TITLE: Commentary:Is Alzheimer's disease iron overload of the brain? (the full

text paper is unavailable)

JOURNAL: Alzheimer's Research

VOLUME: 03

ISSUE: 01

PAGES: 69-72

AUTHOR: Paul S. Hodgkins, John A Blair

ADDRESS: Present address: Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, PO Box 21247, , Baltimore, 21228, USA. Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences Department, Aston University, Aston Triangle,, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK

ABSTRACT: Correspondence to:John Blair,Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences Department, Aston University, Aston Triangle,Birmingham,B4 7ET,UKIron is an essential element for humans, however dysregulation of iron metabolism can lead to several clinically recognised diseases, including severe neurological disorders. Peripheral measurements of iron, ferritin, and transferrin saturation in Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome patients clearly match the biochemical profile of patients with the iron overload disorder haemochromatosis, and identifies a dysfunction in iron metabolism. Brain iron concentrations are raised in Alzheimer's disease and its distribution parallels affected brain areas. The chronic build up of iron in the brain may be causally related to the reported neurotoxicity of this element and ultimately result in the neuropathology associated with Alzheimer's disease. Potential therapies which

involve iron chelation may provide an effective treatment in such cases.

KEYWORDS: Alzheimer's disease Brain Iron Model Oxidation Transferrin