Copper, Zinc, and Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

Current knowledge of the factors regulating total body and brain-specific Cu and Zn metabolism is surveyed. With special reference to ß-amyloid, evidence is then presented for altered Cu or Zn metabolism or physiology in Alzheimer’s disease, the major age-dependent cause of memory loss in man. Altered Cu and Zn metabolism or physiology in AD is likely to be directly coupled to pathogenesis, but may not be directly linked to diet.