Animal Models of Metallic Dementia

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is nowadays the most widespread form of senile dementia in Western countries. AD is considered a multifactorial disease: in fact, it is probable that many concomitant factors (genetic and environmental) are relevant in the pathogenesis of this disease. In particular, among the environmental factors, a lot of recent interest has been raised concerning the possible involvement of metal dyshomeostasis. Several studies have indicated the imbalance of many trace elements in AD, including aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). We have therefore analyzed the role of these metal ions in AD development.