ABSENCE OF ALUMINUM IN ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE BRAIN-TISSUE - ELECTRON-MICROPROBE AND ION MICROPROBE STUDIES

Brain tissue from the frontal cortex and hippocampal formation, taken at autopsy or biopsy from 7 patients with Alzheimer's disease, was studied by two methods of microanalysis. One case of Down's syndrome was also studied. Electron probe microanalysis of the frontal cortex and Ammon's horn of the hippocampus showed no aluminum in the various cell organelles, especially in the lysosomes, although some aluminum was found in a few contaminating dusts. Ion microscopy, a method of extremely high sensitivity, also showed the absence of an aluminium signal.