There has been a strong link between human exposure to aluminium and the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease for half a century or more. However, without definite proof, there is still no consensus in the scientific community about the role of this known neurotoxin in this devastating brain disease.
The latest research from my group, published in the Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, makes this link even more compelling. In my view, the findings are unequivocal in their confirmation of a role for aluminium in some if not all Alzheimer’s disease.
At the very least, these new results should encourage everyone and even those who have steadfastly maintained that aluminium has no role in the disease to think again.
I don’t believe that is the only factor, but I think it is an important one which should be considered very seriously.
When our new results are put into the context of what is already known about aluminium and Alzheimer’s disease their significance becomes overwhelming and compelling.
We already know that the aluminium content of brain tissue in late-onset or sporadic Alzheimer’s disease is significantly higher than is found in age-matched controls. So, individuals who develop Alzheimer’s disease in their late sixties and older also accumulate more aluminium in their brain tissue than individuals of the same age without the disease.