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Pathophysiology of Alzheimer's Disease

Pathophysiology studies changes in function of an organ or tissue caused by a disease or an injury. According to the Mayo Clinic and American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), there are two main pathophysiological changes in the brain found in Alzheimer's disease: plaques and tangles.

  1. Plaques

    • Plaques are abnormal accumulations of the protein beta-amyloid in the brain. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), inflammation around these plaques leads to the death of nearby brain cells.

    Causes

    • The Mayo Clinic and AAFP report that plaques may be caused by a problem in processing beta-amyloid. According to the AAFP, risk factors for the development of plaques include high blood pressure and high cholesterol; there is probably also a genetic component of plaque formation.

    Tangles

    • Tangles occur when strands of the protein tau, which gives brain cells their shape, becomes twisted; this pathophysiological change causes affected cells to die. Some people are genetically predisposed to developing tau that twists, according to the AAFP.

    Features

    • It is not known, according to the AAFP, whether the processes that cause plaques and tangles are related.

    Effects

    • The pathophysiological changes of the brain in Alzheimer's disease lead to dementia, the slow, progressive (increasingly worse over time) loss of brain function. This affects memory, learning and behavior.

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