LIFESCI 3AA3 Chapter Module 1: Module 1 Essay
8 Sep 2018
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Alzheimer"s disease (ad) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a decline in cognitive function. Apolipoprotein e (apo-e) has been deduced as the strongest genetic risk factor. Apo-e has three isoforms, 2, 3, and 4. The brain of an ad patient pathologically presents with amyloid (a ) plaques and neurofibrillary tau tangles. The apo-e 4 allele has been positively linked with the aggregation and accumulation of these plaques. Recent studies have suggested that antibodies against the apo-e may have therapeutic effects of minimizing plaque buildup as such that their growth may be limited. Alzheimer"s disease (ad) is the number one neurodegenerative disorder in the western hemisphere. It is characterized by the impairment of memory, language, and other cognitive functions. Pathological hallmarks of ad include the aggregation of amyloid peptide oligomers around the neurons and the accumulation of tau protein aggregates within the neurons. These alterations in the neuronal environment leads to the activation of apoptotic cascades, neuronal deaths and cortical shrinkage.
