Amyloid Cascade Hypothesis Perspective on Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been defined as a type of dementia that causes
problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. AD is characterized by tau tangles and
Aβ plaques in and around neurons, respectively. The impact this disease has on its
victims’ health, both physically and mentally, is unimaginable and the rate of progression
is not expected to decrease any time soon. This threat to our minds encourages the
importance of understanding AD. Amongst the theories as to what bio mechanisms cause
the brain to intertwine is the amyloid cascade hypothesis. The purpose of this thesis is to
review the amyloid cascade hypothesis and discuss treatments which utilize this model.
We also wish to examine social aspects such as loneliness and socioeconomic factors
which are associated with the progression of AD. Research presented provides evidence
that targeting the accumulation of Aβ in the brain will prevent further biochemical
responses to form neurodegenerative pathology. From the collected data, we observe that
therapies targeting the amyloidogenic pathway have received positive feedback in the
medical community. Amongst them, an Aβ synthetic peptide vaccine which made history
in vaccine development due to their responder rate. The impact of social factors such as
loneliness in the advancement of AD is also supported by research. While it is
acknowledged that any neurodegenerative disease is far too complex to narrow its cause
specifically, this thesis provides an association with multiple aspects that can be
understood and applied to future research in this field.