title: Brain evolution and Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: It is argued that rapid evolution of the hominid brain was accomplished by the molecular mechanisms of "regulatory evolution" and "gene duplication". These genomic processes may have made newly elaborated brain regions--including the association neocortices and parts of the hippocampal formation, nucleus basalis of Meynert and amygdaloid body--vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease, by increasing the value of a disease-specific genomic character function. Trisomy 21, it is proposed, further increases this value.
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D003704:Dementia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D005810:Multigene Family; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents