Prof publishes Alzheimer's study

Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine John Trojanowski and his research team recently published the results of a ground-breaking study on the role of aluminum in Alzheimer's disease in the November issue of the Journal of Neuroscience. The researchers, utilizing grants from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Aging, demonstrated the interaction between aluminum and a protein found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. Aluminum was shown to prevent the degradation of the protein, known as PHF-tau. The protein, when in its abnormal form as in Alzheimer's patients, is thought to be linked to the death of brain cells and to the resulting loss of brain function. The results of the study indicate that aluminum, although not a sole cause of the disease, may be a factor in the ailment's development. In a statement released by the University Medical Center, the professor explained the possible extent of aluminum's effects on the disease. "Aluminum is a highly abundant metal in the earth's crust, yet despite its ubiquitous presence in dust and soil, not everyone develops Alzheimer's disease," he said. "We've demonstrated that aluminum could be a co-factor by interacting with PHF-tau, but that doesn't necessarily mean that aluminum is the cause." The professor went on to explain that multiple genetic predispositions and environmental factors may contribute to the disease. Based on primarily circumstantial evidence, findings regarding the role of aluminum in Alzheimer's disease have several interpretations and remain controversial. According to the professor, the results of this recent study, along with previous work that demonstrated aluminum's presence in manifestations of the disease in the brain, support the concept that aluminum plays some role in the pathogenesis of the disease.