Mathematical modeling for the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.

• Main Authors: Ishwar K Puri, Liwu Li
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2010-01-01
• Series: PLoS ONE
• Online Access: http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3001872?pdf=render

Despite extensive research, the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative Alzheimer's disease (AD) still eludes our comprehension. This is largely due to complex and dynamic cross-talks that occur among multiple cell types throughout the aging process. We present a mathematical model that helps define critical components of AD pathogenesis based on differential rate equations that represent the known cross-talks involving microglia, astroglia, neurons, and amyloid-β (Aβ). We demonstrate that the inflammatory activation of microglia serves as a key node for progressive neurodegeneration. Our analysis reveals that targeting microglia may hold potential promise in the prevention and treatment of AD.