NEURONAL ACCUMULATION OF ALUMINUM IN DIALYSIS ENCEPHALOPATHY - A LASER MICROPROBE STUDY

Dialysis encephalopathy (DE), a fatal neurologic complication of patie nts with renal failure receiving chronic hemodialysis, is thought to b e due to aluminum (Al) toxicity. We have used laser microprobe mass sp ectrometry to determine Al levels in hippocampal neurons of three auto psied DE patients and seven control subjects. Grand mean Al levels wer e significantly elevated in cytoplasm and nuclei of hippocampal neuron s and adjacent neuropil of DE subjects compared with controls (p < 0.0 5). Our data indicate that hippocampal neurons in DE contain elevated Al and support the hypothesis that the neurologic manifestations of DE are related to Al toxicity.