ELEMENTAL IMBALANCE STUDIES BY INAA ON EXTRANEURAL TISSUES FROM AMYOTROPHIC-LATERAL-SCLEROSIS PATIENTS

Human kidney and liver tissues were studied for generalized elemental imbalances in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by instrumental neut ron activation analysis (INAA). Iron was significantly increased (p < 0.05) in ALS kidneys and Co and Fe(marginal, p < 0.10) were increased in ALS liver compared with their respective controls. Mercury values w ere almost two-fold higher for ALS kidney and 17% higher for ALS liver as compared with their respective controls. However, the Hg data exhi bited large variations and ALS-control differences were not significan t. Data from the present study are discussed with reference to the rol e of metallothioneins (MT) in ALS, and a possible linkage between a fr ee radical mediated mechanism and degeneration of cells in ALS is also explored.