Alzheimer's disease and metal-containing glia.
Considerable evidence suggests that in Alzheimer's disease, olfactory bulb damage may be a primary factor, causing degeneration and neurofibrillary tangles primarily in neurons connected with this brain area. Also, deposits of amyloid may involve an improper regulation of the cleavage of a precursor protein by glia. Finally, toxic effects of aluminium may be an etiological factor. This review proposes that all these seemingly unrelated aspects of Alzheimer's disease could be related to a disturbed function of metal-containing glia. Such a disturbance, initiated by or aggravating toxic effects of aluminum, may underlie initial damage in the olfactory bulb and/or other brain areas with a weakened blood-brain barrier and may be responsible for amyloid deposition.
Young
J K
JK
Department of Anatomy, Howard University, Washington DC 20059.
D000535:Aluminum / Q000633:toxicity*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*
D008670:Metals; D000535:Aluminum