Serum zinc is decreased in Alzheimer's disease and serum arsenic correlates positively with cognitive ability.
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.
Baum
Larry
L
School of Pharmacy, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong. lwbaum@cuhk.edu.hk
Chan
Iris Hiu Shuen
IH
Cheung
Stanley Kwok-Kuen
SK
Goggins
William B
WB
Mok
Vincent
V
Lam
Linda
L
Leung
Vivian
V
Hui
Elsie
E
Ng
Chelsia
C
Woo
Jean
J
Chiu
Helen Fung Kum
HF
Zee
Benny Chung-Ying
BC
Cheng
William
W
Chan
Ming-Houng
MH
Szeto
Samuel
S
Lui
Victor
V
Tsoh
Joshua
J
Bush
Ashley I
AI
Lam
Christopher Wai Kei
CW
Kwok
Timothy
T
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood*; D001151:Arsenic / Q000097:blood*; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
D015032:Zinc; D001151:Arsenic