Inflammatory pathogenesis in Alzheimer's disease: biological mechanisms and cognitive sequeli

Experimental evidence from molecular biology, biochemistry, epidemiology an d behavioral research support the conclusion that brain inflammation contri butes to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and other types of human d ementias. Aspects of neuroimmunology relating to the pathogenesis of Alzhei mer's disease are briefly reviewed. The effects of brain inflammation, medi ated through cytokines and other secretory products of activated glial cell s, on neurotransmission (specifically, nitric oxide, glutamate, and acetylc holine), amyloidogenesis, proteolysis, and oxidative stress are discussed w ithin the context of the pathogenesis of learning and memory dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is proposed to be an etiologicall y heterogeneous syndrome with the common elements of amyloid deposition and inflammatory neuronal damage. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights re served.