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Heavy Metals and Neurodegenerative Diseases: An Observational Study

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Abstract

In this study, we evaluated the levels of some of the most investigated metals (Cu, Se, Zn, Pb, and Hg) in the blood of patients affected by the most common chronic neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and multiple sclerosis (MS), in order to better clarify their involvement. For the first time, we investigated a Sicilian population living in an area exposed to a potentially contaminated environment from dust and fumes of volcano Etna and consumer of a considerable quantity of fish in their diet, so that this represents a good cohort to demonstrate a possible link between metals levels and development of neurodegenerative disorders. More specifically, 15 patients affected by AD, 41 patients affected by MS, 23 healthy controls, and 10 healthy elderly controls were recruited and subjected to a venous blood sampling. Quantification of heavy metals was performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). This technique has allowed us to establish that there is a concomitance of heavy metal unbalance associated with AD more than in other neurodegenerative pathologies, such as MS. Also, we can assess that the concentration of these elements is independent from the diet, especially from occasional or habitual consumption of fruits and vegetables, prevalence in the diet of meat or fish, possible exposure to contaminated environment due both to the occupation and place of residence.

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Abbreviations

AD:

Alzheimer’s disease

MS:

Multiple sclerosis

CNS:

Central nervous system

Aβ:

Amyloid beta

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

APP:

Amyloid precursor protein

Cu/Zn SOD:

Zinc superoxide dismutase enzyme

SePP:

Selenoprotein P

GPx:

Glutathione peroxidase

CSF:

Cerebrospinal fluid

ICP-MS:

Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

LOD:

Limit of detection

LOQ:

Limit of quantification

RSD%:

Relative standard deviation percentage

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Dr. Massimo Messina belonging to the secretary office of IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”-Messina for his excellent technical assistance.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest in relationship to performing this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, contrada Casazza, 98124, Messina, Italy

    Sabrina Giacoppo, Maria Galuppo, Rocco Salvatore Calabrò, Giangaetano D’Aleo, Angela Marra, Edoardo Sessa, Placido Bramanti & Emanuela Mazzon

  2. Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Ambiente, della Sicurezza, del Territorio, degli Alimenti e della Salute (S.A.S.T.A.S.) “Carmelo Abbate”, Università degli Studi di Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres, 31, 98166, Sant’Agata (Messina), Italy

    Daniel Giuseppe Bua, Angela Giorgia Potortì & Giacomo Dugo

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  1. Sabrina Giacoppo
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  2. Maria Galuppo
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  4. Giangaetano D’Aleo
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  8. Angela Giorgia Potortì
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  11. Emanuela Mazzon
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Emanuela Mazzon.

Additional information

Sabrina Giacoppo and Maria Galuppo contribute equally to this work and share the first authorship.

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Giacoppo, S., Galuppo, M., Calabrò, R.S. et al. Heavy Metals and Neurodegenerative Diseases: An Observational Study. Biol Trace Elem Res 161, 151–160 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-014-0094-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-014-0094-5

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