ALUMINUM AND ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE - REVIEW OF POSSIBLE PATHOGENIC MECHANISMS

Chronic exposure to aluminium (Al) remains a controversial possible ca use of sporadic forms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This article review s the evidence that once Al enters the brain and individual brain cell s, it may be involved in three pathological processes: (1) the product ion of abnormal forms of tau leading to the formation of cellular neur ofibrillary tangles and neuropil threads; (2) the processing of the am yloid precursor protein, resulting in the formation of beta-amyloid de posits and senile plaques, and (3) that via the mutual histocompatibil ity system, Al could be involved in the initiation of the immune respo nse observed in AD patients. Despite recent evidence that Al could be involved in these processes, a conclusive case that exposure to Al ini tiates the primary pathological process in sporadic AD remains to be e stablished.