The cause of neuronal degeneration in Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease is associated with a specific pattern of pathological changes in the brain that result in neurodegeneration and the progressive development of dementia. Pathological hallmarks common to the disease include β-amyloid plaques, dystrophic neurites associated with plaques and neurofibrillary tangles within nerve cell bodies. The exact relationship between these pathological features has been elusive, although it is clear that β-amyloid plaques precede neurofibrillary tangles in neocortical areas. Examination of the brains of individuals in the preclinical stage of the disease have shown that the earliest form of neuronal pathology associated with β-amyloid plaques resembles t..