title: Increased nigral iron content and alterations in other metal ions occurring in brain in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Levels of iron, copper, zinc, manganese, and lead were measured by inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy in parkinsonian and age-matched control brain tissue. There was 31-35% increase in the total iron content of the parkinsonian substantia nigra when compared to control tissue. In contrast, in the globus pallidus total iron levels were decreased by 29% in Parkinson's disease. There was no change in the total iron levels in any other region of the parkinsonian brain. Total copper levels were reduced by 34-45% in the substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease; no difference was found in the other brain areas examined. Zinc levels were increased in substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease by 50-54%, and the zinc content of the caudate nucleus and lateral putamen was also raised by 18-35%. Levels of manganese and lead were unchanged in all areas of the parkinsonian brain studied when compared to control brains, except for a small decrease (20%) in manganese content of the medial putamen. Increased levels of total iron in the substantia nigra may cause the excessive formation of toxic oxygen radicals, leading to dopamine cell death.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry, London, England, U.K.
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Dexter
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lees
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Agid
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Agid
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jenner
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Marsden
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007477:Ions; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008670:Metals / Q000378:metabolism*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D007477:Ions; D008670:Metals; D007501:Iron