Información del artículo
Resumen
La enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA) es la enfermedad neurodegenerativa más prevalente entre las personas mayores de 65 años. Su impacto sanitario y social es extraordinario, ya que el número de mayores aumenta inexorablemente en nuestra sociedad. Por el momento sólo disponemos de hipótesis para explicar la etiología de la EA. Tales hipótesis se basan fundamentalmente en el análisis de las lesiones patológicas características de la EA, las placas seniles con su componente betaamiloide y los ovillos neurofibrilares constituidos por la proteína tau. En esta revisión queremos dar una visión actualizada del estado de conocimientos disponibles prestando atención a las primeras etapas asintomáticas del desarrollo de la enfermedad.
Palabras clave:
Enfermedad de Alzheimer
Histopatología
Pérdida neuronal
Edad dependencia
Cambios moleculares
Curso de la enfermedad
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease among the elderly. Due to the significant increase in the number of older people in our society, the social and health impact of AD is enormous. Current explanations of the aetiology of AD are hypothetical, based mainly on the characteristic neuropathological lesions observed in this disease (senile plaques with the beta-amyloid peptide as the main component and neurofibrillary tangles due to abnormal hyperphosphorylation of the tau protein). The present review aims to provide an up-to-date overview of current knowledge of AD with particular emphasis on the asymptomatic initial stages of the disease.
Key words:
Alzheimer’s disease
Histopathology
Neuronal loss
Age dependence
Molecular changes
Follow-up
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Este trabajo ha sido soportado por el Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología. Proyecto 1310 2000-0405-P4-0, EET2001-2001-4844-C0 y el Proyecto 99/077-40 de la Fundación de la Caixa
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