Experimental aluminum encephalomyelopathy. Relationship to human neurodegenerative disease.

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease has a complex pathogenesis and is a devastating neurologic disorder, predominantly of the elderly human population. Neuronal cell loss and neuritic pathology are a major neuropathologic feature of Alzheimer's disease, but there is no established mechanism to explain the degenerative process. The development of suitable animal systems would be of great value in helping to understand the basic mechanisms underlying the disease. We propose that the aluminum maltolate-treated elderly rabbit is a potentially useful animal system to model Alzheimer's disease neurofibrillary pathology. Details of such an experimental aluminum encephalopathy produced in the rabbit are discussed, along with other aspects of aluminum-induced neurodegeneration.

• Authors: J K Rao, C D Katsetos, M M Herman, J Savory
• Journal: Clinics in laboratory medicine (Clin Lab Med) Vol. 18 Issue 4 Pg. 687-98, viii (Dec 1998) ISSN: 0272-2712 [Print] United States
• PMID: 9891607 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Aluminum

Topics

• Aluminum (chemistry, toxicity)
• Alzheimer Disease (etiology)
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (chemically induced)
• Animals
• Clinical Laboratory Techniques
• Humans
• Neurodegenerative Diseases (chemically induced, diagnosis, pathology)
• Neurofibrils (pathology)
• Rabbits