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A Peephole into the Brain: Neuropathological Features of Alzheimer's Disease Revealed by in vivo Two-Photon Imaging.

Authors :
Liebscher S
Meyer-Luehmann M
Source :
Frontiers in psychiatry [Front Psychiatry] 2012 Apr 02; Vol. 3, pp. 26. Date of Electronic Publication: 2012 Apr 02 (Print Publication: 2012).
Publication Year :
2012

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a protein conformational disorder characterized by two major neuropathological features: extracellular accumulations of amyloid-β peptides in the form of plaques and intracellular tangles, consisting of hyperphosphorylated tau proteins. Several morphological and functional changes are associated with these lesions in the diseased brain, such as dendritic and synaptic alterations, as well as microglial and astroglial recruitment and their activation. The availability of transgenic mouse models that mimic key aspects of the disease in conjunction with recent advances in two-photon imaging facilitate the study of fundamental aspects of AD pathogenesis and allow for longitudinally monitoring the efficacy of therapeutic interventions. Here, we review the ambitious efforts to understand the relationship between the main neuropathological hallmarks of AD and their associated structural and functional abnormalities by means of in vivo two-photon imaging.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1664-0640
Volume :
3
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Frontiers in psychiatry
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
22485096
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2012.00026