Changes in cerebral microvessel ultrastructure have been reported to occur in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In order to investigate whether these changes are associated with compromised blood-brain transport mechanisms, hippocampal formation sections from AD and age-matched normal brains were immunolabelled with an antibody to the GLUT-1 glucose transporter protein. GLUT-1 immunolabelling of microvessel endothelium was significantly reduced in the AD compared to normal hippocampal formation. Thus, AD is associated with a reduction in cerebral microvessel endothelium glucose transporter content, which may result in decreased glucose availability to the brain.