The presence of beta-amyloid in brain tissue is characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD). A naturally occurring derivative of the beta-amyloid peptide, p3, possesses all of the structural determinants required for fibril assembly and neurotoxicity. p3-specific antibodies were used to examine the distribution of this peptide in brain. p3 reactivity was absent or sparse in aged non-AD brains but was prevalent in selected areas of AD brain in diffuse deposits and in a subset of dystrophic neurites. p3-reactive dystrophic neurites were found both independent in the neuropil and associated with plaques. Little or no reactivity was observed to amyloid cores in classical plaques or to amyloid in the cerebral vasculature. The exclusive appearance of p3 reactivity in AD brain plus the selective localization of p3 reactivity to abnormal structures in the temporal lobe limbic system suggests that p3 may be a contributing factor to AD pathology.