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Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry logoLink to Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry
. 2008 Dec 20;23(4):369–374. doi: 10.1007/s12291-008-0081-8

Serum copper in Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia

Rachna Agarwal 1,✉, Suman S Kushwaha 1,2, C B Tripathi 3, Neeraj Singh 1, Neelam Chhillar 1
PMCID: PMC3453128  PMID: 23105789

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia in the elderly and it’s prevalence is rapidly rising. Oxidative stress plays important role in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease. Metals like copper, iron derived through diet can act as pro-oxidant under oxidative stress. In the present study, serum copper levels were evaluated in 50 patients with Alzheimer’s disease, 24 patients with Vascular Dementia and 30 controls. All the groups were also investigated for serum ceruloplsmin levels. The mean copper levels in Alzheimer’s disease and Vascular Dementia were significantly raised compared to controls. An attempt has been made to study the relationship of serum copper with ceruloplasmin. Our study found weak correlation between copper and ceruloplasmin levels in Alzheimer’s disease and Vascular Dementia.

Key Words: Copper, Alzheimer’s disease, Vascular Dementia, Oxidative stress, Neurodegeneration, Copper, Ceruloplasmin

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