Neuroinflammation, Oxidative Stress and the Pathogenesis of Alzheimers Disease

Alzheimers disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder that affects the elderly. The increase of lifeexpectancy is transforming AD into a major health-care problem. AD is characterized by a progressive impairment of memory and other cognitive skills leading to dementia. The major pathogenic factor associated to AD seems to be amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) oligomers that tend to accumulate extracellularly as amyloid deposits and are associated with reactive microglia and astrocytes as well as with degeneration of neuronal processes. The involvement of microglia and astrocytes in the onset and progress of neurodegenerative process in AD is becoming increasingly recognized, albeit it is commonly…