======

Here's an abstract from: http://www.***.com/

Collin P, Pirttila T, Nurmikko T, Somer H, Erila T, Keyrilainen O: CELIAC
DISEASE, BRAIN ATROPHY, AND DEMENTIA. Neurology 1991; 41(3):372-5. Summary:
We report five patients who developed dementia before age 60 and were
subsequently found to have celiac disease (CD). Intellectual deterioration
ranged from moderate to severe, and diffuse cerebral or cerebellar atrophy
was found on brain CT. Diagnosis of CD was confirmed by findings of
subtotal villous atrophy in jejunal biopsy specimens and positive serum
reticulin and gliadin antibodies. Conspicuously, gastrointestinal symptoms
were mild. The gluten-free diet failed to improve the neurologic disability
except in one patient. CD is a multisystem disorder and may play a role in
some cases of presenile dementia. Although the pathogenetic mechanisms are
obscure, immunologic mechanisms are implicated.

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In this study:

Hadjivassilou et. al. "Does cryptic gluten sensitivity play a part in
neurological illness?" _The Lancet_ 1996; 347: 369-371.

They found that 57 percent of those with neurological problems of
unknown cause also had antibodies to gliadin, which is a component of
gluten. Six{*filter*} percent of them had coeliac disease, a much higher level
than normally found. Most of the patients with the anti-gliadin antibodies
did not have other symptoms of coeliac disease such as poor absorption of
vitamins.

======

In this article:

Cooke WT, Neurologic manifestations of malabsorption. In Handbook of
clinical neurology, volume 28 (metabolic deficiency diseases of the nervous
system, part II), Amsterdam; North Holland Publishing Company, 1976;
225-41.

They discuss the many neurological manifestations that are associated with
coeliac disease, including ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, myelopathy,
myopathy, and *dementia*.

======

And this is from a doctor that studies gluten intolerance:

Date:    Mon, 17 Jul 1995 12:07:27 -0500


Subject: Re: CELIAC Disease and dementia

There are some reports of people with mental decline that resembled
Alzheimer's disease who had celiac disease diagnosed around the same time.
There is likely a connection though it is not clear how exactly.
Joe Murray
Not medical advice

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You might want to suggest to your friend or relative to get tested for
gluten problems. If so then a diet change can do wonders for these
problems. For more on this you can visit:

  The Gluten-Free Page:   http://www.***.com/ ~donwiss/

Don.

progression from what I am suggesting is that cortical atrophy is an
ongoing process, from as early as adolescence, where gliadins enter the
{*filter*} through the leaky gut, swamp the {*filter*} brain barrier, and attach to
the ICAM-1's in the microvessels. An autoimmune response to the gliadins
results in the destruction of both the gliadin molecule, and the ICAM,
which is followed by a tiny, tiny stroke. Repeat this process over many
years of gluten ingestion, and you have the cortical damage that we see in
Alzheimer's. The presence of aluminum at these sites may be the result of
heavy salt ingestion (very common among gluten intolerance folks due to
reductions in bile salts, due to atresia (partial or total blockage of the
bile duct). As salt is a very common source of aluminum, and sodium is used
in neurotransmission, I believe there is some basis for a hypothesis. I
have some ideas about the fibulary tangles, but am not yet clear enough on
the matter to discuss it.  

I hope this is helpful.

Sincerely,
Ron Hoggan   Calgary, Alberta, Canada