Zinc and thymic hormone-dependent immunity in normal ageing and in patients with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type.
Plasma zinc levels were measured in young controls, aged controls, patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type and patients with non-Alzheimer type dementia. Zinc levels decreased with age; however, no difference was found between patients with dementia and age-matched controls. Plasma levels of active or inactive thymulin, a nonapeptide produced and released by the thymus gland, were also determined in young controls, aged controls, patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type and patients with non-Alzheimer type dementia. Basal levels of active thymulin were decreased in aged controls and in patients with dementia. In vitro reactivation of thymulin after zinc addition to plasma samples was decreased in aged controls. A further impairment of thymulin reactivation was present in patients with dementia. A significant age-dependent decrease in lymphocyte proliferation after mitogen stimulation was found; however, no difference was present between aged controls and patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type. Interleukin-2-induced cell activation and its effect on mitogen-induced proliferation were also measured; once again only an age-associated decrease was found. The endocrine function of the thymus of patients with dementia appears to be more compromised than that from aged controls.