Regional specificity of membrane instability in Alzheimer's disease brain

We report an inherent tendency towards the destabilisation of cellular membranes in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain. This tendency is a natural consequence of abnormal membrane lipid composition, which has previously been documented in AD. Membrane destabilisation may contribute to AD pathogenesis in its own right and may also facilitate amyloid β-protein deposition, which is potentially neurotoxic. The instability was found to co-localise selectively with areas of neurodegeneration in AD brain, thereby possibly accounting for the focal pathology observed in this disorder.