{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.036237471087124135, 'fraction_numerical': 0.006168080185042405, 'mean_word_length': 5.151658767772512, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Zinc and platelet membrane microviscosity in Alzheimer's disease. The in vivo effect of zinc on platelet membranes and cognition.

OBJECTIVES
To investigate the effects of oral zinc supplementation on: (i) plasma zinc concentrations; (ii) platelet membrane microviscosity in vivo; and (iii) cognitive function of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients.


DESIGN
An open-labelled pilot study.


SETTING
University of Stellenbosch Medical School and Stikland Hospital.


SUBJECTS
Six volunteer AD patients.


OUTCOME MEASURES
Plasma zinc levels, platelet membrane microviscosity and cognition (MMSE and ADAS-cog tests).


RESULTS
Oral zinc supplementation (30 mg/day) did not increase plasma zinc levels significantly, but significantly increased platelet membrane microviscosity (P = 0.02; 6 patients). Four patients, who underwent 12 months of evaluation, showed modest cognitive improvement on psychometric testing (Mini-Mental State Examination and the cognitive portion of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment scale scores).


CONCLUSIONS
While earlier literature promoted the use of zinc in AD patients, a recent study has contradicted this and implicated zinc in the aetiology of Alzheimer's disease. On the basis of the above results, it may be premature to single out zinc as a causal agent in AD.