does not test any treatment, cure or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 39/100
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 (Journal of neuroscience research) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Neuroscience Research: journal h-index 222 (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 | 1999 — 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 | 4 / 7 | Cited 95 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 3.3 citations a year over 29 year(s) since 1999 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 3.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 3 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Niels Christian Danbolt: h-index 67 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Glasgow: institution h-index 1,600 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 9972824) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 39 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4547(19990115)55:2<218::aid-jnr9>3.0.co;2-l
- PubMed: 9972824
- Original source →
May need a subscription Unpaywall, Europe PMC and OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 10 Oct 2026), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
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