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Aluminum in neurological disease - a 36 year multicenter study
Walter J Lukiw1,2,3,4,5, Theodore P A Kruck6, Maire E Percy7,8
1LSU Neuroscience Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans LA 70112, USA.
Journal of Alzheimer'S Disease & Parkinsonism
|June 11, 2019
Summary
Aluminum accumulation in the brain is linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD), Down's syndrome (DS), and dialysis dementia syndrome (DDS). This large-scale study analyzed aluminum levels in 511 human brain samples, finding significant increases only in these specific neurological conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Toxicology
- Neuropathology
Background:
- Aluminum is a ubiquitous environmental neurotoxin implicated in various neurological diseases.
- Neuroinflammation, cognitive decline, and behavioral impairment are hallmarks of aluminum-associated neurological conditions.
- The temporal lobe neocortex, crucial for cognition and memory, is often affected early in neurodegenerative disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the concentration of aluminum in the temporal lobe neocortex across 18 diverse neurological disorders and control groups.
- To determine if aluminum levels correlate with specific neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 511 high-quality coded human brain samples from the temporal lobe neocortex (Brodmann areas A20-A22).
- Utilized Zeeman-type electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometry (ETAAS) and advanced photon source (APS) X-ray fluorescence raster scanning (XRFR) spectroscopy.
- Examined aluminum content in samples from patients with AD, Down's syndrome (DS), dialysis dementia syndrome (DDS), and 16 other neurological conditions, alongside age-matched controls.
Main Results:
- A statistically significant increase in aluminum concentration was observed exclusively in brain tissues from individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD), Down's syndrome (DS), and dialysis dementia syndrome (DDS).
- No significant aluminum level increase was found in other common neurological disorders studied, including Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and schizophrenia.
- This study represents the largest investigation to date on aluminum concentration in human brains affected by neurological and neurodegenerative diseases.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest a specific association between elevated aluminum levels and the neuropathology of AD, DS, and DDS.
- Aluminum may play a contributing role in the pathogenesis of these specific neurological conditions.
- Aluminum does not appear to be a significant pathogenic factor in the other common central nervous system disorders examined in this study.
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