title: Aluminum as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: The purpose of the study was to condense existing scientific evidence about the relation between aluminum (Al) exposure and risk for the development of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), evaluating its long-term effects on the population's health. A systematic literature review was carried out in two databases, MEDLINE and LILACS, between 1990 and 2005, using the uniterms: "Aluminum exposure and Alzheimer Disease" and "Aluminum and risk for Alzheimer Disease". After application of the Relevance Test, 34 studies were selected, among which 68% established a relation between Al and AD, 23.5% were inconclusive and 8.5% did not establish a relation between Al and AD. Results showed that Al is associated to several neurophysiologic processes that are responsible for the characteristic degeneration of AD. In spite of existing polemics all over the world about the role of Al as a risk factor for AD, in recent years, scientific evidence has demonstrated that Al is associated with the development of AD.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. sininha83@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Pricilla Costa
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Kamila de Almeida
authors.initials: Kde A
authors.lastname: Piai
authors.forename: Angela Maria Magosso
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Takayanagui
authors.forename: Susana Inés
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Segura-Muñoz
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000535:Aluminum