The impact of heavy metals in the pathogenesis and progression of Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

Objective: To describe the main pathophysiological changes caused by Heavy Metals (HM) in the body and their possible contribution to the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Methods: A bibliographical, exploratory research, integrative review type was carried out. Articles published from 2009 to 2021 were included. Results: Chronic exposure to HM has become more common among the world population as the aggressive pace of human activities releases excessive amounts of HM into the environment. Especially non-essential HM disturb the homeostasis of essential HM at the cellular, tissue and organic levels. Increased levels of HM in the body affect brain physiology and immunity, as well as contributing to the abnormal formation of reactive oxygen species in the central nervous system and to toxic protein accumulation such as β-amyloid protein and tau protein, inducing the process of brain neurodegeneration. Final considerations: Heavy Metals interact with β-amyloid protein, impair tau protein function and cause overproduction of inflammatory mediators in the brain, which results in aggregation of amyloid plaques in tissue, cell destabilization and neuronal death, which can lead to the onset and progression of AD.