Trace elements in Alzheimer's disease brain: A new hypothesis

Trace elements Al, Fe, Zn, Cu, S, P, Mg, Si, Ca, Na, and K, were analysed i n normal, moderately and severely affected Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer (ICPAES). In moderately affected brains, the monovalent elements Potassium and Phosphoru s were significantly reduced, while divalent elements namely Calcium, Magne sium, Zinc and Copper were increased. In severely affected AD brains, Alumi nium, Sulphur and Iron predominated. It was shown that Iron accumulates mor e in the brains of people with moderate and severe AD, while Aluminium depo sition is greater in the severely affected AD brain. All the above results suggest that Iron deposits early in AD pathology while Aluminum deposits in the later phase of AD. These are the first findings to provide evidence of the distribution of trace elements and their inter-relationship with the s everity of AD.