Until the last decade, little attention has been given by the neuroscience community to the neurometabolism of metals, however, the neurobiology of heavy metals is now of growing interest, since they have been linked to major neurodegenerative diseases. This chapter is a review of some metals that could be possibly involved in neurodegeneration. Two of them are essential, manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) and one non-essential, aluminum (Al). Occupational and environmental exposure to these metals has been suggested as a possible cause of neurodegenerative disorders, therefore they deserve more attention from a multi-disciplinary approach that should merge the fields of neurosciences with those more specific for metallochemistry and oxidation chemistry.

MANGANISM AND PARKINSON'S DISEASE (PD)

Al IN THE AETIOLOGY OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

ZN AND NEURODEGENERATION