[Morphological, morphometrical and metal analysis studies of oral aluminum neurotoxicity]

Environmental factor is noteworthy for pathogenesis of ALS. Yase reported low contents of Ca, Mg and high contents of Al, Mn in environmental samples (soil and water) obtained from Kii Peninsula and Guam where ALS has been occurring in high incidence. In this paper, to evaluate the role of these environmental factors for degeneration of ALS, morphological, morphometrical and metal analytical studies on experimental animals will be described with special attention to the neurotoxicity of oral administration of Al. The rabbits (2-2.3 kg) were divided into 3 groups. Group 1 was fed standard diet (Ca 1.24% Mg 0.37%), Group 2 was fed low-Ca Mg diet (Ca 0.27% Mg 0.05%) for 40 days, and Group 3 was fed low-Ca Mg diet for 40 days and was injected Al-lactate solution (10 ml) into the stomach through the tube 6 times/week for 4 weeks. Al-lactate solution contained Al in dosage of 0.06 g/ml for the first 2 weeks and 0.12 g/ml for the following 2 weeks. And also to compare with the change by oral administration of Al, rabbits were injected Al-phosphate intracerebrally 14 days before the examination. The rabbits were anesthetized and perfused through the aorta with 10% formalin or 2.5% and 5% glutaraldehyde (pH 7.4), and examined light and electron microscopically. For morphometrical examination, 100 sections of 6 microns specimen at intervals of 30 microns in each rabbit spinal cord (c-5) were prepared and examined using the ocular micrometer. Contents of Al and Ca of the spinal cord and cortex were measured by neutron activation analysis with formalin fixed samples.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)