VACCINE

Neuroscience And Biobehavioral Reviews • Spring 1989
Aluminum-induced neurotoxicity:
alterations in membrane function
at the blood-brain barrier
Author information
Banks WA1, Kastin AJ.
1Veterans Administration Medical Center
New Orleans, LA
Abstract
Aluminum is established as a neurotoxin, although the basis for its toxicity is unknown. It recently
has been shown to alter the function of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which regulates
exchanges between the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral circulation. The BBB
owes its unique properties to the integrity of the cell membranes that comprise it. Aluminum
affects some of the membrane-like functions of the BBB. It increases the rate of transmembrane
diffusion and selectively changes saturable transport systems without disrupting the
integrity of the membranes or altering CNS hemodynamics. Such alterations in the access to
the brain of nutrients, hormones, toxins, and drugs could be the basis of CNS dysfunction.
Aluminum is capable of altering membrane function at the BBB; many of its effects on the
CNS as well as peripheral tissues can be explained by its actions as a membrane toxin.
“Aluminum is established as a neurotoxin ...
Aluminum affects some of the membrane-like
functions of the BBB ... many of its effects on
the CNS as well as peripheral tissues can be
explained by its actions as a membrane toxin.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2671833