This review of Alzheimer's disease assembles a variety of findings relevant to the
mechanism of the disease and ties them together using the current understanding of the
basis of the loss of cognition: the accumulation of misfolded proteins, which cause oxidative
and inflammatory damage to the brain and, ultimately, synaptic dysfunction.

An estimated 24 million people worldwide have dementia, the majority of whom are thought
to have Alzheimer's disease. Thus, Alzheimer's disease represents a major public health
concern and has been identified as a research priority. Although there are licensed
treatments that can alleviate symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, there is a pressing need to
improve our understanding of pathogenesis to enable development of disease-modifying
treatments. Methods for improving diagnosis are also moving forward, but a better …