Zinc and Copper Buildup May Cause Alzheimer's Disease

By showing that a metal-protein attenuating compound (MPAC) can inhibit zinc and copper ions from binding to beta amyloid in a clinical trial and thereby treat Alzheimer's disease, a Harvard researcher has been able to provide support for his theory that chemicals are the cause of the disease. The results of the trial were reported in he December 12, 2003, issue of the Archives of Neurology.

In the view of Dr. Ashley Bush, of Harvard Medical School (Boston, MA, USA), Alzheimer's disease is caused by a copper and zinc buildup in the brain. In experiments, he found that by adding zinc to dead brain tissue, the beta amyloid would form clumps resembling the plaques of Alzheimer's disease. He believes that accumulated copper and zinc mix with beta amyloid in the brains of Alzheimer's patients and oxidize, thereby destroying nerve cells. However, he has had difficulty proving this.

Following a successful mouse study that showed a 50% reduction in amyloid deposits, a small clinical trial of a drug designed to inhibit this process has shown promise as a treatment for Alzheimer's, lending credence to Dr. Bush's theory. In this trial of 32 volunteers, half received a seventy-year-old drug called clioquinol and half received placebo. Those on placebo showed a worsening of Alzheimer's, while those on the drug showed minimal deterioration. Additionally, those taking the drug had a decline of amyloid protein in their blood levels, which did not occur in those on placebo. A number of scientists are now pushing for further research on this drug or similar drugs, and large-scale clinical trials are in the planning stage at two universities.




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