Etiology and Pathogenesis of Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2014

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition that occurs in two forms, an early-onset form that is genetically determined and a far more common late-onset form that is not. In both cases, the disease results in severe cognitive dysfunction, among other problems, and the late-onset form of the disease is now considered to be the most common cause of dementia among the elderly. While a good deal of research has been focused on elucidating the etiology of the late-onset form for more than two decades, results to date have been modest and have not yet engendered useful therapeutic strategies for cure of the disease. In this review, we discuss the prevalent ideas that have governed this research for several years, and we challenge these ideas with alternative findings suggesting a multifactorial etiology. We review promising newer ideas that may prove effective as therapeutic interventions for late-onset AD, as well as providing reliable means of earlier and more specific diagnosis of the disease process. In the discussions included here, we reference relevant clinical and basic science literature underlying research into disease etiology and pathogenesis, and we highlight current reviews on the various topics addressed.

Publication Title

Current Allergy and Asthma Reports

Volume

14

Issue

3

First Page

417

Last Page

417

PubMed ID

24429902

Comments

This article was published in Current Allergy and Asthma Reports, Volume 14, Issue 3, March 2014, Page 417.

The published version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11882-013-0417-1

Copyright © 2014 by Springer, Part of Springer Science+Business Media

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