New research into how metals such as iron, copper, and zinc affect your brain could help to reveal some of the mysteries behind ailments like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. A new study has lent more credibility to the theory that Alzheimer's disease may be caused at least in part by toxic metal accumulation.
It is known that iron and copper accumulate beyond normal levels in the brains of people with degenerative brain diseases. The new research further showed that reducing excess iron in the brain can alleviate Alzheimer's-like symptoms in mice.
The Wall Street Journal reports:
“A genetic mutation related to regulating iron is linked to ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease. Zinc, on the other hand, appears to impair memory if its levels get too low or if it gets into a brain region where it doesn't belong, as it can with traumatic brain injury ... Similar findings link copper accumulation and brain disease, though not as much research has been conducted as with iron”.