From: Ron Hoggan
Date: 18-JUN-1996 23:58

I see a connection between gluten intolerance and Alzheimer's. The logical progression from what I am suggesting is that cortical atrophy is an ongoing process, from as early as adolescence, where gliadins enter the blood through the leaky gut, swamp the blood brain barrier, and attach to the ICAM-1's in the microvessels. An autoimmune response to the gliadins results in the destruction of both the gliadin molecule, and the ICAM, which is followed by a tiny, tiny stroke. Repeat this process over many years of gluten ingestion, and you have the cortical damage that we see in Alzheimer's. The presence of aluminum at these sites may be the result of heavy salt ingestion (very common among gluten intolerance folks due to reductions in bile salts, due to atresia (partial or total blockage of the bile duct). As salt is a very common source of aluminum, and sodium is used in neurotransmission, I believe there is some basis for a hypothesis. I have some ideas about the fibulary tangles, but am not yet clear enough on the matter to discuss it.