DISTRIBUTION OF PARAMAGNETIC IONS IN EX-VIVO HUMAN BRAIN SAMPLES USING ELECTRON PARAMAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY

Motivation: Maintaining balanced metal levels is critical for brain function. Dysregulation may play a role in neurodegenerative disease development, but the mechanisms of metal regulation and distribution are still not fully understood. Goal(s): To examine the interaction and distribution of iron and copper in the brain using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR), identifying regional and individual patterns of these metal ions. Approach: EPR analyses were performed on ex-vivo brain samples from 19 subjects, examining nine brain regions of both brain hemispheres. Results: EPR revealed clusters of iron and copper concentration patterns, where lower iron levels corresponded with higher copper levels in specific regions. Impact: This research suggests that copper-iron balance in the brain could serve as an indicator of healthy metal regulation, with implications for neurodegenerative disease research and in vivo brain metal monitoring.