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Dietary Copper and the Brain

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Handbook of Behavior, Food and Nutrition

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Abstract

Copper is an essential trace element. It is a component of a number of enzymes involved in functions that are vital for cells. Without copper, cell growth and survival are not maintained. Copper’s importance applies not only to human health, but to all of life; it is absolutely required for all cells. Conversely, excess copper is toxic and can lead to serious disorders in many organs of the body, including the brain. Therefore, a safe and adequate dietary intake of copper together with tight regulation of cellular levels is necessary to maintain good health. This chapter reviews the biological role of dietary copper in humans, the innate strategies to achieve copper homeostasis and the diseases associated with copper metabolism. Studies in yeast, a model organism, have helped to define how the cell manages copper, from its reduction to a biologically useful form, to its transport and delivery to locations in mitochondria, the Golgi apparatus, endosomes, etc., to the sequestration and efflux of copper when it is in excess. Special emphasis is given to the effects of copper in the brain. Brain copper levels alter with age and some of these alterations have been implicated with various neurodegenerative diseases, especially Alzheimer’s disease. Some of the evidence linking altered copper levels with acute and progressive diseases is presented.

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Abbreviations

Aβ:

β-Amyloid Protein

AD:

Alzheimer’s Disease

AI:

daily Adequate Intake

ALS:

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

APP:

Amyloid Precursor Protein

ATP:

Adenosine Tri-Phosphate

BACE:

Beta-Site APP Cleaving Enzyme

BBB:

Blood–Brain–Barrier

BSE:

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

CJD:

Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease

CSF:

CerebroSpinal Fluid

Cu:

Copper

CWD:

Chronic Wasting Disease

EC:

Enzyme Commission number

ETIC:

Endemic Tyrolean Infantile Cirrhosis

Fe:

Iron

HD:

Huntington Disease

ICC:

Indian Childhood Cirrhosis

ICT:

Idiopathic Copper Toxicosis

OHS:

Occipital Horn Syndrome

PD:

Parkinson’s Disease

RDA:

Recommended Dietary Allowance

ROS:

Reactive Oxygen Species

SOD:

Superoxide Dismutase

TSE:

Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy

UL:

daily tolerable Upper intake Level

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia

    Ian G. Macreadie

Authors
  1. Helma Antony
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  2. Ian G. Macreadie
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Correspondence to Ian G. Macreadie .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Nutrition & Dietetics, King's College, Stamford St. 150, London, SE1 9NH, United Kingdom

    Victor R. Preedy

  2. Arizona Health Science Center, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public, University of Arizona, 1501 N. Campbell Ave. Room 4335, Tucson, 85724-5155, Arizona, USA

    Ronald Ross Watson

  3. University of the West of Scotland, Ayr Campus, Ayr, KA8 0SR, United Kingdom

    Colin R. Martin

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Antony, H., Macreadie, I.G. (2011). Dietary Copper and the Brain. In: Preedy, V., Watson, R., Martin, C. (eds) Handbook of Behavior, Food and Nutrition. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-92271-3_150

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-92271-3_150

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