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Neurological Pathway of Alzheimer's Disease

Symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a progressive disorder most commonly found in senior citizens, include difficulty with learning, memory, and motor skills. As of 2010 the exact cause of Alzheimer's disease remains unknown. Disturbance of the neurological pathway, however, does contribute to the development of AD.

  1. Neurological Pathway

    • The neurological pathway consists of input and output transducers. A disturbance in the neurological pathway interferes with the input transducers sent by your brain, hindering the output transducers, which produce your body's ability to function.

    Hypotheses

    • There are three different hypotheses which explain how a disturbed neurological pathway contributes to causing Alzheimer's disease.

    Beta-Amyloid Hypothesis

    • The beta-amyloid hypothesis suggests an excess build up of beta-amyloid, a protein essential in shaping the neural system, leads to AD.

    Acetylcholine Hypothesis

    • The acetylcholine hypothesis attributes the development of Alzheimer's disease to a lack of acetylcholine, a chemical messenger crucial for tasks, like learning and memory.

    Tau Protein Hypothesis

    • The tau protein hypothesis states that tau proteins, which normally spread nutrients to cells throughout the nervous system, malfunction, leaving unnourished cells to die. Dead cells results in AD symptoms, such as lost memory and inability to learn.

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