Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Asbestos exposure and Alzheimer disease

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
The Italian Journal of Neurological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

10 cases in which an asbestos-related disease (malignant pleural mesothelioma or asbestosis) was associated with severe Alzheimer type lesions in the brain are reported. The patients, all males aged between 67 and 78 years, had been occupationally exposed to asbestos in the shipbuilding industry. The hypothesis that asbestos in a favoring factor in the genesis of Alzheimer disease is discussed.

Sommario

Vengono descritti 10 casi nei quali una malattia da asbesto (mesotelioma maligno da asbesto o asbetosi era associata a lesioni cerebrali tipo Alzheimer. I pazienti, tutti maschi di età compresa tra 67 e 78 anni avevano subito un'esposiione professionale all'asbesto avendo lavorato nell'industria navale. Viene discussa l'ipotesi che l'asbesto possa rappresentare un fattore favorente nella genesi della malattia di Alzheimer.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Auerbach O., Conston A.S., Garfinkel L., Parks V.R., Kaslow H.D., Hammond E.C.:Presence of asbestos bodies in organs other than the lung. Chest 77, 133–137, 1980.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Ball M.J.:Alzheimer's disease. A challenging enigma. Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med. 106, 157–162, 1982.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Banks W.A., Kastin AL,J.:Aluminium increases permeability of the blood-brain-barrier to labelled DSIP and B-endorphin: possible implications for senile and dialysis dementia. Lancet 2, 1227–1229, 1983.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Bianchi C., Berti N., Grandi G.:Cerebral and extracerebral amyloidosis in senile dementia of the Alzheimer type. Phatologia 72, 67–70, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bianchi C., Bittesini L., Brollo A.:Cerebral Amyloidosis and extraneural primary malignancy (Abstract): Acta Neurologica 4, 281, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Bbianchi C., Bittesini L., Brollo A.:alzheimer's disease in a General Hospital (Abstract). In VII World Congress of Psychiatry, Vienna 11–16 July 1983, Abstracts, 338.

  7. Bianchi C., Bittesini L., Brollo A.:Asbesto e sistema nervoso. Riv. Inf. Mal. Prof. 70, 529–532, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Bianchi C., Bittesini L., Brollo A.:Asbestos exposure and depressive illness: a causal relationship? (Abstract). In World Pshychiatric Association, Regional Symposium, Helsinki, June 18–21, 1984, Book of Abstracts, 119.

  9. Bianchi C., Brollo A., Bittesini L.:Senile dementia of the Alzheimer type in the autopsy material of a General Hospital (Abstract). Acta Neurologica 3, 652, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Bianchi C., Brollo A., Bittesini L., Ramani L.;Asbestos exposure in the Monfalcone shipyeard area (Italy). In Atti del Congresso Internazionale su “Rischio da esposizione professionale nell'ambiente portuale”. Basi scientifiche per la prevenzione dei rischi ambientali sulla salute. Genova 3–5 ottobre, 1984, 128–135.

  11. Bianchi C., Brollo A., Bittesini L.:Esposizione all'asbesto e linfomi non Hodgkin nel territorio di Monfalcone. In 47° Congresso Nazionale della Società Italiana di Medicina del Lavoro e Igiene Industriale. Perugia-Assisi, 17–20 ottobre 1984 (a cura di Furbetta D., Abbritti G.), 1077–1080, Monduzzi Editore, Bologna 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Bianchi C., Di Bonito L., Brollo A., Bittesini L.:Primary lymphoma of the brain and asbestosis (Abstract). Acta Neurologica 5, 308, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Birkeland S.A.:Malignant tumors in renal transplant patients. The Scandia transplant material. Cancer 51, 1571–1575, 1983.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Craighead J.E., Mossman B.T.:The pathogenesis of asbestos-associated diseases. N. Engl. J. Med. 306, 1446–1455, 1982.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Crapper D.R., Karlik S., Dde boni U.:Aluminium and other metals in senile (Alzheimer) dementia. In Alzheimer's disease: Senile Dementia and Related Disorders (Aging, Vol. 7), ed. by Katzman R., R.D., Terry, and K.L. Bick. Raven Press, New York, 1978, 471–485.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Gonzales Gonzales D., Sschuster-Uitter-Hoeve A.L.J.:Primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the central nervous systems, Results of radhiotherapy in 15 cases. Cancer 51, 2048–2052, 1983.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Heyman A., Wilkinson W.E., Hurwitz B.J., et al:Alzheimer's disease: genetics aspects and associated clinical disorders. Ann. Neurol, 14, 507–515, 1983.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Heyman A., Wilkinson W.E., Stafford J.A., Helms M.J., Sigmon A.H., Weinberg T.:Alzheimers' disease: a study of epidemiological aspects. Ann. Neurol. 15, 335–341, 1984.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Iarc:Monographs on the evaluation of the carcinogenic risk of chemicals to man. Asbestos. Vo. 14. International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Johnson N.F., Wagner J.C., Wills H.A.:Endocrine cell proliferation in the rat lung following asbestos inhalation. Lung 158, 221–228, 1980.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Juntunen J., Huuskonen M.S., Matikainen E., et al.:Asbestois, the nervous system, and cancer. In press in Annals Acad. Singapore.

