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Human brain contents of calcium, copper, magnesium, and zinc in some neurological pathologies
211
Cfinica C~~mica Acta, 64 (1975) 0 Elsevier Scientific
Publishing
211-213 Company,
Amsterdam
-
Printed
in The Netherlands
BRIEF TECHNICAL NOTE CCA 7260
HUMAN BRAIN CONTENTS OF CALCrUM, COPPER, MAGNESIA, AND ZINC IN SOME NEUROLOGICAL PATHOLOGIES
A.C. GREINER,
S.C. CHAN*
and G.A.
NICOLSON
Departments of Internal Medicine and Pathology, Riverview Hospital, Essondale, B.C., VOM 1JO (Canada) (Received
April
21, 1975)
Introduction The importance of trace metals in their effect on the physiology and pathology of the central nervous system is well recognized. Changes in the concentrations of these elements in the brain could take place in patholo~c~ states. However, only fra~ent~ data are available. The best known example is the accumulation of copper in Wilson’s disease [ 11. In a study of three cases of Hungtington’s chorea, brain copper was found to have decreased, while strontium increased [2] . In schizophrenia, brain copper and zinc were not found abnormal [ 31. We have investigated the distribution of calcium, copper, magnesium and zinc in several anatomical regions from both hemispheres of the normal human brain [4]. The different areas examined were: white matter {from frontal lobes), grey matter (from frontal cortex), thalamus, caudate nucleus, and lentiform nucleus. Our results did not reveal any asymmetry in elemental distribution between the two sides of the brain. We have now extended our investigation to some neurological diseases. In addition to symmetry, we are also interested in any deviation in concentration from the normal values. Results from four cases of chronic schizophrenia and four cases of brain damage due to organic brain diseases are discussed. Experimental Sampling of tissues and the analytical procedure were described in detail elsewhere [4]. Briefly, the tissues, about one gram each, were ashed at 600°C * Also of the Department of Chemishy, Canada.
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., V6T lW5.
METAL
Lentiform
d. Zinc White matter Grey matter Thalamus Caudate
c. Magnesium White matter Grey matter Thalamus Caudate Lentif orm
b. Copper White matter Grey matter Thalamus Caudate Lentiform
a. Calcium White matter Grey matter Thalamus Caudate Lentiform
--.--
__-----..-_-._-
11.0) 11.0) 12.5) 10.6) 10.4)
8.7) 12.4) 13.8) 13.7) 14.1)
-144 -112 -155 ---156 -156
5.25.64.54.65.4-
(129 ( 93 (127 (102 (130
( ( ( ( (
(100 ( 68 ( 94 ( 69 ( 71
( 6.9( 9.8f lO.O( 10.812.8 ( ll.l-
7.6 10.7 11.1 12.3
137 104 144 127 142
7.8 8.3 7.8 7.9 8.1
116 87 119 83 104
NOrmal
-140 -104 -146 -111 -132
CONTENTS
OF TRACE
given in pglg wet weight.
Concentrations
I
COMPAKISON
TABLE
) ) ) ) f
) ) ) ) )
9.4) 11.8) 16.3) 14.9) 16.9)
-154 -115 -161 -136 -146
11.3) 10.5) 21.4) 11.1) 9.5)
-213 -537 -151 -118 -138
4.04.65.1.4.65.5-
31 50 82 fi2 47
( 75 ( 93 (134 (113 (120
( ( ( ( (
( ( ( ( (
7.7 ( 5.910.6 ( 9.711.9 ( 10.411.8 ( 10.713.0 ( lO.l_________
132 103 148 125 138
6.9 7.0 9.1 7.7 8.0
104 129 107 74 92
_-
) ) ) f )
) ) ) ) )
-..-----.
- _. _.._.
>0.7 >0.7 >0.4 >0.4 >0.7
>0.6 >o.s >0.5 >0.7 30.4
-..-
-_
BRAIN
>0.4 >0.2 >O.B >0,9 >0.9
>0.6 >o.ti >0.3 >0.3 >0.3
(P)
IN SCHIZOPHRENIA,
___._.__~-
BRAIN
Schizophrenia ____ _ _ -._.
