Amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's dementia contain complement factors C1q, C4 and C3. In the present study we demonstrate complement activation in amyloid plaques using immunoenzymatical techniques and specific antibodies against subunits of individual complement components and activated complement products. Amyloid plaques contain C1q and activated C3 fragments (C3c and C3d, g) but no C1s and C3a. These findings demonstrate that the complement components are not passively bound to the amyloid plaque structures but are the result of an activation process. The role of complement activation in the genesis of senile plaques is discussed.