  22. Kagan E., Jacobson R.J.:Lymphoid and plasma cell malignancies: asbestos-related disorders of long latency. Am. J. Clin. Pathol. 80, 14–20, 1983.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Kilpatrick C., Burns R., Blumbergs P.C.:Identical twins with Alzheimer's disease. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psych. 46, 421–425, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Lancet (Editorial):Lymphoma in organ transplant recipients. 1, 601–603, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Nee L.E., Polinsky R.J., Eldridge R., Weingartner H., Smallberg S., Ebert M.:A family with histologically confirmied Alzheimer's disease. Arch. Neurol. 40, 203–208, 1983.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Nikaido T., Austin J., Trueb L., Rinehart R.:Studies in ageing of the brain. II Microchemical analyses of the nervous system in Alzheimer patients. Arch. Neurol. 27, 549–554, 1972.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Penn J.:Malignancies associated with immunosuppressive or cytotoxic therapy. Surgery 83, 492–502, 1978.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Petersen R., Venstrup-Nielsen S.E.:Dodelighed blandt danske isoleringsarbejdere 1970-75. Ugeskr. Laeger 144, 967–970, 1982.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Prusiner S.B.:Some speculations about prions, anyloid, and Alzheimer's disease. N. Engl. J. Med. 310, 661–663, 1984.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Preichert C.M., O'Leary T.J., Levens D.L., Simrell C.R., Macher A.M.:Autopsy pathology in the acquired immune deficienty syndrome. Am. J. Pathol. 112:357–382, 1983.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Robinson et al.:quoted by Lemen R.A., Dement J.M., Wagoner J. K.:Epidemiology of asbestos-related disease. Environ. Health Persp. 34, 1–11, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Ross R., Dworsky R., Nichols P., et al.:Asbestos exposure and lymphomas of the gastrointestinal tract and oral cavity. Lancet 2, 1118–1120, 1982.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Seidman H., Selikoff I.J., Hammond E.C.:Mortality of brain tumors among asbestos insulation workers in the United States and Canada. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 381, 160–171, 1982.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Smith M.J., Naylor B.:A method for extracting ferruginous bodies from sputum and pulmonary tissue. Am. J. Clin. Pathol. 58, 250–254, 1972.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Torack R.M., Gebel H.M.;Delayed hypersensitivity in Alzheimer's disease following BCG immunostimulation. Clin. Neuropathol. 1, 169–171, 1982.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Ziegler J.L., Beckstead J.A., Volberding P.A., et al:Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 90 homosexual men. Relation to generalized lymphadenopathy and the acquired immunodeficienty syndrome. N. Engl. J. Med. 311, 565–570, 1984.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Servizio di Anatomia e Istologia Patologica-Ospedale di Monfalcone, 34074, Monfalcone

    Bianchi C., Bittesini L. & Brollo A.

Authors
  1. Bianchi C.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bittesini L.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Brollo A.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bianchi, C., Bittesini, L. & Brollo, A. Asbestos exposure and Alzheimer disease. Ital J Neuro Sci 7, 145–151 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02230433

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02230433

Key-Words

Search

Navigation