To understand Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the major thrusts of present-day clinical research, strongly supported by more fimdamental cellular, biochemical, immunological and structural studies. It is these latter that receive attention within this book. This compilation of 20 chapters indicates the diversity of work currently in progress and summarizes the current state of knowledge. Experienced authors who are scientifically active in their fields of study have been selected as contributors to this book, in an attempt to present a reasonably complete survey of the field. Inevitably, some exciting topics for one reason or another have not been included, for which we can only apologize. Standardization of terminology is often a problem in science, not least in the Alzheimer field; editorial effort has been made to achieve standardization between the Chapters, but some minor yet acceptable personal / author variation is still present, i. e. P-amyloid/amyloid-P; Ap42/Apl-42/APi. 42! The book commences with a broad survey of the contribution that the range of available microscopical techniques has made to the study of Alzheimer's amyloid plaques and amyloid fibrillogenesis. This chapter also serves as an Introduction to the book, since several of the topics introduced here are expanded upon in later chapters. Also, it is significant to the presence of this chapter that the initial discovery of brain plaques, by Alois Alzheimer, utilized light microscopy, a technique that continues to be extremely valuable in present-day AD research.
Sex and Gender Differences in Alzheimer's Disease: The Women's Brain Project offers for the first time a critical overview of the evidence documenting sex and gender differences in Alzheimer's disease neurobiology, biomarkers, clinical presentation, treatment, clinical trials and their outcomes, and socioeconomic impact on both patients and caregivers. This knowledge is crucial for clinical development, digital health solutions, as well as social and psychological support to Alzheimer's disease families, in the frame of a precision medicine approach to Alzheimer's disease.This book brings together up-to-date findings from a variety of experts, covering basic neuroscience, epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, clinical trials development, socioeconomic factors, and psychosocial support. Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, remains an unmet medical need for the planet. Wide interpersonal variability in disease onset, presentation, and biomarker profile make Alzheimer's a clinical challenge to neuroscientists, clinicians, and drug developers alike, resulting in huge management costs for health systems and society. Not only do women represent the majority of Alzheimer's disease patients, but they also represent two-thirds of caregivers. Understanding sex and gender differences in Alzheimer's disease will lead to novel insights into disease mechanisms, and will be crucial for personalized disease management strategies and solutions, involving both the patient and their family. Endorsements/Reviews: "There is a clear sex and gender gap in outcomes for brain health disorders like Alzheimer's disease, with strikingly negative outcomes for women. This understanding calls for a more systematic way of approaching this issue of inequality. This book effectively highlights and frames inequalities in all areas across the translational spectrum from bench-to-bedside and from boardroom-to-policy and economics. Closing the Brain Health Gap will help economies create recovery and prepare our systems for future global shocks." Harris A. Eyre MBBS, PhD, co-lead, Neuroscience-inspired Policy Initiative, OECD and PRODEO Institute. Instructor in Brain Health Diplomacy, Global Brain Health Institute, UCSF and TCD. "Sex and Gender Differences in Alzheimer's disease is the most important title to emerge on Alzheimer's disease in recent years.This comprehensive, multidisciplinary book is a must read for anyone with a serious interest in dementia prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care, cure and research. Precision medicine is the future of healthcare and this book represents an incredible and necessary resource to guide practice, policy and research in light of the fact that Alzheimer's disease disproportionately affects women. The combination of contributions from the most eminent experts and the most up-to-date research makes this an invaluable resource for clinicians, care providers, academics, researchers and policy makers. Given the complex nature of dementia and the multiple factors that influence risk and disease trajectory the scope of the book is both impressive and important covering sex differences in neurobiological processes, sex and gender differences in clinical aspects and gender differences linked to socioeconomic factors relevant to Alzheimer's disease. If you work in Alzheimer's disease, or indeed other dementias, then Sex and Gender Differences in Alzheimer's disease is a must have for your bookshelf." -- Sabina Brennan, PhD., C.Psychol.,PsSI., National representative for Ireland on Alzheimer Disease International's Medical and Scientific Advisory Panel
Recent studies have indicated that epigenetic processes may play a major role in both cellular and organismal aging. These epigenetic processes include not only DNA methylation and histone modifications, but also extend to many other epigenetic mediators such as the polycomb group proteins, chromosomal position effects, and noncoding RNA. The topics of this book range from fundamental changes in DNA methylation in aging to the most recent research on intervention into epigenetic modifications to modulate the aging process. The major topics of epigenetics and aging covered in this book are: 1) DNA methylation and histone modifications in aging; 2) Other epigenetic processes and aging; 3) Impact of epigenetics on aging; 4) Epigenetics of age-related diseases; 5) Epigenetic interventions and aging: and 6) Future directions in epigenetic aging research. The most studied of epigenetic processes, DNA methylation, has been associated with cellular aging and aging of organisms for many years. It is now apparent that both global and gene-specific alterations occur not only in DNA methylation during aging, but also in several histone alterations. Many epigenetic alterations can have an impact on aging processes such as stem cell aging, control of telomerase, modifications of telomeres, and epigenetic drift can impact the aging process as evident in the recent studies of aging monozygotic twins. Numerous age-related diseases are affected by epigenetic mechanisms. For example, recent studies have shown that DNA methylation is altered in Alzheimer’s disease and autoimmunity. Other prevalent diseases that have been associated with age-related epigenetic changes include cancer and diabetes. Paternal age and epigenetic changes appear to have an effect on schizophrenia and epigenetic silencing has been associated with several of the progeroid syndromes of premature aging. Moreover, the impact of dietary or drug intervention into epigenetic processes as they affect normal aging or age-related diseases is becoming increasingly feasible.
