Aluminum as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.
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.
Ferreira
Pricilla Costa
PC
College of Nursing, University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. sininha83@yahoo.com.br
Piai
Kamila de Almeida
Kde A
Takayanagui
Angela Maria Magosso
AM
Segura-Muñoz
Susana Inés
SI
D000535:Aluminum / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors
D000535:Aluminum