Abstract
Accepting as founded the hypothesis of a multifactorial origin for the Alzheimer's disease (AD), we explore the possible links between the geographical distribution of AD cases according to their birth place and the geochemical profile of the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (SLSJ) territory in the province of Québec.
The method used for factor analysis of correspondances (FAC) and another one based on the differences between the residential and municipal geochemical concentrations (DRMC) have been used for this purpose.
The geochemical matrix of SLSJ relates the highest concentrations of nickel, copper and zinc to the sector surrounding the Jonquière municipality. Moreover, high concentrations of iron, lead and manganese were found in the northern sector of the Lac Saint-Jean. The DRMC method corroborates this strong correlation between iron, lead and manganese. Furthermore, these concentrations do not differ from the north-american geochemical standards.
No single geochemical element seems to be associate with the spatial distribution of cases. It is, however, still possible that a certain synergistic effect between two or several elements could be implied in the development of the disease. According to the results of the soil analysis, there does not seem to be any association between the spatial distribution of cases and the concentration of aluminum, a chemical element that has been thought to be implied in the etiology of AD. These results are compared with those obtained by other workers in the micronesian islands, where abnormally high frequencies of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and parkinsonism dementia have already been observed.
Résumé
Se fondant sur l'hypothèse d'une origine multifactorielle de la maladie d'Alzheimer (MA), nous explorons les liens possibles entre la répartition géographique de sujets atteints selon le critère du lieu de naissance, et le profil géochimique du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (SLSJ) au Québec. La méthode de l'analyse factorielle des correspondances (AFC) et celle des différences entre les concentrations géochimiques résidentielles et municipales (DCRM), ont été utilisées à cette fin.
La matrice géochimique du SLSJ associe les plus fortes teneurs en nickel, cuivre et zinc au secteur avoisinant la municipalité de Jonquière. En outre, on relève des teneurs élevées en fer, plomb et manganèse qui correspondent principalement au secteur nord du Lac Saint-Jean. La méthode des DCRM corrobore cette forte corrélation entre le fer, le plomb et le manganèse. D'autre part, ces concentrations ne divergent pas des concentrations géochimiques moyennes nord-américaines.
Aucun élément géochimique unique ne semble s'associer à la répartition spatiale des sujets. Il demeure possible qu'un certain effet synergique entre deux ou plusiers éléments soit impliqué dans le développement de la maladie. Aucune association n'apparaît quant à la répartition spatiale des sujets et les concentrations d'aluminium, un élément soupçonne d'être impliqué dans la MA. Nous comparons nos résultats aux travaux menés dans les îles micronésiennes, où il a déjà été observé des fréquences anormalement élevées de sclérose latérale amyotrophique et de démence parkinsonienne.
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Emard, J.F., Andre, P., Thouez, J.P. et al. Geographical distribution of Alzheimer's disease cases at birth and the geochemical profile of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean/Québec, Canada (image project). Water Air Soil Pollut 72, 251–264 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01257128
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01257128