Elusive Alzheimer's disease: can immune signatures help our understanding of this challenging disease? Part 2: new immune paradigm.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. Its most important pathological hallmarks are profound neuronal loss, presence of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles, and extracellular deposition of beta-amyloid protein (Aβ) as beta-amyloid plaques. One of the most important risk factors for AD is age and with the increase of life-expectancy AD has become the most common form of dementia.

Elusive Alzheimer's disease: can immune signatures help our understanding of this challenging disease? Part 1: clinical and historical background.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. Its most important pathological hallmarks are profound neuronal loss, presence of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles, and extracellular deposition of beta-amyloid protein (Aβ) as beta-amyloid plaques. These latter aggregations result in neuronal degeneration in brain regions important not only for memory, but also for other cognitive functions.