Cited by 118Alzheimer's disease research and treatmentsDementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms

Is synaptic loss a unique hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease?

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Scheff, Stephen W., Neltner, Janna H., Nelson, Peter T.·2014·Biochemical Pharmacology

Abstract

Synapses may represent a key nidus for dementia including Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. Here we review published studies and present new ideas related to the question of the specificity of synapse loss in AD. Currently, AD is defined by the regional presence of neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. The severity of involvement by those pathological hallmarks tends to correlate both with antemortem cognitive status, and also with synapse loss in multiple brain areas. Recent studies from large autopsy series have led to a new standard of excellence with regard to clinical-pathological correlation and to improved comprehension of the numerous brain diseases of the elderly. These studies have provided evidence that it is the rule rather than the exception for brains of aged individuals to demonstrate pathologies (often multiple) other than AD plaques and tangles. For many of these comorbid pathologies, the extent of synapse loss is imperfectly understood but could be substantial. These findings indicate that synapse loss is probably not a hallmark specific to AD but rather a change common to many diseases associated with dementia.

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  1. [27]Terry RD Masliah E Hansen L Terry RD Katzman R Bick KL Structural basis of the cognitive alterations in Alzheimer disease Alzheimer disease 1994 179 96 Raven Press New York, NY
  2. [54]Terry RD Masliah E Hansen L Terry RD Katzman R Bick KL Structural basis of the congnitive alterations in Alzheimer disease Alzheimer disease 1994 179 96 Raven Press New York, NY

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Authors
Scheff, S. W., Neltner, J. H., & Nelson, P. T.
Affiliations
University of Kentucky (US)
Corresponding author
  • Scheff, Stephen W.
  • Nelson, Peter T.
Venue
Biochemical Pharmacology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2014-04
Volume
88
Issue
4
Pages
517-528
ISSN
0006-2952 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1970874824
Cited by
118
References
172
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 5
FWCI
1.17
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Biochemical Pharmacology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institutes of Health
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
Keywords
synaptic loss, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, neuritic plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, clinicopathological correlation, autopsy studies, brain aging, cognitive impairment
MeSH terms
Aging, Alzheimer Disease, Animals, Brain, Cognition, Disease Models, Animal, Humans, Synapses

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