Etiology and Histopathology of Alzheimer’s Disease and Current Approaches

Year 2022, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 322 - 327, 01.05.2022

Fikri Erdemci , Fırat Aşır , Fatih Taş

https://doi.org/10.19127/bshealthscience.1064168

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a widespread kind of dementia and is one of progressive neurodegenerative diseases that leads to permanent damage to neurons. It has known that genetic and non-genetic factors play a role in the etiopathogenesis of AD. The accepted genetic factors are mutations on genetic codes especially on PSEN1, PSEN2, and APP genes. However, non-genetic factors include advanced age, exposure to occupational factors, current disorders, and lifestyle characteristics of the person. The final AD diagnosis can establish by histopathological examination of the brain after death. Pathologically, AD has two distinguishing features. Of these, beta-amyloid (Aβ) neurotic plaques are protein aggregates outside of nerve cells in the brain, whereas neurofibrillary tangles are structures found inside cells. The main component of amyloid plaques is Aβ, and the main component of neurofibrillary tangles is tau protein. Despite current therapies for Alzheimer’s disease, no definitive treatment is available. Today, preventive and curative treatment approaches for the disease include cholinesterase inhibitors, neurotrophic factors, NMDA-receptor antagonists, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, estrogen replacement therapies, antioxidants, and regular sleep. Despite all these approaches for the disease, further multidisciplinary studies are needed for the definitive treatment of the disease.

Keywords

Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia, Beta-amyloid, Tau protein

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