title: Beta-amyloidosis as an index of activity of the Alzheimer process rather than as a primary mechanism of neuronal injury in organic dementia.
abstract: In simple effective terms, beta-amyloid deposition might actually reflect ongoing activity of the Alzheimer process in a manner not directly related to the actual nature of this Alzheimer process. In a strict sense, perhaps, microglial and astrocytic activation within the possibly additional context of micro-circulatory pathology might actually operate towards the creation of a set of stress-inducing injuries to neurons by such mechanisms as oxidative stress, and also enzymatic release by microglia with phagocytosis within a system that dynamically evolves. In this sense, a central process of neuritic injury would appear to potentially engender a series of secondary mechanisms of injury that contribute and even transform the pathologic process central to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's. In a real sense, therefore, neuronal cell death would constitute a set of effects that integrally evolve via various pathways that are central or else secondary to active induction and progression of neuritic pathology. In perhaps an overall system of such self-engendered transformation both through primary and secondary series of pathways, beta-amyloid deposition would constitute a visible expression of the Alzheimer process as perhaps significantly related to disease activity per se irrespective of the specific genesis or nature of such disease activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, St. Luke's Hospital, University of Malta, Malta. lawrence.agius@um.edu.mt
authors.forename: Lawrence M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Agius
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D003704:Dementia / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid / Q000378:metabolism*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D020196:Trauma, Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D015415:Biomarkers