Brain trace elements in Pick's disease.

The trace element content of the brain of two patients with Pick's disease examined postmortem was studied using instrumental neutron activation analysis. Results showed significant increases in chlorine, iron, manganese, sodium, and phosphorus and significant decreases in chromium, cesium, rubidium, and selenium and in the mean freeze-dried to wet-weight ratio for patients with Pick's disease compared with control patients. Brain zinc content was not elevated in the two patients, a finding that fails to support the hypothesis that elevated zinc levels play a role in the pathogenesis of Pick's disease.