Alzheimer's Disease Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Alzheimer's Disease, including details on diagnosis, memory loss, heredity, treatment, medication.

Copper and Alzheimer's disease.

Donnelly PS, Xiao Z, Wedd AG

School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia. pauld@unimelb.edu.au

Copper is essential for some of the enzymes that have a role in brain metabolism. Sophisticated mechanisms balance copper import and export to ensure proper nutrient levels (homeostasis) while minimizing toxic effects. Several neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD) are characterized by modified copper homeostasis. This change seems to contribute either directly or indirectly to increased oxidative stress, an important factor in neuronal toxicity. When coupled to misfolded proteins, this modified copper homeostasis appears to be an important factor in the pathological progression of AD.

Published 9 April 2007 in Curr Opin Chem Biol, 11(2): 128-33.
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