Current Alzheimer Research - Volume 14, Issue 1, 2017

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) develops undetected for years due to the lack of early diagnostic biomarkers. In advanced AD, visual deficits related to cortical neurodegeneration are well recognized, but recent studies have identified that the retina could be affected prior to vulnerable brain areas such as cortex and hippocampus. In this review, we discuss a new evidence suggesting that functional alterations in the reti Read More

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by accumulation and aggregation of beta-amyloid peptide, neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated tau, neuroinflammation, synaptic degeneration and eventual neuronal cell loss. Current treatment options for AD provide temporary symptomatic relief in a subset of patients. These drugs include cholinesterase inhibitors that improve cholinergic innervation Read More

Background: The early phase of Alzheimer's disease (AD) involves the disruption of finely tuned neuronal circuitry in brain regions associated with learning and memory. This tuning is obtained from the delicate balance of excitatory and inhibitory inputs which regulate cortical network function. This homeostatic plasticity provides a dynamic basis for appropriate information transfer in the brain. Excitatory synaptic transmission is Read More

Background: The last two decades have seen a great advance in the data that supports the two current hypotheses in Alzheimer's disease field, the amyloid beta hypothesis and the tau hypothesis. Not surprisingly, Aβ and tau proteins are currently the major therapeutic research targets for AD treatment. Unfortunately, nothing but moderate success has emerged from such therapeutic approaches. With this in mind, we will disc Read More

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by neuronal degeneration, vascular pathology and cognitive decline. Furthermore, deficits in cerebral glucose metabolism and insulin resistance are being increasingly recognized in AD. Many lifestyle-modifying approaches, including diet and exercise, have yielded promising results in modulating brain morphology and function for the prevention and early treatment of AD. Obj Read More

Background: Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) associated with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) have been linked to structural and functional alterations in fronto-temporal circuits and cortical abnormalities. However, little is known on how specific volumetric and functional brain changes may be associated with the frequency, severity and pattern of BPSD. Methods: A systematic review of the literature regar Read More

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting elderly individuals at an alarming rate. It has become a global health crisis imposing tremendous social and economic burden on society. Although there is no cure for AD, it is important to identify and implement preventive strategies that may delay or prevent the symptoms, limit the burden, and improve the quality of life of those afflic Read More

Background: Cholinergic cell loss in the basal forebrain, the major source of hippocampal cholinergic projections, has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease. Objective: To examine whether the septohippocampal pathway is involved in tauopathy model mice and to elucidate the tau-associated mechanism underlying cholinergic alteration. Methods: Adult (6 to 8 months old) and old (16 to 18 months old) transgenic mi Read More

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. The search for new treatments is made more urgent given its increasing prevalence resulting from the aging of the global population. Over the past 20 years, stem cell technologies have become an increasingly attractive option to both study and potentially treat neurodegenerative diseases. Several investigators reported a beneficial Read More

Background: Many studies suggest oxidative stress as an early feature of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). However, evidence of established oxidative stress in AD peripheral cells is still inconclusive, possibly due to both, differences in the type of samples and the heterogeneity of oxidative markers used in different studies. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate blood-based redox alterations in Alzheimer’s Disease in order t Read More