Trace elements in human brain: Special reference to copper in Alzheimer's disease

Objective: In the literature on trace element determination in the normal and diseased human brain, some experimental findings highlight that the results obtained are affected by several variability factors. The examination of the published data, considering the influencing variables, helps to identify which values can be correctly confronted to obtain a truthful picture. Results: We first report, all together, the cited findings. With attention to the influencing variables, we then reviewed the available data on Cu determination in various brain areas of patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD) and controls, in order to plausibly identify possible Cu variations in AD and to check whether the changes affected certain regions. Regarding the cortex, we came to a different conclusion than that deriving from a hasty comparison of the published values. Conclusions: From all the retrieved information, we stress the importance of some variables not widely considered, giving suggestions for future investigations; this could help optimize the utilization of the results, rendering easier the comparison of the outcomes of different studies.