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Membrane lipids, selectively diminished in Alzheimer brains, suggest synapse loss as a primary event in early-onset form (type I) and demyelination in late-onset form (type II)
Svennerholm L, Gottfries CG.. Journal of neurochemistry, 1994-03-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Major membrane lipids were quantified in frontal (Brodmann area 9) and temporal (Brodmann areas 21 and 22) cortices, caudate nucleus, hippocampus, and frontal white matter of 12 cases with Alzheimer's disease (AD) type I (early onset), 21 cases with AD type II (late onset), and 20 age-matched controls. The concentration of gangliosides--a marker for axodendritic arborization--was reduced to 58-70% of the control concentration in all four gray areas (p < 0.0001) and to 81% in frontal white matter (p < 0.01) of AD type I cases, whereas it was only significantly reduced in temporal cortex (p < 0.01), hippocampus (p < 0.05), and frontal white matter (p < 0.05) in AD type II cases. The concentration of phospholipids was also significantly reduced (p < 0.01-0.0001) in all four gray areas of AD type I cases but in no area of AD type II cases.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Svennerholm, L., & Gottfries, C. G. (1994). Membrane lipids, selectively diminished in Alzheimer brains, suggest synapse loss as a primary event in early-onset form (type I) and demyelination in late-onset form (type II). Journal of neurochemistry. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1471-4159.1994.62031039.x
Vancouver
Svennerholm L, Gottfries CG. Membrane lipids, selectively diminished in Alzheimer brains, suggest synapse loss as a primary event in early-onset form (type I) and demyelination in late-onset form (type II). Journal of neurochemistry. 1994. doi:10.1046/j.1471-4159.1994.62031039.x. PMID: 8113790.
BibTeX
@article{svennerholm1994-8113790,
author = {Svennerholm, L. and Gottfries, C. G.},
title = {{Membrane lipids, selectively diminished in Alzheimer brains, suggest synapse loss as a primary event in early-onset form (type I) and demyelination in late-onset form (type II)}},
journal = {Journal of neurochemistry},
year = {1994},
doi = {10.1046/j.1471-4159.1994.62031039.x},
pmid = {8113790},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1471-4159.1994.62031039.x}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- The concentration of gangliosides--a marker for axodendritic arborization--was reduced to 58-70% of the control concentration in all four gray areas (p < 0.0001) and to 81% in frontal white matter (p < 0.01) of AD type I cases, whereas it was only significantly reduced in temporal cortex (p < 0.01), hippocampus (p < 0.05), and frontal white matter (p < 0.05) in AD type II cases.
- The concentration of phospholipids was also significantly reduced (p < 0.01-0.0001) in all four gray areas of AD type I cases but in no area of AD type II cases.
- The loss of cholesterol was only 50% of the corresponding phospholipid diminution in AD type I.
- These results suggested a pronounced loss of nerve endings in AD type I.
Why it matters
This study measured membrane lipids in brain tissue from 12 early-onset and 21 late-onset Alzheimer's cases and 20 controls, finding reduced gangliosides and phospholipids particularly in early-onset cases. It suggests synapse loss in early-onset and demyelination in late-onset forms but does not test a treatment or cure.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 43/100
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 neurochemistry) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of Neurochemistry: journal h-index 349 (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 | 1994 — 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 331 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 9.7 citations a year over 34 year(s) since 1994 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 7 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 16 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Carl‐Gerhard Gottfries: h-index 32 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Gothenburg: institution h-index 972 (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 8113790) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 43 / 100 | — |
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