Aging and Alzheimer's disease: Comparison and associations from molecular to system level

Aging Cell. 2018 Oct;17(5):e12802. doi: 10.1111/acel.12802. Epub 2018 Jul 2.

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease is the most prevalent cause of dementia, which is defined by the combined presence of amyloid and tau, but researchers are gradually moving away from the simple assumption of linear causality proposed by the original amyloid hypothesis. Aging is the main risk factor for Alzheimer's disease that cannot be explained by amyloid hypothesis. To evaluate how aging and Alzheimer's disease are intrinsically interwoven with each other, we review and summarize evidence from molecular, cellular, and system level. In particular, we focus on study designs, treatments, or interventions in Alzheimer's disease that could also be insightful in aging and vice versa.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; aging; cell type composition; comparison and association; epigenetics; genetic susceptibility; microglia; system inflammation.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aging / pathology*
  • Alzheimer Disease / genetics*
  • Alzheimer Disease / microbiology
  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology*
  • DNA Methylation / genetics
  • Humans
  • Life Style
  • Microbiota
  • Systems Biology*