Alzheimer's amyloid story finds its star.
Beta-amyloid peptides (Abeta) have been genetically implicated as the cause of Alzheimer's disease, but the causality of amyloid deposited as plaques has been challenged. The controversial role of amyloid peptides in Alzheimer's disease has been highlighted in a recent paper from Lesne and colleagues, who applied Koch's postulates to cast a specific memory-deficit-inducing oligomer species as a central player causing memory loss. These authors used a transgenic mouse model to identify a specific type of aggregate that emerges with cognitive deficits and is capable of transmitting a spatial memory defect to unimpaired animals.
Cole
Greg M
GM
Department of Medicine and Neurology, UCLA-SFVP and GLAVA GRECC 11E, 16111 Plummer, North Hills, CA 91343, USA. gmcole@ucla.edu
Frautschy
Sally A
SA
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D010446:Peptide Fragments