Study Links Aluminum to Familial Alzheimer’s Disease

Overview of Familial Alzheimer’s Disease

A recent study has reinforced the connection between aluminum exposure and familial Alzheimer’s disease, while also investigating the interplay between aluminum and amyloid-β in the context of this condition. Familial Alzheimer’s disease is a rare variant of Alzheimer’s characterized by specific genetic mutations, including those in the amyloid precursor protein, presenilin-1, and presenilin-2 genes.

Research Objectives

The primary aim of the study was to validate the relationship between aluminum exposure and familial Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers also sought to understand how aluminum and amyloid-β are spatially related within affected brain tissues.

Methodology

The study utilized brain tissue samples from Colombian donors diagnosed with familial Alzheimer’s disease, specifically those carrying the PS1-E280A mutation. The aluminum content in these tissues was measured and compared to a control group without neurological disorders. Advanced techniques, including aluminum-specific fluorescence microscopy and imaging of amyloid-β, were employed to explore the relationship between aluminum and amyloid-β.

Key Findings

The findings of the study were published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. In the initial phase of the research, a significantly elevated level of aluminum was detected in the brain tissues of donors with Alzheimer’s compared to those in the control group. The subsequent analysis revealed a strong correlation between the locations of aluminum and amyloid-β within the brain.

Implications of Aluminum Presence

The researchers proposed that the presence of aluminum may contribute to increased levels of amyloid-β in brain tissue. Lead investigator Christopher Exley stated, “One could envisage increased amyloid-beta in brain tissue as a response to high levels of aluminum content, or that aluminum fosters the accumulation of amyloid-beta. Either way, the new research confirms my resolve that within the normal lifespan of humans, there would not be any AD if there were no aluminum in the brain tissue. No aluminum, no AD.”

References

– Mold, M., Linhart, C., Gómez-Ramírez, J., Villegas-Lanau, A., & Exley, C. (2020). Aluminum and Amyloid-β in Familial Alzheimer’s Disease. Journal Of Alzheimer’s Disease, 1-9. doi: 10.3233/jad-191140
– Human exposure to aluminum linked to familial Alzheimer’s disease. (2020). Retrieved 22 January 2020, from https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-01/ip-het012020.php
– What Is Early Onset Familial Alzheimer Disease (eFAD)? | ALZFORUM. (2020). Retrieved 22 January 2020, from https://www.alzforum.org/early-onset-familial-ad/overview/what-early-onset-familial-alzheimer-disease-efad

Image by Raman Oza from Pixabay.