In this study, brain gangliosides of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD, N = 5) were analyzed and compared with control human brains (C, N = 3). Gangliosides were analyzed in seven brain regions: cerebral cortex (frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital), hippocampus, basal telencephalon and frontal white matter. The results demonstrated gangliosides to be decreased in the majority of regions analyzed, however, a significant decrease in gangliosides (nmol LBSA/mg proteins or g fresh weight) in frontal cortex and white matter (P less than 0.05) was recorded. When gangliosides were expressed in nmol LBSA/mg DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), their basal telencephalon, suggesting that high astroglial proliferation might have concealed the real neuronal degeneration. In the ganglioside composition, all human brain regions contained moderately decreased ganglio-series gangliosides (GT1b, GD1b, GD1a, GM1) but a statistically significant decrease was detected in frontal cortex, and white matter (nmol LBSA/g fresh weight) or frontal cortex, temporal cortex and basal telencephalon (nmol LBSA/mg DNA). In addition, frontal and parietal cortex also showed elevated concentration (nmol LBSA/g fresh weight) of simple gangliosides (GM2, GM3, GM4, GD3). A decreased concentration of ganglio-series gangliosides in Alzheimer's disease correlates with degeneration of cortical neurons. However, elevation of simple gangliosides in frontal and parietal cortex may correlate with: (a) an accelerated lysosomal degradation of gangliosides occurring during neuronal death (GM2); (b) astrogliosis (GM3 and GD3); and (c) activation of oligodendrocytes (GM4). The fact that gangliosides are altered in Alzheimer's disease might be important for better understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease.