Heavy metals and multiple sclerosis in Sardinian population (Italy).

The understanding of factors involved in the etiopathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is very important, especially in Sardinia (insular Italy) where one of the highest MS incidences in the world is consistently reported over time. There is evidence that some metals are implicated in the MS course and disability, and, a study was carried out to assess the concentration of Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 51 Sardinian subjects (29 consecutive patients and 22 controls). In fact, any unbalance in the homeostasis of metals in the CSF might predispose to the cellular brain metal transport and accumulation giving rise to pathogenic lesions terminating in neurodegeneration. Samples were diluted with water and metals were quantified by sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SF-ICP-MS). Results revealed that none of the metals quantified in the CSF were able to distinguish the MS cases from controls and the different MS forms. Furthermore, sex, age, coffee, alcohol intake, and smoking did not represent risk factors for the disease. In light of this outcome, the reasons of the high incidence of MS in Sardinia may be more likely addressed to the susceptible genetic background that is easily triggered by other environmental agents. The results are the first data set on the elemental profile in the CSF of Sardinian patients and can be used for comparisons with possible abnormal contents in other pathologies. © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.