We have characterized amyloid beta peptide (Abeta) concentration, Abeta deposition, paired helical filament formation, cerebrovascular amyloid angiopathy, apolipoprotein E (ApoE) allotype, and synaptophysin concentration in entorhinal cortex and superior frontal gyrus of normal elderly control (ND) patients, Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, and high pathology control (HPC) patients who meet pathological criteria for AD but show no synapse loss or overt antemortem symptoms of dementia.