Aluminum toxicity and astrocyte dysfunction: A metabolic link to neurological disorders

Aluminum (Al) has been implicated in a variety of neurological diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms that enable Al to be involved in these disorders have yet to be fully delineated. Using astrocytes as a model of the cerebral cellular system, we have uncovered the biochemical networks that are affected by Al toxicity. In this review, we reveal how the inhibitory influence of Al on ATP production and on mitochondrial functions help generate globular astrocytes that are fat producing machines. These biological events may be the contributing factors to Al-triggered brain disorders. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.