Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, Volume 46, March 2018, Pages 76-82

Who were the authors of the study?

Matthew Molda, Dorcas Umarb, Andrew Kingc, Christopher Exley

What is the study about?

This study is about measuring aluminium in brain tissue from donors who died with a diagnosis of ASD and examining the location of aluminium in these tissues.

What previous research supports the hypothesis or findings of this study?

Previous research has found that aluminium content in brain tissues from donors with a diagnosis of ASD was extremely high, with some of the highest values for brain aluminium content ever measured in healthy or diseased tissues. Comparative data in the scientific literature includes similarly high data for a 42 year old male with familial Alzheimer’s disease (fAD). Animal models of ASD have also supported a connection with aluminium and to aluminium adjuvants used in human vaccinations in particular.

What is did the researchers hypothesize in this study?

The researchers hypothesized that individuals with a diagnosis of ASD have extraordinarily high levels of aluminium in their brain tissue and that this aluminium is pre-eminently associated with non-neuronal cells including microglia and other inflammatory monocytes.

What was found in this study?

The findings of this study were that the aluminium content of brain tissues from donors with a diagnosis of ASD was extremely high, with the mean aluminium content for each lobe across all 5 individuals being towards the higher end of all previous measurements of brain aluminium content. Aluminium was found in both white and grey matter, and was significantly more prevalent in males than females. Aluminium was identified as both extracellular and intracellular, involving both neurones and non-neuronal cells.

What are the limitations of the study?

The limitations of this study include the small number of cases available to study, the limited availability of tissue, and the lack of comparative data in the scientific literature.

What should future research examine?

Future research should examine the mechanisms underlying the aetiology of ASD, the correlation between human exposure to aluminium and ASD, the use of aluminium adjuvants in human vaccinations and their correlation with increasing prevalence of ASD, the presence of aluminium in brain tissue from donors who died with a diagnosis of ASD, the contribution of aluminium to the aetiology of ASD, and the differences in aluminium content between males and females with ASD.

Can I read the full study somewhere?

Of course you smarty-pants you. Walk on over here…sexy. 😉