ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses one of the hypotheses regarding the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) which is the role of toxic metals. In the AD brain, ferritin-positive microglia and astrocytes are found within the senile plaques. The chapter focuses on iron imbalance in the brain in AD. An imbalance of iron and/or the iron regulatory proteins in the brain could result in substantial damage to neurons and glia leading to neurodegeneration and neurological dysfunction. In subcortical gray matter, the predominant cell type to stain for iron is similar in morphological appearance to oligodendrocytes in the cerebral cortex. The iron-positive cells are typical of interfascicular oligodendrotcytes. The blood vessel staining most likely reflects the continuous uptake of iron from the plasma into the brain even in adulthood. The chapter provides a comprehensive review of the status of iron regulation in the aging brain and presents suggestions for additional research pursuits.
