ABSENCE OF ALUMINUM IN NEUROFIBRILLARY TANGLES IN ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

Using the new technique of nuclear microscopy, aluminium is not detect ed in pyramidal neurons in brain tissue from Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. The analytical technique of nuclear microscopy can simultane ously image and analyse features in unstained and untreated tissue sec tions. In tissue which had been previously subjected to conventional p rocedures such as fixation and osmication, aluminium was observed in b oth neurons and surrounding tissue. This result shows that the analysi s of tissue prepared using conventional chemical techniques may produc e contamination or elemental redistribution, and supports our previous investigations which implied that aluminium is not involved in the ae tiology of AD. In addition, significant increases in iron, phosphorus and sulphur concentrations were noted between neurons from Alzheimer t issue and neurons from age-matched controls, and between the supportin g Alzheimer tissue and supporting control tissue, implying an overall increase in these elements. No significant increase in calcium was obs erved between neurons from Alzheimer tissue and neurons from age-match ed controls. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.