First Ever Study On Familial Alzheimer's Brains Exposes Link To Potential Cause

STAFFORDSHIRE, England, Jan. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A recently published study of the brains of familial Alzheimer's disease victims has found extremely high levels of aluminium in the tissue, announced Dr. Christopher Exley, researcher and professor at Keele University. This is the first study of its kind to focus on those genetically predisposed to Alzheimer's, using fluorescence microscopy to identify aluminium in the brain tissue.

"For half a century or more, there has been a strong link between human exposure to aluminium and the incidence of Alzheimer's disease," says Exley, who worked on the study with fellow researchers, Ambreen Mirza, Andrew King, and Claire Troakes. "These findings are unequivocal in their confirmation of the role of aluminium in some, if not all, Alzheimer's disease." 

Published in the Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, the study of brain tissue from 12 donors found extremely high concentrations of aluminium, in excess of 10 μg/g tissue dry wt. These levels are higher than almost all previous measurements of brain aluminium.

Cases of sporadic Alzheimer's disease, which accounts for most cases, has previously been linked to unusually high exposure to aluminium through the environment or workplace. However, these earlier studies have failed to explain the causes of Alzheimer's in those genetically predisposed to the disease.

Currently, Alzheimer's disease affects more than five million Americans and more than 40 million people worldwide and is the sixth leading cause of death. There is no promise of a cure, no treatment on the horizon, nothing mainstream medicine has offered to even slow its intrusion. It strikes unpredictably, silently crippling neurons, robbing its victims of their memories, shrinking their brains, their independence and judgment, erasing their personalities and eventually claiming their lives.

Related Links

https://www.keele.ac.uk/lifesci/people/chrisexley