Chapter 21: Experimental Models to Study Alzheimer's Disease Check Access

Despite more than 100 years of discovery, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is still the leading cause of dementia and no curative therapies that may halt its progression are currently available. It is pathologically characterized by the deposition of proteins such as amyloid beta and hyperphosphorylated tau, gliosis and ultimately neuronal death. The currently available treatment approaches only provide symptomatic relief to patients, hence necessitating the introduction of newer animal models to better understand and replicate the pathology of AD. In this chapter we have summarized the popularly used indispensable experimental models of AD and also discussed the advantages and limitations of these models in screening novel therapies for this disease. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common aging-associated neurodegenerative disorder with a complex pathology and multifactorial etiology. A progressive decline in cognitive functions and the accumulation of extracellular β-amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles in the brain are the characteristic features of this disease. A WHO report estimated that the worldwide population affected with AD ranged between 27–36 million in 2016. Experimental models of AD are important in providing a detailed understanding of the pathogenesis and to screen novel therapeutic approaches. A perfect model is crucial to replicate the symptoms in a sequential manner similar to the disease pathology in humans. Herein, we have summarized the pathological features of various experimental models of AD being globally pursued by researchers.