Alzheimer’s Disease – Neurobiology and Aetiology

Diagnosis of AD has developed from a pathological approach to a more clinical and exclusionary approach.^1,3 NIA-AA Criteria published in 2011, combined with a clinical and biological approach developed by the International Working Group (IWG), allowed for the emergence of…

References on slide:
1.Alzheimer’s Disease International website. Dementia facts and figures. Available at: https://www.alzint.org/about/dementia-facts-figures/. Accessed 1 June 2023.

2.Alzheimer’s Association website. What is dementia? Available at: https://www.alz.org/al…

References on slide:
1.Knopman DS, Amieva H, Petersen RC, et al. Alzheimer disease. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2021; 7 (1): 33.

2.Therriault J, Zimmer ER, Benedet AL, et al. Staging of Alzheimer’s disease: past, present, and future perspectives. Trends Mol Med 2022; 28 (9): 726–7…

Aβ and tau pathology in AD results in neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, metabolic dysregulation, and protein deficiency.¹ The resulting neurotoxicity and disturbed neuroplasticity that occur lead to neurodegeneration.¹ In vivo, neurodegeneration in AD is ident…

While the most prominent risk factor for AD is increasing age, the disease develops as a result of several risk factors that converge.² Environmental factors such as traumatic brain injury, ischemia, hypoxia, neurotoxins, infections, lifestyle, metabolic parameters, and c…

The estimated heritability of AD is approximately 70%, and does not differ between sex.^1,9 To date, 75 risk loci have been identified for AD and related dementias.⁸ Several studies in multiple ethnic groups have associated the APOE gene with familial-AD and sporadic late-…

References on slide:
1.Livingston G, Huntley J, Sommerlad A, et al. Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2020 report of the Lancet Commission. Lancet 2020; 396 (10248): 413–446.

2.Atri A. The Alzheimer’s disease clinical spectrum: diagnosis and management. Med Clin…

AD has a long prodromal phase, during which early prevention is important to slow progression of the disease.¹ Psychosocial factors such as educational attainment and bilingualism work to enhance cognitive activity, processing, and intellectual capacities.^1,3 Regular soci…

Maintaining good physical health in individuals with dementia is important for cognition.¹ In early life (i.e., <45 years), lack of education has been associated with an increased risk of dementia.¹ In middle life (i.e., 45–65 years), and not necessarily in later life (i.…

References on slide:
1.Knopman DS, Amieva H, Petersen RC, et al. Alzheimer disease. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2021; 7 (1): 33.

2.Livingston G, Huntley J, Sommerlad A, et al. Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2020 report of the Lancet Commission. Lancet 2020; 396 (1024…