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This chapter discusses the importance of Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is an age-related neurodegenerative disease that causes a global loss of cognitive function as well as behavioral deficits. Usually, AD cases are classified as “familial” or “sporadic”. The neuropathological hallmark of AD is the presence of neuritic plaques in brain parenchyma and cerebral bold vessels. Alzheimer brain is also characterized by the presence of neurofibrillary tangles, the loss of synapses and neurons, as well as reduced neurotransmitter concentrations. The chapter also describes cholinergic neurons, which are usually vulnerable to cell death. These neurons are in the basal forebrain, which terminates in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Environmental and genetic factors immensely contribute to the risk of AD. |
