Imaging of Calcium and Aluminum in Neurofibrillary Tangle-bearing Neurons in Parkinsonism-dementia of Guam

Overview

Journal Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

Specialty Science

Date 1984 Mar 1

PMID 6584922

Citations 48

Authors

R M Garruto

R Fukatsu

R Yanagihara

D C Gajdusek

G Hook

C E Fiori

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

We report the distribution and imaging of calcium and aluminum in neurofibrillary tangle (NFT)-bearing neurons within Sommer's sector of the hippocampus in Guamanian patients with parkinsonism-dementia, using a method of computer-controlled electron beam x-ray micro-analysis and wavelength dispersive spectrometry. Calcium and aluminum were distributed in cell bodies and axonal processes of NFT-bearing neurons. The elemental images show that both calcium and aluminum deposits occur within the same NFT-bearing hippocampal neuron in this dementing disease, suggesting that these elements are involved in NFT formation. No prominent concentrations of calcium and aluminum were imaged in non-NFT-containing regions within the pyramidal cell layer of the parkinsonism-dementia cases or in the control cases. These findings support the hypothesis that secondary hyperparathyroidism resulting from low environmental calcium and magnesium in the high-incidence focus of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and parkinsonism-dementia on Guam had led to abnormal deposition of calcium and aluminum in the central nervous system.

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