Following a long period of comparative neglect, Alzheimer’s disease has come to be a major focus of scientific research, and in recent years considerable progress has been made towards understanding the basic molecular mechanisms of the disease and toward developing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Here, the latest information on Alzheimer’s disease is presented, including topics such as the mechanisms of degeneration of neurons with neurofibrillary tangles, the formation of brain amyloid in Alzheimer’s disease, risk factors, diagnosis and pharmacological approaches. The chapters are of a high standard, reflecting the fact that the authors are internationally renowned in their own specialist field and the book will have a wide appeal to psychopharmacologists, neurologists, psychiatrists, neurobiologists and neurochemists who seek a broad overview of the present thinking in the field.
There is now considerable genetic evidence that the type 4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene is a major susceptibility factor associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease, the common form of the disease defined as starting after sixty years of age. The role of apolipoprotein E in normal brain metabolism and in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease are new and exciting avenues of research. This book, written by the most outstanding scientists in this new filed, is the first presentation of results concerning the implications of apolipoprotein E on the genetics, cell biology, neuropathology, biochemistry, and therapeutic management of Alzheimer's disease.
Current research suggests that neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, and Creutzfeldt-Jacob may be linked to disorders in protein shape referred to as protein misfolding. Continued study in this area could lead to promising advances in future treatment of these diseases. This groundbreaking text describes the latest findings regarding protein misfolding in the context of it being a marker, and perhaps a cause, in neurodegenerative diseases. Comprehensive coverage includes the diverse biochemical targets/markers for each disease, the currently limited success of drug therapies, and the cutting-edge research that could lead to more promising treatments.
Neurodegenerative diseases are the most frequent cause of dementia, representing a burden for public health systems (especially in middle and middle-high income countries). Although most research on this issue is concentrated in first-world centers, growing efforts in South America are affording important breakthroughs. This emerging agenda poses new challenges for the region but also new opportunities for the field. This book aims to integrate the community of experts across the globe and the region, and to establish new challenges and developments for future investigation. We present research focused on neurodegenerative research in South America. We introduce studies assessing the interplay among genetic, neural, and behavioral dimensions of these diseases, as well as articles on vulnerability factors, comparisons of findings from various countries, and works promoting multicenter and collaborative networking. More generally, our book covers a broad scope of human-research approaches (behavioral assessment, neuroimaging, electromagnetic techniques, brain connectivity, peripheral measures), animal methodologies (genetics, epigenetics, proteomics, metabolomics, other molecular biology tools), species (all human and non-human animals, sporadic, and genetic versions), and article types (original research, review, and opinion papers). Through this wide-ranging proposal, we hope to introduce a fresh approach to the challenges and opportunities of research on neurodegeneration in South America.
This volume is a companion to the highly successful book published in association with the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (JAD) on the centennial of Alzheimer's discovery: "Alzheimer's Disease: A Century of Scientific and Clinical Research". Instead of looking back, this collection, "Alzheimer's Disease: Advances for a New Century", will look forward. Using scientometric analysis the most promising developments since the Alzheimer Centennial in 2006 have been substantiated. While prior trends and advances in genetics, amyloid-β, tau, neuropathology, and oxidative stress continue as active areas, emergent areas impacting the transition from normal cognition to Alzheimer's disease such as diagnostic imaging, biomarkers, metabolism, and lifestyle (areas conceived only a few years ago) now dominate the debate.Invited contributors have summarized their landmark publications identified by our analysis and have put them into perspective, explaining the impetus behind the work, the contribution of the results to the field, and who played a role in the work.
Alzheimer’s disease is an increasingly common form of dementia and despite rising interest in discovery of novel treatments and investigation into aetiology, there are no currently approved treatments that directly tackle the causes of the condition. Due to its multifactorial pathogenesis, current treatments are directed against symptoms and even precise diagnosis remains difficult as the majority of cases are diagnosed symptomatically and usually confirmed only by autopsy. Alzheimer’s Disease: Recent Findings in Pathophysiology, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Modalities provides a comprehensive overview from aetiology and neurochemistry to diagnosis, evaluation and management of Alzheimer's disease, and latest therapeutic approaches. Intended to provide an introduction to all aspects of the disease and latest developments, this book is ideal for students, postgraduates and researchers in neurochemistry, neurological drug discovery and Alzheimer’s disease.