____~
IN THE HUMAN
_
7.2 11.7 11.7 12.3 12.6
135 110 143 129 146
8.1 7.7 7.3 7.4 7.4
108 87 115 95 124
( 6.2( 9.0f 10.2( 11.6( 11.5-
) ) )
-159 --157 -159 7.8) 16.9) 13.2) 13.8) 13.7)
) )
21.1) 11.7) 13.8) 9.5) 10.5)
) ) ) ) )
-154 -132
3.65.04.45.3-5.0-
48 57 60 69 77
( 124 97 (131 (104 (132
(
( ( (
f ( ( ( ( -152 -118 --210 -116 -201
AND NORMAL
Brain damage
DAMAGE
>0.2 >0.3 >0.4 >0.9 >0.6
>0.6 >0.2 >0.8 >0.8 >0.5
>0.9 >0.6 >0.7 >0.6 >0.5
>0.6 >o.s >0.8 >0.2 >0.2
213
for 48 hours. The ashes were then dissolved atomic absorption spe~trophotomet~.
in dilute
acid and analysed
by
Results and discussion Corresponding concentrations in each region of the two cerebral hemispheres are analysed for symmetry in each patient group. No asymmetry was observed in either group as was the case in normals [4]. Me~urements from the same region were then grouped together and the mean concentration was calculated. A t-test for unpaired observables was applied to compare the mean concentrations in schizophrenia and brain damage with the normal mean. This comparison is presented in Table I. The concentrations of brain calcium, copper, magnesium and zinc in the two pathological states examined have not deviated from normal. This is in concurrence with a previous finding that copper and zinc levels are not different in schizophrenia
[31-
We would like to thank Dr F.G. Tucker, Deputy Minister of Mental Health, Province of British Columbia, for his interest in our research, and Dr J.C. Johnston, Executive Director of the Riverview Hospital, for his permission to publish this manuscript. We would also like to express our gratitude to Professor J.B. Farmer of the Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia. References 1 Cumings, J.N. (1959) Heavy Metals and the Brain, Thomas, Springfield. Illinois 2 Courville. C.B., Nusbaum. R.E. and Butt, E.M. (1963) Arch. Neurol. 8, 841-9 3 Cumings, J.N. (1965) in The Scientific Basis of Medicine Annual Reviews (Ross, London 4 Greiner, A.C.. Ghan, S.C. and Nicolson, G.A. (1975) Clin. Chim. Acta 61,335-340
J.P..
ed.), Atholone,
Cfinica C~~mica Acta, 64 (1975) 0 Elsevier Scientific
Publishing
211-213 Company,
Amsterdam
-
Printed
in The Netherlands
BRIEF TECHNICAL NOTE CCA 7260
HUMAN BRAIN CONTENTS OF CALCrUM, COPPER, MAGNESIA, AND ZINC IN SOME NEUROLOGICAL PATHOLOGIES
A.C. GREINER,
S.C. CHAN*
and G.A.
NICOLSON
Departments of Internal Medicine and Pathology, Riverview Hospital, Essondale, B.C., VOM 1JO (Canada) (Received
April
21, 1975)
Introduction The importance of trace metals in their effect on the physiology and pathology of the central nervous system is well recognized. Changes in the concentrations of these elements in the brain could take place in patholo~c~ states. However, only fra~ent~ data are available. The best known example is the accumulation of copper in Wilson’s disease [ 11. In a study of three cases of Hungtington’s chorea, brain copper was found to have decreased, while strontium increased [2] . In schizophrenia, brain copper and zinc were not found abnormal [ 31. We have investigated the distribution of calcium, copper, magnesium and zinc in several anatomical regions from both hemispheres of the normal human brain [4]. The different areas examined were: white matter {from frontal lobes), grey matter (from frontal cortex), thalamus, caudate nucleus, and lentiform nucleus. Our results did not reveal any asymmetry in elemental distribution between the two sides of the brain. We have now extended our investigation to some neurological diseases. In addition to symmetry, we are also interested in any deviation in concentration from the normal values. Results from four cases of chronic schizophrenia and four cases of brain damage due to organic brain diseases are discussed. Experimental Sampling of tissues and the analytical procedure were described in detail elsewhere [4]. Briefly, the tissues, about one gram each, were ashed at 600°C * Also of the Department of Chemishy, Canada.
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., V6T lW5.
