Abstract
During normal development of the nervous system, a major reduction occurs in the initially excessive number of neurons and synapses. This "pruning" process is heavily influenced by patterns of electrical activity in the synaptic circuits being pruned. Many of the cell biological and molecular mechanisms involved in this activity-dependent modification of nervous system structure and function have been explicated, and the area is one of intense study. Similarly, an explosive increase has occurred in knowledge about the molecular pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD). There are significant mechanistic commonalities between the normal neurodevelopmental process and development of AD. We hypothesize that abnormalities in neural activity patterns, or in the coupling between neural activity and maintenance of neurons and synaptic circuits, may be a key determinant in the pathogenesis of AD that is late in onset, sporadic in nature, and in which the genes for the presenilins and the beta amyloid precursor protein are normal. Behavioral data suggests that an active, socially engaged life-style may be associated with a reduced risk for AD. If so, mechanisms linking neural activity with synaptic circuit integrity are probably involved and provide a target for ameliorative pharmacological intervention.
Keywords: Synapse elimination, kinases, neurodevelopment, neuron-glia interaction, synaptic circuits, presenilins, neprilysin
Current Alzheimer Research
Title: Activity-Dependent Synapse Modulation and the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer Disease
Volume: 2 Issue: 5
Author(s): Phillip G. Nelson
Affiliation:
Keywords: Synapse elimination, kinases, neurodevelopment, neuron-glia interaction, synaptic circuits, presenilins, neprilysin
Abstract: During normal development of the nervous system, a major reduction occurs in the initially excessive number of neurons and synapses. This "pruning" process is heavily influenced by patterns of electrical activity in the synaptic circuits being pruned. Many of the cell biological and molecular mechanisms involved in this activity-dependent modification of nervous system structure and function have been explicated, and the area is one of intense study. Similarly, an explosive increase has occurred in knowledge about the molecular pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD). There are significant mechanistic commonalities between the normal neurodevelopmental process and development of AD. We hypothesize that abnormalities in neural activity patterns, or in the coupling between neural activity and maintenance of neurons and synaptic circuits, may be a key determinant in the pathogenesis of AD that is late in onset, sporadic in nature, and in which the genes for the presenilins and the beta amyloid precursor protein are normal. Behavioral data suggests that an active, socially engaged life-style may be associated with a reduced risk for AD. If so, mechanisms linking neural activity with synaptic circuit integrity are probably involved and provide a target for ameliorative pharmacological intervention.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Nelson G. Phillip, Activity-Dependent Synapse Modulation and the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer Disease, Current Alzheimer Research 2005; 2 (5) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/156720505774932232
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/156720505774932232 |
Print ISSN 1567-2050 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-5828 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
New Advances in the Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Rehabilitation of Alzheimer's Disease
Aims and Scope: Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses a significant global health challenge, with an increasing prevalence that demands concerted efforts to advance our understanding and strategies for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. This thematic issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research and innovative approaches from multidisciplinary perspectives to address ...read more
Current updates on the Role of Neuroinflammation in Neurodegenerative Disorders
Neuroinflammation is an invariable hallmark of chronic and acute neurodegenerative disorders and has long been considered a potential drug target for Alzheimer?s disease (AD) and dementia. Significant evidence of inflammatory processes as a feature of AD is provided by the presence of inflammatory markers in plasma, CSF and postmortem brain ...read more
Deep Learning for Advancing Alzheimer's Disease Research
Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses a significant global health challenge, with an increasing number of individuals affected yearly. Deep learning, a subfield of artificial intelligence, has shown immense potential in various domains, including healthcare. This thematic issue of Current Alzheimer Research explores the application of deep learning techniques in advancing our ...read more
Diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers of dementia
Dementia affects 18 million people worldwide. Dementia is a syndrome of symptoms caused by brain disease, usually chronic or progressive, clinically characterized by multiple impairments of higher cortical functions such as memory, thinking, orientation, and learning. In addition, in the course of dementia, cognitive deficits are observed, which often hinder ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Plombage: A Forgotten Surgical Treatment for Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Current Respiratory Medicine Reviews Impaired Cerebral Autoregulation and Vasomotor Reactivity in Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease
Current Alzheimer Research Effect of HAART on Salivary Composition and Oxidative Profile in HIVInfected Patients
Current HIV Research Lipoic Acid: A Novel Therapeutic Approach for Multiple Sclerosis and Other Chronic Inflammatory Diseases of the CNS
Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets Clinical and Prognostic Implications of Cognitive Dysfunction and Depression in COPD
Current Respiratory Medicine Reviews UGT1A1 Mediated Drug Interactions and its Clinical Relevance
Current Drug Metabolism Migraine, Neurogenic Inflammation, Drug Development - Pharmacochemical Aspects
Current Medicinal Chemistry Emerging Targets in Neurodegeneration: New Opportunities for Alzheimer's Disease Treatment?
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Neurotransmitter Regulation of Adult Neurogenesis: Putative Therapeutic Targets
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets Personalized Medicine, Bioethics and Social Responsibilities: Re-thinking the Pharmaceutical Industry to Remedy Inequities in Patient Care and International Health
Current Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine Vitamin D and Cardiovascular Disease: A Novel Agent for Reducing Cardiovascular Risk?
Current Vascular Pharmacology Preface:
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets Biochemical Markers and Risk Factors of Alzheimers Disease
Current Alzheimer Research Simulation and Performance Analysis of Tilted Time Window and Support Vector Machine Based Learning Object Ranking Method
Recent Advances in Electrical & Electronic Engineering Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Maze: A Snap View of the Past Decade’s Diverse Pharmacological Targets for the Disorder
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Early Features in Frontotemporal Dementia
Current Alzheimer Research Meet Our Editorial Board Member:
Cardiovascular & Hematological Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Targeted Blood-to-Brain Drug Delivery – 10 Key Development Criteria
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology The Main Receptors Involved in the COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Current Medicinal Chemistry Benzothiazoles - Scaffold of Interest for CNS Targeted Drugs
Current Medicinal Chemistry