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. 1984 Mar;81(6):1875–1879. doi: 10.1073/pnas.81.6.1875

Imaging of calcium and aluminum in neurofibrillary tangle-bearing neurons in parkinsonism-dementia of Guam.

R M Garruto, R Fukatsu, R Yanagihara, D C Gajdusek, G Hook, C E Fiori
PMCID: PMC345025  PMID: 6584922

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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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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