METAL
Lentiform
d. Zinc White matter Grey matter Thalamus Caudate
c. Magnesium White matter Grey matter Thalamus Caudate Lentif orm
b. Copper White matter Grey matter Thalamus Caudate Lentiform
a. Calcium White matter Grey matter Thalamus Caudate Lentiform
--.--
__-----..-_-._-
11.0) 11.0) 12.5) 10.6) 10.4)
8.7) 12.4) 13.8) 13.7) 14.1)
-144 -112 -155 ---156 -156
5.25.64.54.65.4-
(129 ( 93 (127 (102 (130
( ( ( ( (
(100 ( 68 ( 94 ( 69 ( 71
( 6.9( 9.8f lO.O( 10.812.8 ( ll.l-
7.6 10.7 11.1 12.3
137 104 144 127 142
7.8 8.3 7.8 7.9 8.1
116 87 119 83 104
NOrmal
-140 -104 -146 -111 -132
CONTENTS
OF TRACE
given in pglg wet weight.
Concentrations
I
COMPAKISON
TABLE
) ) ) ) f
) ) ) ) )
9.4) 11.8) 16.3) 14.9) 16.9)
-154 -115 -161 -136 -146
11.3) 10.5) 21.4) 11.1) 9.5)
-213 -537 -151 -118 -138
4.04.65.1.4.65.5-
31 50 82 fi2 47
( 75 ( 93 (134 (113 (120
( ( ( ( (
( ( ( ( (
7.7 ( 5.910.6 ( 9.711.9 ( 10.411.8 ( 10.713.0 ( lO.l_________
132 103 148 125 138
6.9 7.0 9.1 7.7 8.0
104 129 107 74 92
_-
) ) ) f )
) ) ) ) )
-..-----.
- _. _.._.
>0.7 >0.7 >0.4 >0.4 >0.7
>0.6 >o.s >0.5 >0.7 30.4
-..-
-_
BRAIN
>0.4 >0.2 >O.B >0,9 >0.9
>0.6 >o.ti >0.3 >0.3 >0.3
(P)
IN SCHIZOPHRENIA,
___._.__~-
BRAIN
Schizophrenia ____ _ _ -._.
____~
IN THE HUMAN
_
7.2 11.7 11.7 12.3 12.6
135 110 143 129 146
8.1 7.7 7.3 7.4 7.4
108 87 115 95 124
( 6.2( 9.0f 10.2( 11.6( 11.5-
) ) )
-159 --157 -159 7.8) 16.9) 13.2) 13.8) 13.7)
) )
21.1) 11.7) 13.8) 9.5) 10.5)
) ) ) ) )
-154 -132
3.65.04.45.3-5.0-
48 57 60 69 77
( 124 97 (131 (104 (132
(
( ( (
f ( ( ( ( -152 -118 --210 -116 -201
AND NORMAL
Brain damage
DAMAGE
>0.2 >0.3 >0.4 >0.9 >0.6
>0.6 >0.2 >0.8 >0.8 >0.5
>0.9 >0.6 >0.7 >0.6 >0.5
>0.6 >o.s >0.8 >0.2 >0.2
213
for 48 hours. The ashes were then dissolved atomic absorption spe~trophotomet~.
in dilute
acid and analysed
by
Results and discussion Corresponding concentrations in each region of the two cerebral hemispheres are analysed for symmetry in each patient group. No asymmetry was observed in either group as was the case in normals [4]. Me~urements from the same region were then grouped together and the mean concentration was calculated. A t-test for unpaired observables was applied to compare the mean concentrations in schizophrenia and brain damage with the normal mean. This comparison is presented in Table I. The concentrations of brain calcium, copper, magnesium and zinc in the two pathological states examined have not deviated from normal. This is in concurrence with a previous finding that copper and zinc levels are not different in schizophrenia
[31-
We would like to thank Dr F.G. Tucker, Deputy Minister of Mental Health, Province of British Columbia, for his interest in our research, and Dr J.C. Johnston, Executive Director of the Riverview Hospital, for his permission to publish this manuscript. We would also like to express our gratitude to Professor J.B. Farmer of the Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia. References 1 Cumings, J.N. (1959) Heavy Metals and the Brain, Thomas, Springfield. Illinois 2 Courville. C.B., Nusbaum. R.E. and Butt, E.M. (1963) Arch. Neurol. 8, 841-9 3 Cumings, J.N. (1965) in The Scientific Basis of Medicine Annual Reviews (Ross, London 4 Greiner, A.C.. Ghan, S.C. and Nicolson, G.A. (1975) Clin. Chim. Acta 61,335-340
J.P..
ed.), Atholone,