Michael Sachs
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most prevalent cause of dementia and is a huge emotional and financial burden. It is estimated that 25%-50% of people over the age of 85 have symptoms of AD. AD was first characterized by Alois Alzheimer in 1906, who considered both clinical and pathological evidence in distinguishing it from other types of dementia. The pathological features of AD include neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques observed in the brain. These lesions are mostly composed of abnormally processed peptides. In this talk I review these features and the hypothesized chemical pathways that lead to abnormal processing. I also discuss modern imaging technology and its role in further characterizing AD in vivo.
