title: Distinct destructive signal pathways of neuronal death in Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: Abundant neuron loss is a major feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Hypotheses for this loss include abnormal amyloid precursor protein processing (i.e. excess Abeta production, protein aggregation or misfolding), oxidative stress, excitotoxicity and inflammation. Neuron loss is a major cause of dementia in AD; however, it seems that there is no definitive pathway that causes cell death in the AD brain. Here, we examine the hypotheses for neuron loss in AD and pose the argument that the means by which neurons degenerate is irrelevant for cognitive decline. The best treatment for cognitive decline is to prevent the toxicity that first sets the neuron on its path to destruction, which is the production of Abeta peptide.
authors.affiliation: Haldeman Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Sun Health Research Institute 3501, West Santa Fe Drive, Sun City, AZ 85351, USA. yong.shen@sunhealth.org
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Zhenyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Carrie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McAllister
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lindholm
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D002453:Cell Cycle; D016923:Cell Death; D003071:Cognition; D004249:DNA Damage; D004260:DNA Repair; D006801:Humans; D017628:Microglia / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017510:Protein Folding; D053218:Receptors, Death Domain / Q000502:physiology; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D053218:Receptors, Death Domain; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate