Alzheimer’s disease: risk factors and potentially protective measures

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia and typically manifests through a progressive loss of episodic memory and cognitive function, subsequently causing language and visuospatial skills deficiencies, which are often accompanied by behavioral disorders such as apathy, aggressiveness and depression. The presence of extracellular plaques of insoluble β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) containing hyperphosphorylated tau protein (P-tau) in the neuronal cytoplasm is a remarkable pathophysiological cause in patients’ brains. Approximately 70% of the risk of developing AD can be attributed to genetics. However, acquired factors such as cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, obesity and dyslipidemia increase the risk of AD development. The aim of the present minireview was to summarize the pathophysiological mechanism and the main risk factors for AD. As a complement, some protective factors associated with a lower risk of disease incidence, such as cognitive reserve, physical activity and diet will also be addressed.

Neuroprotection of Tropical Fruit Juice Mixture via the Reduction of iNOS Expression and CRH Level in β-Amyloid-Induced Rats Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

“…Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases in the elderly [1]. e clinical manifestations of AD include progressive loss of memory (dementia) and cognitive function, which are always accompanied by behavioral disorders [2]. e neuropathological hallmarks of AD include "positive" lesions such as the presence of amyloid plaques and cerebral amyloid angiopathy, neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), and glial responses and "negative" lesions such as loss of neurons and synapses [3].…”

Association Between Previous Statin Use and Alzheimer’s Disease: A Nested Case-control Study Using a National Health Screening Cohort

“…Additionally, well-established acquired factors such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, smoking, and dyslipidemia were included as confounders; however, information on other acquired factors, including marital status, stress, depression, inadequate sleep, physical activity, diet, vitamin D, and hormonal replacement therapy, was not available in this study. [36,37] Third, AD commonly exists with other comorbidities, such as Lewy body dementia and vascular dementia as a mixed dementia. In the Rochester Epidemiology Project of 419 elderly demented patients, the postmortem diagnosis of AD was established in 51%, of pure vascular dementia in 13%, and of mixed vascular-Alzheimer dementia in the 12% of patients with "other" diagnosis in the remaining patients.…”

Exosomal miRNAs as Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers in Alzheimer’s Disease

“…These are the result of the aggregation of Aβ molecules, which, in turn, are the product of the gradual division of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by β-secretase (BACE1) and the γ-secretase/presenilin complex (PS1, PS2) [ 6 ]. The presence of neuronal plaques triggers an inflammatory process mediated by astrocytes and microglia with consequent induction of the immune response, which then entails the production of cytokines, interleukins and TNF-alpha, by macrophages and neutrophils, thus irreversibly damaging the neurons [ 7 , 8 ]. Although this primary response represents a kind of protection for the brain, it is thought that this prolonged state of chronic inflammation may be the basis of neuronal degeneration.…”