Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's Disease is the most common form of dementia. One in 10 individuals over 65 and nearly half over 85-year old people are affected by Alzheimer´s Disease. Patients suffer from memory loss and a decline in the ability to talk, read and write. Alzheimer is often also associated with mood changes. On a molecular level Alzheimer's Disease is characterised by senile plaques and microvascular deposits mainly consisting of amyloid-β-petide (Aβ). Over the last decade, besides the abnormal phosphorylation of the microtubule binding protein tau, the improper processing of APP into Aβ by the secretases has been shown to be a major pathomechanism of early-onset Alzheimer's Disease. Indeed, this mechanism already forms the basis of promising clinical trials. However, there are still major questions to be addressed concerning genetic cause of late-onset disease. Furthermore, specifically the influence of ageing processes and environmental factors on the aetiology and progression of this devastating disease remains to be determined.