Data on the concentrations and distributions of aluminum (Al) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) specimens reported by various laboratories are difficult to compare for several reasons, including different microanalytical techniques, specimen preparation procedures, artifacts, and detection limits. The fundamental information necessary to interpret and to quantitatively compare data (image data in particular) has been lacking in many published results. Sample populations have not been selected to a consistent standard of disease definition. As a result, not only has it been impossible to clarify the role of Al in the etiology of the disease, but it has been impossible even to determine the conditions under which it may have a role. To begin to address the problem of data comparison, two steps have been taken: Al- doped brain homogenates have been investigated as potential multitechnique standards, and a special Issue Group on Aluminum Biological Standards has been organized for the Workshop on Research Issues in Aluminum Toxicity (Vancouver, July 8, 1995) to propose a common standard and acceptible experimental procedures for the various analytical techniques used in AD. The results described here are included in the Issue Group Summary, which proposes Al-doped brain homogenates as the multielement standard.
