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Review
. 2014 Apr 15;88(4):640-51.
doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2013.12.024. Epub 2014 Jan 4.

Alzheimer disease: epidemiology, diagnostic criteria, risk factors and biomarkers

Christiane Reitz  1 , Richard Mayeux  2
Affiliations
Review

Alzheimer disease: epidemiology, diagnostic criteria, risk factors and biomarkers

Christiane Reitz et al. Biochem Pharmacol. .

Abstract

The global prevalence of dementia is as high as 24 million, and has been predicted to quadruple by the year 2050. In the US alone, Alzheimer disease (AD) - the most frequent cause of dementia characterized by a progressive decline in cognitive function in particular the memory domain - causes estimated health-care costs of $ 172 billion per year. Key neuropathological hallmarks of the AD brain are diffuse and neuritic extracellular amyloid plaques - often surrounded by dystrophic neurites - and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. These pathological changes are frequently accompanied by reactive microgliosis and loss of neurons, white matter and synapses. The etiological mechanisms underlying these neuropathological changes remain unclear, but are probably caused by both environmental and genetic factors. In this review article, we provide an overview of the epidemiology of AD, review the biomarkers that may be used for risk assessment and in diagnosis, and give suggestions for future research.

Keywords: Biomarkers; Neurofibrillary tangles; Neuropathological.

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Figures

Figure 1a
Figure 1a
Global prevalence of dementia (%) (3)
Figure 1b
Figure 1b
Incidence rates (per 1000 individuals in the population) (3)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Potential mechanisms linking vascular risk factors and cognitive impairment
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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