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Serum zinc is decreased in Alzheimer’s disease and serum arsenic correlates positively with cognitive ability

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Abstract

Zinc, copper, and iron aggregate Aβ and accumulate in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) plaques. Some metals are increased in AD vs. control serum. The authors examined levels of 12 metals in serum of 44 AD and 41 control subjects. Zinc decreased from 12.3 to 10.9 μmol/L (means, p = 0.0007). Arsenic positively correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination score (p < 0.0001). Zinc deposition in brain amyloid might deplete zinc from other body compartments, such as serum. The arsenic correlation might be caused by the major contribution of seafood consumption to intake of both arsenic and docosahexaenoic acid, of which the latter may delay AD.

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Acknowledgments

Supported by a grant from The Chinese University of Hong Kong Institute of Chinese Medicine, by a Chinese University of Hong Kong Direct Grant for Research, and by a BUPA Foundation medical research grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Pharmacy, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

    Larry Baum

  2. Department of Chemical Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

    Iris Hiu Shuen Chan & Christopher Wai Kei Lam

  3. Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

    Stanley Kwok-Kuen Cheung, Vincent Mok, Elsie Hui, Chelsia Ng, Jean Woo & Timothy Kwok

  4. School of Public Health, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

    William B. Goggins

  5. Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

    Linda Lam, Vivian Leung, Helen Fung Kum Chiu, Victor Lui & Joshua Tsoh

  6. Centre For Clinical Trials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

    Benny Chung-Ying Zee

  7. Clinical Trials Section, Institute of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

    William Cheng

  8. Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong

    Ming-Houng Chan & Samuel Szeto

  9. Oxidation Disorders Laboratory, Mental Health Research Institute of Victoria, and Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3052, VIC, Australia

    Ashley I. Bush

  10. Genetics and Aging Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA

    Ashley I. Bush

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  1. Larry Baum
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  2. Iris Hiu Shuen Chan
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  8. Elsie Hui
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  9. Chelsia Ng
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  13. William Cheng
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  14. Ming-Houng Chan
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  15. Samuel Szeto
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  16. Victor Lui
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  17. Joshua Tsoh
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  18. Ashley I. Bush
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  19. Christopher Wai Kei Lam
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  20. Timothy Kwok
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Correspondence to Larry Baum.

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Baum, L., Chan, I.H.S., Cheung, S.KK. et al. Serum zinc is decreased in Alzheimer’s disease and serum arsenic correlates positively with cognitive ability. Biometals 23, 173–179 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10534-009-9277-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10534-009-9277-5

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