title: Serum zinc is decreased in Alzheimer's disease and serum arsenic correlates positively with cognitive ability.
abstract: Zinc, copper, and iron aggregate Abeta and accumulate in Alzheimer's disease (AD) plaques. Some metals are increased in AD vs. control serum. The authors examined levels of 12 metals in serum of 44 AD and 41 control subjects. Zinc decreased from 12.3 to 10.9 micromol/L (means, p = 0.0007). Arsenic positively correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination score (p < 0.0001). Zinc deposition in brain amyloid might deplete zinc from other body compartments, such as serum. The arsenic correlation might be caused by the major contribution of seafood consumption to intake of both arsenic and docosahexaenoic acid, of which the latter may delay AD.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong. lwbaum@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baum
authors.forename: Iris Hiu Shuen
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Stanley Kwok-Kuen
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Goggins
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mok
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Elsie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Chelsia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Helen Fung Kum
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Benny Chung-Ying
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Zee
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Ming-Houng
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Szeto
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lui
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tsoh
authors.forename: Ashley I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Bush
authors.forename: Christopher Wai Kei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kwok
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood*; D001151:Arsenic / Q000097:blood*; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015032:Zinc; D001151:Arsenic