Biomaterial Database

A search for longitudinal variations in trace element levels in nails of Alzheimer's disease patients. 1990

D E Vance, and W D Ehmann, and W R Markesbery

Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40506.

Levels of Br, Hg, K, and Zn were determined by INAA in the nails of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients at 6-mo intervals for up to 3 yr. These elements have been shown to be imbalanced in AD nail. Bromine showed no trends. Mercury tended to decrease in nail with increasing age of patient, and with the duration and severity of the dementia. Potassium and Zn tended to increase with these same factors. Hence, progressive changes in trace-element levels do occur in AD nail, although imbalances are detected even in the earliest sampled stages of the disease.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008628	Mercury	A silver metallic element that exists as a liquid at room temperature. It has the atomic symbol Hg (from hydrargyrum, liquid silver), atomic number 80, and atomic weight 200.59. Mercury is used in many industrial applications and its salts have been employed therapeutically as purgatives, antisyphilitics, disinfectants, and astringents. It can be absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes which leads to MERCURY POISONING. Because of its toxicity, the clinical use of mercury and mercurials is diminishing.
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009262	Nails	The thin, horny plates that cover the dorsal surfaces of the distal phalanges of the fingers and toes of primates.	Fingernails,Toenails,Fingernail,Nail,Toenail
D009501	Neutron Activation Analysis	Activation analysis in which the specimen is bombarded with neutrons. Identification is made by measuring the resulting radioisotopes. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	Activation Analysis, Neutron,Analysis, Neutron Activation,Activation Analyses, Neutron,Analyses, Neutron Activation,Neutron Activation Analyses
D011188	Potassium	An element in the alkali group of metals with an atomic symbol K, atomic number 19, and atomic weight 39.10. It is the chief cation in the intracellular fluid of muscle and other cells. Potassium ion is a strong electrolyte that plays a significant role in the regulation of fluid volume and maintenance of the WATER-ELECTROLYTE BALANCE.
D001966	Bromine	A halogen with the atomic symbol Br, atomic number 35, and atomic weight 79.904. It is a volatile reddish-brown liquid that gives off suffocating vapors, is corrosive to the skin, and may cause severe gastroenteritis if ingested.	Bromine-79,Bromine 79
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000367	Age Factors	Age as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or the effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from AGING, a physiological process, and TIME FACTORS which refers only to the passage of time.	Age Reporting,Age Factor,Factor, Age,Factors, Age