Laser Microprobe Mass Analyzer (LAMMA) — A New Approach to the Study of the Association of Aluminum and Neurofibrillary Tangle Formation

Perl, Daniel P.; Munoz-Garcia, D.; Good, Paul F.; Pendlebury, William W.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4613-2179-8_30

Cited by 18 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Resolution of this question of whether or not Al is a component of neurofibrillary tangles is important in establishing a link between Al and Alzheimer's disease. Additional studies have unequivocally demonstrated the presence of much higher focal concentrations of Al in neurofibrillary tangle-bearing neurons of patients with the parkinsonism demential/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) complex of Guam (Garruto et al, 1984(Garruto et al, , 1985(Garruto et al, , 1986Perl et al, 1982Perl et al, , 1986Perl et al, , 1990. These neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by intraneuronal paired helical filaments such as are seen in Alzheimer's disease, although the localization of affected neurons and the clinical manifestations are different.…”

Section: Is Aluminum Present At Elevated Concentrations In Neurofibrimentioning

confidence: 96%

Can the Controversy of the Role of Aluminum in Alzheimer's Disease Be Resolved? What Are the Suggested Approaches to This Controversy and Methodological Issues to Be Considered?

Savory¹

1996

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health

138

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Section: Is Aluminum Present At Elevated Concentrations In Neurofibrimentioning

confidence: 96%

Can the Controversy of the Role of Aluminum in Alzheimer's Disease Be Resolved? What Are the Suggested Approaches to This Controversy and Methodological Issues to Be Considered?

Savory¹

1996

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health

138

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“…Recently, we have begun to apply laser microprobe mass analysis, or LAMMA, to this problem. 33,34 This new technology allows elemental analysis of plastic embedded semi-thin tissue sections. The equipment (we utilize the LAMMA 500 manufactured by Leybold-Hereaus of W. Germany) produces a high energy laser beam pulse which is focussed onto the specimen by the objective of an optical microscope.…”

Section: Laser Microprobe Mass Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The details of the operation of the instrument and methods of analysis are provided elsewhere. 33,35 Using this technology, we have begun to study the elemental constituents of tangle-bearing and tangle-free neurons of specimens derived from Guamanian ALS and tangle-free native controls. 33,35,36 While these studies are preliminary in nature, we have shown evidence of selective accumulation of aluminum within the tangle-bearing neurons of several of these Guamanian cases (Figures 1, 2).…”

Section: Laser Microprobe Mass Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Aluminum Neurotoxicity — Potential Role in the Pathogenesis of Neurofibrillary Tangle Formation

Perl

Pendlebury

1986

Can. J. Neurol. Sci.

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Abstract:Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized neuropathologically by the development of large numbers of neurofibrillary tangles in certain neuronal populations of affected brains. This paper presents a review of the available evidence which suggests that aluminum is associated with Alzheimer's disease and specifically with the development of the neurofibrillary tangle. Aluminum salts innoculated into experimental animals produce neurofilamentous lesions which are similar, though not identical, to the neurofibrillary tangle of man. Although a few reports have suggested evidence of increased amounts of aluminum in the brains of Alzheimer's disease victims, such bulk analysis studies have been difficult to replicate. Using scanning electron microscopy with x-ray spectrometry, we have identified accumulations of aluminum in neurofibrillary tangle-bearing neurons of Alzheimer's disease. Similar accumulations have been identified in the neurofibrillary tangle-bearing neurons found in the brains of indigenous natives of Guam who suffer from parkinsonism with dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This ongoing research still cannot ascribe a causal role of aluminum in the pathogenesis of neurofibrillary tangle formation; however, it does suggest that environmental factors may play an important part in the formation of this abnormality.

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“…In the past few years, we have found that X-ray spectrometry microprobe imposed serious technical limitations on our work. To overcome these difficulties, our laboratory now employs the much more highly sensitive instrumentation, laser microprobe mass analysis (LAMMA) (Perl et al 1986). The laser microprobe instrument combines an optical microscope with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer.…”

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confidence: 99%

Aluminum, Alzheimer's Disease, and the Olfactory Systema

Perl

Good

1991

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

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In Alzheimer's disease, it has been recognized that there is a dramatic tendency for the development of neurofibrillary tangles among neurons of cortical regions associated with the olfactory system. We have demonstrated that neurofibrillary tangle-bearing neurons contain dramatically elevated levels of aluminum. The olfactory system, the only portion of the central nervous system with exposure to the external environment, is uniquely capable of uptake and transneuronal spread of exogenous substances. We argue that inasmuch as aluminum is not employed in any physiologic process, these deposits must arise from exogenous sources. Using parkinsonism-dementia complex of Guam as a model, we present data which suggest that the olfactory system is particularly vulnerable to damage and is affected very early in the disease. This supports the concept that etiologic agents of importance to this epidemic may be airborne in nature and may enter the central nervous system via the olfactory pathways.

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Laser Microprobe Mass Analyzer (LAMMA) — A New Approach to the Study of the Association of Aluminum and Neurofibrillary Tangle Formation

Cited by 18 publications

References 29 publications

Can the Controversy of the Role of Aluminum in Alzheimer's Disease Be Resolved? What Are the Suggested Approaches to This Controversy and Methodological Issues to Be Considered?

Can the Controversy of the Role of Aluminum in Alzheimer's Disease Be Resolved? What Are the Suggested Approaches to This Controversy and Methodological Issues to Be Considered?

Aluminum Neurotoxicity — Potential Role in the Pathogenesis of Neurofibrillary Tangle Formation

Aluminum, Alzheimer's Disease, and the Olfactory Systema

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