IS BRAIN PLASTICITY PRESERVED DURING AGING AND IN ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder believ ed to involve selective neuronal cell atrophy/loss in certain brain re gions. The progress of the disease is accompanied by selective cogniti ve impairments and behavioral disturbances. The hypothesis has been pu t forward that by activation of selective brain areas throughout life one might protect or delay the degenerative process. This hypothesis, paraphrased as ''a differential level of brain cell activity may accou nt for cell selective loss'' or ''use it or lose it'', further suggest s that a certain level of neuronal plasticity persists during aging an d even in Alzheimer's disease.