title: A search for longitudinal variations in trace element levels in nails of Alzheimer's disease patients.
abstract: Levels of Br, Hg, K, and Zn were determined by INAA in the nails of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients at 6-mo intervals for up to 3 yr. These elements have been shown to be imbalanced in AD nail. Bromine showed no trends. Mercury tended to decrease in nail with increasing age of patient, and with the duration and severity of the dementia. Potassium and Zn tended to increase with these same factors. Hence, progressive changes in trace-element levels do occur in AD nail, although imbalances are detected even in the earliest sampled stages of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40506.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Vance
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Ehmann
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Markesbery
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D001966:Bromine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009262:Nails / Q000378:metabolism*; D009501:Neutron Activation Analysis; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000378:metabolism*; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014131:Trace Elements; D008628:Mercury; D015032:Zinc; D011188:Potassium; D001966:Bromine