Open AccessSynaptic Plasticity In Alzheimer’s Disease
Author(s) -
Daniel Montoya
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
revista neurociências
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1984-4905
pISSN - 0104-3579
DOI - 10.34024/rnc.2011.v19.8331
Subject(s) - synaptic plasticity , neuroscience , long term potentiation , metaplasticity , synaptic scaling , plasticity , nonsynaptic plasticity , disease , homosynaptic plasticity , neuroplasticity , psychology , medicine , pathology , physics , receptor , thermodynamics
It has been proposed that Alzheimer’s disease is a synaptic failure associated with subtle memory loss during the early stages of the disorder. If this is the case, it should prove useful to elucidate the mechanisms of synaptic plasticity during early stages of the condition. On the other hand, Long Term Potentiation, one of the best-known mechanisms of synaptic plasticity has been recently confirmed absent in Alzheimer’s disease patients. This link may lead to focus efforts in early detection of synaptic failure and development of preventive approaches aiming to improve synaptic plasticity. Here we review some new evidence in the study of cortical plasticity in humans that could be applied to the early detection of the disorder.