Open AccessImaging of calcium and aluminum in neurofibrillary tangle-bearing neurons in parkinsonism-dementia of Guam.
Author(s) -
Ralph M. Garruto,
Reiko Fukatsu,
R Yanagihara,
D. Carleton Gajdusek,
Gary E. R. Hook,
CharlesE Fiori
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.81.6.1875
Subject(s) - neurofibrillary tangle , amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , calcium , parkinsonism , dementia , chemistry , pathology , synapse , neuroscience , alzheimer's disease , biology , medicine , disease , organic chemistry , senile plaques
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.