Abstract
Copper concentration was determined in samples from 38 areas of 7 normal human brains. The grey matter contained higher concentrations of copper than the white matter. Identical areas of the grey and white matter of the cerebral cortex showed significant differences between individuals. In the caudate nucleus the highest concentrations of copper were found in the tail followed by the body and the head, respectively. A negative linear regression between age and brain copper levels was demonstrated.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Underwood, E. J. 1977. Trace elements in human and animal nutrition. Pages 56–108. Academic Press, New York.
O'Dell, B. L., Hardwick, B. C., Reynolds, G., andSavage, J. E. 1961. Connective tissue defect resulting from copper deficiency. Proc. Soc. Exper. Biol. Med. 108:402–405.
Danks, D. M. Campbell, P. E. Walker-Smith, J., Stevens, B. J., Gillespie, J. M., andBloomfield, J. 1972. Menke's Kinky hair syndrome. Lancet 1:1100–1102.
Harrison, W. W., Netsky, M. G., andBrown, M. E. D. 1968. Trace elements in human brain: copper, zinc, iron, and magnesium. Clin. Chem. Acta 21:55–60.
Smeyers-Verbeke, J., Defrise-Gussenhoven, E., Ebinger, G., Lowenthal, A., andMassart, D. L. 1974. Distribution of copper and zinc in human brain tissue. Clin. Chem. Acta 51:309–314.
Warren, P. J., Earl, C. J., andThompson, R. H. 1960. The distribution of copper in human brain. Brain 83:709–717.
Paz-Moncada, N., Villasmil, J. J., andBonilla, E. 1981. Distribución de cobre sérico en una población suburbana de Maracaibo (Venezuela). Invest. Clin. 22:83–94.
Joyce, D. 1962. Changes in 5-hydroxytryptamine content of rat, rabbit, and human brain after death. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 18:370–380.
Bonilla, E. 1978. Flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometric determination of manganese in rat brain and other tissues. Clin. Chem. 24:471–474.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS SYSTEM. 1979. SAS Users guide. Pages 237–263. SAS Institute Inc. Raleigh. North Carolina.
Bonilla, E., Salazar, E., Villasmil, J. J., andVillalobos, R. 1982. The regional distribution of manganese in the normal human brain. Neurochem. Res. 7:221–227.
Kishi, R. Ikeda, T., Miyake, H., Uchino, E., Tsuzuki, T., andInoue, K. 1982. Regional distribution of lead, zinc, iron and copper in suckling and adult rat brains. Brain Res. 251:180–182.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bonilla, E., Salazar, E., Villasmil, J.J. et al. Copper distribution in the normal human brain. Neurochem Res 9, 1543–1548 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00964589
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00964589