Metals Linked to Alzheimer's Disease

Exposure to metals including copper, zinc, aluminum, and iron ions occurs inevitably. Any disturbance in metal homeostasis develops diseases and abnormalities. Metal ions undergo an electric charge balance via gaining or losing electrons from surrounded biomolecules. They bind to amyloid fibrils or tau proteins in the brain in a way that links to the development of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). For several decades, scientists have been exploring possible links between metals imbalance and AD. However, very little is known about the exact mechanisms governing the links of metals to AD. This book chapter summarizes recent thoughts in the research studies that focus on the links between metals and AD. Most of the current results suggested that metal binding to amyloid binds affects the architecture of the protein fibrils and rate of propagation.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease, Bioinorganic, Metals, Neurodegenerative diseases.